General Information
Accommodations

General Information

Sicily (Italian and Sicilian, is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, comprising an autonomous region of Italy. Minor islands around it, such as the Aeolian Islands, are part of Sicily. Its official name is Regione Autonoma Siciliana (Sicilian Autonomous Region. Throughout much of its history, Sicily has been considered a crucial strategic location due in large part to its importance for Mediterranean trade routes. The area was highly regarded as part of Magna Graecia, with Cicero describing Siracusa as the greatest and most beautiful city of all Ancient Greece. Archimedes, one of the ancient world's greatest scientist/mathematicians, was a native Sicilian, born in the city of Siracusae.

The island was once a nation in its own right, and as the Kingdom of Sicily ruled from Palermo over southern Italy, Sicily, and Malta. It later became a part of the Two Sicilies under the Bourbons, a kingdom governed from Naples that comprised both the island itself and most of southern Italy. The Italian unification of 1860 led to the dissolution of this kingdom, and Sicily became an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Italy.

Sicily is today an autonomous region of Italy. Of all the regions of Italy, Sicily covers the largest land area at 25,708 square kilometres (9,926 sq mi) and currently has just over five million inhabitants. Sicily, like all regions of Italy when viewed separately, has its own rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, architecture and language, having given birth to some of the greatest and most influential people in history.

The Sicilian economy is largely based on agriculture (mainly orange and lemon orchards); this same rural countryside has attracted significant tourism in the modern age as its natural beauty is highly regarded. Sicily also holds importance for archeological and ancient sites such as the Necropolis of Pantalica and the Valley of the Temples. The Sicilian economy and politics, however, are plagued by organized crime.

Sicily has been known since ancient times for its roughly triangular shape, which earned it the name Trinacria. It is separated to the east from the Italian region of Calabria through the Strait of Messina. The distance between the island and mainland Italy by the Strait of Messina is about 2 miles [3 km] wide in the north, and about 10 miles [16 km] in the south of the Strait. The island is characterized by a densely mountainous landscape. The main mountain ranges are Madonie and Nebrodi in the north and Peloritani in the north-east, whereas the south-eastern Hyblaean are considered geologically as a continuation of the Italian Appennines.

The mines of the Enna and Caltanissetta district were a leading sulfur-producing area throughout the 19th century, but have declined since the 1950s. Sicily and its small surrounding islands are extremely interesting to volcanologists. Mount Etna, located in the east of mainland Sicily with a height of 3,320 m (10,890 ft) it is the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. The Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the north-east of mainland Sicily, exhibit a volcanic complex including Stromboli currently active, also are the three dormant volcanoes of Vulcano, Vulcanello Lipari. Off the Southern coast of Sicily, the underwater volcano of Ferdinandea, which is part of the larger Empedocles last erupted in 1831. It is located between the coast of Agrigento and the island of Pantelleria (which itself is a dormant volcano), on the Phlegraean Fields of the Strait of Sicily.

Accommodations
Kamarina

Kamarina

Welcome to the land of Etna, with its steep alleyways and flower-filled squares looking out over the Mediterranean! In the shade of the olive trees, Club Med Damarina is a charming and friendly Sicilian Resort. The shade of the olive trees at Kamarina enhances the charm and beauty of Sicily. You can soak up the fragrance of the bougainvillea as you stroll through the Villaggio, or cool off in the stunningly beautiful swimming pool set in delightfully fragrant gardens. This vast 96-hectare Resort offers tennis and sailing. A perfect family destination catering for the needs of young and old alike. Kamarina has 686 rooms split between bungalows (Villaggio) and an elegant hotel. The Villaggio is a labyrinth of narrow streets and pretty paved squares, with flowers everywhere, just like a real Sicilian village. The bungalows are made of local stone; they have one upper floor and no lift. The hotel, away from the centre of the Resort, has 3 upper floors and a lift. All the rooms have balconies. Delicious, creative cuisine and impeccable table art. Our chefs pull out all the stops to ensure you have a fabulous and entertaining meal. This Club Med Village will fulfill everyone's holiday desires. Children and adults alike can pick and mix activities to create the perfect combination between sports, relaxation, partying, fitness and discovery. For additional information, click on Europe Kamarina