Original subtitles

(wind blowing)

(adventurous music)

(inquisitive music)

- [Narrator] Our journey begins at the volcanic island

of Stromboli, before joining Sicily's northern coast

where we head west, past hilltop villages to Cefalu

and its ancient cathedral.

From there we continue

to the island's capital city, Palermo.

Inland to the southwest is one of many ancient Greek

archaeological sites on the island at Segesta.

Back on the coast in the northwest corner

is the city and harbor town of Trapani

and nearby a magnificent hilltop town and castle.

From there we head south across vineyards

to the coast, to Triscina and our final location,

the ancient Greek ruins at Selinunte.

(inquisitive music)

(mysterious music)

Rising out of the early morning mist

covering the Tyrrhenian Sea,

just off the north coast of Sicily is an island volcano

which has been continuously erupting for thousands of years

and is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, Stromboli.

(mysterious music)

The island is one of eight in the Aeolian group,

forming a volcanic chain in the shape of an arc.

Every 15 minutes or so there is a small eruption,

throwing up incandescent bombs of ash and lava fragments

which shoot about 100 meters into the air.

For centuries Stromboli's nickname has been

the lighthouse of the Mediterranean

because at night the red-hot rock and sparks

can be seen from miles away across the sea.

(mysterious music)

This type of small eruption, or venting,

which typically only lasts for a few seconds,

occurs in other volcanoes around the world

and the effect has become known as a Strombolian.

The island began to be formed around 160,000 years

after it emerged from the seabed

in a blast of molten lava and ash.

Amazingly, there are people living on the island

and most of them can be found on the east side

at San Bartolo and San Vincenzo.

In the early 1900s, the population was over 1,000 people

but today it's only a few hundred.

Major eruptions have been recorded for well over

1,000 years and the most recent was in 1932.

And more moderate ones in 2002 and 2007.

Even the regular smaller eruptions are a spectacular sight.

(mysterious music)

(volcano rumbling)

The eruption may only last seconds

but the ash plume takes many minutes to clear.

To the south of Stromboli

are the rest of the Aeolian Islands

which comprise extinct, dormant and active volcanoes.

And the nearest island to Stromboli

in this volcanic chain is Panarea.

(gentle instrumental music)

The island is an extinct volcano

and has been inhabited for over 3,000 years.

Today Panarea has become one of the most fashionable

and chic destinations in the Mediterranean

and in the summer swells the permanent population

of roughly 300 people to over 1,000.

In 2000, UNESCO declared the whole Aeolian chain

of islands a world heritage site.

(gentle instrumental music)

The last major eruption on the island of Salina

was about 13,000 years ago

and since then it has been dormant.

Lipari is the largest of the Aeolian volcanic islands,

the last recorded eruption was in the fifth century

when pumice covered the old Roman villages.

Today the volcano is considered active

with a few steaming fumaroles, or small openings.

Lipari is also the name of the main town where most

of the permanent population of 12,000 people live.

The very word volcano derives from the small island

to the south of Lipari,

as it was named Vulcano by the Romans.

They mined the sulfur which can be seen around the rim

of one of its volcanic centers.

(gentle instrumental music)

The last major eruption was in 1888

and lasted for two years.

Today the local population of 500 derive their income

from tourists who come to see the volcano

and perhaps take a sulfur mud bath.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean

and an autonomous region of Italy.

The economy here is driven by agriculture

with citrus fruits, olives and wine cultivation,

as well as an increasing emphasis on tourism.

The island has a beautiful coastline,

great historical buildings,

as well as some of the most dramatic hilltop villages.

(gentle instrumental music)

There are also some of the greatest ancient Greek sites

to be found outside Greece.

Running along the north coast of Sicily

is the A20 motorway toll road,

also known as the Autostrada Messina-Palermo

which joins the two cities.

(adventurous music)

This dramatic road of tunnels and bridges

offers some spectacular views of the coast and mountains.

The Italians are well known for some of the most

breathtaking road building in Europe

and even a spur road off the motorway seems to defy gravity.

As the motorway cuts through the mountains,

drivers get some great views

of some of the many hilltop villages.

(birds chirping)

One of the most dramatic is Pollina,

perched on top of a steep hill.

(gentle instrumental music)

On the summit is a castle dating back to the time

of the Normals who occupied Sicily during the 11th century.

From the castle keep, a watchful eye

could look out for a potential invader.

It has been suggested by archeologists

that the ancient Greek city of Apollonia

might possibly have been built here.

Certainly the name Pollina, which goes back

well over 1,000 years, gives some weight to the argument.

But true or not, the village is a dramatic place

and the views are outstanding,

though it must've been a tough climb from the coast

in the days before the motorcar.

(gentle instrumental music)

Cefalu is a town founded by the Greeks,

captured by the Romans and then occupied by the Byzantines.

In the ninth century, the Moors from North Africa

took the old town and built a new one on top of the rock.

This was later enlarged when the Normans invaded Sicily

in the 11th century.

The Normans also built the large cathedral

in what is called a Romanesque style

and it stands in front of the main square

which today caters for the enormous number of tourists

who come to Cefalu each year.

The town is now one of Sicily's major tourist destinations

and in the summer, the population can treble

to around 40,000 people.

The coast has been developed with hotels

and holiday apartments.

Old Cefalu, with its narrow streets,

has become an attraction in its own right.

Dominating this area is the cathedral

which is a popular place to visit

but it is also important for the local population

as a place of worship and has been for nearly 1,000 years,

during which time it has seen countless weddings

just like this one where the happy couple

who have just been married greet family and friends.

(murmuring)

(gentle instrumental music)

(birds chirping)

Over the past few thousand years,

Sicily has been tramped across by conquering armies.

As they came and went, they left behind a rich

and varied architectural legacy.

On a hill overlooking the fishing village of Porticello

is the ruined town of Solunto

which was built by the Greek tyrant Dionysius the Elder

who sacked the original town

and built a new one in 397 B.C.

(gentle instrumental music)

Just over 100 years later, Solunto was taken by the Romans

who later abandoned it around 300 A.D.

It was only rediscovered in the 16th century.

(gentle instrumental music)

(birds chirping)

This is Castellaccio, perched on top of Mount Caputo.

The 12th-century fortress was built by the Normans

and intended to guard Palermo, the capital of Sicily,

from an attack through the mountains.

But its strategic position also gives it

one of the best views of the whole of the city.

(swanky music)

The city is a mix of oriental and European architecture

and it is Sicily's cultural, economic and touristic capital.

It is also rich in history, art, music and food.

The city proper has its roots back in the time

of the Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans

who all in turn built here.

(swanky music)

They were followed by the Arabs

who built mosques and libraries.

In 1072, the Christian Norman invaders

conquered the island and left their mark

in a number of castles and churches.

And just over 100 years later, the Holy Roman Empire

conquered the island which in turn gave rise

to the Kingdom of Sicily and Naples during the 18th century.

It was not until 1860 that Sicily and its capital Palermo

became part of the new, unified Italy.

As a result of all this change,

the city can boast some fine buildings.

In 1184, the Normans began building a cathedral

on the site of a Muslim mosque, which in turn

had been built over a very early Christian church.

The Archbishop of Palermo wanted his new cathedral

to surpass the glory of Monreale which we will see later,

and the battle of the two cathedrals began.

Palermo's cathedral is a mixture of periods and styles.

During the 14th century it was given a Gothic makeover.

In the 15th century the bell tower was constructed

in a Spanish style and joined to the cathedral

by two archaded stone footbridges.

Later still, at the end of the 18th century, the style

changed again and a lot of the cathedral's exterior

was given the latest neoclassical look,

including the addition of the large dome

as well as the smaller ones over the side aisles.

With all its mixture of styles,

the cathedral is a living history of the architectural whims

of Sicily's various occupiers over the centuries.

Palermo's opera house is one of the largest in Europe

and renowned for its perfect acoustics.

Building began in 1874

but was not completed until 1897.

Equally impressive is the concert hall

which is home to the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana.

No Italian city would be complete

without a football stadium

and the Stadio Renzo Barbera, more commonly known

as the Stadio La Favorita, is home to Palermo's

football team which has the grand name

of the Unione Sportiva Citta di Palermo.

(crowd cheering)

The club was formed in 1900

and in 2006 provided four players for the Italian Team

who went on to win the World Cup in Germany.

(gentle instrumental music)

Overlooking the stadium is Monte Pellegrino,

a favorite place for local people to visit at the week end.

However, a head for heights is required if driving up

from the west as the Via Monte Ercta

is a very dramatic road to negotiate.

(gentle instrumental music)

Once on the top, the views to the west are stunning

as you look down on the curved bay

and resort town of Mondello.

The town's most striking feature

is the Art Nouveau pier jutting out from the beach

which was built at the end of the 19th century

and has recently been restored.

(gentle instrumental music)

All along the coast are small bays and seaside towns.

This is the harbor and resort of Sferracavallo,

sheltered by mountains on three sides.

(gentle instrumental music)

The much larger Gulf of Carini

is once again sheltered by mountains.

And on the far side is the main airport of Sicily,

built on a peninsula alongside a large mountain.

It may be a beautiful sight

but the turbulence caused by the mountain

often makes landing and taking off a tricky affair.

And over the years, there have been a few accidents.

Several years ago, another runway was added

with an approach from the north

which helps lessen the wind shear,

making landing a more comfortable experience.

Palermo Airport is one of the busiest in Italy,

handling just under five million passengers a year.

It is also known as the Falcone-Borsellino Airport

in memory of the two leading anti-Mafia judges

who were murdered in 1992.

Inland from the Gulf of Carini

and set amongst the mountains

are two spectacular monasteries.

(ethereal music)

This is the Benedictine Abbey of San Martino delle Scale.

The original monastery was probably founded around 600 A.D.

and 200 years later burnt down by invading Arabs.

It was not until the 14th century that it was rebuilt,

though much of what we see today was built

over the next two centuries around the Medieval sections.

Close by in the next valley is another monastery

and a cathedral which is one of the greatest examples

of Norman architecture in the world.

This is the cathedral of Monreale

and a National Monument of Sicily.

It is one of the island's most important

historical attractions.

Building began in 1174 following a dream the Norman King,

William I, had that he should build a cathedral

to the glory of the Virgin Mary.

The construction only took eight years,

the result is one of the finest 12th-century cathedrals

in Europe.

The outside decoration is a mixture of Norman, French,

Byzantine and Arab styles.

The apse at the east end is covered

with intricately-carved interlaced arches.

(ethereal music)

The cloister at Monreale dates from the same period

and is one of the finest examples of its type in Italy.

(ethereal music)

Unfortunately, much of the rest of the original monastery

and Bishop's palace have been rebuilt over the centuries.

Today thousands of visitors come to explore

this outstanding example of both Christian

and Islamic architecture.

(ethereal music)

(triumphant music)

Sicily's architectural heritage

stretches back thousands of years

and at Segesta there is a magnificent example

of a Greek-style temple.

This Doric temple is part of the ancient city

which also includes a magnificent theater.

(triumphant music)

The temple and theater may look Greek in style

but they were actually built by the Elymians

who were the Indigenous people during the Greek occupation.

However, it's clear they were heavily influenced

by the style of colonists.

(triumphant music)

The temple was probably built between 430 and 420 B.C.

and is one of the best preserved in the world.

It has been built on a platform with three steps

and a total of 36 plain Doric columns,

12 on each side and six across each end.

Several pointers suggest that the temple

was never actually finished.

The columns have never been fluted

which they would have normally been

in a Doric style temple.

And there is no evidence that there was ever a roof.

Another clue can be found in several places

around this remarkable survival from the ancient world

and they are the lifting bosses

which were used as lifting points

to help raise the stones into place

and would have been removed when the building was complete.

(triumphant music)

One theory for the temple not being finished

was a possible war with a nearby city

but there is little evidence to prove it

so the building of the temple remains a mystery

and today makes it all the more intriguing and fascinating.

What is known is that during the time

of the Roman occupation the city was largely abandoned

and later the vandals from northern Europe

destroyed most of it.

(triumphant music)

On top of a nearby hill is the semi-circular theater,

built around the same time as the temple.

Its position with views across the valley

created a natural backdrop

for the popular Greek plays of the day.

In fact, much of the theater was literally hewn

from the side of the hill like a giant sculpture.

When it was finished, there was seating room

for 4,000 people.

Today, two and a half thousand years later,

Greek plays are still performed during the summer months.

In the northwest corner of Sicily

is the harbor town of Trapani

which was also founded by the Elymians in ancient times.

The town suffered a great deal of damage

in World War II when the Allied Forces

bombed this German-occupied stronghold

prior to their successful invasion.

Overlooking Trapani is Mount Erice

and the historic fortified city of the same name.

Over the centuries the name has been changed

according to which occupier was in residence.

It was only in 1934 that the name returned to Erice

which was close to its original Greek name of Eryx.

In the 12th century the Norman invaders

who named the city Monte San Giuliano

built a castle where there was once a temple

dedicated to the Venus of Eryx, the Goddess of Love.

On the south coast of Sicily is our final location

and one of the largest and most impressive

archeological sites in the Mediterranean, Selinunte.

(awe-inspiring music)

This ancient site is on a par with pretty much

anything found in Greece itself

and has lain abandoned for over 2,000 years

with its temples, acropolis and street layout.

In about 409 B.C., Selinunte,

with a population of about 20,000 people,

went from being one of the most progressive

and eminent cities in the Greek Empire

to a large expanse of rubble.

The reason for this collapse was the Carthaginian Army

from North Africa who laid siege to the city

and after nine days forced it to surrender.

Selinunte was then utterly destroyed

in an orgy of torture, rape, murder and looting

that was considered abhorrent

even by the standards of those times.

The city then lay largely hidden for centuries

until it was rediscovered in the 19th century

and excavations began along with rebuilding.

The main part of the old city was the acropolis

with a large temple at its center.

(awe-inspiring music)

Even though the city was pulled down and broken up,

most of the stonework survived and so it was possible

to slowly reconstruct some of the temples.

Temple E was partially rebuilt

at the beginning of the 20th century

and amazingly, all the sections of fluted columns

were found scattered nearby.

The temple was dedicated to Hera,

the Goddess of Fertility, protector of lovers,

marriage and pregnant women.

Visitors are dwarfed by the sheer size of this temple

and can walk and climb amongst the ruins

soaking up the atmosphere of this lost civilization

and the various gods they worshiped.

An impressive place to end this journey.

(awe-inspiring music)

(gentle instrumental music)

(dramatic music)