For the Italian administration the regions of Sicily and Sardinia are part of southern Italy. Because of their particular situation (they are both islands and they both have a special statute) they are often treated together and apart from the other regions of the southern mainland as the Islands.
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| Southern Italy and the Islands |
Sardinia - Sardegna
Sardinia is an island in the Mediterranean sea with a subtropical climate. In summer it is the favourite destination of many Italians because of the wonderful beaches and fashionable resorts such as La Maddalena, Porto Cervo and Villasimius. One of the most famous beaches is Cal Mariolu. These resorts have a very active nightlife like in Porto Cervo where you can find the Billionaire Club.
The most famous dishes are Porceddu, a roasted piglet and Sa Cassola, a soup with 12 different kinds of fish, seafood and of course the famous Pane Carasau, dry, thin, flat bread. A typical liquor of Sardinia is the Mirto di Sardegna, a liqueur based on elderberries.
The beach resorts attract lots of tourists and are popular destinations for second homes. Real estate prices in these beach resorts are relatively high.
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| pane Carasau |
The beach resorts attract lots of tourists and are popular destinations for second homes. Real estate prices in these beach resorts are relatively high.
Airports: Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero
Sicily - Sicilia
Sicily is the largest island of Italy, which is situated in the Mediterranean Sea. This region is quite unique. It is a melting pot of cultures. The island was conquered over the centuries by the Greek, Romans, Arabs, Normans and Spanish. The biggest city of Sicily is Palermo with a population of more than 660.000. Sicily is a top destination for the Italian tourists because the temperatures are warm until late in the year. It is also the largest region of Italy (25.701 km2).
The Sicilian cuisine has many Arabic influences. The most delicious dishes are Pasta con le Sarde (pasta with sardines), and Sarde a Beccafico (sardines filled with raisins and pine nuts). The region is known for its tasty fruit such as oranges, lemons and Indian figs. The famous cannoli stuffed with ricotta and granita con brioche (fresh ice cream or sorbet with or inside a sweet roll) are just some examples of Sicilian delicacies. A lovely light tasty sweet wine is Marsala. Another well known Sicilian wine is Nero d’Avola.
The many beach resorts of the island are very attractive for second homes. The real estate prices outside the tourist hotspots are relatively low.
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| granita con brioche |
The many beach resorts of the island are very attractive for second homes. The real estate prices outside the tourist hotspots are relatively low.
Airports: Catania, Palermo, Trapani and Comiso
More numbers about the main Islands of Italy (provinces, population, surface and population density)
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| the Islands of Italy (data: 01-01-2019; source: Istat) |
Read more about the other parts of Italy: Northern Italy, Central Italy, Southern Italy.
