Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It has a roughly triangular shape; that’s why it is also called Trinacria. Sicily has a Mediterranean climate with mild to warm, wet winters and warm and hot, dry summers.

Sicily is divided into 9 provices: Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Messina, Palermo, Ragusa, Syracuse and Trapani.

Mountains

The island is separate from Italian mainland through the Strait of Messina. Sicily has a densely mountainous landscape, with the mountain ranges being Madonie and Nebrodi in the north and Peloritani in the north-east; on the south-eastern part of the island, the Hyblaean are a continuation of Italian Appennines.  Mt.Etna, on the east coast of the island, is the highest active volcano in Europe with a height of 3,320 m (10,890 ft).

Eruption, Mt. Etna, Sicily

The Aeolian Islands, to the north-east of mainland Sicily, include Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Panarea, Basiluzzo, Filicudi and Alicudi. These are volcanic islands: Stromboli is currently an active volcano.The islands are protected as natural reserve and are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.

The Aegadian Islands are off the northwest coast of Sicily. Favignana is the biggest one, and is very close to Trapani’s coast. Levanzo and Marettimo are also inhabited, while the small Formica and Maraone are not. Aegadian Islands are protected as natural reserve.

Cala Rossa in Favignana

Pelagian Islands are three small islands (Lampedusa, Lampione and Linosa), located south of Sicily, between Malta and Tunisia. The islands are actually closer to Africa than to Italy. The movie “Respiro” by Emanuele Crialese has been made in Lampedusa.

Pantelleria is located 100 km southwest of Sicily, very close to Tunisia.