Planning a trip to the beautiful, Mediterranean island of Sicily? We’ve put together a list of fun facts about Sicily with interesting, quirky, even useful things to know before you go!
Sicilians eat ice-cream for breakfast
A creamy sorbet-style dessert called Granita is scooped into freshly baked brioche and eaten as a morning treat that is light and refreshing in the warm summer weather. It comes in dozens of delicious flavours like chocolate, lemon, strawberry and even pistachio and almond.
The coffee is seriously strong
As you probably already know, Coffee culture is the lifeblood of Italy and Sicilians are no exception. Local cafes are for eating, drinking, socialising and even taking care of a little business. For an island, there are a ridiculous number of coffee roasting companies and you’ll find in the north the locals favour the sweeter taste of Arabica beans, while in the south the bitter taste of Robusta wins out.
Sicilians are potty for pistachios
Pistachio trees are grown all over the island and the fragrant green nuts are used to flavour ice-cream, as sweet fillings for confectionery and pastries, in rich pasta sauces, in glazes for meat and fish. You can even pick up jars of pistachio pesto – a gorgeous olive-coloured paste to impress your foody friends back home.
Street markets are a way of life
You can’t leave Sicily without tasting the sizzling street food or experiencing the enthusiasm and energy of the open-air traders vying for your coppers. Whether you’re a food lover or fussy eater, you’re sure to find something at the Sicilian food markets that will tickle your taste buds.
Some local delicacies to look out for are:
- Arancini (deep-fried rice balls)
- Cannoli (a tooth-ache inducing Sicilian pastry mentioned in the Godfather)
- Pizza-like Sfincione (thick slices of squishy bread heaped with fresh tomato sauce, onions and cheese
- Panelle (crispy squares of deep-fried chickpeas)
The Greeks made quite an impression
The whole island is littered with relics from ancient Greece, such as the world heritage sites at Agrigento (valley of the temples) and Syracuse (birthplace of Greek mathematician and engineer Archimedes, and home to the temple of Athena, a Greek theatre and Roman amphitheatre). Fully functional and open to the public, the Greek theatre at Taormina is an incredible place to see a concert or watch a play while visiting Sicily. Many of Sicily’s ancient Greek ruins are so well preserved they ‘re considered more beautiful than anything found in modern-day Greece.
Cliff diving is a national sport
Sicily has more beaches and kilometres of stunning coastline than any other part of Italy. If there’s one thing Sicilians like to do – its going to the beach.
Sicily is a perfect island retreat where you can sunbathe, swim and dive into the pristine waters to cool down from the sizzling summer heat, snack at the many beachside eateries, rent a boat and sail to the Aeolian islands or join the locals in their heart-pumping pastime of cliff jumping off the rocks.
The Mafia is real
While the island is steeped in the legend of Don Corleone, Cosa Nostra is still a very real phenomenon here – one which the people of Sicily are trying hard to move away from.
Visit the Anti-Mafia Museum in Corleone, check out the website Addiopizzo, which promotes ethical consumerism, but try and keep the ‘M’ word under wraps when conversing with the locals – they hate to be reminded of Sicily’s murky history of organised crime.
Watch out for lava
Sicily is home to one of the most active volcanoes on earth, which has been spewing out lava since 1500BC. Its last eruption happened in June 2014, when molten lava, hot rocks and steam began to flow out of a new crater on the southeastern slope. Located near the popular tourist resort of Taormina, Mount Etna is a must-see attraction….if you can handle the heat!
Sound interesting? Exploring the sights and sounds of this beautiful island couldn’t be easier, with direct Aer Lingus flights from Dublin. Our holiday deals to Sicily also include airport transfers and a free excursion when you book selected properties.
