Plus Sicily Guide for Your Pocket
Welcome to the latest funky info packed city guide for your pocket.
Just print it off for when you are cruising past the sights of Sicily.
afterwards you can pass it on to someone else, make an origami shape,
keep it as a souvenir or recycle it in some other tree huggin' hippy
way.
English is becoming more widely known but more among the younger generations and those trying to be trendy. It is useful to know a few numbers and short phrases to get you around. See our printable phrase guide to help you along.
CURRENCY- EURO €1EU =$1.19USD = £0.68GBP (02/06)
Cash machines or ATMs are called Bancomats. These accept all major credit cards and any with the PLUS or Maestro logos.
TIME- CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME (GMT+1HR)
Daylight savings (+1) starts the last Sunday in March and ends(-1) the last Sunday in October. 24hr commonly used.
PHONE- AREA CODE 0039
Local phone boxes can take credit cards or you can buy international phone cards and 'Telefonica scheda' cards from a Tabacchi outlet ( they have the big 'T' sign).
EMERGENCIES
| AMBULANCE Â | 118 |
| FIRE | 115 |
| POLICE | 112 |
OTHER NUMBERS
| POLICE STATION(PAL) | 091 21 01 11 | Piazza della Vittoria |
| TOURIST OFF.(PAL) | 091 605 81 11 | Piazza Castelnuovo 35 |
| OSPEDALE CIVICO(PAL) | 091 666 11 11 | Via Carmelo Lazzaro |
| POLICE STATION (CAT) | 095 736 71 11 | Piazza San Nicolella |
| TOURIST OFFICE (CAT) | 095 730 62 11 | |
| POLICE STATION(TAO) | 0942 2 232 32 | |
| TOURIST OFFICE(TAO) | 0942 2 32 43 | Corso Umberto 1 |
| OSPEDALE SAN VINCENZO (TAO) | 0942 537 45 | |
| POLICE STATION(AGR) | 0922 59 63 22 | |
| TOURIST OFFICE(AGR) | 0922 2 04 54 | Via Cesare Battisti 15 |
| AZIENDA OSPEDALIERA SAN GIOVANNI DI DIO (AGR) Â | 0922 40 13 44 | Via Giovanni XXII |
| AMBULANCE (AGR) | 0922 40 13 44 |
Getting to and around Sicily
Palermo Airport (Falconi-Borsellino)
The main airport of Sicily it is 31km west of Palermo. It carries internal and international flights from Ryanair. The Prestia e Commande bus connects between airport and town regularly and is 45 minute journey.
Catania (Fontanarossa)
A tiny domestic airport that deals mainly in Italian only flights from Rome or Milan, although Meridiana fly there from London. It is 7km south of Catania and the Alibus connects with the train station every 20mins.
Trenitalia run trains direct from Rome to Messina, taking them across the straits on ferries. There are local trains on the island but they are not overly frequent.
The intercity SAIS and AST buses service the island more regularly and extensively than rail.
Tickets are a little less at €0.80 for a single and must be validated in the yellow machines inside the bus. You must buy these from the Tabacci's and ticket machines as the drivers don't sell them . The destinations are written on the front of the bus.
Cheap and environmentally friendly. Most of the towns and villages are fairly compact and can be easily walked round in a day. Places on hillsides and steep country will need suitable footwear and a reasonable level or fitness.
What to see in Sicily
Perhaps Napoli is Palermo's closest rival in the What road-rules? contest, but this aside the capital of Sicily is a melting pot of cultures, colours, tastes, architecture, history and experiences. Writers, poets and artists have all tried to capture the charm and spirit of the town over the years, and the eastern influences only add to the atmosphere. The outer surface may look scruffy and dilapidated but look a little closer and you will see the hybridisation of buildings from various invasions over the centuries - Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Moors and Normans have all left their mark on this extraordinary city. 13th C Gothic churches topped with 10th C minarets, Spanish baroque buildings inlaid with Persian mosaics, just when you think you know when it was built, look again. Check out the Palazzo Reale, Capella Palatina, Il Capo Cathedral and the Museo Archeologico Regionale .
Sitting in the shade of Mt Etna , Sicily's and probably one of the world's most active volcanoes, Taormina has been the location to build a villa since the time of the Romans. Emperors and kings have stayed there and more recently British and German foreigners have begun building their holiday getaways in the picturesque location. The mild climate, spectacular sea views, make it a popular tourist resort town.
Brush off the glad rags for this the more upmarket town on this isle. It was once given the nickname 'Milan of the south' and not just for the fashions walking around on the ground. The architecture is a nice break from renaissance opting for the more graceful baroque, built this way due to devastating eruptions from the neighbouring Mt Etna in 1669 and reconstruction of much of the city. Check out UNESCO listed Piazza del Duomo , the intriguing Fontana dell'Elefante and the cathedral dedicated to resolute patron Saint Agata You can view her prison cell in Sant'Agata al Cacere or take part in the impassioned Festa di Sant'Agata in February and feel the fervour.
Greeks, Carthaginians, tyrants, Romans and finally Sicilians have all made Agrigento their home. The town is particularly noted for its almond trees and the blossoms that coat the countryside during January and February. This event is celebrated in the almond blossom festival , or Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore held around the same time. Architecture is as varied as the inhabitants with Greek temples, Roman gates and tufa churches all cohabiting the area.
The location of Mazara is ideal for those wishing to take in historical, artistic and natural sites of interest along the south-west coast of Sicily. Such as the impressive Acropolis remains in Selinunte , 25km east, and the archaeological park in Segesta . Mazara del Vallo itself is a resort town descended from a Phoenician port and supports the local rock fishing trade.
This town has been an attractive port to many civilisations and invasions over the centuries. More for it's location along the southern trade route than it's current claim to fame of being home to the famous desert wine . The first winery was begun in 1796 by a dedicated fortified wine fan named John Woodhouse, exporting 20,000 litres of the stuff back to England. Today it is Sicily's most eastern town between Mazara and Trapani.
The lagoon area, Sicily's largest is now a reserve of ecological significance. The salt works, here and at Saline, have operated for centuries. In some places there are remains of the original windmills that pumped the water and ground the salt deposits into fine grains. The pools bear resemblance to paddies with low strips of land dividing them, and the salt content makes for interesting reflections in the summer sunlight.
Trapani is the point where you can begin day trips by ferry to the islands of Egadi, Marettimo and Favignana , or make your way to the summit town of Erice and admire the view over the whole area below. During the Holy Week of Easter Trapani hosts a popular local procession through the town of ancient religious icons made by local craftsmen. The procession lasts all day and night with around 20 groups of these icons carried aloft finishing on Good Friday at the Church of the Purgatorio where they are housed. A must-try delicacy is Cuscus di Pesce, obviously a by-product of the many north African influences on the island. If you are a seafood fan of any dish you have come to the right island as Sicily is renowned for it's delicious seafood dishes.
What to eat in Sicily.
Sicilian street food has made a name for itself over the years and you have to try the chickpea fritters ( panelle ). All walks of life can be seen tucking into these snacks from the road side vendors.
You could spend a month just trying the dessert menu. Masters of 'dolce' there is a mouth-watering array of sweets and desserts on offer, pastries and marzipan. Cannoli is a local favourite, pastry tubes filled with ricotta cream or chocolate. I promise to go for a walk...
Authentic Sicilian cooking is not complete without the fish dishes. Top of the menu are sardines but the flavours are influenced by eastern and North African styles with couscous, spices , mezzes, kebabs and tangines.
Most Italians spend a lot longer on eating dinner than they do with their lightning quick breakfast, hence the long menu. A primo piatti is the first course, usually smaller than a main but bigger than an appetiser. The secondo is the main dish and usually comes without vegetables which have to be ordered as a separate 'contorni'. Unless you are really hungry and go for all courses you can mix and match a starter with a primo or secondo, or just have the main and then head straight for dessert.
This is a very common question. There will probably be a cover charge, this is for the table cloth 'covering' the table and cutlery or a 'service' charge for the service provided by the staff, check on the menu or with your waiter if this included or not. If it isn't then the amount will be between 12 and 15% of the total bill. In this case it isn't necessary to tip as the locals are notoriously bad tippers and just pay the service charge. Or just leave the small change if the service has been good.
Paying can be a confusing experience. If you are wanting just a coffee or Panini from a café you have two choices. One - look at what's on offer in the display case, find a table and sit down to wait for the waiter and tell him, at the end just ask him for the 'conto' or the bill. Two- check out the display case, make your way to the 'cassa', pay for your choices and then take the receipt over to the serving counter. It's all about the Italian tax system, but in some ways it makes sense that the food servers are not spending time working out change etc.
If you've had your fill of culture and history in the day then it's time to let loose! Be warned, Sicily is not famous for it's nightlife, locals preferring to eat and chat or stay at home with friends than go out. However there are places that are beginning to open up to dancing and late night drinking during the summer months, more commonly in the resort towns and new areas of Palermo. You won't find much open in town or during mid week as most patrons go out on the weekend and on the coast. And dress well, bouncers aka fashion police.
WILDLIFE AREAS
Mondello Lido (PAL) Mescal (PAL) Café de Mar (CAT) Pan Asia (TAO)
Don't expect many internet places to have high speed connections. You can expect to pay up to €5 per hour for usage. Here are some useful websites during your stay.
These places have access:
Sicily is huge on parades and religious festivals, see our list for a great opportunity No charge, just turn up and join in the fervour and fireworks.
These won't make you into an SAS commander but they may help avoid some difficulties as you travel around.