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Sicily

With a captivating volcanic landscape and rich, melting-pot culture, Sicily invites visitors to take a closer look.

Cefalu, Sicily

Just south of the “toe” of mainland Italy’s boot, Sicily has been a prized gem in the middle of the Mediterranean for millennia. Many cultures have claimed it for their own, from Greek and Roman to Byzantine and Arab. The modern-day result is an island that feels simultaneously Italian and not, a world unto itself. Anchored in the east by Mount Etna, an active volcano that puts on the occasional fireworks show, the landscape here is mountainous and rocky, with stunning greenery fed by that volcanic soil. 

Some of the most famous Italian dishes hail from Sicily, such as arancini and cannoli. Flavors are bolder, thanks to cultural influence from North Africa and the Levant. There’s impeccably fresh seafood to be enjoyed, but don’t overlook the humble dishes from the island’s working poor that define the island’s hardscrabble spirit: eggplant-loaded pasta alla Norma and caponata, chickpea-flour panelle, and the local pizza variety known as sfincione. 

Read on for more on how to get the most out of your visit to this beautiful island.