Sicily's history spans some 6000 years. While Rome was still a small village of poor shepherds Sicily boasted a magnificent civilization with towns which could challenge in power and splendour the cities of the Greek motherland.

Since prehistoric times different peoples landed in Sicily attracted by its beauty, fertility and luxuriant vegetation. The island has seen many different cultures flourish on its soil, which have left behind a trail of impressive monuments, buildings and works of art which still today inspire wonder and admiration. The Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans,  Swabians, French and Spaniards have all left in their wake their mark on its appearance. Many of these peoples felt at home in Sicily, the land Homer described as " the wonderful island of Helios" the God of the Sun, the dream land of the ancients where "everything grew without being sown". It was a supremely desirable land, an exceptional crossroads of history where different races and civilisations merged.

All this is recognisable even today in the physical appearance of Sicily's inhabitants as well as in its customs, in the names of its towns and in the same language of the Sicilians.

In Siracusa, Agrigento, Selinunte, Imera, the Greeks raised their temples in Doric style.
The Normans erected the majestic cathedrals of Cefalu, Monreale, Palermo. Arabic and byzantine decoration confer their supreme perfection on churches and cloisters.
The Swabians built up in a perfect geometric style their imposing castels and towers.
To the Spaniards is due the baroque of churches and noble palaces which still today is source of astonishment in Palermo and in south-east regions  of Sicily.

Whoever comes to Sicily today can discover and enjoy millennia of civilisation, culture, and history, a story too long to tell in words here and now, which is why we prefer instead to show you some images of Sicily, leaving the comment to famous travellers who have visited our island, admired its natural and artistic beauties, experienced the warmth and hospitality of its inhabitants and who, simply, have ...fallen in love with it.