“Sicily is the pearl of this century…Since old times, travellers from the most far away country…boast of its merits, praise its territory, rave about its extraordinary beauty, and highlight its strengths…because it brings together the best aspects from every other country.”
 

Al-Idrisi, Arab geographer, The Book of Roger, 1138 – 54

 

Sicily is in the dead centre of the Mediterranean. The Greeks called it  “Trinakria” after its three promontories: Capo Peloro, Capo Lilibeo and Capo delle Correnti.

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Here Greek, Carthaginian and Roman trade routes crossed, Arabs and Normans brushed shoulders and the French and the Spanish fought. All of these left behind them traces of their civilisation, for example Mothya, Selinunte, and Cefalu’ and further inland Erice, Segesta, the Agrigento Valley and Monreale.

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What follows is a history  timeline  with the names of the places you are going to visit during your Sicilian stay

 

(20.000-750 BC) Pre-Greek history: Palaeolithic and Neolithic settlements, Phoenicians: Mothya

(750 -215 BC)The Greeks: Agrigento, Selinunte, Segesta

(218 BC - 468 AC) The Romans: Piazza Armerina

(468 - 535) The Vandals and the Ostrogoths

(535 - 827) The Byzantines: Palermo

(827 - 1061) The Arabs: Palermo

(1060 - 1194)The Normans: Palermo, Monreale, Cefalù

(1194 -1266) The Swabians: Trapani, Siracusa

(1266 - 1282) The Angevins

(1282 -1479) The Aragonese: Palermo, Agrigento

(1479-1713) The Spanish: Palermo
(1713-1720) The Savoy: Palermo
(1720-1734) The Austrians:Palermo
(1734-1860) The Borbons: Palermo