Landscapes of Sicily by Peter Amann
Summary: Sicily: walking and touring by car; Sicily walks; Sicily car tours
[ The book is described below. Click above to order or to access other information ]

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Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and long a Mecca for culture freaks. Sicily also rewards the countryside lover with its magnificent landscapes. Peter Amann knows the island intimately; he leads walking groups on Sicily and works for the preservation of its national monuments. As an alternative to the stress of simply 'doing' all the sites, he invites you to savour the landscape at leisure. Thus there is enough material in this book for several holidays. The eight car tours (mostly circular and covering 2000km) follow little-used secondary roads wherever possible and, while taking in all the major sights and sites, also allow motorists to see landscapes well off the beaten track. A fold-out touring map shows all the car touring routes. The walks - a distillation of the best on the island - are as varied in length and grade as the landscape itself; there are routes to suit all ages and abilities. Most of the walks are along old farming tracks, stone-laid mule trails and shepherds' paths. Each is accompanied by an up-to-date topographical map, but the author also suggests where you can find other maps, many of which are available free. Finally, for those who like al fresco dining, there is also a selection of picnic suggestions - ranging from 'official' sites with barbecues to idyllic spots near walking routes.

"Good old Sunflowers, those thin blue books that walkers on the Continent trust like seasoned friends from Sicily to the Azores - they never fail to find you a really good walk." Christopher Somerville, Weekend Telegraph

Best months for walking: September to June

Where to Stay: On this large island it is assumed that most users of the book will want to tour by car. Exceptionally for a Landscapes guide (as we do not normally mention specific establishments) the author of this book suggests hotels or hostels (at least one for every walk) together with telephone numbers for convenience in making reservations. However, if you do not want to explore the entire island, the spectacular resort of Taormina is conveniently placed for access to several nearby walks. One is adjacent to Taormina, two others are within 10km, and there are eight in the Etna area (some 15 to 20km away).

8 car tours, 41 walks with alternatives, 27 picnic suggestions
136 pages + touring maps
Note: because of Sicily's shape and in order to reproduce the touring maps at the largest practicable scale, the far south west corner of the island (which is not featured in any of the walks or car tours in the book) is not included on either of the maps. If you need a touring map of the entire island, you will need to purchase one of the many readily available maps to be found in bookshops and map retailers.

2ndedition, February 2006 ISBN 1-85691-302-3 £12.99
Post paid UK £14.00; Europe £16.00; USA/Canada £17.00; Far East/Australasia £18.00
First class extra: UK 50p; Europe £1.00; USA/Canada £2.00; Far East/Australasia £3.00

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