Southern Italy & Sicily

Palermo is the regional capital of Sicily with nearly a million inhabitants. The history of the city’s many rulers is on full display through the architecture of the monumental palaces, theaters and churches. Arabs, Normans and Spanish have all called the city home and left their mark on the people, their culture and food. The city is full of vibrant markets, lively eateries and bustling piazzas just waiting to be explored.

Monreale is famous for its Norman Cathedral that is covered with nearly 70,000 square feet of gold-leaf mosaics. The church was built in the 12th century by the Norman King William II. The mosaics depict stories of the Old Testament and the life stories of Saints Peter and Paul. The church is a national monument and highlight of any trip to Sicily.

The Valley of the Temples is a Greek archeological site located on the outskirts of the Sicilian city of Agrigento. The site, known as Akragas in ancient Greek, was added to the UNESCO Heritage list in 1997 because of the Ancient Greek Temples’ high quality state of preservation. The most famous of the temples is the so-called Temple of Concordia which was utilized as a church during the medieval ages. In total the site has seven temples and covers an area of over 3000 acres.

Giardini Naxos was the site of the first Greek settlement in the 8th century BC. After experiencing a heyday as a center of citrus production, the economy has transformed and is focused on tourism today. The city’s crescent-shaped port sits below Monte Tauro and the beautiful garden city of Taormina. The surrounding area is home to several large beachfront hotels that overlook the Ionian Sea.

Set on the top of Monte Tauro is the beautiful garden city of Taormina. The city’s mix of historic monuments trace its history from the time of the Greeks to Romans, to Arabs and beyond. The most impressive monument is the Greco-Roman theatre that overlooks the crescent-shaped port of Giardini Naxos and Mt. Etna in the distance. The town also has many lovely designer shops and a plethora of restaurants offering authentic Sicilian cuisine.

Matera is a community in southern Italy that is home to the unique Sassi of Matera. The Sassi of Matera are a unique urban structure of cave dwellings that are carved out of the local tufa stone ravines. The community of stone dwellings were inhabited by nearly 15,000 people until the 1950s when the Italian government forced everyone to leave for hygienic purposes. Today, the Sassi are being rehabbed into modern homes, hotels and tourist attractions. The site is also home to a number of ancient stone churches.

The north side of the Sorrento peninsula is the Sorrento Coast, named after the largest city and tourist center, Sorrento. The Sorrento Coast is home to panoramic views of shear cliffs, small rocky beaches and terraced gardens of olive and lemon trees. The town of Sorrento is a tourist’s delight, complete with excellent shopping, quaint cafes and elegant restaurants.

Ferry past tumbling cliffs and pastel-colored houses on your way to Positano, where you’ll enjoy a free afternoon in this resort town. Perhaps you spend time browsing the posh boutiques, or taking a moment to relax and rest along the beach.

The Roman city of Pompeii is located in the southern region of Campania, near Naples. The city was covered by volcanic material in 79 AD and forgotten for centuries. When the city was excavated, archeologists found the city to be intact as it had been prior to the eruption. Today visitors walk on the original streets, complete with chariot ruts. The city was made up of a variety of different buildings including theaters, homes, shops, thermal baths and temples — all of which can be visited today. In addition, every-day objects and precious artifacts have been preserved along with original mosaic and fresco decorations.