The great cloister is surrounded by a run of ogive arcades resting on fine twin columns and has encrusted multicoloured mosaics, inspired by the Orient. The Romanesque capitals are worth a visit by themselves. There are episodes from the Evangelist..

The finest work by Giacomo Serpotta (1656-1732). On the walls are scenes illustrating episodes from the life of Saint Francis (right hand side) and Saint Lawrence (left hand side), whose martyrdom is represented on the far wall. The upper sections of..

The ascent can be from the south from Catania, via Nicolosi, or by the northeast face from Taormina via Linguaglossa. The former will take you up to an altitude of 3 000m near the grandiose Valle del Bove , hemmed in by walls of lava (1 200m high) a..

The chapel of the Norman palace is a magnificent construction, built by Roger II between 1130 and 1140. The building achieves a perfect combination of Saracen, Byzantine and Norman art, bearing witness to the Norman sovereigns’ tolerance towards othe..

Le theatre was built by the Greeks but remodelled by the Romans who laid it out for circus games. Profiting from the terrain, the builders carved out part of the stone seats from the rock. From the high cavea , you will be enchanted by the magnific..

Etna is the emblem of Sicily, and its highest point! The volcano's ceaseless activity constantly alters its height of around 3,350 m. In 1987, a park was set up to conserve the fauna, flora and unique countryside of the volcano which you can get to u..

This extraordinary white panel of marl (a mix of clay and limestone) slopes gradually towards the sea and, in summer, provides a smooth surface on which to lie and sunbathe. On the other side, the so-called Turks' Ladder forms narrow, sinuous curves ..

The superb bay set against rolling hills separated by harsh mountainous reliefs is dominated to the west by the imposing mass of Monte Còfano , which overlooks the promontory of Capo San Vito . In addition to its splendid coastal landscapes and hol..

Two paths lead to this pretty bay: one takes you to a little cove, whose minuscule bank is cluttered with rocks, the other opens out onto a vast beach dominated by an impressive white cliff in the form of a crescent, a vestige of the interior of an o..

From the top of Mt Antennammare (1 130m), where the Santuario Maria Santissima di Dinnamare is stationed, an extraordinary panorama unfurls over Messina and its port, Capo Peloro (or Punta del Faro) and Calabria to the east, and, to the west, the..

Visiting Cava Grande is a great way to discover the hidden landscapes of the Hyblaean Mountains . The viewing platform offers a wonderful view over the gorge with its imposing limestone walls that plunge into the depths of the valley. The stream t..

This room in the Villa Romana del Casale , the Circus Room, was the bathhouse gymnasium. The mosaic decoration reproduces the setting of a circus that has been identified as the Rome's Circus Maximus. The theme illustrated here is the quadriga race..

In this room in the Villa Romana del Casale , a few cupid-like cherubs are depicted line fishing, with a harpoon and a net or playing with dolphins. The upper part of the walls shows the coast, upon which there stands a grand villa with a façade emb..

Commissioned by Roger II (12C), San Giovanni degli Eremiti and its luxuriant garden is an oasis of freshness and tranquillity. One of Palermo’s most famous churches, it is a simple angular structure surmounted by five domes, evidence of the Arab know..

The cathedral is an imposing building, which occupies a sacred location since the founding of the city. Built in the 12C in the Sicilo-Norman style, it was modified many times, but today it still retains a superb Norman chevet.

The junction of Corso Vittorio Emanuale and Via Maqueda, this small square is a beauty thanks to the 17C palaces bordering it, their concave façades decorated with Doric, Ionic and Corinthian structures, providing the setting for fountains featuring ..

A spectacular 16C fountain by Francesco Camilliani in the Tuscan Renaissance style is situated at the centre of this little square. A wrought iron balustrade by Giovanni Battista Basile runs around it. Beyond rises the profile of the dome of the ch..

Blending eastern and western architecture, this is one of the city’s most beautiful squares. Three churches stand here: La Martorana , San Cataldo , and Santa Caterina, a late 16C building with an 18C dome and rich interior decoration. It features ..

San Cataldo was founded in the 12C. The domes, the claustra of the façade and its crenellated upper decoration bear witness to the survival of motifs from Arab architecture after the Norman conquest. The interior is very sparsely decorated. It is d..

In a building by Carlo Scarpa (1950), which maximises the available light, the museum displays medieval paintings and sculpture (fine Triumph of Death fresco) plus a vast collection of Renaissance pictures (many Sicilian School works). Note the spl..