The island of Sicily is a unique part of Italy. Its craggy mountains, wild vegetation, and omnipresent sea have fired the imagination of poets, wayfarers, and visitors alike.  Though it is one of 20 Italian regions, its history under the yoke of endless conquerors –especially the Normans – has led to its own distinctive customs, traditions, and even language that make life on the island unique from that on the peninsula. 

The island has a rich history. Archaeologists have identified evidence of civilization as early as 12,000 B.C. By the fifth century B.C., Sicily was a thriving part of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece), attested to by numerous well-preserved Greek temples and theaters.