3 weird
and wonderful places to visit in Sicily, Italy
Known
as the “toe” of Italy’s iconic “boot,” Sicily is the largest of the Mediterranean
Islands. The island has much history, which can be seen in the well-preserved
ruins of Greek temples, the beautiful Cappella Palatina with its Byzantine
mosaics and Mount Etna, the highest, active volcano in Europe.
The
island has many excellent hotels and bed and breakfasts, and those who
wish to be more independent can enjoy
a stay in a villa in Sicily. While exploring all the “normal” tourist
sites of Sicily, also bear in mind some unusual and often strange places
to visit while on the island.
1. Abbey
of Thelema, Cefalù, Sicily
Aleister
Crowley was an occultist and mystic who believed in “magick.” In 1919.
Crowley had a revelation which led him and his followers to create a sanctuary
where they could live under the “Law of Thelema” which was basically “Do
what thou wilt.” What they created was the Abbey of Thelema, an anti-monastery,
located in a small farmhouse in the small fishing town on the coast of
Sicily.
The
Abbey of Thelema can be visited today, but the small farmhouse has been
abandoned for decades. There are still some wall paintings related to “transgressive
cosmology” and pieces of furniture in the crumbled building.
2. Caltagirone
Ceramic Steps
Visitors
should preferably be fit when visiting the 142-step Caltagirone ceramic
steps. The staircase, which was built in 1608, connects the new town of
Caltagirone below to the old town above and leads to the Santa Maria del
Monte church. Each step has been decorated with a colourful and unique
design, making it an attractive viewpoint for photography.
However,
they get even better during the Infiorita festival, held in the last two
weeks of May. The stairway becomes a focal point in the town and is decorated
with flowers, forming a new design all the way up. The staircase is
also prettied up on July 24 and 25 to honour St. James, the patron saint
of the town.
2. Phoenician
Walls of Erice
Erice
is a popular tourism destination with its Saracen, Norman and medieval
buildings. What makes the mountaintop town even more fun to visit is the
cable
car system that runs to the town from Trapani. However, while everyone
visits the centre of town, there is one aspect of its history that many
miss.
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Photo
by Allie_Caulfield/Flickr
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North
of Erice can be seen the original and massive defence walls of the town,
which have been there since 800 BC. Intricately crafted of limestone, the
Phoenicians were mostly responsible for their construction when they founded
the city over 2,500 years ago. The Elymians later added to, or modified
the walls and they still stand tall in testament to the impressive fortifications
of the town.
Have
a great holiday and make sure you visit some of these less-known attractions
during your next visit to Sicily, Italy!
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