(gro) It was well-heeled aristocrats and wealthy retired industrialists who discovered the European south for wintering in the 19th century. Today, it is also retirees who turn their backs on the north during the sometimes nasty winter months. Mallorca thus got the dubious reputation of a retiree’s paradise. But it by no means has to be the Balearics or the Canary Islands. For some years now, Sicily has been experiencing a boom in long-term vacationers at winter time. Especially Palermo and the refreshed Trapani are recently in demand. For some time now, not only Taormina has been visited in Sicily during the winter months, but also Cefalù. not least because of its proximity to the island’s capital.
Rich in cultural and historical treasures from 5 millennia.
Tourism experts are not at all surprised by this development. On the contrary, a trend is finally getting underway that was predicted long ago. The sheer exuberance of culture on offer should actually have long since attracted Central and Northern Europeans, especially during a time when beach vacations with seaside pleasures are hardly an option. After all, Sicily can offer unique treasures. And the testimonies of almost 5 millennia of Phoenician, Greek, Cathagen, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman, Hohenstaufen and Spanish rule present themselves particularly convincingly during the months from October to March. The range of offers for a long-term vacation in Sicily is now considerable, see for example www.sizilienferien.ch.
Lively art scene and modern museums.
Cathedrals and concert halls offer sophisticated programs, opera houses, especially Palermo’s Teatro Massimo and Catania’s Bellini, boast stars and starlets, and museums are not at all hectic. In addition, in recent years – not to mention the great traditional houses – several temples of the Muses have opened, showing modern and contemporary art in rebuilt palaces: for example, in Palermo, the Museo del Arte Moderno in piazza St. Anna, or in piazza Bologni, the Palazzo Riso, renovated by the Banco di Sicilia as Museo D’Arte Contemporaneo. In the almost abandoned Palazzo St.Elia in via Maqueda, the provincial government has established an internationally acclaimed exhibition house, where the interested Sicilian art scene is confronted with current developments in Europe.
The blessed climate alone is no longer enough.
The mild climate is one thing, but structural progress is another: Even in Sicily, people have now realized that vacationers need proper heating even in the land where lemons bloom. That’s why vacation apartments and villas have been retrofitted in recent years. Just after extensive culture benefit one has it at home gladly cozy and comfortably. Especially when the days are shorter and the evening bustle in the alleys is particularly lively. For those who are desperate for a swim, help is at hand. On nice days – and they are much more frequent in the cool months than they are here – it is quite easy to stay in Palermo’s seaside suburb on the dream beach of Mondello. For passionate water rats, there is the fun and adventure pool near Monreale, which is open all year round in the nearby mountains. At Christmas and New Year’s, there is plenty of outdoor dining, and the climate is just as good for strolling as it is the rest of the year.