Visit Sicily - Greek Temples and Ancient Towns
Explore the capital Palermo, Beaches at Cefalu, Historic Agrigento
Mar 29, 2007
Italy: Sicily - Palermo the Capital City
At first sight the historic Vucciria Market in the capital Palermo has all the flavour of an Arab souk, except that here the glitter of beaten brass is replaced by the glistening skins of all kinds of fish: curly-tentacled squid, huge swordfish with milky blue eyes and small fish called Auccioli with tails perkily curled - held up by a piece of string tied to their heads. Stalls are stacked with brilliant peppers, olives and long thin zucchini, round yellow cheeses, bread, rabbits and a zillion other things that you probably would not recognize.
Much of Palermo is quite grand, with wide avenues lined with palm trees, stylish shops and restaurants and hotels like the Grand Hotel della Palma which has an attractive air of faded elegance. In fact, the city itself has a whiff of past glory as many of its wonderful old buildings are in need of a face lift.
Palaces and churches have been restored and the historic Teatro Massimo, closed for nearly a quarter of a century, reopened in 1998 with Pavarotti singing in Aida.
There’s no singing in the Catacombe di Cappuccini, rather the wail of death. This underground necropolis is packed to the ceiling with thousands of mummified bodies. Their empty eyes stare out from dark niches, from coffins and from shelves. Many are propped up with bits of string. Some with mouths open cry out in dismay; others peaceful, hands crossed, accepting, conversing with each other, or hanging heads in shame.“What did we do to deserve this?” It’s not for the faint hearted.
Sicily - Ancient Town of Cefalu
If you want some time in the sun. try Cefalu a small fishing port 70 km east of Parlermo. The ancient town is dwarfed by a huge rock, aptly named the Rocca,which looms over the narrow streets. Its two greatest assets are the splendid Normal cathedral which dominates the town and its fabulous beaches. Take a walk along the very long promenade to sit on the cool verandah of a restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean, enjoying a typical Cefalu snack of olives wrapped with ground meat and deep fried in breadcrumbs - delicious!
Sicily - Greek Temples at Agrigento
The Greeks built temples as though they would live forever, even though the great Athenian statesman, Pericles, advised them to live for the day. In Agrigento, on the south coast of Sicily, they built 15 magnificent temples and it is said that Sicily is richer in surviving temples than Greece. Certainly the one dedicated to Jupiter (Zeus) is believed to be the largest ever built. Many of the temples eventually fell down and were put back in place in 1789. Only one, the Temple of Concordia, has been standing since it was built. You can walk along the old city wall from the Temple of Hera, past meadows of sweet smelling white flowers, towards the Temple. It’s a wonderful way to approach this spectacular building.
The old city walls are Greek and eventually they became burial grounds for the early Christians. Their tombs are cut into the walls and the wind and weather of centuries has carved them into strange shapes and worn holes in them through which can be seen the hills of Agrigento.
The Greeks used the local sandstone to build their temples, then covered them with white stucco to make them look like marble. If you look carefully you can see traces of the original stucco still clinging to temples built nearly 2,500 years ago. This is a very special place.
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