Sicily’s easy accessibility from Malta lends itself to a relaxing weekend break, but Fiona Vella enjoys impromtu history lessons off its east and west coasts.

The Cyclops archipelagoin Aci Castello

The municipality of Aci Castello on the eastern side of Sicily, in the province of Catania, can provide a journey enriched with a touch of legend, a zest of traditional religious rituals and a taste of history and archaeology.

The town itself developed around a Norman castle that was constructed in black lava stone in 1076 upon the foundations of an earlier seventh century Byzantine fortification.

A walk through Aci Castello’s historical centre will reveal a refined baroque style architecture, while a stroll along its splendid beaches will expose the area’s natural beauty.

The mysterious allure of the Cyclops archipelago is believed to have inspired Homer while he was writing his epic The Odyssey

Yet the biggest attraction of this region is the Cyclops archipelago with its odd concentration of huge volcanic rocks which have manoeuvered their way out of the earth and projected themselves high into Aci Trezza bay.

Their mysterious allure is believed to have inspired ancient Greek poet Homer while he was writing his epic The Odyssey and these features became legend when he alluded that the blinded Cyclops Polyphemus created the archipelago when he threw enormous rocks at the retreating Ulysses.

Visitors can enjoy a boat ride around these spectacular rock pillars known as faraglioni.

It is also possible to land on Faraglione Grande, which is basically an enormous basalt rock the locals have turned into a religious sanctuary.

A stone staircase will lead sightseers up to a statue of Our Lady holding baby Jesus overlooking the town of Aci Castello.

In early September, this particular faraglione is delightfully adorned with candles lit at night during the feast dedicated to Our Lady.

Devotees who visit this site leave rosary beads hanging on the statues’ hands and flowers at their feet as a supplication and thanksgiving for the protection of the town.

In fact, the town of Aci Castello had to be reconstructed twice after the area was completely destroyed by earthquakes in 1170 and 1693.

During this boat trip, visitors may stop over at the little island of Lachea, which lies only a few metres away from the faraglioni.

It has a museum exhibiting collections of flora, fauna and archaeological artefacts which have been retrieved from this island.

In order to preserve this valued environment, in 1989 the Cyclops archipelago and Lachea island were established as a protected marine reserve.

Motya and the natural reserve of Stagnone in Marsala

Another exceptional route is located in Marsala off the west coast of Sicily, in the province of Trapani.

Here visitors can travel back in time and experience the history of the ancient island of Motya and its devoted escort: the lagoon of Stagnone.

Phoenician colonisers named the island Motya back in the eighth century BC.

At the time, this 400,000-square-metre stretch of land was unattractive and inhospitable, and yet these intrepid colonisers turned it into one of the most powerful cities of that period, particularly by using its natural resources.

In fact, the Phoenicians built numerous basins in which to collect salt and started exporting this valuable commodity all over the Mediterranean.

Moreover, apart from obtaining a good supply of fish from the Stagnone lagoon, they exploited its fertile underwater habitat by coming up with an ingenious way of extracting a purple dye from murex shells, which they used to colour textiles and demanded good money for them.

Due to its strategic position along the trade route, Motya often found itself involved in the power struggles among the various empires which wanted to possess Sicily.

High defensive walls were constructed around the island to offer it better protection.

However, this small domain ended in the fourth century BC when Motya was attacked and completely destroyed by warriors from Syracuse.

Later on, in the medieval period, this island offered refuge to a number of friars who renamed it San Pantaleo, and the name Motya only appeared again at the end of the 19th century.

This took place when a British tradesman, Joseph Whitaker, whose family was renowned for the production of Marsala wines, took ownership of the island and found archaeological remains of the ancient city.

Whitaker financed extensive archaeological excavations and even built a museum to exhibit some of the artefacts that were unearthed.

Nowadays, Motya is the property of the NGO Whitaker Foundation and is open for public viewing.

The old-fashioned Whitaker museum is a gem for history enthusiasts and is definitely worth a visit before seeing the rest of the island.

Meanwhile, if one decides to walk around, it is advisable to apply an insect repellent as the still waters of the nearby lagoon attract millions of biting bugs.

Significant structures from different eras are among Motya’s archaeological remains, including a ‘tophet’ at the far end.

This sacred ground overlooking the sea is believed to be a cemetery where the remains of small sacrificed children used to be buried in small urns after they were offered by the Phoenicians to their god, Baal Hammon.

Since 1984, the Stagnone lagoon has been designated as a nature reserve of special interest and has become one of the must-see locations of this part of Sicily.

A salt museum set up in a 300-year-old salt workers’ house explains the old practice of collecting salt and exhibits an array of various specialist tools.

Moreover, numerous enchanting old windmills are scattered among the vast expanse of salt pans that are still in use.

During the day, regular boat trips take visitors across the shallow waters of the Stagnone lagoon and over to the island of Motya.

However, tourists may prefer to enjoy a romantic trip during sunset when the lagoon absorbs the lovely colours of the sky and all the salt pans turn to a gorgeous pink.

It is believed that the nearby city of Lilybaeum (modern Marsala) was originally set up by some Motya inhabitants who had managed to escape during its downfall.

Lilybaeum acted as a naval military stronghold of the Carthaginians but in the third century, when it became a Roman colony, its economy prospered even more.

Nonetheless, these areas seemed to be destined to a short existence, and in the fifth century this city was attacked and crushed by vandal tribesmen.

To get a comprehensive understanding of this region’s fascinating past, visit the archaeological museum of Baglio Anselmi in Marsala.

The site provides a rich collection of remains recovered both from the area of ancient Lilybaeum and from Motya.

Undoubtedly, the main attraction is the wreck of a Punic warship, which was reclaimed from the sea after it was discovered in 1969 in an area called Punta Scario in the harbour of Marsala, near the Aegadian Islands.