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Area: 25.708 km2
Population: 4.926.337 (2001)
Regional Capital: Palermo
The largest island in the Mediterranean is the region further south of Italy, it is separated from Calabria by the Strait of Messina.

Places to see - Things to do:
- Agrigento and the Temple Valley, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Messina, Palermo, Ragusa, Siracusa and the Ortigia island, Trapani...
- Etna, Stromboli, Eolian islands, Pantelleria...
- Cefalù, Marsala, Naxos, Piazza Armerina, Santo Stefano di Camastra, Segeste, Selinonte, Taormine...
- castles of Aci Castello, Castelbuono, Erice, Paterno...

Gastronomy: -non exhaustive list-
arancini ; pasta ("Norma" style, with sardines...) ; tomatoes from Pachino ; cheese (goat's cheese, mozzarella, pecorino, provola, ricotta...) ; lemons, figs, date plums, oranges, pistachio, grapes from Canicattì... ; desserts (cannolo, cassata, ice-creams -gelato-, granita...) ; wine (Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Etna, Marsala, Malvasia delle Lipari, Moscato di Noto, Moscato di Pantelleria, Sambuca..) ; capers from Pantelleria, olives from Nocerella del Belice... ; extra-virgin olive oil...

Festivities & Events: -non exhaustive list-
January/February
¤ during carnival period: Carnival of Acireale ; Carnaval of Sciacca...
March/April
¤ Easter, 'Incontro dei Giganti' in Aragona...
¤ during Holy week, processions in Marsala, Piana degli Albanesi, Prizzi, Terrasini, Trapani, and almost everywhere...
July
¤ 09/15, 'Santa Rosalia' in Palermo : festivities in honour of the patroness of the town (in september too)...
September
¤ 03/04, 'Santa Rosalia' in Palermo (in July too)...

Native People: -non exhaustive list-
V. Bellini, compositor ; P. Borsellino, Antimafia magistrate ; A. Camilleri, writer ; G. Falcone, Antimafia magistrate ; L. Pirandello, writer ; G. Verga, writer...