It’s easy to see why life and culture have always thrived on Trinacria, as Homer called the island of Sicily, balanced on the toe of the Italian peninsula’s boot. Nestled in the Mediterranean – both geographically and culturally – between Italy and North Africa, Sicily boasts world class beaches, an enviable climate, and fertile soil thanks to Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. Among its seven UNESCO World Heritage sites are the Sicilian-baroque towns of Noto and Ragusa, impeccable Greek architecture in the Valley of the Temples and Syracuse, the volcanic Aeolian Islands, and the crown jewel: the Arab-Norman capital of Palermo. Sicily lays claim to its own indecipherable language and a treasure trove of culinary delights such as cannoli, caponata, arancini, marzipan and granita, and the cultivation of pistachios, artichokes, almonds, capers, and grapes. From the colorful cliffs of Taormina to the African sun of Pantelleria, Sicily reveals itself to be a siren’s song, as sweet and smooth as a glass of malvasia wine.
