DK Travel : Sicily : History & Culture

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Castello di Lombardia, Enna

One of the largest castles in Sicily was built by Frederick II in 1233 on the highest point of the already towering village. Massive walls and defensive works remain in place, including six of what were once 20 towers. The octagonal Torre di Federico II is the only fully original part remaining. Climb the Torre Pisana for views of the city, the valley below and Mount Etna on the horizon.
Castello di Sperlinga

Sperlinga guarded the important royal Norman supply road linking Palermo with Catania. As the site of the only resistance to the Sicilian Vespers in 1282, a group of Angevins hid out here for more than a year.
Castello di Venere, Erice

This Norman castle is impressively sited on a sheer cliff face. The entrance through the tower is marked by the coat of arms of Charles V. Inside, the remains of Norman walls surround the ancient area sacred to Venus Erycina – stones from her temple were used to build the castle. There are also Phoenician and Roman ruins here.
Castello Maniace

Frederick II built this castle around 1239. It takes its name from the Byzantine George Maniakes who “liberated” Syracuse in the 11th century.
Castello Ursino, Catania

Built around 1250, the once-moated castle has been used variously as a royal residence, the seat of parliament and a prison. It now houses the town’s Museo Civico.
Castello Ventimiglia, Castelbuono

In 1316 the Ventimiglia family built their fortified family seat on top of a rocky outcrop in the heart of the Madonie mountains. The private rooms now house contemporary art and an ethnographic collection.
Castello, Lipari

Above the harbour, Lipari’s castle rock has been fortified for six millennia. The 12th-century Norman gate offers a passage through walls fortified with massive stones by the Greeks in the 4th century BC and again by the Spanish in 1556.
Cathedral, Cefalù

In 1131, after several days on a stormy sea, Norman King Roger II landed safely at Cefalù and, giving thanks to God, endowed a bishopric and commissioned the cathedral now famous for its Byzantine mosaic decoration. In a piazza surrounded by tall palms, the church with its two typically Norman square bell towers is backed by Cefalù’s dramatic rocky crag (see Cefalù).
Cento Giorni a Palermo

Giuseppe Ferrara’s 1983 film documents the story of policeman Carlo Alberto Della Chiesa, murdered by the Mafia after just 100 days on the job.
Cinema Paradiso

Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1989 Academy Award-winning film takes a romantic look at growing up in a remote village.