Central Sicily
Villa Romana del Casale is sumptuous, even by decadent Roman standards, and is thought to have been the country retreat of Marcus Aurelius Maximianus,…
Must-see attractions in Central Sicily
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Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte
Central Sicily
Caltagirone's most evocative sight is this monumental staircase, which rises from Piazza Municipio to Chiesa di Santa Maria del Monte. Built in the early…
Central Sicily
A 16km drive northeast of Piazza Armerina (and a 4km downhill drive from the town of Aidone) lie the noteworthy remains of Morgantina, an ancient Greek…
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Enna
The Duomo is the most impressive of the historic buildings that line Via Roma, Enna's showpiece street. Built over 200 years after the original Gothic…
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Central Sicily
You can spot the dramatically sited dome of the huge cathedral from a few kilometres away. It rises majestically from the hilltop and the terraced houses…
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Central Sicily
This small archaeological museum in Aidone, a 10km drive northeast of Piazza Armerina, is worth a stop on your way to the nearby Greek ruins at Morgantina…
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Enna
Surrounded by woodland about 9km south of town is one of Sicily's few natural lakes. It's a popular summer hang-out with a few compact beaches, big resort…
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Central Sicily
Piazza Armerina's small, slick public art gallery showcases mostly local artwork from the 15th to 19th centuries, including altarpieces and frescoes from…
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Enna
One of Sicily's most formidable castles guards Enna's highest point, at the easternmost edge of the historic centre. The original castle was built by the…
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Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Central Sicily
A reconstruction of a 13th-century church destroyed by a landslide in 1757, the current Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore made its debut in 1767…
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Enna
Just below the entrance to Castello di Lombardia is a huge rock, which was once home to Enna's Temple of Demeter (Ceres to the Romans), goddess of…
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Parco Minerario Floristella Grottacalda
Central Sicily
Around 15km north of Piazza Armerina are the historic remains of sulphur mining that was active in the region until the mid-20th century. It's now…
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Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assisi
Central Sicily
Caltagirone has an extraordinary number of churches, almost 30 in the historic centre alone. Most are baroque, dating to the building boom of the early…
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Central Sicily
Caltanissetta's historic centre converges on Piazza Garibaldi, a handsome square flanked by the Duomo, the town hall and the baroque Chiesa di San…
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Central Sicily
In the suburbs, sporadically signposted from the city centre, the Museo Archeologico displays a collection of prehistoric finds from all over Sicily,…
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Central Sicily
Of the rooms on the northern side of the peristyle, the most interesting is a dining room featuring a hunting mosaic called the Little Hunt – 'little'…
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Central Sicily
A labour of love for its founder, Mario Albanese, this small but meticulously detailed ethnographic museum recreates a typical Sicilian peasant house of…
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Central Sicily
Next to the Museo della Ceramica, the Giardino Pubblico is a lovely place to see out the late afternoon, perhaps with an ice cream or a glass of something…
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Museo Archeologico di Palazzo Varisano
Enna
Enna's archaeological museum houses a good collection of local artefacts (labelled in Italian) excavated from throughout the region, as well as objects…
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Central Sicily
Near the village of Vallelunga, this is one of five wine-producing estates owned by the Tasca d'Almerita family, with some 400 hectares of vineyards, a…
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Central Sicily
Flanking the southern end of Piazza Duomo is Palazzo Trigona, a baronial palace once home to the island's powerful Trigona family. Constructed of…
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Central Sicily
This 64m-long corridor is emblazoned with dramatic hunting scenes of tigers, leopards, elephants, antelopes, ostriches and a rhino – animals that the…
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Central Sicily
Situated 3km northwest of Calascibetta, the Necropoli di Realmese is worth investigating, with some 300 rock tombs dating from 850 BC. To reach the site,…
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Central Sicily
Down from the main historic centre, this museum is the place to learn about the Sicilian ceramics industry. Exhibits, which include Greek terracotta works…
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Enna
Just off Piazza Vittorio Emanuele is another small square, Piazza F Crispi, commanding sweeping views over the valley to Calascibetta. The piazza is home…
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Central Sicily
Nicosia's cathedral dates back to 1340. It's built in the Gothic style and is capped by a beautiful, painted wooden ceiling. The interior includes a…
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Central Sicily
Just off the southern end of the Ambulacro della Grande Caccia, in the Sala delle Dieci Ragazze, is the villa's most famous mosaic. It depicts nine …
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Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista
Central Sicily
Founded in the 14th century, the current Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista dates back to the 18th century. Its interior is lavished with the glorious,…
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Central Sicily
The main part of the villa is centred on the peristyle, a vast covered courtyard lined with amusing animal heads. This is where guests would have been…
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Central Sicily
One of a series of apartments on one side of the Ambulacro, the triclinium boasts a splendid floor illustration of the labours of Hercules, where the…
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Enna
Secret passageways once led to this octagonal tower, which now stands in Enna's pine-studded public gardens. Once part of the town's old defence system,…
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Fontana del Ratto di Prosperina
Enna
Right on Piazza Crispi is this monumental creation commemorating Enna's most enduring ancient legend.
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Central Sicily
The palaestra wows with a splendid, sweeping mosaic depicting a chariot race at the Circus Maximus in Rome (the room is also known as the Salone del Circo…
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Central Sicily
After they had been received in the peristyle, guests were led through to the basilica, a building used for public assembly.
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Central Sicily
Calascibetta's most impressive sight is its 14th-century cathedral. Among its highlights are 18th-century paintings by Ludovico Svirech.
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Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Caltagirone
Central Sicily
This small, sadly forlorn museum has an engaging contemporary collection, including works by the renowned local artist Gianni Ballarò.
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Central Sicily
Piazza's former town hall (closed to the public), this elegant, late-baroque palazzo (mansion) overlooks Piazza Garibaldi.
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Central Sicily
Closed to the public at the time of writing, this church sits down a side street off the scalinata.
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Central Sicily
The villa's main entrance leads through the remnants of a triumphal arch into an elegant atrium (forecourt).
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Central Sicily
This statue depicts Baron Marco Trigona, the man who financed construction of Piazza Armerina's cathedral.
