DK Travel : Sicily

The island of Sicily is Italy’s largest region and is also its most varied. In terms of geography, there are offshore islands, endless coastline, rugged mountains, rolling wheatfields and volcanos, but its history and architecture are also of note. Sicily formed a significant portion of the Greek empire, was strategically vital to Rome, and was invaded in succession by the Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, French, Spanish and Bourbons, before unifying with Italy. Each conquest left its mark, to create a palimpsest of cultures on the island.

Museo Saline, Trapani

The museum store sells boxes of traditionally produced sea salt. Sea salt has a rich flavour, which can vary, along with its saltiness, according to climatic conditions; the fine grain of the stone-ground salt adds texture to foods (see Saline, Salt Pans).
Nature Reserves

Sicily’s nature reserves are good places to spot wildlife, climb about, picnic and go swimming. Hiking trails are graded for various levels of expertise. Mount Etna is probably the most fascinating for kids and adults alike – the volcano is always at least smoking, if not throwing red sparks into the air. Guides give a lively account of lava flowing underfoot and the gift shops screen spectacular video footage from past eruptions.
Nero d’Avola

The powerhouse Sicilian red grape, cultivated in the eastern half of the island.
Nero d’Avola

The classic Sicilian red, made from at least 80 per cent of grapes of the same name with added Perricone, is characterized by its intense ruby colour and flavour of aromatic herbs. It’s produced over the entire eastern half of the island but the two largest producers are between Palermo and Cefalù: Regealali and Duca di Salaparuta.
Nerrello Mascalese

Primary red grape grown on the slopes of Mount Etna, blended with Nerello Cappuccio to make the deep, spicy Etna Rosso.
Norman Palermo

The splendid Norman kingdom in Sicily was marked by an exotic mix of cultures as manifested in their administration and in the architecture of the civic and private structures they commissioned (see Norman Palermo).
Norman Palermo

Norman rule of Sicily only lasted a century, but it left a rich legacy of law, culture and architecture. Their early monuments are grouped around a fortified site in the heart of Palermo (see Norman Palermo).
Normans

After 30 years of crusades, Count Roger de Hautville took Sicily in 1091 (see Count Roger).
Noto

Destroyed by an earthquake in 1693, Noto was rebuilt during the 1700s when the Baroque style was at its height. A unified building programme creates harmony between landscape and village (see Noto).
Noto

Noto is the chief proponent of the new cities built entirely in Baroque style after the 1693 earthquake destroyed most of eastern Sicily. Noto was rebuilt using a tufa stone that has turned a golden shade after years of sun, while the architecture is ebullient and dramatic. The town plan involves open, wide streets with plenty of piazzas and piazzettas for gathering and making the passeggiata (see Noto).