Sicily

"Welcome to the home of Sailing in Sicily and the Aeolian Islands..."

Sicily has a profound effect on all that visit her, with a rich, unique culture, especially in regards to the arts, cuisine, architecture and even language. It is said that Sicily is Europe's most historically cosmopolitan region, having been ruled by Asians, Africans and Europeans. You can see the strong influence of all that have come before in the cuisine of Sicily, which is as rich and varied as its history.

The Aeolian Islands are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily. Rugged and beautiful, the Aeolian Islands are actually an example of volcanic island building and destruction, with two volcanoes (Stromboli and Volcano) still active. The islands' shoreline formations are made of volcanically created beaches and caves, making the transition from land to sea simply spectacular. While these natural phenomenon make amazing viewing both from land and sea, the full splendour of the islands is best experienced from the comfort of your bareboat yacht.

Cuisine

Sicily is sometimes nicknamed God’s Kitchen because of its full, vibrant cuisine. The island has had a variety of culinary influences because of its location, with each ruling culture bringing with it a range of tastes and dishes. The influence of the Greeks can be found here: Dionysus has been said to have introduced wine to the region. The Romans later conquered the island, introducing lavish dishes based upon goose. The Byzantines introduced sweet and sour flavours while during the 10th and 11th centuries the Arabs brought apricots, sugar, citrus, sweet melons, rice, saffron, raisins, nutmeg, clove, pepper, and cinnamon which are all still seen in the cuisine today. The Normans and Hohenstaufen introduced a fondness for meat dishes. The Spanish introduced numerous items from the New World including cocoa, maize, turkey, tomatoes and other produce items. Tuna, sea bream, sea bass, cuttlefish, swordfish and other seafood available off the coastline is an integral part of the modern cuisine.

Winds and Weather

During summer the winds and weather on the Northern and western side of Sicily is typically Mediterranean. The prevailing winds are north-west with an average wind speed of 3-4 Beaufort (8-12 knots). During summer you should expect dry conditions with temperatures in the 30s in peak and mid 20s during the start and end of season.