Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, separated from the Italian Peninsula by the Strait of Messina.

The Byzantine, Arab, Roman and Norman domains created a rich and unique culture, in addition to leaving behind important archaeological sites.

My tour of the island begins in Catania, an ancient port city on the east coast, at the foot of Mount Etna, home to the highest active volcano in Europe. The religiosity of its 300,000 inhabitants comes out with all its fervor on the Feast of Saint Agathe at the beginning of February, one of the most famous religious festivals in the world, when a crowd takes to the streets in a procession to celebrate this Sicilian saint who lived in the city around from the year 235 AD.

In the south lies Ortigia (Isola di Ortigia), a small island of 1 km2 that is the historic center of the city of Syracuse.
Its origins date back to 731 BC and accumulate a lot of history (it was here that Archimedes, the Greek sage with the "Eureka" cry, would have used his legendary system of mirrors to set fire to the Roman ships that besieged the city) and beautiful buildings, such as the Syracuse Cathedral.

Still on the east coast, further north, the beautiful Taormina is preferred by tourists, as it is harmoniously located on a cliff and its buildings have many balconies with incredible panoramic views of the coast, which gives it titles such as "The City of A Thousand Terraces" and "Pearl of the Ionian Sea".
It was founded in 396 BC, at the top of Monte Taurus, and during Roman rule it was the favorite leisure spot for senators and aristocrats.
Its main treasure of historical value is the Greek Theatre, also called the Ancient Theatre, which dates back to the 3rd century BC and was later expanded by the Romans.
Another gem, among many, is the medieval Saint Nicholas Cathedral, originally from the 13th century.

In the north of the island, close to the capital Palermo, there are two important historical references: Cefalù and Erice.

The first, dominated by a monumental rock 270 m high, already mentioned by the Phoenicians as the Promontory of Hercules, on which the Temple of Diana stood, and from which there is a panoramic view of the city, with several historic buildings such as the Lavatoio di Cefalú, a medieval lavatory in use until recently.

Erice, in turn, is a small medieval walled city that dates back to the 7th century BC, at the top of Mount Erice, 750 m high, which seems to have stopped in time.
The Torretta Pepoli, which attracts attention due to its location and architecture, was restored in 2014 when it became known as the Peace Observatory and Mediterranean Lighthouse.

Finally, on the west coast is the Valley of the Temples, in Agrigento, an archaeological and scenic site with the remains of Greek temples.
The magnificent Temple of Concordia, from 430 BC, is among the best preserved in the world as it was used as a Catholic Church in the 4th century. The bronze statue of Icarus, by Igor Motoraj, is from 2011, therefore it has no historical value but rather an ornamental one.

(Note: The photos in this collection were taken using a 2014 cell phone, and therefore have quality restrictions.)