Enormous processions and a carpet of flowers

Here the patron saint's festivals are not tourist events: they are the central moment of the year for whole cities, and they mobilise hundreds of thousands of people. Anyone who lands in Sicily on the right days finds the streets closed, the shops open until dawn and a quantity of people they were not expecting.

Sant'Agata at Catania

From the third to the fifth of February Catania celebrates its patron with one of the largest religious processions in the world: the silver fercolo is pulled by hand for two days and two nights along a route several kilometres long, preceded by the candelore, gilded wooden machines up to six metres tall that the city's trades carry on their shoulders.

Santa Rosalia at Palermo

On the fourteenth and fifteenth of July Palermo holds the Festino: a huge float carries the saint's statue from the Palazzo dei Normanni down to the sea, and the night ends with fireworks over the Foro Italico. The festival recalls the end of the plague of 1624, and has been held without a break ever since.

The Infiorata and the rest

At Noto, in mid-May, via Nicolaci is covered by a carpet of petals designed by artists, and on the following Monday the children are allowed to trample it. At Syracuse, from May to July, the Greek theatre hosts the classical performances, held since 1914. At San Vito Lo Capo, in September, there is the Cous Cous Fest.

The summer

From June to September every village has its patronal feast and its food fair, and on the coast the harbours hold fish festivals. Taormina has a film festival in June and concerts in the ancient theatre all summer. The campsite noticeboards cover the rest.