| Sicily is not all about Mount Etna or its touristy sites. | | | | mind, most shops are closed on Monday and Sunday. |
| Believe me, it's also about shopping. Shopping with a | | | | Normal shopping hours are from 9am to 1pm and |
| difference. She doesn't boasts of mega malls, or big | | | | from 4 to 7 or 7:30pm, from Monday to Friday. |
| malls for that matter, but personalized shopping. | | | | Shops normally open till 8pm on Saturday. |
| Small, sometimes quaint looking shops which boast of | | | | Sicily's climatic and soil conditions favor sprawling |
| local art and produce can be found easily, especially in | | | | vineyards in this region, the best known produce of |
| the bigger, well-known cities. | | | | which is Marsala. This sweet dessert wine is produced |
| Palermo, the city-port of Sicily is a good place to | | | | Marsala, a sleepy port-town of the province of |
| start as any. Known for its painted pottery and | | | | Trapani, in the Northern West Coast. |
| copper or tin products, Via Calderai, situated in the | | | | Look for the famed candlelabras, usually baroque |
| historical centre, promises to offer something for | | | | style, made in Catania as each piece is uniquely made |
| everyone. Palermo's culture and tradition can probably | | | | of wood and hand-painted. Visit Caltagirone for its |
| be seen in the famous puppets or locally termed | | | | famous pottery. In fact, you'll find pottery |
| 'pupi. Take a stroll along Corso Vittorio Emanuele to | | | | everywhere in this quaint town. Take a breathtaking |
| view the puppets of the famous puppet makers, | | | | climb on the Scala di Santa Maria del Monte and you |
| Cuticchio, Mancuso and Greco workshops. Who | | | | will understand the obsession with pottery. Made |
| knows, you may witness a marionette in the making. | | | | from lava stones, the pottering technique seems to |
| Remember to note the weights of these puppets | | | | be handed down by the Arabs. Sample local dried |
| before buying one. It averages 15kgs. | | | | fruits, quality olive oil and red wine when passing by |
| Another famous product of Sicily is the Sicilian | | | | Mount Etna. If you are unable to resist famous Italian |
| Carretto or known as the Sicilian Cart. Although you | | | | fashion names, visit Corso Italia when in Catania. |
| will find other provinces also specializing in this | | | | When travelling in the south of Sicily, do not miss |
| artwork, Palermo's color of yellow and red will stand | | | | Siracusa (Syracuse). Rich for its Greek history and |
| out. Often known for its traditional fruit tarts, you | | | | culture, one of their famed craft is the papyrus, or |
| may want to sample the Cassata, a mouth-watering | | | | paper. Some shops offer visitors an insight into paper |
| tart filled with ricotta. They guarantee you an instant | | | | making. Of course, the wines of Siracusa are also a |
| sugar-fix. When shopping in Palermo, just bear in | | | | must-buy. |