Sicily Classic: from Palermo to Etna, Heritage, sea and gastronomy

Palermo concentrates Sicily's many souls in a single place, the fruit of Arab, Norman and Spanish rule that can be read in its very stones. The cathedral of composite lines, the Norman Palace with its dazzling Palatine Chapel and the Arab-Norman churches bear witness to a past of multicultural splendour. Between the Quattro Canti and Piazza Pretoria, the historic centre pulses with lively markets such as Ballarò and the Vucciria, where street food — arancine, panelle, spleen sandwiches — is an unmissable experience. The Teatro Massimo, among Europe's largest opera houses, and the noble palaces evoke the age of the leopards. Just outside the city, Monreale Cathedral guards golden mosaics of rare beauty, while Mondello offers an elegant beach facing the sea. Vibrant and full of contrasts, Palermo wins visitors over with its intensity and generous table.

Trapani juts into the sea at Sicily's western tip, a sickle of land between two seas once rich from salt and coral. The historic centre weaves together baroque streets, churches and palaces, while the salt pans with their windmills create unique landscapes, especially at sunset. From the port depart connections to the Egadi Islands — Favignana, Levanzo, Marettimo — and a cable car climbs to Erice, a medieval village perched on the mountain above. The salt pans of Trapani and Marsala form a nature reserve populated by flamingos. Trapani cuisine is famous for fish couscous, the fruit of North African influences. Authentic and windswept, Trapani wins visitors over with its sunsets over the salt and its open sea.

Ragusa embodies the splendour of Sicilian baroque, rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake with an elegance that earned it UNESCO recognition. The city divides into two souls: Ragusa Ibla, the old quarter perched on a spur, is a jewel of lanes, noble palaces and stairways culminating in the Cathedral of San Giorgio, a masterpiece by Rosario Gagliardi; Ragusa Superiore, more modern, hosts the Cathedral of San Giovanni. The surroundings offer the landscapes of inland Sicily, dry-stone walls and farmsteads, while the coast at Marina di Ragusa offers beaches and sea. Iblean cuisine offers cheeses, Modica chocolate and hearty country dishes. Aristocratic and scenic, Ragusa enchants with its luminous baroque and authentic atmosphere.

Syracuse was one of the most powerful cities of the Greek world, and still today reveals its glorious past among ancient ruins and Sicilian baroque. The island of Ortigia, the historic heart linked to the mainland by bridges, weaves together lanes, squares and palaces facing the sea: here the cathedral rises on the remains of a Greek temple and Piazza del Duomo opens like a baroque drawing room. The Fountain of Arethusa, with its papyrus, evokes ancient legends. The Neapolis Archaeological Park guards the grand Greek Theatre, still a venue for classical performances, the Ear of Dionysius and the Roman Amphitheatre. Syracusan cuisine smells of fish, citrus and almond sweets. Captivating and luminous, Syracuse blends ancient splendour and Mediterranean charm in a rare harmony.