Southern Italy Main | Description | Map Beginning south of Rome with the region of Campania and including the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, Southern Italy contains some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Travelers who enjoy a sunny, mild climate and want to combine sightseeing with relaxation have many choices. In Puglia, at the northern coast of the Gargano peninsula near the fishing village of Vieste, begins a 40 mile stretch of virtually deserted beach that borders the clear, azure waters of the Adriatic. On the Amalfi Coast, the resort towns of Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello offer stunning vistas and all types of summer recreation. In the Bay of Naples, easily reached by hydrofoil, are the islands of Capri, often cited as one of the most beautiful places in the world, and Ischia, famous for its thermal baths. The Costa Smeralda in Sardinia has been host to the rich and famous since 1960, when the Aga Khan built Italy’s most glamorous beach complex there. The incredibly clear, cobalt blue water is bordered by cove beaches and huge boulders that have been carved into eerie shapes by the wind. Another popular, though less sophisticated recreation area is the Aeolian Islands off Sicily’s northeastern coast. Created by volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago, one of the seven main islands, Stromboli, has an active volcano. Hiking is popular, as are the thermal springs and mud baths; there are beautiful, secluded beaches, some of black sand, and the aqua blue waters are ideal for scuba diving, fishing and boating. Sicily has lovely stretches of beach and many popular resort areas, including Taormina and Cefalù. Unique to Southern Italy are the remarkable remains of Greek colonization that began in the 8th century BC. The massive temples of Paestum in Campania are among the best preserved Greek temples in the world; they are particularly impressive because they stand alone in the countryside, just as they did when building began in the 6th century BC. Throughout Sicily can be found the ruins of many Greek city-states, but the major sites include the incomparable Valley of the Temples at Agrigento; the Doric temple and amphitheatre at Segesta; the archaeological park at Siracusa; the Greek amphitheatre at Taormina. Notable Roman remains in Sicily are found at Siracusa, Catania and Taormina, but the most well known in Southern Italy are in Campania: the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum that were destroyed, yet preserved, by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79. In Sardinia, at Nora, much of a Roman city can be seen: an amphitheatre, baths, temples, exquisite mosaic floors. Remains of the more ancient part of the city of Nora, founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BC still exist, as do the primitive stone towers called nuraghi that date from 2000 BC and dot the surrounding countryside. Southern Italy also contains two cities that are outstanding examples of Baroque architecture: Lecce, in Puglia and Noto, in Sicily. Festivals and musical events take place throughout the year. Opera season is from December through June at the famous Teatro San Carlo in Naples, the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, and in Sicily at the Teatro Massimo in both Palermo and Catania. Ravello’s Classic Music Festival is held in July. Sicily offers music and drama performances at the Greek-Roman Theater in Catania from June to September and in Taormina in July and August; the Sacred Music Festival in Monreale and Palermo is held in October and November. Agrigento’s Almond Blossom Festival, a folk festival of song, dance, costumes and fireworks, is held the first half of February. In July, the Feast of Santa Rosalia honors the patron saint of Palermo with a procession, bands and fireworks. In Cagliari the first week of May, several thousand pilgrims wearing costumes dating to 1657 accompany the statue of Saint Efisio on foot, carts and horses. Bari’s Festival of San Nicola in early May is a historic procession in costume. Several towns produce beautiful ceramics: Vietri sul Mare on the Amalfi Drive; Stefano di Camastro on the north coast of Sicily; and in Puglia, Grottaglie and Terlizzi. Torre del Greco, the cameo and coral capital of Italy, is located just outside of Naples, and Sardinia is known for its fine gold work.