Sicily’s Location: Unveiling its Historical and Demographic Facts

Sicily is the largest island from the Mediterranean Sea and also the largest of Italy, famous for its amazing beaches, delicious food and fascinating history.

Where is Sicily located in Italy?

The beautiful strip of land of Sicily is one of the five Italian autonomous regions and is officially known as Regione Siciliana.

It is located on the south part of the Italian peninsula and is separated from the mainland by a narrow strait known as the Strait of Messina.

The highest and most iconic point from the island is Mount Etna, which is also the tallest volcano in Europe with a total height of 3.330 metres.

History and culture

I was mentioning earlier that this beautiful land has one of the most fascinating histories in the world and here is why I am telling you this:

• The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity dates from as early as 12.000 BC.

• After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, Sicily was ruled by Vandals, the Ostrogoths and the Byzantine Empire.

• In 1860 it became part of the Kingdom of Italy after the Expedition of the Thousand

• During the 19th century,  on 15 May 1946, Sicily gained special status as an autonomous region known as the autonomous region of Sicily

• At 2 June 1946 Italy became a republic formed from 19 regions, one of them being Sicily.

These are among the most important historical events of the Sicilian region which played a very important role and shaped the borders of the place.

But Sicily should not fascinate you only with its amazing history and interesting ruins spread all over the place!

This piece of land has a unique and rich culture, especially when we refer to arts, food, music and architecture.

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It is not a secret that many poets, architects and intellectuals have roots on this island; the Greek philosopher Archimedes of Syracuse, Gorgias and Empedocles are just some of them.

Here where is Sicily located in Italy was born the Sicilian School of Giacomo da Lentini, one of the most influential schools on Italian literature.

Poets like Luigi Pirandello, Salvatore Quasimodo, Giovanni Meli and Giovanni Verga are just some of the most important persons who were born on this island.

Where is the island of Sicily – demographic data

Sicily is a mixture of different cultures consisting of the original Italic individuals, the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, Aragonese, Lombards, Spaniards, French, and Albanians.

An interesting fact to mention is that right after the Italian unification, Sicily had the most unfavorable net movement rates among the regions of Italy.

This happened mainly because of the emigration of millions of individuals who lived on the island to various other European nations, South and North America and also Australia.

By the way, did you know that the unification of Italy was possible mainly because of one person named Giuseppe Garibaldi, an Italian general, patriot and republican?

Like the entire southern part of Italy and also Sardinia, immigration to the island is very reduced compared to other regions of Italy.

Most people tend to head to North Italy instead of south mainly because in the northern part the employment rate and the commercial possibilities are higher there.

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According to the official records, at the beginning of 2020, on the island of Sicily lived around 5 million people out of which 200.000 immigrants.

Most of the people living on the island where is Sicily located in Italy speak Italian and Sicilian, a distinct and historical Roman language.

The largest cities of the island are Palermo ( 670.000 inhabitants), Catania (312.000 inhabitants), Messina (235.000 inhabitants) and Syracuse ( 121.000 inhabitants).

The rest of the cities from the island of Sicily have less than 100.000 inhabitants.

The main religion on the island is Christian Roman Catholicism and churches still play an extremely important role in the communities.

On the island, there is also a Byzantine Catholic church operated by the Italo- Albanian Catholic Church. Other religions on the island are Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, and Jehovah’s, witnesses.

Now that you know where is Italy Sicily located and have some basic information about it, I am sure you will want to include this place in your future travel plan.

Where to stay in Sicily

If you are already planning a trip to Sicily, here are the most beautiful accommodations from the area:

1. Wine Resort Villagrande Sicily Countryside is an 18th-century manor and one of the oldest wineries in Sicily featuring just 4 rooms overlooking the vineyards and the amazing scenery.
2. Sikelia Luxury Hotel Sicily is an elegant and secluded hotel located in Pantelleria offering the perfect refuge for families and couples looking to relax. Modern design and ancient structures unite to form a perfect natural backdrop of harsh but at the same time incredible beauty.
3. Voi Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace Sicily Taormina is a 5-star resort  located next to Chiesa Anglicana di San Giorgio. Taormina Mare is less than 1.2 km from the accommodation, while Fontanarossa airport is 50 km away.

The place is full of archaeological sites and Unesco World Heritage sites which are waiting to be discovered by tourists from all over the world.

Villa Romana del Casale and the Aeolian Islands are just two of the most beautiful attractions of the area.

Actually, this is one of the best places from Italy where you can taste the natural flavor of red oranges, the main agricultural products from the area.

Travel Guide to Sicily – Keep in mind if anyone will ask you  “Where is Sicily located in Italy” the answer is on the southern part of the peninsula, right on top of the boot!