You didn't know that
Did you know that a fisherman’s son is to blame for the earthquakes in the Straits of Messina? Or that the four seasons were invented in Sicily? That Sicily and the Sicilians inspired many painters, writers and directors to masterpieces - about 40 movies were filmed in Sicily, there are the paintings of Caravaggio and Antonello da Messina, Luigi Pirandello and Salvatore Quasimodo won the Noble Prize in Literature. William Shakespeare chose Messina as the setting for 'Much Ado About Nothing'. And we are sure that you also think that the novels of Andrea Camilleri are masterpieces - who does not love Inspector Montalbano.
Have fun with some quirky and astonishing facts about Sicily :-)
YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT
Sicilians believe that Mother Mary is Sicilian
second to Mother Mary is a Sicilian Mamma
Sicilians can talk a lot without giving any information
talking in Sicily requires hands
a Sicilian in handcuffs cannot speak
a Sicilian would never say that he is Italian
Sicilian train timetables only serve as a rough orientation to passengers
even locals have difficulties to understand Sicilian bus timetables
you need a never ending patience in Sicily (regarding the last two points)
Sicilians are always friendly and helpful
Sicilians will rather send you in the wrong direction than admit that they do not know the way
legendary Atlantis lies south of Syracuse under the waves of the Med
William Shakespeare chose Messina as the setting for “Much Ado About Nothing”
St. Ignatius de Loyola founded the world’s first Jesuit college in Messina
Cervantes recovered in Messina’s hospital after the Battle of Lepanto
the largest astronomical clock in the world is in Messina
the founders of Messina were giants
King Arthur is sleeping in Mount Etna
the devils are dancing in Sicily on Easter Sunday
you can get your car consecrated in Palermo
Sicilians play cards on Christmas
Saint Paul of Tarsus brought Christianity to Sicily
Sicily was always ruled by foreigners, never by themselves
the fairy Morgaine is living in a palace on the seabed of the Straits of Messina
“Cassata Siciliana” is not an ice cream
you can go skiing on Mount Etna
Sicily has the highest concentration of modern art in Italy
Mount Etna is Europe’s highest active volcano
a Briton invented the Marsala wine
the biggest shopping centres of Europe are in Sicily
the Gods of Greek mythology were not Greek, but actually Sicilian
Admiral Horatio Nelson was the Count of Bronte
you can visit to Horatio’s castle
you should not ask a Sicilian about the Mafia
if you ask him, he will tell you, friendly smiling, a hair-rising picturesque Mafia legend, or...
he will react somewhat testily and ask you if you could not leave your prejudices at home (where they belong)
Sicily features 77 Regional Parks, Natural Parks and Nature Reserves
road signs in Sicily are not intended for orientation but for street decoration
Sicilians have ice cream for breakfast - try a granita and you'll know why
you can overnight in Commissario Montalbano’s apartment
Zeus’ crippled son Hephaestus is still living in Mount Etna
the ancient gold coins of Syracuse still belong to the most beautiful coins in the world
Europe’s only wild papyrus grows in Sicily
a Sicilian peasant was the model for Lady Chatterley’s lover
an English lady, who had a wild love affair with the formerly called peasant, was the model for Lady Chatterley
Richard Wagner composed the “Parsifal” in Palermo
Ingrid Bergman fell madly in love with Roberto Rossellini in Sicily
the opera composer Vincenzo Bellini was Sicilian
an espresso is not a cup of coffee but an express train
cappuccino is a morning drink
having a cappuccino after a meal unmasks you immediately as a tourist
a Sicilian Sunday lunch lasts at least four hours
a Sicilian lunch is somewhat noisy and you will leave with a slight ringing in your ears
“fare bella figura” (cutting a good impression) is essential in Sicily
10% of Italy’s cultural beauties are in Sicily
Sicily has better preserved Greek temples than Greece itself
the biggest necropolis of Europe is in Sicily
the world’s largest Roman floor mosaics are in Sicily
Europe's biggest archaeological site is in Sicily
Archimedes was Sicilian
Mount Etna eruptions were integrated into the landscape of the planet Mustafar in “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith”
