A Circumnavigation of Sicily – with Smithsonian

Like its twin sister Camino, Gozo is part of the Maltese Archipelago. Known to locals as the “green island” Gozo has two facets: one wild and arid, the other gentle and tranquil with attractive sheltered coves for bathing.

Porto Empedocle is a town and comune in Italy on the coast of the Strait of Sicily, administratively part of the province of Agrigento. It is the namesake of Empedocles, a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and a citizen of the city of Akragas, in his day a Greek colony in Sicily.

Trapani is a city in western Sicily with a crescent-shaped coastline. At the western tip, offering views as far as the Aegadian Islands, is the 17th-century Torre di Ligny watchtower. It houses the Museo di Preistoria e del Mare, with archeological artifacts. North of the harbor, the Chiesa del Purgatorio church holds wooden sculptures that are paraded around the city during Easter’s Processione dei Misteri.

Palermo is the capital of the Italian island of Sicily. The 12th-century Palermo Cathedral houses royal tombs, while the huge neoclassical Teatro Massimo is known for opera performances. Also in the center are the Palazzo dei Normanni, a royal palace started in the 9th century, and the Cappella Palatina, with Byzantine mosaics. Busy markets include the central Ballarò street market and the Vucciria,

Dominated by a fortified citadel, Lipari (Italy) is capital of the seven volcanic Aeolian Islands. Lipari is deservedly famous for its architectural and natural beauty as it embraces some stunning panoramas, pumice stone quarries and a “Castello” built on the ruins of an ancient Greek acropolis.

Stromboli is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the north coast of Sicily, containing Mount Stromboli, one of the three active volcanoes in Italy. It is one of the eight Aeolian Islands, a volcanic arc north of Sicily. Strabo writes that people believed that this is where Aeolus lived.

On the edge of Catania, Taormina (Italy) stands out against the slopes of Mount Tauro in the heart of a picturesque and charming location. Its ancient Greek theatre offers a magnificent panorama with the majestic Mount Etna, its lava flows still smoking, in the background.

Syracuse (Italy) was one of Sicily’s most prestigious cities and at the height of its splendour competed with Athens. Visiting Syracuse is like stepping back in time to plunge oneself into the fabulous history of Sicily. Since its role as a central city of ancient Greece, numerous civilisations have followed one another to these shores, each leaving their mark. Arabs, Romans, Normans, Byzantines and Spanish influences give Syracuse its extraordinarily rich culture, a mosaic of perfumes, colours and flavours.