Autumn is the best time to discover Sicily. The island is lovely, wonderful, splendid. As some people say its one of those places which you either love or dislike. To understand it, you should travel with open heart and enjoy every breath.

30 centuries in 30 seconds
Some really ancient celebrities were born in Sicily. Do you remember Archimedes (if you were not sleeping in class)? Well, he was from Syracuse. And the philosopher Empedocles was from Agrigentum. In ancient times the island was colonized by the Greeks, a few centuries later it became Roman then Sicilian cities revolt against Roman rule. Archimedes dies in that time during the siege of Syracuse. As a result the language spoken in Sicily was a mixture of Italian and Greek and even today some people still speak varieties of this old dialect. Then Arabs came to dominate and unlike the expectations, actually they brought huge positive effect on the local economy. Then Sicily’s glory slightly faded for a while and skipping the next few centuries we reach mid 19th c. when it became officially part of Kingdom of Italy.

Feed the hungry
The location affected not only the history but the cuisine. It is absolutely obligatory to try arancinis – rice balls filled with ragu, mozzarella, peas or anything that you can think of (well, almost anything). Caponata is another typical dish made of chopped fried vegetables and often served as appetizer. Last but not least, try cannoli, typical Sicilian dessert that today is famous all over Italy and abroad. Cannoli are shells filled with cream made of ricotta cheese or mascarpone and combined with vanilla, pistachios or chocolate.

Etna
This is the biggest active volcano in Italy, Europe and the whole Mediterranean region. In addition it is one of the most active in the world. However its destructive powers do not discourage the people who live on its slopes. You can walk on the lave too. There are plenty of travel agencies which offer detailed one-day bus tours to Etna, you can hire a local guide whose English might not be A+ but definitely they will know where to take you or what to show you. At the same time hiking alone is absolute dummy idea. Some two weeks ago, on September 4th 2007 Etna violently erupted spewing lava up to 400 m into air along with strong winds that sent ash and smoke into the underlying towns.

Museums and architecture
Each city and village on Sicily has something to offer. From Palermo to Porto Palo, visitors dive in world breathtakingly colorful and interesting. Your pocket guides will take you to the major travel spots and if you’re curious enough alone you’ll discover the small narrow streets and the Sicilian spirit. Even today in the island you can see some of the characters so typical for some of Tornatore’s movies. If you’re adventurer looking for places out of the beaten track, you’ll love it.

How to get there?
The easiest way to get to Sicily is by airplane. Look for PMO (Palermo) or CTA (Catania).

Check what’s on this season on the official website of the Sicilian department of tourism:
http://www.regione.sicilia.it/turismo