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| Spotlight On |
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The Minor Islands of Italy
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Other Islands - Sicily
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| Sicily is the great mother of several small isles that join the above mentioned groups
of islands: the isles of the Asinelli
and the isle of Colombaia in the
sea of Trapani; the isle of the Femmine
north-west of Palermo; the isles of the Ciclopi (Lachea or Aci, Faraglione
Grande and Faraglioni Piccoli) north of Catania; the isle of Vendicari south of Noto; the isle of Capo Passero near the Cape bearing the same name, and the isle of the Correnti with the nearby Formiche and Porri. |
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| However, the most important and the biggest islands are Ustica (province of Palermo) and Pantelleria (province of Trapani). |
| Pantelleria |
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This is both Sicily's biggest and most outlying island (situated 55 miles from the
Sicilian Capo Granitola and 46 miles
from the Tunisian Cape Bon). There is only one village and some small built-up areas with names that recall the
past Arab presence: Bugheber, Bukkuram, Gelkhamar, Khamma, Rekhale and Siba'. Other built-up areas have typical
Italian names such as Scauri, Tracino, San Vito, Grazia, Campobello. This 14-kilometre-long and 8-kilometre-wide island reaches a maximum altitude of 836 meters
with Montagna Grande. The mountain
is surrounded by 24 "cuddle" (small craters that recall the volcanic origins of this islands), lava flows,
residues of pumice-stone, basalts, fumaroles and thermal sources (Gadir, Nicà, Satana). There are many grottos
where it is possible to take healthy steam baths; one of the most famous ones is the 'Stufa' (stove) del Bagno di Arturo near Sibà. The island was
Phoenician (Hirani), Greek (Cossyra), Arab in the IX century (Bent el Rhion, "Daughter of the wind'), Swabian,
Angevin, Aragonese and Bourbon. The famous donkeys of Pantelleria are still bred inland. |
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| Ustica |
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This is a solitary island (36 miles from Palermo), but it is not the isle of solitude.
Ustica has recovered its priceless nature resources thanks to the Marine Reserve that protects its extraordinary
seabeds. The under-water flora and fauna are multiplying their species and they can all be visited with guided
tours. That is why it seems contradictory (as some do) to link the name of this vital and animated world to the
Greek word "Osteodes" which means ossuary. Others link the name of the island to "Utica", the
ancient name of the city of Algier or to "Usta" (burned by the volcano). This island appears scorched,
lava-black and iron-ore-red in the few spots where it is not covered by the green scrub. Ustica has a surface of
little more than 9 km2 and a maximum altitude of 244 metres (Monte Guardia
dei Turchi). This island has been visited by different peoples since ancient
times and has fallen into the hands of Normans, Arabs, Spaniards and Neapolitans. Its fate in modern times has
always been that of being a prison and place of exile until the end of the Second World War. Today it is a symbol
of freedom for sea and land nature. |
Food & Wine
Pantelleria
The zibibbo grapes and a strong, fragrant spiced wine are produced from its vineyards. The gastronomy offers
choice dishes such as bitter ravioli stuffed with ricotta-cheese and mint, stuffed aubergines, Fish-cuscus, the
famous capers and the very small and tasty lentils.
Ustica
Its gastronomy includes all the typical Sicilian dishes: pasta with sardines,
the famous caponata (selection of
vegetables and other ingredients all fried together), spaghetti with lobster and many other delicacies. |
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| For more information |
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| for Ustica: |
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for Pantelleria: |
AAPIT Palermo - Local Tourist Board
Piazza Castelnuovo 34
90141 Palermo ITALY
Phone 091-583847
Fax 091-586338
www.aapit.pa.it |
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AAPIT Trapani - Local Tourist Board
Via S. Francesco d'Assisi 27
91100 Trapani ITALY
Phone 0923-545511 Info 0923-29000
Fax 0923-545517
www.cinet.it/APT |
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