Of rock and sun - Climbing in Sicily

In this second edition the authors bring us up to date on the considerable changes that climbing in Sicily has gone through during these four years.

In so short a time the island has already become one of the favourite destinations for climbing tourism.
Climbers from all over Europe have discovered and appreciated its rock,  its climate, its natural beauty.

Anyone who thinks of Sicily hardly ever thinks of climbing, and yet, for the quality and the variety of the rock, the Sicilian crags are remarkably well suited to sport climbing. It should also be borne in mind that the Sicilian crags are mostly unexplored: there are still plenty of walls waiting for a first ascent. Worthy of note is the second edition of Di Sole e di Roccia, the guide to climbing in Sicily published by Versante Sud.

Massimo Cappuccio and Giuseppe Gallo have produced a book packed with technical information  for finding your way around the 68 most beautiful crags of Sicily, from those along the north coast of the island between Trapani and Messina to the walls of the south-eastern area around Ragusa.

For each of the 68 crags described numerous routes are given, and the fact sheets come with an intuitive profile of the rock showing its routes. For each fact sheet we find information on geographical access, places to stay and all the remarks of people who have really climbed those walls. For the more complex crags there are precise indications on the gear needed (ropes and protection systems), the access points to the routes, the ways down and the position of the protection and of the starts.

Using the guide, which is already extremely intuitive, is made easier by a clear set of symbols.
Finally, and no less important, the text is full of breathtaking photographs that evoke Mediterranean flavours and the taste of sporting performance, and that also tempt the climber (as if enthusiasts needed it... ) to try out the world of “Sicilian” climbing.

Simple, immediate illustrations accompany the descriptions, making the whole thing quick to consult. Fine coated paper, pleasant just to the touch, 346 pages for a book that reminds us how Sicily, already a land of sea, of hospitality and human warmth, of culture and of history, is still a land full of great surprises.

Massimo Cappuccio, born 1966.

For long routes above the sea in southern Lazio read also the review of Climbing at Gaeta.