Libyan crisis and holidays in Sicily: something to worry about?
The situation has been quite critic in the Mediterranean for a few months now. The whole world has been watching and following the news reports on Tunisia, Egypt and – above all – Libya. Riots, conflicts and political instability are under everyone’s eyes, as well as it is quite hard to know or foresee the future developments that may lead to a more comfortable and less dramatic situation for the inhabitants of these countries.
A lot of people wonder if Italy, and especially Sicily, is still a safe and peaceful vacation spot: Sicily is geographically the closest European territory to Libya – therefore outsiders must rely on the media information to get an idea of the situation. A lot of people wonder whether their idea of spending their holidays in villas in Sicily (or in hotels, or in bed and breakfasts) is still reasonable or not: the images of bombings, fighter planes, riots and destruction in Libya may generate some wariness on areas that are considered “near” to the Country.
Actually, if you are wondering about your favorite villas in Sicily distance to Libya and you are worried about the situation, you should think about this first: Sicily – Libya distance is more than 500 km. This is a huge distance, that we all consider quite large in normal situations, and should be an assurance that won’t lead to a change of plans for summer 2011 holidays.
In addition to the physical distance, another element should be considered: the atmosphere and the inhabitants’ mood. Of course tourists planning to come to Sicily cannot be aware of these two elements, and they may only rely on what they read or see on the web, and therefore picture in their mind the image of a place where inhabitants are frightened and worried. But once you have arrived in Palermo, Catania, Agrigento, Siracusa or any other holiday destination, you will find out that the world-famous Sicilian warmth, happiness and joy are everywhere, as usual. People live peacefully as they always did, waiting for Summer to come, spending their first days at the beach: they are aware of what happens in the world, but at the same time conscious of the distance between Libya and Sicily.
Of course the news about landings in Lampedusa of desperate civilians are a dramatic reality. Every day on this wonderful Mediterranean island people running away from desolate realities arrive, coming from Libya, Malta and landing on Lampedusa and Linosa islands. However, this dramatic phenomenon does not undermine the touristic structures of these places, and must be therefore brought back to its real borders: holidays in Lampedusa or Linosa are not prevented by these landings and can be fully enjoyed by tourists.
If you are planning to spend your holidays in Sicily, don’t focus this decision on the dramatic situation of Libya and its conflicts: these issues are physically far away from the place you want to visit, and must be kept away from your thoughts during your relaxing and peaceful holidays in this wonderful, amazing territory. You should only be worried about choosing villas in Sicily, or hotels or camp-sites, and about leaving some room for souvenirs in your suitcase!
