Sicily
From CruisersWiki
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| - | Along the N coast of Sicily (from San Vito to Milazzo) the principal harbours are: | + | '''Along the N coast of Sicily (from San Vito to Milazzo) the principal harbours are:''' |
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| - | Along the E coast of Sicily (from Messina to Marzamemi) the principal harbours are: | + | '''Along the E coast of Sicily (from Messina to Marzamemi) the principal harbours are:''' |
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| - | Along the S and W coasts of Sicily (from Porto Palo to Trapani) the principal harbours are: | + | '''Along the S and W coasts of Sicily (from Porto Palo to Trapani) the principal harbours are:''' |
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Revision as of 15:41, 29 March 2013
Sicily, Italy
 Click links for more information
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 | 37°39.6′N, 13°58.8′E |
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 | Photo gallery |
 | Local chartlet |
Click for larger view
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, and its strategic position in the centre, dominating the trade routes between East and West, has attracted colonists and invaders for over three thousand years. The Greeks were the first large-scale colonists, establishing a settlement at Siracusa around 734 BC, which subsequently came to rival Athens in its splendour and importance. Some of the island’s most spectacular ancient monuments, including the theatre at Syracusa and temples at Selinunte and Agrigento, date from this period. The island became a Roman province in 242BC at the conclusion of the first of the Punic Wars with Carthage. Among the surviving monuments to this period are the wonderfully-sited theatre at Taormina and the magnificent mosaic floors of the Villa Romana del Casale. Following the disintegration of the western Roman empire in the 5th century AD, the island was variously occupied by Vandals, Goths and Byzantines until falling to Saracen invaders in 965 AD. Little remains to mark the Saracen occupation other than some notable examples of Islamic architecture in Palermo and the town of Mazara de Vallo, but the influence of Saracen decorative arts is evident in much of the building work of Sicily’s subsequent rulers. In 1072 the island came under the control of the Normans and over the next century a combination of military might and economic shrewdness enabled them to transform Sicily into one of the wealthiest states in the whole of Europe. The period of Norman rule is marked by some of the most splendid architecture that the Normans - always great builders - left anywhere in Europe. These include the breathtaking gilded mosaic interior of the cathedral at Monreale and the Cathedral and Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo.
By 1130 the island had become the centre of a kingdom that included the Maltese islands and the major part of southern Italy. Subsequent rulers included the German Swabian dynasty, the Angevin French, the kingdom of Aragon, the Austrian Hapsburgs and finally the Spanish Bourbons. The island enjoyed a brief period of independence following an 1848 revolt against Bourbon rule, which was, however, brutally crushed by the Bourbon army the following year. The resistance nevertheless simply went underground, and the organization which subsequently became known as the Mafia thrived in the atmosphere of conflict between the people and their Bourbon masters. It was to this fertile bed of revolution that Giuseppe Garibaldi, the so-called father of Italian nationhood, brought his small army in 1860 at the start of the revolt that led to the unification of the country as the Kingdom of Italy under Victor Emmanuel II. A later and much larger army, under the American general Dwight D Eisenhower, used the island in July 1943 as a springboard for the invasion and subsequent liberation of Italy. With the formal institution of the Italian Republic at the end of the World War II in 1946 Sicily became one of five areas given special status as an autonomous region.
Today Sicily is one of Italy’s most popular tourist regions, its historic attractions supplemented by natural wonders such as Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano, and the picturesque Aeolian Islands off the NE coast, as well as some of Italy’s most distinctive cuisine and wines. Accordingly, the months of July and August are busy virtually everywhere. Surprisingly, however, Sicily has less marina development than most other parts of Italy and cruising yachtsmen exploring the coastline will occasionally find themselves wedged in among fishing boats or bobbing alongside rough stone quays. However, perhaps that is part of the charm of exploring an area steeped in history and still retaining much of its unique character.
Charts
- British Admiralty
- 1976 - Capo di Bonifati to Capo S. Vito
- 1941 - Capo Passero to Capo Colonne
- 2123 - Capo Granitola to Capo Passero
- chat 2122 - Bizerte to Capo S. Marco
- Italian
- 918
- 917
- 916
Radio Nets
Also see World Cruiser's Nets.
Approach
See details of individual ports.
Check-in facilities
See details of individual ports.
Customs & Immigration
See details of individual ports.
Ports and Popular Stops
Ports and Popular Stops
Along the N coast of Sicily (from San Vito to Milazzo) the principal harbours are:
| Sicily N Coast Ports & Anchorages | ||
Along the E coast of Sicily (from Messina to Marzamemi) the principal harbours are:
| Sicily E Coast Ports & Anchorages | ||
Along the S and W coasts of Sicily (from Porto Palo to Trapani) the principal harbours are:
| Sicily S and W coast Ports & Anchorages | ||
Key to icons: | Port of entry: 
| Harbour: 
| Marina: 
| Anchorage: 
Offshore Islands
- Aeolian Islands
- Lampedusa (Has data)
- Pantelleria (Has data)
- Ustica (Has data)
- Isole Egadi
Offshore Islands
- Aeolian Islands
- Lampedusa (Has data)
- Pantelleria (Has data)
- Ustica (Has data)
- Isole Egadi
Also See:
Marinas & Yacht Clubs
See individual port entries.
Anchorages
See individual port entries.
Health & Security
No special health measures are necessary. However, petty crime is a problem in major cities such as Palermo, Messina and Catania, especially pickpocketing and ‘drive-by’ thefts of handbags and backpacks by gangs of motorcycle-borne youths. As in many other heavily populated parts of Italy, it doesn’t pay to look like a wealthy tourist. Leave the bling on the boat if you want to hang on to it (but make sure you lock the boat securely!).
Tourism & things to do ashore
See details of individual ports.
Marine stores
See individual port entries.
Routes to/from
Popular routes, timing, etc.
Cruiser's Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
Forum Discussions
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
External Links
Links to relevant websites.
Personal Notes
- The country roads of Sicily are an interesting testimony to the former(?) influence of the mafia in the management of local public works contracts. For example, why take a minor country road down into a valley when you can take it across on a viaduct needing several million Euros worth of concrete? --Athene of Lymington 16:05, 11 August 2010 (UTC)
References & Publications
See Italy.
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Names: Lighthouse, Istioploos, Atheneoflymington, Haiqu |
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| | HOMEPAGE | Wiki Contents | Mediterranean | Italy | Sicily | |
