Page 6 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

INTRODUCTION TO SICILY

To say that Sicily isn’t Italy is trite but true – only 3km of water separate the
island from the Italian mainland, but the historical and cultural gulf is far wider.
The locals see themselves as Sicilians first and Italians a very firm second, a

difference that is celebrated at every turn. On this strategically located island at
the heart of the Mediterranean, some of the western world’s greatest
civilizations have left their indelible mark, from ancient temples to stunning

mosaic-decorated churches. The distinct Sicilian language thrives, while many
place names are derived from the Arabic that was once in wide use across the
island, and markets brim with produce that speaks firmly of the south – oranges,
lemons, olives, rice, almonds and peppers.

Moreover, the historic combination of island mentality and wild, lawless,
mountainous interior has fostered an “us-and-them” attitude that still defines the

relationship between modern-day Sicily and Italy. The island was probably the most
reluctantly unified of all Italian regions back in the nineteenth century, with Sicilians
unsurprisingly suspicious of the intentions of the latest in a long line of rulers –
Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Angevins and Spanish. For many
Sicilians, their place in the modern Italian state is illustrated every time they look at a
map to see the island being kicked – the perpetual football.

And Sicilians do have a point. Pockets of the island have been disfigured by bleak
construction projects and unsightly industry, and despite Sicily’s limited political
autonomy, little has really been done to tackle the more deep-rooted problems: youth
unemployment is at an all-time high, emigration of the brightest on the rise, poverty is
seemingly endemic and there’s an almost feudal attitude to business and commerce.
Aid and investment pour in, but much is still siphoned off by the Mafia. Visitors, of
course, see little of this. Mafia activity, for example – almost a byword for Sicilian
life when viewed from abroad – is usually an in-house affair, with little or no

consequence for travellers.

What Sicily does offer is a remarkably fresh Mediterranean experience. Its main
resorts and famous archeological sites have attracted visitors for many years, but
budget airline routes have opened up lesser-known parts of this fascinating island,