Sicily

Washed by three different seas, its history more than 2,000 years old, the beautiful island of Sicily beckons with archaeological ruins, magnificent architecture, including two of the world's best preserved Greek temples and baroque palaces, marvelous sea and landscapes, artworks spanning multiple civilizations, and the dominating presence of Mount Etna. Guided by Sicily expert Tim Jepson, this guidebook presents the best of Sicily, taking you first to Palermo, Sicily's teeming capital, with its fabulous Regional Archaeological Museum. Then you explore Northwestern Sicily, influenced by a mix of colonizing civilizations, including the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Arabs, whose cultures still thrive.

Highlights here include the ruins of Segesta, Selinunte, Solunto, and Mozia, as well as the medieval towns of Cefalu and Erice. In Southwestern Sicily, near North Africa, rugged cliffs and barren plateaus set the scene for Greek temples and Roman villas. Mount Etna dominates Southern Sicily, where towns built by ancient Greeks, including Syracuse, live on.

In Northeastern Sicily lava flows have shaped the land, and you can visit the volcano's very edge. Here, too, Catania thrives as Sicily's second largest city, while beautifully sited Taormina is Sicily's most famous tourist resort, and little fishing villages such as Aci Trezza and beaches in the Aeolian Islands also provide a respite from sightseeing. Special features include driving and walking tours; detailed features on history, culture, and contemporary life; and 3-D illustrations.