Sicily
Sicily is an autonomous region, situated in southern Italy. The territory is hilly, and quite varied. There are sulfur mines in the central and volcanic activity in the eastern part. Sicily (or Sicilia) has a lot of volcanoes, the most famous and the largest in Europe is Mount Etna, which has created the unique landscape of the region. The coastline of Sicily is golden with patches of lemon and orange orchards while the northeastern part of the island is full of lush forests. The central part is mainly hilly, covered by vineyards, olive groves, almond orchards and huge wheat fields. The architecture is varied – tourists can see Greek temples and amphitheaters, ruins from Roman settlements, interesting churches in Norman-Arab style. The palaces in the region are similar in style to Moorish but with some Byzantine Greek elements. Another feature is the Byzantine or Orthodox churches, as well as Gothic churches. The fortified Medieval castles, the Catalonian Gothic palaces, the Baroque churches and mansions are worth visiting. Not to be missed is the Chinese Revival villa dating from the beginning of the 19th Century.