Sicily - Italy - page 570

with hand rails. The 12 rooms are airy with large beds, spacious bathrooms, and
gorgeous sea views. Doubles start at € 76. The hotel also has a delicious restaurant
with its own nonna behind the stove. The Condor is harder to get into than La
Campanella because returning guests tend to book months in advance, but it's
worth the effort.
CENTRAL SICILY
If you're traveling from Palermo to Agrigento, or from Palermo to Siracusa, don't
miss the Villa Romana del Casale (near Piazza Armerina; % 0935-680036; www.
villaromanadelcasale.it; adults € 4.50, seniors and students € 2; daily 8am-6:30pm).
This is widely considered the most significant Roman site on the island for its
magnificent mosaics. The villa was built in the early 4th century, probably by
Maximianus Herculeus, who ruled with Diocletian from A . D . 286 to 305. It was
abandoned over time, ravaged by wars, and then buried under many feet of mud
in a torrential storm in the 12th century. It remained covered for more than 700
years. Only in the 1950s did true excavation begin, and it still continues in vari-
ous parts of the villa. The whole compound consists of some 40 rooms, most of
which are still set with original mosaics. Don't attempt this site without one of the
official maps--the routes change and new rooms are continually opened to the
public (and others continually closed for further restoration). The most important
mosaics, in the palestra, portray scenes from the Circus Maximus in Rome. These
are the only ones of their kind in Italy. Farther along the eastern part of the villa
is a great corridor with a mosaic hunting scene, Ambulacro della Scena della
Grande Caccia, depicting African animals that were brought to Rome for battles
with gladiators. In the Sala delle Dieci Ragazze are the oft-photographed bikini-
clad women (note the physiques of these ladies and the jam-jar barbells they're
lifting). If it's open, also try to get a glimpse of the elliptical courtyard.
Shopping on Sicily
Sicily is not a shopper's paradise. Focus your purchases on artisan items like
leather goods and shoes, some of which are still handmade in villages like
Taormina. Among the souvenirs representing the soul of the island are colorful
pottery, handmade puppets, and jewelry. The three-legged Trinacria is said to rep-
resent the three points of Sicily.