Sicily is a place unlike any other in Italy. It is a place of myth, magic, romance and sun. Inevitably, it will cast a spell on you. Be prepared.
Indeed, upon stepping into the streets of towns such as Taormina, Siracusa, Giardini di Naxos or Palermo, where oranges fall at your feet and lemons hang in place of pine cones, you may start to realize why the naturally romantic Italians themselves say, "Sicily is paradise".
Sicily, throughout history has been a place where more cultures have converged than any other in Europe or the world. From the Arabs who first settled there, to the Greeks, the Romans and the Normans, Sicily has been a melting pot and battle ground of culture, tradition, art and architecture. The ruins, located throughout Sicily are numerous, vast and incredible.
Sicily may be more interesting to those who enjoy adventures off the "beaten path". It may be difficult in some respects for visitors to navigate the island, but the tourist information system is getting progressively better. It is well worth the risk to dive right into Sicilian culture, for what awaits a guest in this rich Italian province is nothing short of magic.
It takes approximately seven hours by train from Naples to arrive in Sicily and about ten hours from Rome. If taking the train to Sicily from places such as Rome or Florence, it is advised for those who can sleep on the train, to take a night train which has beds. However, if you are travelling by car, it is to your advantage, for the travelling time will be faster and you will have access to inland Sicilian villages and towns that are otherwise inaccessible.
If you'd rather not drive, you will find that train and bus services throughout Sicily are quite good, with stops at all major towns and cities.
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