I don’t know about you, but I need a holiday.
I don’t mean a festive snuggle-in-front-of-the-fire and put your feet up holiday, I mean a hot one, where you fly and flop and feel the heat of the sun on your face.
I’ve been watching Gino D’Acampo’s Italian Escape on TV where he bombs around Italy and its islands in an open-top car with a serious case of sun envy.
So when I was approached to see if I’d be interested in running a post on why Sicily is a great holiday destination for families I thought yes! Tell me more!
7 reasons to visit Sicily
1. Beaches and villas. The island is best known for its breathtaking waters and picturesque villas. Picture yourself relaxing near the sea or beside a pool with a glass of wine…bliss! You can easily find many villas in Sicily for rent with pool area or fronting a beautiful beach.
2. Natural parks and reserves. Sicily has four natural parks which are perfect for day trips. A tour to the summit of Mount Etna is fascinating, while there are floras and faunas to find in Madonie Park and majestic forests with dense foliage in Nebrodi Park. In Alcantara Park, you’ll find a river with an array of amazing plants on its banks.
3. Theatres and museums. A visit to the International Puppet Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the Park of Siracusa housing the Greek theatre and Roman amphitheatre will give your family a feel of the culture and traditions of the place. The Pasqualino Marionette Museum has a collection of marionettes and puppet shows that tells the stories of the medieval past. There are also a number of Greek theatres in Syracuse and Taormina.
4. History and culture. The preserved art, arhcitecture and structures surrounding the island are testatment to its rich history. You can relive stories of the past in galleries, churches, museums and castles.
5. Exceptional food. There are local tours you can take part in or you can opt to go tasting products in restaurants and cafes on your own. The place is rich with good wine, chocolate, cheese and seafood – yum!
6. Island hopping. You can drive from one island to the next taking in the Aeolian, Ustica, and Egadi islands as well as the Pelagie and Pantelleria in the south.
7. Outdoor activities. From a cableway ride to the town of Erice to a bike ride in the peaceful countryside, there are a wealth of outdoor activities. For a more thrilling adventure join a volcano climbing tour and see the insides of Fossa di Vulcano or the Stromboli glow.
Have you ever been to Sicily? Did you love it as much as I think we would?
This post was written in collaboration with MJ, a second year journalism student based in Rome who specialises in travel, fashion, beauty, parenting & weddings.
Sicily is glorious. We were there 2 months ago, visiting just the South-West corner of the island (it is big, takes time to do it properly..) Wonderful scenery, more ancient Greek temples than there are in Greece (fact!) blue sky, azure sea, excellent food, pretty good road system (but beware – the mountain roads are tortuous and some are poorly-maintained). Palermo is a fascinating city, a complete mish-mash of fantastic architecture (especially if you are into baroque or byzantine churches) and ramshackle dilapidated disorder. Oh, and the emergency services are terrific too, as we discovered when one of us had a heart attack at Palermo airport on the way home – but hopefully none of Crummy Mummy’s readers will need to check that out…..