Sicily and Dinner with the Captain: Millenium Series 22

After the great experience of Pompeii we board the Stella Solaris where we take time to rest and regroup. Our next port is Messina, Sicily.

A surprise awaits us in our stateroom. It is an invitation to have cocktails and dinner with Captain Apostolos Panorios and his officers tomorrow evening. Mother and I are delighted.

Sicily

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, covering 9,830 square miles. The island is triangular in shape and mainly consists of a large plateau that rises from 500 to 1900 ft above sea level. This area is for the most part covered in wheat fields.

View of Taormina:Click Here.

Monte San Guilliano rises 2,640 feet in the northwest and the Negrodi and Madonie Mountains in the north. Mt Etna volcano looms at 10,902 feet to the east. Still wide-awake and rumbling, she causes many earthquakes in this region, some massive. 50,000 people were killed in 1908.

Mt Etna erupting:Click Here.

Taormina:Click Here.

The colorful, village of Taormina with its pastel painted houses and Greek amphitheater lies in the shadow of this mountain. On the lower slopes, orange and olive groves flourish. Due to the warm Sirocco winds that flow from North Africa, Sicily is quite arid and subject to droughts. But, along with the splendid seascapes, this mild dry climate is a mecca for tourists. 5 million people live in the area.

Greco-Roman Theatre Taormina:Click Here.

Greco-Roman Theatre View 2:Click Here.

Founded by the Greeks in 750 BC, the city of Messina boasts a splendid natural setting and a great view across the Strait of Messina. Because of this, tourism is a large part of its economy. The many invaders during the eons have left their mark on the culture, however due to the large number of earthquakes in the region and massive damage during world war two the architecture for the most part is modern. Today's city is now much more earthquake ready, with wide streets and low, reinforced concrete buildings.

View from Messina:Click Here.

More Incredible eruptions of Mt Etna:Click Here .

Another big attraction to tourists is 12th century cathedral, rebuilt in 1908. The bell tower, also reconstructed, has the largest astronomical mechanical clock in the world. Twelve noon is the time to see this attraction, as the tiny figures march around the tower as the chimes are struck. Also of note in this city are the National Museum known for its collection of Italian art and the Fountain of Orion, carved by a student of Michelangelo in the 16th century.