Stories, places and local knowledge from Dream Island. Find inspiration for your next journey across Sicily.
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SICILY
IS A STORY.
Between the port of Trapani and the Salina Grande area stretches a landscape shaped by the meeting of sea, wind, sun, and human labor. The salt pans of Trapani and Paceco form a reserve in which the artificial basins have also taken on…
The Zingaro Nature Reserve occupies a stretch of the northwestern Sicilian coast between Scopello and San Vito Lo Capo. It was the first reserve established in Sicily, a place where the protection of nature changed the way the coastline…
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Ustica emerges in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Palermo as an island of volcanic origin, surrounded by a sea rich in environments. Its distance from the Sicilian coast contributes to the feeling of being in a place with its own rhythms.…
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The Aeolian Islands can be read as an archipelago of sister islands, yet each has a recognizable profile. Their volcanic origin invites us to observe how the Earth's activity has produced different coastlines, reliefs, cliffs, and…
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Anyone who crosses the Nebrodi encounters a Sicily that surprises those who imagine the island only as a succession of sun-drenched coasts. The highlands rise behind the Tyrrhenian Sea, embracing extensive forests, clearings, and…
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Between the late eighteenth century and the early twentieth, Sicilian architecture changed its appearance in streets, theatres and residences. Neoclassicism redirected attention to proportions and forms inspired by Greek and Roman art…
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Sicilian Baroque is encountered in facades, in squares, in interiors, and in the way a street sets up the view of a building. Between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the island became a great architectural laboratory, especially…
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The Renaissance reached Sicily through people, works, and ideas that traveled between the island and the other Italian centers. In the fifteenth century new impulses reached the various arts, and one aspect is decisive: external…
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Sicilian Gothic is not a single image to be recognized in every church. It was a movement capable of enduring for a long time and of taking on different forms depending on the territories and contacts with other areas of the…
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The monasteries of Sicily help us read a part of the island's history that often remains in the background of the great political narratives. They were complexes intended for the life of religious communities and, for this reason, brought…
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Norman-era architecture in Sicily arose from an encounter that can be observed directly in the buildings themselves. The arrival of the Normans in the eleventh century brought new Western cultural references, accompanied by Arab and…
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The Arab influence in Sicilian art is best seen when considering the island's entire medieval experience. The conquest of Palermo in 831 and that of Syracuse in 878 accompanied a profound cultural transformation. Palermo became a leading…
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The Byzantine presence in Sicily belongs to a precise phase in the island's history, but its artistic legacy cannot be confined to a single date. The Byzantine era began with the conquest ordered by Emperor Justinian in 535. During that…
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Entering a Sicilian church often means crossing several eras within a few steps. The facade may belong to one season, the floor plan to another, the altars and decorations to still later interventions. This layered character is a useful…
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The ancient theatres of Sicily are best understood when viewed as buildings constructed to bring people together. Syracuse, Segesta, Catania, Taormina, Tindari, Heraclea Minoa and Akrai offer examples of ancient theatres in different…
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Temples are among the most visible legacies of ancient Sicily, but they acquire meaning when placed back in relation to the cities that built them. The Greek presence on the island left behind sanctuaries, theatres, walls, dwellings, and…
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A visit devoted to Sicilian art can begin before the engravings of Levanzo and end before a canvas by Caravaggio. Between these extremes one encounters temples, theaters, mosaics, sculptures, and paintings created for very different…
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Sicilian history between the late Middle Ages and the twentieth century is made up of different governments, but also of problems that resurface in new forms. At the beginning of the fifteenth century, the stable presence of sovereigns on…
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The Sicilian Vespers of 1282 occupy a special place in the island's memory. The Vespers were a great popular uprising, capable of changing the political balance of the Mediterranean. To understand their significance, one must begin with…
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Frederick II inherited a Sicily already transformed by the Normans into an important kingdom. His story therefore begins before his reign, in the dynastic choices that bound the Sicilian monarchy to the House of Swabia. The marriage…
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The arrival of the Normans in Sicily took shape while Arab power was going through a phase of crisis. Conflicts among the emirs and various insurrections weakened Muslim authority, creating conditions that facilitated a new conquest.…
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The Arab conquest of Sicily was a long process, not an event concluded in a single year. The conquest began with the landing in 827 and proceeded in different stages: Palermo fell in 831, Syracuse in 878, and Taormina in 902. This…
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The end of Western Roman power opened a phase of shifting governments in Sicily. The island controlled important passages between the Italian peninsula and North Africa: whoever held its ports could move ships and supplies across the…
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Christianity spread in Sicily while the cities still preserved the institutions, buildings, and traditions of the Roman world. The earliest recognizable traces are linked above all to communities and burials; the great visible churches…
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The passage of Sicily under Roman rule was the result of a long contest for control of the Mediterranean. The Roman conquest must be read against the backdrop of rivalries among Sicilian cities, the Carthaginian presence, and the new…
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Syracuse was one of the richest and most powerful cities of the Greek West. Its position and its resources attracted the attention of Athens and set it in competition with Carthage. It was in this city, already tried by wars and political…
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The word "tyrant" today primarily evokes the violence of personal power. In the world of the Greek cities of Sicily, it denoted a form of government born under specific political conditions: one individual succeeded in concentrating…
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Naxos, Megara Hyblaea, Syracuse, Gela, Agrigento, and Selinunte shared a language and many religious practices, but they did not have the same history. Some were born directly from expeditions that set out from Greece; others were founded…
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The Greek colonization of Sicily began in the eighth century BC and changed the distribution of settlements along the coasts. The Greeks looked to the island for its anchorages, its cultivable land, and the opportunity to take part in the…
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Looking at Sicily on a map immediately reveals why so many peoples sought to reach it. The island lies between the eastern and western shores of the Mediterranean, close to the Italian peninsula and open toward Africa. Its three vertices…
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Before the Greek cities gave the island monumental temples and theaters, Sicily was inhabited by communities with their own histories, territories, and customs. The names Sicani, Siculi, and Elymians appear often when that period is…
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Sicilian prehistory is not an empty time before the arrival of the Greeks. Caves, graffiti, artifacts, and necropolises tell of a long human presence, far older than the cities that today attract most visitors. Among the places mentioned…
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Discover Rifugio Citelli on Mount Etna: history, views over the Ionian coast and the ideal starting point for the Valle del Bove and the Grotta di Serracozzo.
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Discover the wonders of the Alcantara Gorges, a unique lava canyon in Sicily featuring stunning black rock and crystal-clear water.
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Book your exclusive Etna Private Tour. Customize your trip with the Alcantara Gorges. Departures from Taormina, Catania, and accommodation. Find out more!
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Discover Etna in January: a complete guide on weather, trails, and Jeep tours. Experience the winter volcano with Dream Island experts.
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Etna North or Etna South? The differences between the two sides, landscapes, craters, crowds and starting points to choose the right excursion.
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Monte Conca Restaurant at Piano Provenzana on Etna North: an alpine-style wooden lodge with mountain food. Booking advised on holidays and snowy days.
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Learn more about the Ragabo Refuge in Linguaglossa on Mount Etna North: trails, foothills, e-bikes, rooms and guided tours. Open year-round.
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Discover Don Vito Corleone's story, the ultimate Godfather. Life, power philosophy and authentic Sicilian locations between Savoca and Corleone.
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Discover the story of Michael Corleone, the iconic Godfather character. Curiosities, evolution, and the Sicilian filming locations in Savoca and Forza d'Agrò.
Read the storyDiscover the importance of Etna refuges for your safety. A comprehensive guide to history, bivouacs and vital support points for your excursions on the volcano.
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Discover everything about Rifugio Sapienza Etna. History of eruptions, how to get to 1910 metres and the best trails to explore the southern slope.
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Walk into the legend with Dream Island's Godfather Tour. Exclusive access to Castello degli Schiavi, Savoca’s Bar Vitelli and hidden movie secrets in Sicily.
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Beyond Isola Bella: quieter beaches in Taormina, beach club prices, stress-free parking and how to get there. An up-to-date practical guide.
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Discover the story of the terrible 2002 Etna Eruption: the day the volcano destroyed Piano Provenzana. An emotional tale of memory, geology and rebirth. Read more.
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The 10 things to see in Taormina: the Ancient Theatre, Isola Bella, Corso Umberto, Castelmola and views of Etna. Route and practical tips.
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Isola Bella in Taormina: the story of the islet, how to get there, the beach, opening times and the boat trip along the coast. Plan your visit.
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Sicily’s Godfather and White Lotus filming locations, from Fiumefreddo to San Domenico Palace in Taormina, and the world of Pirandello and Sciascia.
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Sicily between Etna, the Alcantara Gorges, Savoca, Forza d'Agrò, great wines and cuisine. Ideas and tips for an unforgettable trip.
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From Etna to Stromboli, the 5 most spectacular volcanoes in Italy: hikes, landscapes, and excursion ideas for your trip to Sicily.
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Guide to Piano Provenzana, the heart of Etna North: trails, craters, skiing and refuges above Linguaglossa. What to do and when to go.
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What to see and do in Taormina: the Ancient Theatre, Corso Umberto, Isola Bella, Castelmola and Etna excursions. A guide from people who live here.
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The story of Castello degli Schiavi in Fiumefreddo, Godfather film set and Don Tommasino’s villa: the film, local legends and how to visit.
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The life of Wolfgang Sartorius, the German volcanologist who mapped Mount Etna in the 19th century: journeys, discoveries and the craters named after him.
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Where Mount Etna is, how to visit it and how high you can go: the volcano’s sides, the summit craters, access rules and guided excursions.
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The Godfather Part IV: plot, cast and trivia about the new chapter of the Corleone saga, with mafia, family and the Sicilian film locations.
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Living Sicily offers stunning landscapes, rich history, and amazing food. Taste granita, arancini, and more—Sicily will captivate your senses!
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Discover the Myth of Polyphemus and how his rage shaped Sicily’s Faraglioni. Explore the legend of Aci and Galatea in this land of myth.
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More and more young Italians are returning to farming: sustainability, wineries, agritourism and experiential travel, on Etna too.
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Read how the 1693 Sicily earthquake shaped cities like Noto, inspiring a Baroque revival. Read about architecture and stone jewelry Sicily!
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Find the best Alcantara Gorges prices! Book an all-inclusive Etna & Alcantara tour for €80 with free hotel pickup.
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What it is like to live at the foot of Mount Etna: villages, vineyards, ash, festivals and food of the people who share their days with the volcano.
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Explore Savoca and "The Godfather" with Dream Island. Visit historic churches, Capuchin crypt, and the Castle of Slaves. Book now!
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