 Introduction
History and Culture
In time, however, Carthaginian invaders came to have control over more than half of the island. Interlopers from mainland Greece seized the bulk of what remained, and Sicily became a battleground for the rival empires. A century of antagonism between Greeks and Carthaginians was followed by strife between Romans and Carthaginians, which flared in 264 BC with the first of the Punic Wars. Syracuse fell during the second Punic War (BC 211), heralding the beginning of more than 500 years of Roman rule.
Over the centuries, Sicily became an important source of grain for the Roman Empire, seen principally as an agricultural resource. Nevertheless, some of the island's towns and villas reflect Rome's grandeur, and Greek theatres (such as those in Taormina and Siracusa) were adapted to suit more bloodthirsty Roman tastes.
A brief occupation by barbarians followed the fall of the Empire, before Sicily came under Byzantine sway. Next came the Arabs, in the ninth century AD. Under Arab rule Sicily regained wealth and prestige, with their capital Palermo becoming an elegant and famed city.
The Arabs were eventually displaced by the Norman conquest of Sicily (1060-91). In the late eleventh century, Palermo became the capital of Norman Sicily. Another period of wealth and growth followed, Sicily became one of the wealthiest states in Europe. Their embracing and use of Arabic and Byzantine methodology, architecture and craftsmen resulted in a unique fusion of styles, and a remarkable and enduring legacy of art and architecture. After only a century, however, the Norman Hauteville dynasty died out and the south German (Swabian) Hohenstaufen dynasty ruled starting in 1194, adopting Palermo as its principal seat from 1220. But local Christian-Muslim conflicts fueled by the Crusades were escalating during this later period, and in 1224, Frederick II, grandson of Roger II, expelled the last remaining Arabs from Sicily.
After Sicily had changed hands a number of times, a 1282 revolt known as the Sicilian Vespers over threw the French. Then followed five centuries of Spanish domination. As usual, Sicily was under outside rule, and thus missed out on many of Europe's developments. Culture remained agricultural and feudal. The pressures of the Church and the Inquisition helped keep the populace subdued. An eruption of Etna in 1669 and the immense earthquake of 1693 killed many and the rebuilding kept the populace busy. In various wars and treaties, Sicily was handed around, belonging briefly to the House of Savoy, and then Austria. Then came the Spanish Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (ruled by the Bourbon kings of Naples), which endured the Napoleonic Wars and continued, despite a British attempt at reform, to oppress the population. Thus when Garibaldi made his famous landing at Marsala in 1860, to claim the island for the Savoy dynasty in his successful quest for Italian unification, the new regime was greeted optimistically.
Failed or insuffient reforms meant that the lot of ordinary Sicilians did not improve significantly over the next period, which saw the growth in power of fear-wielding land managers, giving rise to the intimidatory criminal class that was to become known as the Mafia. The Messina earthquake of 1908 killed over 80,000 people. Millions emigrated in search of a better life. During the Second world War, Sicily was invaded by the Allies, who restored order with the assistance of the Mafia, tightening its grip on the island. From then the history of the island is bound up in struggles for political power, the criminal machinations of the Mafia, mismanagement and misappropriation of resources. However, the closing years of the twentieth century saw the beginnings of popular movements against corruption and crime, as well as an increase in the tourism which is so important to the island's economy.
Places in the Region of Sicily
The Greek-origin cities are mostly on the west side of the island, where we can find Selinunte, Segesta, Siracusa and Agrigento, with its fantastic Valley of Temples. Architecturally speaking, Eastern Sicily is much more influenced by the Sicilian Baroque style, used to build monuments and buildings after the terrible earthquake of 1693. The worst hit area was Val di Noto, which was completely rebuilt at the end of the 17th century. The area includes the cities of Ragusa, Modica, Scicli, Ispica and Noto, wonderful “stone gardens" that are remains of the Sicilian Baroque ear and which are included in UNESCO’S prestigious World Heritage List.
The island has some other fabulous towns to visit, such as Taormina, the “pearl of the Ionian Sea”, Enna, “Sicily’s belly button”, Piazza Armerina, Caltagirone “the ceramic town” and Catania, with its Baroque palaces in black and white and its irresistible nightlife. Sicily is fascinating for its thousands of years of history and for its cities of art but also for the countless natural beauties on the island. Nature here changes deeply, from the majestic sight of Etna to the gently sloping hills, full of olive groves, vineyards and citrus fruit groves, from the fine sandy beaches on the Vendicari Reserve, Pozzallo and Isola Bella to the steep cliffs, the amazing Gole dell’Alcantara and the islands, buzzing or quiet, such as Pantelleria, Ustica, Lipari, Stromboli, Favignana, Salina and Panarea.
Drinks and Cuisine
Sicily's rich desserts and pastries are famed far and wide. Cannoli, sweet tubes of ricotta, can be found all over Italy but those in Sicily are the original and the best. Arab influences show in the popular brightly-coloured sweets made of marzipan, and in the sinfully rich cassata, which comes in both ice cream and cake varieties, made from ricotta with bits of candied fruit and chocolate. Ice cream, gelato is another speciality, to be enjoyed during a leisurely evening walk.
Sicily's home-grown products make for a rich and varied spread, ranging from bright oranges and lemons to tasty cheeses like pecorino. Seafood is another staple of the diet, particularly around the coastal towns. Pasta with sardines (con le sarde) is a local favourite. Around Catania you will find pasta or pizza alla Norma (named after Catania boy Bellini's opera), with tomato, ricotta and aubergine. Couscous, eaten particularly in the west of the island, is another example of Sicily's mixed food heritage.
Sicily's most renowned wine is Marsala, a dessert wine, but there are several good reds and whites from different parts of the island, including Etna, where grapes are grown on the fertile slopes of the volcano. Restaurants invariably offer a house wine, white or red, which is generally cheap, local and of reasonable quality. A speciality of the eastern coast is vino alla mandorla, made with almonds.
Events
In early February, Catania turns its attention towards its patron saint, as it has done for the last five centuries, with a series of unchanging celebrations. Today, as in the past, the city remembers its patron saint with three days of intensive festivities and worship that culminate when a majestic silver cart with a statue of the saint is pulled through the immense crowd.
Another key ritual is the wax offering, which involves important civil, religious and military figures. The procession ends with the offering of giant candles by the various guilds and corporations.
The religious and traditional aspects of the feast of St Agatha climax in a grand fireworks display.
Etnafest - January-September - Catania
Catania and other towns in the Etna area host some of the most famous and interesting names linked to culture, art and all forms of music, from jazz to swing and from rock to popular Arab and French music, as well as the greatest composers and singers of the century. There are also interesting events involving poetry, painting, sculpture, meetings with famous authors and cinema.
Teatro Vittorio EmanueleTheatre season - October-May - Messina
The Teatro Vittorio Emanuele is not only known for its fine structure, but also for its excellent programme.
Merit Cup Windsurf World Festival - May - Palermo
Every year, all the world famous windsurfing champions come to Sicily to take part in the prestigious Merit Cup Windsurf World Festival. In the month of May, the wonderful beach at Mondello becomes the setting for these top-level exhibitions.
Palermo Estate - from June to September - Palermo
During the summer season, which lasts from the beginning of June to the end of September, Palermo livens up and opens its squares and streets to musical shows of all kinds, traveling theater shows, folklore events and lots of other events too.
Teatro di Verdura - from June to September - Palermo
In the summer, the Teatro Massimo closes and transfers to the open-air to continue its program of musical shows in the “Teatro di Verdura” in Viale del Fante that has 2,200 seats.
Festino di Santa Rosalia - from July 9 to 15 - Palermo
For four centuries in the month of July, Palermo has celebrated Santa Rosalia, who saved the city from a terrible plague in 1600 and thus became the city's patron saint. The festival lasts for a week, a period in which the city is invaded by traveling theatrical and musical shows, all linked to the life of the saint. The height of the celebrations is the charming procession of the monumental cart that crosses the Cassaro as far as the Marina. At the end of the religious procession, there is an amazing fireworks display.
Teatro Massimo - from October to May - Palermo
The Teatro Massimo season in Palermo opens in October and includes ballet, opera and concerts with appearances by international artists.
Festival di Morgana - November - Palermo
Each year in Palermo since 1985, the Festival di Morgana has been organized, a celebration of the art of the pupi that is organized by the Association for the Preservation of Folk Traditions at the International Puppet Museum Antonio Pasqualino. The Festival is made up of a run of shows in which the historical Sicilian “Pupari” families appear, theatrical companies that continue the tradition that UNESCO has proclaimed a “masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity”.
Festival of Santa Lucia - 13 December - Siracusa
Siracusa celebrates its patron saint each year with a procession during which the solid silver statue of Santa Lucia is carried from the Cathedral to the Basilica del Sepolcro, where it remains on shown for 8 days. It takes 60 believers to carry the heavy statue, which was made by the goldsmith Pietro Rizzo in the 16th century.
Theatrical season at the Greek Theater - May-July - Siracusa
The Italian National Institute for Ancient Drama has been promoting classical theater in Siracusa since 1913 by organizing a Festival which was at first held every two years and since 2002, each year that is totally dedicated to ancient theater. From May to July dramas by famous authors such as Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides are staged in the wonderful surroundings of the Greek Theater in Siracusa. Tragedies that first appeared centuries ago in this very theater, the oldest in Sicily.
Ortigia Festival - July - Siracusa
This is an artistic and cultural gathering that is full of international events, held in the Isle of Ortigia (and in the Neapolis archeological area). The shows include plays, ballets, concerts, poetry readings and lots more too.
Taormina arte - June/July/August - Taormina
It is one of the most famous events in Sicily. A Festival dedicated to music, from symphonies to rock, dance and theater during which famous artists from all over the world come to perform in the wonderful, beautiful setting of the Ancient Theater. One section of the Festival over the years has become so popular that it has become an event in itself: the Taormina Film Festival.
Taormina Film Festival - June - Taormina
After the International Film Festival in Venice, this is the oldest film festival in Italy. World-famous guests, film directors, script-writers, composers from Hollywood and independent ones too all come to the festival, whether they are busy or not. The setting is the amazing Ancient Theater of Taormina. At the end of the Festival, that usually lasts a week, there is the awards ceremony, during which the Nastri d’Argento for Italian cinema are handed out, a prestigious award that is much sought after by our national artists. In addition to the competitions, there are also retrospective sessions and side-sections with a specific theme.
Madonna della Rocca - September - Taormina
The statue of the Madonna della Rocca is housed in a sanctuary between Taormina and Castelmola. In the second weekend of September, a religious procession carries the statue from the sanctuary to the town where a large banquet is organized, to eat “carne infornata”: lamb cooked with spices and herbs in a wood-fire oven.
Other festivals and fairs that are regular events in Taormina are the Sagra del Costume e del Carretto Siciliani – The Traditional Costume and Sicilian Cart Fair (May), the Festa Patronale di San Pancrazio – the San Pancrazio Patron Saint Festival -(every four years in July) and Carnival (February).
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