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Sicily overview

Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace

 

Sicily is the largest island of the Mediterranean and is regarded by both Italians and Sicilians as a land apart, quite foreign to Italy. Invasions by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans and Arabs have created a collision of cultures and an intriguing history quite distinct from any other place in Europe.

The landscape of Sicily is of long, wide coastal plains edged by secluded coves with sandy and pebbled beaches, backed by charming inland valleys and high mountains, with Mount Etna forming a stunning backdrop to the eastern coast.

The island is dotted with remnants of its past: a classical temple and Greek amphitheatre here, an Arabic old town and Norman cathedral there and mosaic filled churches and ornate piazzas embellished with a Sicilian Baroque style everywhere.

Palermo, the capital, lies on the northern coast, but it is on the eastern coast where the most rewarding collection of cities and towns are to be found, amongst them, Messina, Catania, Siracusa and our featured resorts of Taormina, Castelmola and Acireale

Taormina

Sicily's oldest established and most fashionable resort clings to the terraces of a hillside which rises steeply from the Ionian Sea and boosts spectacular views over two bays and Mount Etna in the distance.

The town is a medieval compilation of ochre and pastel coloured churches, palaces and weather-beaten houses, with a cable car to the pebbled beaches below. The Gothic facades of the buildings heavily laden with balconies of bougainvillea, lead onto charming piazzas with delightful fountains and panoramic vistas. Street cafes and craft shops vie for visitors' attention in the main avenue, Corso Umberto, and shaded alleyways proffer an irresistible invitation to discover something new: a wonderful delicatessen, a stylish bar, or a smart boutique. In the evenings, the sounds of crowded restaurants and sophisticated nightlife echo around the piazzas, courtyards and moonlight streetscape.

Sicily Coastline Taormina

 

Carved into a hillside by the Greeks and later refurbished by the Romans, Taormina's Hellenic Theatre boasts probably the most dramatic scenery of any theatre in the world and features excellent acoustics; always evident during the annual summer arts festival. Additional attractions include the Pallazo di Santo Stefano, the crenulated cathedral of the Piazza Duomo and the public gardens dotted with pagoda-style follies.

 

 

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Request a Classic Collection holiday brochure

Map

 

Climate

Early spring is the best time to visit when the temperatures are pleasant, the tropical gardens are bathed in the blossom, and the street cafes still have enough empty tables and chairs.

The summers are warm with high temperatures in July and August, and although there are frequent showers between November and March, the winters are mild.

Month

Av Daily Temp

Av Daily Sun (hrs)

Jan

10° C

4 hours

Feb

11° C

4 hours

Mar

12° C

6 hours

Apr

14° C

7 hours

May

18° C

9 hours

Jun

23° C

11 hours

Jul

26° C

12 hours

Aug

27° C

12 hours

Sep

24° C

9 hours

Oct

19° C

6 hours

Nov

15° C

5 hours

Dec

12° C

4 hours

Did you know?

The Teatro Massimo in Palermo is home to the largest stage in Europe after the Paris Opera House and the film director Francis Ford Coppola chose it as the location for the climactic scene of The Godfather: Part III. The theatre took 22 years to build. In 1997 it re-opened after extensive refurbishment to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Sicily hotels

San Domenico Palace Hotel

 

San Domenico Palace Hotel

San Domenico Palace Hotel

To discover the origins of San Domenico Palace Hotel we go back to the fifteenth century, when the property was a monastery

Read more about Classic Collection holidays to San Domenico Palace Hotel

Excelsior Palace Hotel

Excelsior Palace Hotel

Excelsior Palace Hotel opened its doors to tourism during the first decade of the twentieth century and is thus celebrating 100 years of genuinely warm and welcoming Sicilian hospitality

Read more about Classic Collection holidays to Excelsior Palace Hotel

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Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay

Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay

Sister hotel to the beautiful Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace, and located just a few minutes walk from the cable car

Read more about Classic Collection holidays to Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay

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Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace

Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace

Mazzaro bay (another term which may be used for Taormina Mare) on which this fine hotel is situated, is reputed to be one of the most beautiful bays in Sicily

Read more about Classic Collection holidays to Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace

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Grand Hotel Miramare

Grand Hotel Miramare

Grand Hotel Miramare dates back to 1922 and is situated in an idyll location between old centre Taormina and the beautiful coastline

Read more about Classic Collection holidays to Grand Hotel Miramare

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Grand Hotel Timeo

Grand Hotel Timeo

Famed for its literary terrace and splendid panorama, the 19th century Grand Hotel Timeo is located opposite Taormina's Roman-Greek Amphitheatre

Read more about Classic Collection holidays to Grand Hotel Timeo

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Hotel Monte Tauro

Hotel Monte Tauro

Hotel Monte Tauro is located just a few minutes' walk from the famous Greek-Roman Theatre of Taormina

Read more about Classic Collection holidays to Hotel Monte Tauro

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Hotel Villa Sant' Andrea

Hotel Villa Sant' Andrea

Villa Sant’ Andrea dates back to the 1830’s when a fortunate British family discovered this beautiful bay

Read more about Classic Collection holidays to Hotel Villa Sant' Andrea

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Hotel Villa Sonia

Hotel Villa Sonia

Castelmola is a delightful hilltop village which offers a very pleasant selection of bars and restaurants

Read more about Classic Collection holidays to Hotel Villa Sonia

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Enquire about a Classic Collection holiday to this  destination
Request a Classic Collection holiday brochure

Map

 

Climate

Early spring is the best time to visit when the temperatures are pleasant, the tropical gardens are bathed in the blossom, and the street cafes still have enough empty tables and chairs.

The summers are warm with high temperatures in July and August, and although there are frequent showers between November and March, the winters are mild.

Month

Av Daily Temp

Av Daily Sun (hrs)

Jan

10° C

4 hours

Feb

11° C

4 hours

Mar

12° C

6 hours

Apr

14° C

7 hours

May

18° C

9 hours

Jun

23° C

11 hours

Jul

26° C

12 hours

Aug

27° C

12 hours

Sep

24° C

9 hours

Oct

19° C

6 hours

Nov

15° C

5 hours

Dec

12° C

4 hours

Did you know?

The Teatro Massimo in Palermo is home to the largest stage in Europe after the Paris Opera House and the film director Francis Ford Coppola chose it as the location for the climactic scene of The Godfather: Part III. The theatre took 22 years to build. In 1997 it re-opened after extensive refurbishment to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Sicily sightseeing

Mount Etna

 

Mount Etna

Europe's largest active volcano, Mount Etna dominates the coastal landscape of eastern Sicily. Billowing smoke is always visible from the volcano's crater which for much of the year is snow-capped. Buses take you to a height of 2000 metres and, for those who don't wish to trek up the hot lava; jeeps will take you onward and upward. On a cloudless day the curvature of the earth is clearly visible from the higher slopes.

Archaeological Sites

Sicily' s grandest archaeological site is the Valley of the Temples at Argigento, home to the most complete set of temples outside Greece. The mosaics of Roman Villa of Casale are one of the remaining wonders of the Roman Empire.

Piazza del Duomo, Syracuse Taormina on the coast

Syracuse

A magnificent city of outstanding natural beauty, Syracuse is located on the south eastern coast of Sicily. One of the most important cities of the classical world, the audiences at the rock-face carved Helenistic theatre were witnesses to premieres by Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles. Centuries later the fine Roman amphitheatre was the venue for gladiatorial fights, often to the death.

Aeolian Islands

Named after Aeolus, God of Wind, and lying to the north of Sicily, are nine volcanic islands. Lipari is the largest island and is home to an impressive Spanish castle whose fortifications date back to 1300BC. Volcanic eruptions occur daily on Stromboli, and less frequently on Vulcano which also boasts active thermal springs where visitors can enjoy a therapeutic and revitalising soak.

Enquire about a Classic Collection holiday to this  destination
Request a Classic Collection holiday brochure

Map

 

Climate

Early spring is the best time to visit when the temperatures are pleasant, the tropical gardens are bathed in the blossom, and the street cafes still have enough empty tables and chairs.

The summers are warm with high temperatures in July and August, and although there are frequent showers between November and March, the winters are mild.

.

Month

Av Daily Temp

Av Daily Sun (hrs)

Jan

10° C

4 hours

Feb

11° C

4 hours

Mar

12° C

6 hours

Apr

14° C

7 hours

May

18° C

9 hours

Jun

23° C

11 hours

Jul

26° C

12 hours

Aug

27° C

12 hours

Sep

24° C

9 hours

Oct

19° C

6 hours

Nov

15° C

5 hours

Dec

12° C

4 hours

Did you know?

The Teatro Massimo in Palermo is home to the largest stage in Europe after the Paris Opera House and the film director Francis Ford Coppola chose it as the location for the climactic scene of The Godfather: Part III. The theatre took 22 years to build. In 1997 it re-opened after extensive refurbishment to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Sicily cuisine

Hotel Villa Sant Andrea

 

Sicily has a plentiful supply of fish, vegetables and olive oil which provide the staples of traditional Sicilian cuisine; and ingredients bequeathed by Arab invaders add an exotic flavour that is not commonly found on mainland Italy.

Five course meals are the norm: antipasto (meaning before the meal) is typically an appetizer consisting of a small starter served cold, primo, the first course, usually consisting of pasta; secondo, the main dish, often fish, which is followed by contorno, the vegetable course and finally dolci, the dessert.

San Domenico Palace Hotel Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay

 

Sardines, anchovies, tuna and swordfish are favourites, and pasta sauces are often vegetable and fish based, rather than meat based. Raisins, fennel and pine nuts add an Arabian twist, and marzipan and fresh fruit dominate the dessert menus. Coffee is served in a myriad of different ways; etiquette suggest that cappuccino is a morning-only drink, never to be served after a meal.

Enquire about a Classic Collection holiday to this  destination
Request a Classic Collection holiday brochure

Map

 

Climate

Early spring is the best time to visit when the temperatures are pleasant, the tropical gardens are bathed in the blossom, and the street cafes still have enough empty tables and chairs.

The summers are warm with high temperatures in July and August, and although there are frequent showers between November and March, the winters are mild.

Month

Av Daily Temp

Av Daily Sun (hrs)

Jan

10° C

4 hours

Feb

11° C

4 hours

Mar

12° C

6 hours

Apr

14° C

7 hours

May

18° C

9 hours

Jun

23° C

11 hours

Jul

26° C

12 hours

Aug

27° C

12 hours

Sep

24° C

9 hours

Oct

19° C

6 hours

Nov

15° C

5 hours

Dec

12° C

4 hours

Did you know?

The Teatro Massimo in Palermo is home to the largest stage in Europe after the Paris Opera House and the film director Francis Ford Coppola chose it as the location for the climactic scene of The Godfather: Part III. The theatre took 22 years to build. In 1997 it re-opened after extensive refurbishment to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Sicily offers

Hotel Villa Sant Andrea

 

List Classic Collection offers in Excelsior Palace Hotel

Excelsior Palace Hotel

Excelsior Palace Hotel opened its doors to tourism during the first decade of the twentieth century and is thus celebrating 100 years of genuinely warm and welcoming Sicilian hospitality

1 offer

List Classic Collection offers in Excelsior Palace Hotel

List Classic Collection offers in Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay

Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay

Sister hotel to the beautiful Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace, and located just a few minutes walk from the cable car

1 offer

List Classic Collection offers in Grand Hotel Atlantis Bay

-
-
List Classic Collection offers in Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace

Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace

Mazzaro bay (another term which may be used for Taormina Mare) on which this fine hotel is situated, is reputed to be one of the most beautiful bays in Sicily

1 offer

List Classic Collection offers in Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace

-
List Classic Collection offers in Grand Hotel Miramare

Grand Hotel Miramare

Grand Hotel Miramare dates back to 1922 and is situated in an idyll location between old centre Taormina and the beautiful coastline

5 offers

List Classic Collection offers in Grand Hotel Miramare

-
-
List Classic Collection offers in Grand Hotel Timeo

Grand Hotel Timeo

Famed for its literary terrace and splendid panorama, the 19th century Grand Hotel Timeo is located opposite Taormina's Roman-Greek Amphitheatre

3 offers

List Classic Collection offers in Grand Hotel Timeo

-
List Classic Collection offers in Hotel Monte Tauro

Hotel Monte Tauro

Hotel Monte Tauro is located just a few minutes' walk from the famous Greek-Roman Theatre of Taormina

1 offer

List Classic Collection offers in Hotel Monte Tauro

-
-
List Classic Collection offers in Hotel Villa Sant' Andrea

Hotel Villa Sant' Andrea

Villa Sant’ Andrea dates back to the 1830’s when a fortunate British family discovered this beautiful bay

3 offers

List Classic Collection offers in Hotel Villa Sant' Andrea

-
List Classic Collection offers in Hotel Villa Sonia

Hotel Villa Sonia

Castelmola is a delightful hilltop village which offers a very pleasant selection of bars and restaurants

6 offers

List Classic Collection offers in Hotel Villa Sonia

-
-
List Classic Collection offers in San Domenico Palace Hotel

San Domenico Palace Hotel

To discover the origins of San Domenico Palace Hotel we go back to the fifteenth century, when the property was a monastery

4 offers

List Classic Collection offers in San Domenico Palace Hotel

-
-

 

 

 

Enquire about a Classic Collection holiday to this  destination
Request a Classic Collection holiday brochure

Map

 

Climate

Early spring is the best time to visit when the temperatures are pleasant, the tropical gardens are bathed in the blossom, and the street cafes still have enough empty tables and chairs.

The summers are warm with high temperatures in July and August, and although there are frequent showers between November and March, the winters are mild.

Month

Av Daily Temp

Av Daily Sun (hrs)

Jan

10° C

4 hours

Feb

11° C

4 hours

Mar

12° C

6 hours

Apr

14° C

7 hours

May

18° C

9 hours

Jun

23° C

11 hours

Jul

26° C

12 hours

Aug

27° C

12 hours

Sep

24° C

9 hours

Oct

19° C

6 hours

Nov

15° C

5 hours

Dec

12° C

4 hours

Did you know?

The Teatro Massimo in Palermo is home to the largest stage in Europe after the Paris Opera House and the film director Francis Ford Coppola chose it as the location for the climactic scene of The Godfather: Part III. The theatre took 22 years to build. In 1997 it re-opened after extensive refurbishment to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Enquire about a Classic Collection holiday to this  destination.
Call Freephone 0800 008 7299 to enquire about a Classic Collection holiday to this destination.