Greek ruins stand at Agrigento, Syracuse, Taormina, and other places in Sicily. Many Sicilian cathedrals and palaces exhibit works of art. Educational institutions include universities in Catania, Messina, and Palermo. Land and climate. Mountains and hills cover more than 85 percent of Sicily.
Mount Etna erupts periodically.
Catania had to be rebuilt entirely after an eruption destroyed it in 1669. But the area around Mount Etna is heavily populated because volcanic ash makes the soil fertile. Earthquakes also hit Sicily. Messina had to be rebuilt after an earthquake wrecked it in 1908. Taormina, Sicily Sicily has a mild climate.