Island in the center of the Mediterranean of enormous beauty, the Sicilia it has always been a land appreciated for its cultural and non-cultural wonders. His natural heritage it is so vast as to be comparable to that of an entire continent, as described by Catherine Borgato in his article "Sicily: a land rich in history, culture and art”Published in the journal of National Geographic in December 2020. The Island has a unique ecosystem in the world. As Borgato recalls in his article: "Parks, reserves and protected areas, both terrestrial and marine, contribute to safeguarding the delicate balance of often endemic biodiversity. The palm trees grow luxuriantly there, the heat of the sun and the clarity of the sky and air make you think of Africa, while on the highest active volcano in Europe the snow mixes with the lava ». But that's not all, Sicily is also history, culture and traditions.

National Geographic - Temple of Concord Agrigento at sunset

The beauty of Sicily manages to deeply capture the soul of every traveler. Goethe, for example, he defined it "the key to everything"To understand Italy. Sicily is in fact the product of a mix of different peoples who inhabited the island and left their mark. The Greek imprint is visible in the Valley of the temples di Agrigento, the Phoenician one inisland of Mozia, the Roman one inamphitheater of Taormina, the Arab-Norman one in the Palatine Chapel, the Spanish one in Prison of the Inquisition di Palermo and so on. Some of these wonders have indeed become World Heritage Site. As Caterina Borgato still remembers on National Geographic, Sicily can boast well 7 UNESCO sites. These include: the Aeolian Islands,Etna, Arab-Norman route di Palermo, Cefalù e Monreale, the cities of Val di Noto, SIRACUSA and rock necropolis di Pantalica, the area archaeological site of Agrigento , Villa del Casale di Piazza Armerina.

National Geographic - mosaic villa del Casale Piazza Armerina
Photo: © Clemensfranz - Wikimedia Commons.

Sicily on National Geographic: a genuine and greedy deposit of tastes and flavors

This anime mix it can also be seen in table. In the article, the Borgato describes Sicily as "a genuine and greedy deposit of tastes and flavors. The regional cuisine is based on the Arab gastronomic tradition, with the prevalence of sweet and sour, the French one of the "Monsù", professional cooks called to serve in aristocratic families, and the peasant one, simple, made of products of the earth". In fact, in an arancina, as in a cannolo or a granita, you can hear everything the taste of authentic Sicily. Each dish of the Sicilian tradition releases scents that remain indelible and bring to the memory of the traveler the memories of an unforgettable stay on the island.

National Geographic - Sicilian cannoli

Caterina Borgato ends her article with a short but intense "Grand Tour" (like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe), among the most interesting destinations in Sicily, come on markets of Palermo, up to the snow ofEtna, Via SIRACUSA , Val di Noto. In short, Sicily is an enchanting and enchanting land. Despite its contradictions and ugliness, anyone once in their lifetime should visit the island. Maybe later he will even think about moving after being madly in love with it (as has already happened to many). After having lived the island, its inhabitants and its places, one can only agree with Frederick II of Swabia"I do not envy God for heaven because I am happy to live in Sicily".

National Geographic celebrates the wonders of Sicily last edit: 2021-04-06T09:00:00+02:00 da Antonello Ciccarello

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