This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Project Comenius - EPEITE

The project is executed by students of Second High School in Jelenia Góra, Poland (Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących 2, Jelenia Góra)Reference professor Mr. Robert ZalewskiJelenia Góra, March 30th, 2012.

Italy

Sicily and Palermo

GeographySicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. With surrounding minor islands Sicily constitutes an autonomous region of Italy. The island of Sicily has a population of approximately five million.

Largest cities of Sicily are:- Palermo - the capital of the island- Catania, - Messyna and- Syracuse

Geography

The terrain of island Sicily is mostly hilly.The cone of Mount Etna - the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world -dominates over the eastern coast.

Climate

Sicily has a typical Mediterranean climate with mild and wet winters and hot, dry summers. The sunny island, Sicily enjoys a large number of sunny days – 300 per year! Its average annual temperature is 21 °C. 

How to get to Sicily

- by planeMainland Sicily has two international airports (in Palermo and Catania) which serve numerous Italian and European destinations and some extra-European.

How to get to Sicily- by ferry / boatFrom Messina ferries run frequently, are cheap, and don’t typically require reservations the way the ferries listed above do. You can drive a car on or walk on, assuming there’s space, and the trip from Villa San Giovanni or Reggio di Calabria on the mainland to Messina on Sicily takes about a half-hour. The prices are:foot passenger – €1.50 one-way / €2 round-tripCar with only the driver – €29 one-way / €20 round-trip within 4 days.

Hot to get to Sicily- by carHighways have recently been built and expanded in the last four decades. The most prominent Sicilian roads are the motorway running through the northern section of the island. Much of the motorway network is elevated by columns due to the mountainous terrain of the island.  - by trainFrom the major cities of Sicily, there are services to Naples and Rome; this is achieved by the trains being loaded onto ferries which cross to the mainland.

Palermo

Palermo is Sicily's cultural, economic and touristic capital located in the northwest of the island, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea. In 2010, there were 655,875 people residing in Palermo.

PalermoPalermo was founded in the 8th Century BC by Phenician.After the Phoenicians it was ruled from Syracuse by the Romans, then after the Roman Empire split the Byzantines ruled.After it was the turn of the Saracens and the Normans.After it became part of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Kingdon of Spain.In 1734 Sicily was unified with the Bourbon ruled Kingdom of Naples. In 1860 Sicily was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.

Sicilian cuisine

ricefisholive oilvegetables

shows traces of all the cultures which established themselves on the island of Sicily over the last two millennia. Although its cuisine is predominantly based on Italian cuisine, Sicilian food also has Spanish, Greek and Arabinfluences.

Dishes

- crustaceans risotto ;

- Arancini  are fried rice balls coated with breadcrumbs. Arancini are usually filled with ragù (meat sauce), tomato sauce, mozzarella, and peas. 

Dishes

- parmigiana (is a dish made with a shallow-fried sliced filling, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked.),

- caponata (a kind of potato and cheese pie),

- insalata di mare (classic Italian mixed seafood salad dressed with olive oil and lemon).

Spaghettis

- pasta con le sarde (with anchovies), - pasta ai ricci (spaghetti

prepared with sea urchin) - pasta alla Norma ( with

tomatoes, fried eggplant, grated ricotta salata cheese, and basil).

Pizza

Sfincione  is a very common variety of pizza that originated in the province of Palermo. Unlike the more familiar Neapolitan pizza, it is typically square, with more dough, sauce and cheese. An authentic recipe often calls for Caciocavallo, bread crumbs, onion, tomato sauce and bits of anchovies.

Desserts

Sweets are another sicilian specialty. Many were first introduced by the Arabs from the 9th to 11th centuries and containing candied or dried fruit and nuts.

granita ( is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings),

cannoli (consist of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta),

Cassata ( consists of round sponge cake moistened with fruit juices or liqueur and layered with ricotta cheese, candied peel, and a chocolate or vanilla filling similar to cannoli cream. It is covered with a shell of marzipan, pink and green pastel colored icing, and decorative designs. The cassata is finally topped with candied fruit)

Wines and drinksFor the main meal Sicilians drink mostly wine. Etna is the best of DOC wine from the Etna region.  Well-known red wines include the Cerasuolo di Vittoria, the Nero d'Avola mainly those product around Noto (Siracusa).In addition, various dessert wines are produced, such as the famous Marsala, the Malvasia delle Lipari.

Poalermo’s main sightsFor centuries, Porta Nuova was the most important entry way into the city of Palermo. Porta Nuova was built in 1583 to commemorate the victory of Charles V (known as Carlo V in Italy) over the Turks.

Palazzo dei Normani -one of the most beautiful Italian palaces and a notable example of Norman architecture, probably built over an Arab fortress. It houses the famous Cappella Palatina.

Duomo di Palermo is the city's cathedral and main church. It is characterized by the presence of different architectural styles, due to a long history of additions, alterations and restorations, the last of which occurred in the 18th century.

Zisa (1160) and Cuba, magnificent castles/houses used by the kings of Palermo for hunting. Similar buildings were common in northern Africa, but today these two are the only ones remaining. The Zisa houses the Islamic museum.

Squares

The spectacular Piazza Pretoria – with its fountain and the numerous gleaming white statues.

Quattro Canti  a small square at the crossing of the ancient main roads dividing the town into its quarters. The buildings at the corner have diagonal baroque facades so that the square gets an almost octagonal form.

One site of interest is the Capuchin Catacombs, with many mummified corpses in varying degrees of preservation.

Sports and activities

Sicily offers the opportunity to practice a wide range of sports in nature parks, and reserves, all nearby some of the most interesting historical and artistic locations. Sicily’s waters offer wonderful windsurfing thanks to the twists and turns of the wind. At the beach resorts on the Tyrrhenian coast specialized clubs offer diving activities for beginners and experts.

Practical Information

British Embassy

Via XX Settembre 80a I-00187 Roma RMPhone (39) 06 4220 0001http://ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk/en

Tourist BoardsAssessorato al Turismo Regione Siciliana, Via Notarbartolo 11, Palermo. Tel 091-696 11 11. www.regione.sicilia.it/turismo

Pratical Information

Emergency NumbersGeneral Emergencies: 113.Police (Carabinieri): 112.Fire Department: 115.Road Emergencies: 116.Nautical Information: 196.