Sicily Offers Much More Than The Mafia

Often regarded as the island being kicked by the boot of Italy, Sicily is actually the largest Italian region and boasts glorious countryside, ancient archaeological sites and is the infamous home of the Italian mafia.

The island's capital is Palermo and the city is more than 2,700 years old, although there is evidence of human settlement in the area from as long ago as 8000 BC. In 734 BC, the Phoenicians established the beginnings of today's city because of its prime location on the coast. It is thought to be originally called Ziz, but the Greeks, who had a dominant presence on Sicily at the time, renamed it Panormus (meaning "all-port") and from there it evolved into today's name. Today, Palermo is home to around 650,000 inhabitants.

Many of Palermo's notable buildings came from the Norman period - which lasted from around 1070 to the early 1200s in Sicily. Many of these buildings are highly decorative churches and cathedrals and with more than a dozen to choose from in the city, visitors are spoilt for choice. Some of the more famous are the church of St Francis of Assisi (the patron saint of animals, birds, the environment and Italy), the Church of Jesus (which has housed the Municipal Library since 1775) and Santa Maria dello Spasimo (which was the original home of Raphael's famous Sicilia Spasimo painting).

The capital also boasts beautiful palaces and museums - most notably the Palazzo dei Normanni, which is one of the most glorious palaces in Italy.

The mafia, one of the most associated terms with Sicily, is often thought of as simply organised crime and bullying, but many historians believe it was set up to protect the Sicilian inhabitants, from both corrupt officials and Catalan marauders. Even to this day, the mafia has a good reputation for being honourable and noble in Sicily. Many films have been made about the mafia, perhaps most famously in "The Godfather". The lead character, Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone, is himself a native Sicilian.

Whether the bodies which lie therein are in any way linked to the work of the mafia is questionable, but the Capuchin Catacombs are a popular tourist spot nonetheless. Mummified corpses are located in crypts beneath a monastery in the city and are open to tourists.

A less morbid attraction is the Palermo Botanical Garden - the largest such garden in Italy. Established in 1785, the gardens now cover 10 hectares, with more than 12,000 different species of plants and they are now home to a colony of parrots that escaped from a nearby aviary.

For a spectacular view of the city, climb up nearby Mount Pellegrino. This 600 metre mountain overlooks the ocean, the city and all the stunning architecture of the opera houses, churches and hotels in Palermo.

So, while it might be home to the Mafia, Sicily - and Palermo in particular - offers much to visitors, by way of culture and attractions and is in equal measure both a breathtaking and dramatic city for tourists.

Disclaimer: Matthew Pressman writes for a wide variety of commercial clients. This article is intended for information purposes only and readers should seek additional information before taking any actions based on its content.