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Indians value their family system a lot. Typically, an Indian's family encompasses what would be called the extended family in the West. It is routine for Indians to live as part of the paternal family unit throughout their lives - i. The relationship is mutually self-supporting. Parents may support their children for longer than is common in the West, brothers and sisters may support each other, and sons are expected to take care of their parents in their old age. Nowadays, most indian families are becoming more nuclear. Naturally, the arrangements are not perfect and there are strains and breakups, especially by the time the third generation grows up.

Also, it has now become common for children to move away from the parental house for education and employment. Nonetheless, it is fair to say that the joint family is still seen as the norm and an ideal to aspire to, and Indians continue to care about their family's honour, achievements and failures even while they are not living together.

Despite the weakening of the caste system, India remains a fairly stratified society. Indians care about a person's background and position in society as is the case elsewhere in the world. This attitude, when combined with the legacy of colonial rule, results in some rather interesting, if unfortunate consequences. Paler skin is deemed desirable but there is no discrimination on the basis of color. There are three national holidays: In addition, there are four major nationwide festivals with shifting dates to be aware of:.

Religious holidays occur on different days each year, because the Hindu and Islamic festivals are based on their respective calendars and not on the Gregorian calendar. Most of them are celebrated only locally, so check the state or city you are visiting for information on whether there will be closures. Different regions might give somewhat different names to the same festival. To cater to varying religious practices, offices have a list of optional holidays called restricted holidays by the government from which employees are allowed to pick two, in addition to the list of fixed holidays.

This may mean thin attendance and delayed service even when the office is officially open. Touts are ubiquitous, as in many developing countries, and where tourism is strategically promoted and you should assume that anyone 'proactively' trying to help you has a hidden agenda to part you from your money just like you experience in every other tourist place you visit.

However, in areas hardly or not at all visited by tourists, it is not at all uncommon for people who go out of their way to 'proactively' help you without expecting anything in return. During your travels in India, you will be deluged with touts trying to get you to buy something or patronize particular establishments. There are a myriad of common scams, which range from telling you your hotel has gone out of business of course, they'll know of one that's open with vacancies , to giving wrong directions to a government rail ticket booking office the directions will be to their friend's tour office , to trying to get you to take diamonds back to your home country the diamonds are worthless crystal , to 'poor students' giving you a sightseeing for hours and then with pity make you buy school books for them tremendously overpriced from a bookstore with whom they are affiliated.

There will also be more obvious touts who "know a very good place for dinner", sell fake SIM cards even in officially looking establishment , or want to sell you a chess set on the street. No place in India is completely free of touts, but if you want an almost tout free experience, visit southern states especially Kerala. Faced with such an assault, If you face any assault call police number immediatly the police service is often very fast in India, but it would be nice to call for help from people nearby.

Needless to say, such a mentality may affect any true appreciation of the country. Dealing with touts is very simple: Never be afraid to get a second or third answer to a question. To get rid of a tout:. It is also beneficial to have a firm Indian friend whom you can trust. If they show you around, they will act to help you ward off such touts. Recently, there has been a great rise in the number of complaints about harassment of innocent tourists in various destinations around the country. The Ministry of Tourism has adopted a strategy of introducing Audio Guide Devices at various places of interest around the country such as the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, etc.

It is wise to hire such devices as you can avoid the being ripped off or ambushed by desperate touts itching to make a buck. The Ministry of Tourism has also announced its partnership with AudioCompass, a company specializing in creating Audio Tours of all places of interest in the country in the form of Audio Devices available at the monuments and Smartphone apps that can be download from the App Store. The difference in price may be significant: The rates are prominently posted at the entrance and ticketing booths.

India is administratively divided into 29 states and 7 union territories. The states are broadly demarcated on linguistic lines. They vary in size; the larger ones are bigger and more diverse than some countries of Europe. The union territories are smaller than the states—sometimes they are just one city—and they have much less autonomy.

Below is a selection of just nine of India's most notable cities. Other cities can be found under their specific regions. India has many outstanding landmarks and areas of outstanding beauty. Below is a list of nine of the most notable:. Electronic Visas An online e-Tourist Visa facility was introduced on 27 November and expanded to cover Business and Medical travel from 1 April An e-Visa should be applied for at least four days in advance of travel and permits a stay not exceeding 60 days from the date of first entry into India. Those of Pakistani descent are not permitted to apply for a e-Visa.

A copy of the e-Visa printout should be carried and presented both to airline staff at the airport of departure and to Immigration at the port of entry. Biometrics will be collected upon arrival. The visa cannot be adjusted or extended and is not valid for Protected or Restricted Areas. Only two visits with e-Visas are permitted in a calendar year.

Citizens from these countries are eligible:. A maximum of two visits with visas on arrival are permitted in a calendar year. South Korean citizens, as of October , may also apply for a day visa on arrival at any of the same six airports. A visa obtained in advance is required by all other nationalities other than those mentioned above. Depending on the purpose of your visit and nationality, you can get an e-Visa for tourism, business, or medical purposes 60 days ; a visa-on-arrival days ; a transit visa; a tourist visa 3 months or more, depending on nationality ; a business visa 6 months, one year, five years, or ten years, multiple entries ; a student visa up to 5 years ; or an entry visa for longer stays.

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A special year multiple-entry visa is available only to select nationalities, including US citizens USD for tourists, USD for business ; US citizens can now only apply for a year multiple-entry tourist visa, however. An Indian visa is valid from the day it is issued, not the date of entry. For example, a 6-month visa issued on January 1 will expire on June 30, regardless of your date of entry. A tourist visa valid for 6 months can have maximum duration of stay of 90 days per visit, depending on citizenship. This will normally be endorsed on the visa. Make sure to check maximum duration per visit with your local embassy.

Other visas, including Student, Employment, Research, Missionary, and Overseas Citizen of India visas, are also available for those who qualify, with varying validity periods and stay limitations. The e-Tourist visa online application process is detailed and somewhat cumbersome, especially for those with weak computer skills.

Allow at least an hour per visa for the process if it is your first time. You will be required to upload a photo of yourself and a scan of the first two pages of your passport. Make sure you write down the visa application number or print it out as it will be necessary if you decide to return to the visa application process.

One incorrect letter or number in the temporary application ID number will result in the loss of your application and you will have to start again. Certain minimum and maximum file sizes and other specifications are required for the uploads. A useful photo cropping tool is provided on the visa application site. A standard scan of the passport pages may be too large to meet the requirements and custom scanner settings may have to be used.

The e-Tourist visa applications are required to be submitted several days ahead of time, but the actual processing time for two recent visa applications was only about 24 hours. Many Indian embassies have outsourced visa processing in full or in part to third party companies, so check ahead before going to the embassy. Applications through these agencies also attract an application fee, above that which is detailed on most embassy websites and should be checked prior to submitting your paperwork.

In addition, many Indian embassies only offers visas to residents of that country: Rules and validity of visas will differ based on citizenship. Check the website of the Indian embassy, consulate or high commission in your country [9] or contact the local office [10]. A notable rule is that citizens of Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, and Bangladesh, foreigners of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin, and stateless persons are not permitted to re-enter India on tourist or visitor visas within 60 days of their preceding departure without special permission.

This rule was abolished for other foreigners in It's wise to ask for a multiple entry visa even if you aren't planning to use it - they cost the same, are handed out pretty liberally and come in handy if you decide last minute to dip into one of the neighbouring countries. Overstaying a visa is to be avoided at all costs as you will be prevented from leaving the country until you have paid some fairly hefty fines and presented a large amount of paperwork to either the local immigration office or police station.

This whole process is unlikely to take less than 3 days, and can take much longer if you include weekends, numerous government holidays and the inevitable bizarre bureaucratic requirements. Clearing customs can be a bit of a hassle, though it has improved vastly over the the last decade. Most airports now operate red and green channels for customs clearance. In general, avoid the touts who will offer to ease your baggage through customs. There are various rules regarding duty-free allowances — there are differing rules for Indian citizens, foreign "tourists", citizens of Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan, non-citizens of Indian origin and people moving to India.

Cast a quick glance at the website of the Central Board of Excise and Customs for information about what you can bring in. The other rules are on the web site. If you are bringing any new packaged items along, it is a good idea to carry along the invoices for them to show their value. You are also allowed to bring in cigarettes or 50 cigars or grams of tobacco and 1 litre 2 litres for Indians of alcohol duty-free. If you do not have anything to declare, you can go through the green channel clearly marked at various airports and generally you will not be harassed. Importing and exporting Indian rupees is no longer prohibited, except by citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The airports at these cities are either new or undergoing development. Delhi has unveiled its brand new international Terminal 3, is one of the largest in the world. Mumbai's swanky new Terminal 2 T2 was inaugurated on January The other major entry points in the country are Bengaluru , Hyderabad , and Kochi. Africa is also connected to Delhi and Mumbai. Most of the major Middle Eastern carriers offer one stop connections to the coast from their Gulf hubs. They have daily flights to major hubs across the world. Various European airlines offer connecting service through their European hubs from most major US cities and various Asian airlines offer connecting service from West Coast cities to India through their Asian hubs.

For long-term visitors months , Swiss airlines [21] often have good deals from Switzerland with connecting flights from major European and some American cities as well. To save on tickets, consider connecting via Gulf countries, by Air Arabia [22] Sharjah -based low cost carrier having some connections in Europe , Etihad [23] especially if you need one-way ticket or going back to Europe from another Asian country via Abu Dhabi , as well as Emirates [24] via Dubai or Qatar airways [25] via Doha.

Obviously, these airlines are also the easiest way to come from the Gulf countries themselves, along with Air India and Air India Express. From East Asia and Australia, Singapore which is served by Air India, it's low-cost subsidiary Air India Express [26] , Jet Airways, as well as Singapore Airlines [27] , it's subsidiary Silk Air [28] and low-cost subsidiary Tiger Airways [29] has arguably the best connections to India with flights to all the major cities and many smaller ones.

Nanda [33] has been appointed as the exclusive wholesale agent for selling Cathay Pacific and Dragonair flights from Hong Kong to India. If, however, your itinerary originates from another country and you are merely transiting through or stopping over in Hong Kong, G. Nanda does not have exclusive wholesale rights. India has several international ports on its peninsula. Kochi , Mumbai, Goa and Chennai are the main ones handling passenger traffic, while the rest mainly handle cargo.

However, due to the profusion of cheap flights, there no longer appear to be any scheduled ferry services from India to the Middle East. There are two links from Pakistan. The Thar Express , restarted in February after 40 years out of service, runs from Munabao in the Indian state of Rajasthan to Khokrapar in Pakistan's Sindh province; however, this crossing is not open to foreign tourists. Neither train is the fastest, safest or the most practical way to go between India and Pakistan due to the long delay to clear customs and immigration although the trains are sights in their own right and make for a fascinating trip.

Ths Samjhauta express was the victim of a terrorist strike in February , when they set off bombs that killed many people. Neither is of much interest for travelers and there are no onward connections into Nepal, so most travelers opt for the bus or plane instead. Train services from Bangladesh were suspended for 42 years, but the Moitree Express started running again between Dhaka to Kolkata in April The service is biweekly: A Bangledeshi train leaves Dhaka every Saturday, returning on Sunday, while an Indian train leaves Kolkata on Saturdays and returns the next day.

You can see what trains are available between stations at the following sites: However, for booking of rail tickets through the internet you should use the Government of India's website http: It is better that you book your own tickets than fall prey to touts. For checking reservation status enquiry you could use the pnr status check Indian railways.

See Istanbul to New Delhi over land. You will need a Carnet de Passage if crossing with your own vehicle. There are also crossing points with Bangladesh , Nepal and Bhutan. There is one open border crossing between India and Myanmar at Moreh , Manipur , but special permits are required to reach the border from either side. For now though, only traders and pilgrims are allowed to cross the border, and it is still not open to tourists. Special permits are required to visit the pass from either side.

Tour in India By Bus is possible. While most of the Indian states have their own Transport Departments registered online for internet booking of the tickets, private bus bookings can also be made at www. Under this website one can make a booking for private bus tickets. Buses vary from ultra modern Volvo or Mercedes Benz to plain vanilla non air-conditioned buses run by private bus operators.

From Bangladesh there are a number of land entry points to India. Rather, passengers reaching the border have to clear customs, walk a few hundred yards to cross the border and board the awaiting connecting buses on the other end for the final destination. Tickets are purchased either in Dhaka or in Siliguri. There is also a regular bus service between Dhaka and Agartala, capital of Tripura. There is only one halt at Ashuganj in Bangladesh during the journey. India is big and there are lots of interesting ways to travel around it, most of which could not very well be described as efficient or punctual.

Allow considerable buffer time for any journey with a fixed deadline eg. The easiest way to get one is to request it along with your visa application, in which case it will be added to your visa. Otherwise, you will need to hunt down a local Ministry of Home Affairs office and battle with bureaucracy. India's large size and uncertain roads make flying a viable option, especially as prices have tumbled in the last few years.

Even India's offshore islands and remote mountain states are served by flights, the main exceptions being Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh although crossing over from neighbouring states is fairly easy. Due to the aviation boom over the last few years, airports have not been able to keep up with the air traffic. Most Indian airports continue to function with one runway and a handful of boarding gates. Check in and security queues can be terribly long, especially in Delhi and Mumbai. India has recently built two new international airports in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, which are modern and well-equipped.

Mumbai and New Delhi airports have been upgraded. The newly constructed terminal 3 in the Delhi airport is the 8th largest terminal in the world. In northern India, particularly Delhi, heavy winter fog can wreak havoc on schedules. Flights to small airports up in the mountains, especially to Leh in Ladakh which is reachable only by plane for most the year , are erratic at the best of times. At one time, domestic flights were the monopoly of the government-owned Indian Airlines, but things have changed dramatically and now there are quite a few competitors, with prices a traveller's delight.

The main operators are:. Keep in mind, however, that outside of major cities coverage is not that good. Flying low-cost to a metro and taking a train is not a bad idea either. The earlier you book, the lower you pay. In some other cases, the advertised fare may not include charges such as passenger service fees, air fuel surcharge and taxes which will be added subsequently. Nonetheless, you do get good rates from the budget airlines. Tickets for small cities will cost more than those for the metros, because of basic law of economics viz.

As of now, you don't have to worry about higher prices on weekends, lower prices for round-trips, lower prices for travel around weekends. Checking in at Indian airports used to be slow and bureaucratic, involving lots of queuing and security checks.

Delays are solely due to large numbers of passengers at peak hours or just before departure of a plane. However, a few precautions should be taken:. Don't hesitate to ask someone if you are unsure. Most staff in airports are very helpful to passengers and will take pains to ensure you catch your flight. There are separate queues for passengers traveling without checked luggage which are usually less crowded.

Different airlines have different standards for what they allow as cabin baggage, so err on the side of caution, especially if you are traveling on a low-cost airline. The allowed free baggage limit is 15Kg on most airlines. Rail travel in India. Railways are the most widely used mode of long distance travelling in India. India boasts of one of the biggest network of railway lines in the world. The rail system is very efficient, if not always on schedule. Travelling on Indian Railways gives you the opportunity to discover the Indian landscape and scenic beauty first hand and is generally more economical than flying domestic.

It is one of the safest ways of travel in India. With classes ranging from luxurious to regular, it's the best way to get to know the country and its people. Most train passengers will be curious about you and happy to pass the time with a chat. Travelling on a train or strolling through an Indian railway station while waiting for your train, is in itself an important part of discovering India. If you are on a budget, travelling on an overnight sleeper train will reduce a night's stay at a hotel.

Travelling on trains in India is highly recommended. The 'Rajdhani' and 'Shatabdi' trains are the most luxurious trains on Indian Railways and are completely air-conditioned and also have breakfast, lunch, evening tea and dinner included in your ticket price and the food is served at your seat during travel. Most of these trains also have modern German designed LHB coaches which are extremely comfortable and luxurious. These trains are also faster than any other train in Indian Railways. The 'Rajdhani' Express trains are fast long distance overnight that connect regional state capitals to the national capital New Delhi.

The 'Shatabdi' Express trains are fast short distance daytime intercity trains that connect important cities in a region, for example two adjacent states' capitals. The 'Duronto' Express introduced in are fast long-distance "point to point" non stop trains that directly connect, without stopping, two important cities located far apart. These trains have no commercial halts on their way but only operational halts for maintainence and crew changes.

Palace on Wheels was introduced as a joint venture of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and Indian Railways to promote Rajasthan as a global tourist destination. The venture turned out to be a great success among overseas travelers and a few decades later more such train journeys followed. At present there are 5 trains offering 12 signature journeys across major tourist destinations in India.

Operated jointly by Indian Railways and respective state tourism departments, luxury trains in India offer a wonderful way to experience the sights in India without having to worry about the hassles of travel and accommodation. Journeys on board these trains are all inclusive of accommodation, dining, sightseeing, transportation and porter charges.

Each of these luxury trains are equipped with state of the art amenities such as live television, individual climate control, restaurant, bar, lounges and cabins with electronic safe and attached bathrooms. Most countries offer two classes of service, but India has no less than seven to choose from. But note that all seven classes of travel are generally NOT present all together in most trains. But note that all seven classes of travel are generally NOT present together in a single train. For a long distance night train, the reverse is true with the former being present and latter absent.

Note that there are different comfort levels for different classes of Rail journeys. General Compartment GS is the unreserved coach and is usually extremely crowded and are advisable only for short distance travelling. AC 2 tier 2A has no cabins but privacy curtains are present. However the true colors of India could only be glimpsed in "Sleeper Class SL " where co-passengers would not mind interacting with you in their broken knowledge of the English language or below. But keep in mind that "Sleeper Class SL " is usually crowded with people getting in without a ticket or with a General compartment GS ticket and this is especially true in the Central, Northern and Eastern parts of the country.

Also it can get unbearably hot in the Sleeper Class during summer months to the point of not being able to enjoy the journey at all. It is not uncommon to find people occupying your reserved seats in the Sleeper Class SL and then refusing to move, especially in the Central, Northern and Eastern parts of the country. Unless you are able to find the Conductor called TTE in India , you most likely will never be able to make them vacate your seat.

But it is generally a nice experience to travel in "Sleeper Class SL " in the Southern part of the country, especially Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and people will readily vacate your seats if they are occupying it. Also the number of people without tickets entering the "Sleeper Class SL " is much lower in Southern parts of the country. So if comfort is not the singular aspect in your mind go for the ordinary "Sleeper Class SL ".

So its advisable to travel in any of the AC coaches if travelling in the Central, Northern or Eastern part of the country. Full information about these various classes. Beware that trains tend to fill up early and booking tickets online can be fraught with complications due very high number of users.

Railway department is expanding the IT Infrastructure with a great rate to improve customer experience. Please plan your travel well in advance to have a smooth journey. In case of urgent ticketing needs you may contact several authorised ticketing Agencies albeit it's wise to look about their credentials before the transaction from a known source, may be from the hotel authorities or any known friends.

But don't expect guaranteed tickets during the rush period, viz, festivals like Deepavali, or Holi since there would be a lot of craze for the tickets among domestic travelers. Tickets are available from counters at most railway stations as well as directly from Indian Railways' online reservation service. Rail passes are also available, and are called Indrail passes. One day before the departure date of a train the Tatkal quota seats become available. This allows tourists who like to plan a trip as they go to book seats closer to the day of departure, for an extra fee.

It is very difficult to book Tatkal tickets online because of excess amount of traffic on Indian railway website during Tatkal ticket booking hours. Indian railway website recently started a service for faster Tatkal ticket booking by paying through ewallet. Ewallet is new feature when you put money before booking ticket on irctc website. Most long distance night trains have a pantry car and if you are in the sleeper or air-con classes, you can buy meals on board the train. The Railways are concerned about the bad quality of pantry car meals and efforts are underway to improve things, but do not count on it as yet.

If you are finicky, bring enough food and bottled water for the journey including delays: At most larger stations hawkers selling tea, peanuts, and snack food and even complete meals will go up and down the train. Most important stations will have vendors selling all kinds of edible stuff, but the usual caveats about eating in India apply.

There are no dining cars in Indian Railways. In central locations of big cities like airports or stations reliable pre-paid taxis are available and will save you money as well as the bargaining hassle. However beware of touts who would claim themselves to be running pre-paid taxis. Always collect the receipt from the counter first. The receipt has two parts - one part is for your reference and the other part you will need to handover to the taxi driver only after you reach your desired destination.

The taxi driver will get his payment by submitting or producing this other part to the pre-paid taxi counter. Normal taxis running by meter are usually more common. In many non Metro Cities or even in Metros depending on time taxies or autos may ply without the usual meter. There are night surcharges So don't nod for any extraordinary fare quote by your cabby friend. One most common excuses are thet "I will not get any return passenger to my way back so you have to compensate for my both way journey" that's his lookout, isn't it?

Do not expect Indian taxi or auto rickshaw drivers to ever have any change, so make sure that you have a good collection of small bills or be ready to give an involuntary tip. While you can't take a cross-country bus-ride across India, buses are the second most popular way of travelling across states and the only cheap way of reaching many places not on the rail network eg. There are usually multiple classes of buses. The ordinary buses called differently in different states, e. In addition to ordinary public buses, there are luxury or express buses available, and most have air-conditioning now-a-days.

Some state transport corporations have even introduced "Volvo" brand buses on some routes which are extremely luxurious and comfortable. These better class "express" or "luxury" buses have assured seating book in advance , and have limited stops, making them well worth the slight extra expense. But even these better-class buses rarely have toilets and make occasional snack and bathroom breaks.

Private buses may or may not be available in the area you are travelling to, and even if they are, the quality could vary a lot. Even with earplugs it can be nerve-wracking. Do not expect public restrooms at all, or even most, bus stops. Unfortunately, the bus industry is extremely fragmented and there are few operators who offer services in more than 2 or 3 neighbouring states.

Travel agents usually only offer seats on private buses. However, long distance bus operators such as Raj National Express and KPN Travels [45] are currently beginning to roll out their operations across the country modelled on the lines of coach services such as Eurolines in Europe, National Express in the UK and Greyhound in the United States. Their services are excellent and they provide entertainment on board. Regardless of class of travel, all buses have to contend with the poor state of Indian highways and the havoc of Indian traffic which usually makes them slower, less comfortable and less safe than trains.

Night buses are particularly hazardous, and for long-distance travel it's wise to opt for sleeper train services instead. In India driving is on the left of the road. India has the second largest road connectivity in the world, after the US, but that does not ensure road quality anyway. You can drive in India if you have a local license or an International Driving Permit, but unless you are accustomed to driving on extremely chaotic streets, you probably will not want to.

The average village road is narrow, often potholed and badly marked. National Highways are excellent roads, with generally 4 to 6 lanes but still, Indian driving discipline is non-existent. In the cities, the quality of roads depend upon the part of the city. In the past few years the Central government has embarked on an ambitious project to upgrade the highways. The Golden Quadrilateral connecting the four largest cities of Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata with four-laned highways has been completed and is of international standard.

However, improving the quality of the roads does not improve the way in which people drive and it is very dangerous to drive on the roads in India as many of the people drive as they like without regard to any rules. Generally, driving on your own in the city roads is not recommended in India at all.

Lane cutting and over taking in blind turns are universal. You will not find any lane discipline in the driving and you always have to expect for something sudden, like a car suddenly turning towards you, and DO NOT hope that they will stop and give way. You will find many two-wheeler riders squeezing between any empty space between cars and a two lane road can end up like a four laned one. Pedestrians too do not follow any sort of traffic rules and walk into the middle of the road at any time.

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Honking is wide spread and is like a greeting in India, it is used as a "Hi" or a "Hello" between cars. Drivers also flash their headlights as a signal for you to allow the driver to pass or as a warning in blind turns. To add on to these issues, there are numerous marriage, death and other religious processions that disrupt traffic and block roads. You will find people taking huge idols, dancing, playing with colors on the roads occasionally. These do disrupt traffic, but they are key parts of the cultural richness of India and are indeed fun to watch. The Indian traffic police has improved their quality of service by a huge margin.

They have become quite strict with the traffic issues and punish offenders. They generally ask for a driving license and vehicle papers. The traffic conditions have improved after the police have implemented date-wise parking, towing away of many vehicles and clearing traffic manually using patrol cars. To drive a private vehicle in any part of India the following documents are required- a valid driver's license for the driver International driving permit for a foreigner , vehicle registration certificate, vehicle insurance certificate and emission certificate if the vehicle is more than one year old called pollution under control certificate in India.

No other document is required for driving a private vehicle in any part of India except some restricted areas. If a policeman is asking for some other document like No Objection Certificate etc, most likely he is hinting at a bribe. In case of an accident, it is not unheard of for the crowd to assault the driver of the bigger vehicle involved.

So in case of hitting a pedestrian or a vehicle smaller than your own vehicle, even if not your fault, it is better to immediately leave the scene and be present at the nearest police station. Even if you are not driving the vehicle, it is better to immediately leave the scene and inform the police. Instead, if you desire going by a car, opt for driver while renting the car. Rates are quoted in rupees per km and you will have to pay for both ways even if you are going only one way. The driver will find his own accommodation and food wherever you are travelling, although it is customary to give him some money to buy some food when you stop somewhere to eat.

A common rental vehicle is the legendary Hindustan Motors Ambassador, which is essentially an Indian-made copy of the Morris Oxford: However, the Tata Indica a hatchback and Tata Indigo a small sedan is now replacing the Ambassador as the cheap car of choice. Imported international models may be available at a premium. If the number of people travelling together is large, popular rental vehicles are Tata Sumo, and Toyota Innova. It is rare to find a driver that speaks more than a few words of English.

As a result, misunderstandings are common. Use the present tense. Use single words and hand gestures to convey meaning. Make sure you can trust your driver before you leave your goods with him. If he shows any suspicious motives or behavior make sure you keep your bags with you. Conversely, if your driver is very friendly and helpful, it is a nice gesture to buy him a little something to eat or drink when stopping for food. They will really appreciate this. Your driver may in some cases act as a tout, offering to take you to businesses from which he gets baksheesh a sort of commission.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing - he may help you find just what you're looking for, and add a little bit to his paltry income at the same time. On the other hand, you should always evaluate for yourself whether you are being sold on a higher-cost product than you want. Also, many times, these places that supply commissions to the driver especially restaurants may not always be the best or most sanitary, so use your judgement.

Avoid touts on the road posing as guides that your driver may stop for because he gets a commission from them; supporting them only promotes this unpleasant practice. The driver might ask for a tip at the end of the trip. If you rent a car for a trip to a remote destination, make sure before getting out that you will recognize the driver and write down the license plate number and his phone number nearly all drivers have mobile phones. Touts at tourist areas will may try to mislead you into getting into the wrong car when you leave; if you fall for this you will certainly be ripped off, and possibly much worse such as sexual assault if you are female traveller.

Be wary of reckless driving when renting a car with a driver. Do not be afraid to tell the driver that you have time to see around and that you are not in a hurry. Indian highways can be extremely dangerous. Make sure also that your driver gets enough rest time and time to eat. In general as you visit restaurants, the driver may eat at the same time either separately at the same restaurant or at some other nearby place.

He may be willing to work nonstop for you as you are the "boss", but your life depends on his ability to concentrate, so ensure that your driving demands are reasonable; for example, if you decide to carry your own food with you on the road, be sure to offer your driver time to get a lunch himself. Avoid travel at night. Indian city roads are dimly lit , and there are chances of some traffic hazards such as reckless drivers after mid-night.

Some parts of highways are well lit, and some are not, as they are not considered important. Try sticking to the main highway and avoid taking diversions in the highway at night, as you never know where it might end up. However, highway driving at night is not very dangerous also and violent crimes such as assaults are rare. The highway police force does a lot to keep it that way.

Some people point out that the best way to experience India is on a motorbike. Riding a motorbike and travelling across India you get the closer look and feel of India with all the smells and sounds added. There are Companies which organize packaged tours or tailor made tours for Enthusiastic bikers and adventurous travellers for a safer motorbike experience of India. Blazing Trails tours, Wild Experience tours and Extreme Bike tours are the known names in the market.

Another choice, popular with people who like taking risks, is to buy a motorcycle. Not for the faint of heart or inexperienced rider. The Royal Enfield is a popular some would say, the only choice for its classic looks and macho mystique. Or, one can opt for the smaller yet quicker and more fuel efficient bikes. They can range from cc to the newly launched cc bikes. Two most popular bike manufacturers are Bajaj and Honda.

Preferably tourists should go for second hand bikes rather than purchasing new ones. There are lots of garages that provide motorcycle for rent as well. You can check for options on websites like RideIndia and Drivezy. They may or may not take a deposit. Foreigners have a top hand while negotiating. There are no standards for pricing, hence you can negotiate freely. Hitch hiking in India is very easy due to the enormous number of cargo trucks on every highway and road.

Most drivers do not speak English or any other international language; however, most have a very keen sense of where the cities and villages are located along the road. It is rare for any of them to expect payment. It might not be advisable for women to hitch hike alone in India. The auto-rickshaw, sometimes abbreviated as "auto" and sometimes as "rickshaw", is the most common means of hired transportation in India. Most residents usually refer to them as a "three wheeler.

Most are green and yellow, due to the new CNG gas laws, and some may be yellow and black in color, with one wheel in the front and two in the back, with a leather or soft plastic top. When getting an auto-rickshaw, you can either negotiate the fare or go by the meter. In almost all cases it is better to use the meter -- a negotiated fare means that you are being charged a higher than normal rate. Never get in an auto-rickshaw without either the meter being turned on, or the fare negotiated in advance.

In nearly all cases the driver will ask an exorbitant sum for Indian standards from you later. In most of the cities, auto-rickshaw drivers are provided with a rate card that elaborately describes the fares on per kilometre basis. A careful tourist must verify the meter-reading against the rate-card before making a payment. Ideally, you should talk with a local to find out what the fare for any estimated route will be.

Higher rates may apply at night, and for special destinations such as airports. Finally, factor in that auto drivers may have to pay bribes to join the queue for customers at premium location such as expensive hotels. The bribe will be factored in the fare. Taxis and auto-rickshaws are unfortunately where you'll be most commonly ripped off - and dealing with them can be incredibly tiring.

While many taxis and auto-rickshaws will charge you by the meter or the tariff card, don't be surprised if the drivers refuse to carry you by the proper way and insist on receiving a flat rate for travellng a fixed distance. While the former is more preferable, it is in the latter situation, that people new to a city both Indians and foreigners are most likely to be overcharged by a large extent.

Just take your belongings, pay what was originally agreed and walk away. Your driver may also make unscheduled detours to shops - refuse to get out and firmly tell them that you do not want to go to any shops - they will always be overpriced and are not worth the time and effort. Auto-rickshaw travel in Indian cities are generally of two types. These are Sharing and Reserve. In such a kind of booking, never allow any other person to accompany the driver, even if he insists.

This could spell trouble for unwary travellers. It is costlier, faster and more comfortable to travel this way as compared to the other option, in which the auto-rickshaw is shared by a couple of more passengers for fares as cheap as Rupees 5 or 10 each. In this option the auto travels on a fixed route and makes multiple stops en route to the final destination, picking and dropping passengers on the way. In some cities and towns, both the modes are available to chose from while in the rest only one of the two is on offer.

An alternative to using the above mentioned taxis and auto-rickshaws is to use Uber or its local competitor Ola. Both are available across most cities in India and offer rates that are usually only marginally more expensive than autorickshaws. Functioning exactly as they do in any western country, cabs can be hailed using an app loaded on a GPS and internet enabled smart phone and will usually arrive between minutes after being hailed. Since these cabs use GPS navigation to get to your destination, they are by far superior alternatives to freelance taxis and auto rickshaws which may easily dupe you.

If you need to get anywhere, call in advance and ask for detailed directions. Postal addresses are often stated in terms of other landmarks, as in "Opp. Prithvi theatre" or "Behind Maruti Showroom". Unlike the western system of address, the Indian system uses municipal ward number, plot number, house number, land mark and the location instead of street name and block number. Finding a place will usually involve some searching, but you will always find someone out on the streets to guide you.

Unlike many other countries, Indians usually do ask passers-by, nearby shopkeepers or policeman for guidance on street addresses. It is usually safe to ask a policeman or traffic-policeman for guidance. If you do not feel like asking strangers for directions, you can use Google maps. Most locations in cities and towns are well covered by Google Maps and this can be a handy tool for navigation. It is obligatory for Indian citizens from outside those states to obtain permit for entering into the protected state.

The document is an effort by the Government to regulate movement to certain areas located near the international border of India. This is a security measure and it is applicable for the following states:. India is home to thousands of languages. The main language families in India are Indo-European and Dravidian which are about million speakers and million speakers respectively. Other language families include Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman, among other minor ones. Of these, Hindi is recognised as the main official language of the Union Government there is no recognised National Language of India , with English acting as a "subsidiary" official language.

There are also hundreds of other less prominent languages like Tulu , Bhojpuri and Ladakhi that are the main spoken language of some places.

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Many more speak it as a second language. However, these figures include dialects like Bhojpuri Bihar and the Pahadi dialects of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand that may differ significantly from standard Hindi. However, the prestige dialect of Hindi used in media and education is generally homogeneous and is based on the dialect of the Delhi and Western UP. Hindi is often spoken as "Hindustani", which is a mix of Hindi and Urdu , which are both mutually intelligible languages. While Hindi is the main working language of the Union Government, and also sometime spoken as a second language by Indians from outside the "Hindi Belt", it is by no means a lingua-franca for all of India.

Many of the people in Southern and North Eastern states cannot understand Hindi. Bengali is the second most widely spoken language of India. It is the native language of West Bengal, and is the national language of Bangladesh, the country east of India. The national anthem of India is actually in the Bengali Language, which was originally a poem by Rabindranath Tagore. Languages in the Dravidian language family may come in handy in Southern India.

Telugu , is the native language of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It shares classical language status in the Indian Government along with Tamil , Kannada and Malayalam. Tamil is also an official language of neighboring Sri Lanka, off the coast of India. Kannada is the official and native language of Karnataka, in which the city of Bangalore resides.

Malayalam , is the official and native language of Kerala. In Eastern India, it is often easy to get by on either Hindi or English, but the local languages there include Assamese , Sikkimese , and Odia , among others. Code-switching between English and the native language often in the same sentence is very common among youngsters and is widely used in daily conversation, SMS in Roman script , TV advertising, FM radio and Bollywood.

While fluency in English varies vastly depending on education levels, occupation, age and region; it is generally not a problem getting by with English in urban areas. English is generally spoken as a second language by Indians, with native language speakers only numbering about a couple of hundred thousand people.

Generally speaking, most official signs are bilingual in the state language and English, and to some extent Hindi. Signs at railway stations are generally trilingual outside the Hindi-speaking belt. There is generally also a large local English speaking media available, as well as press.

Though extremely limited in numbers and influence compared to English, India has small areas where Portuguese and even French are spoken. Portuguese speaks may be found in Goa, Daman and Diu, around the village Korlai, and some other places, all of which were once Portuguese colonies. Some French speakers would be found in Pondicherry where about ten thousand french speakers reside. Non-verbal communication is also important. Much has been made of the confusing Indian head nod for yes and no, but the only important thing to understand is that Indians have different nods for yes, ok and no.

If you really want to see all the worth visiting places in India, one tourist visa of six months can be argued to be considered enough. There are more tourist destinations in India than can be mentioned in one book. Almost every State in India has over ten major tourist destinations and there are cities which can not be fully experienced even in one full week. Not to forget that several states of India are bigger than most of the countries in the world and there are twenty-nine states in India. Goa Fair carnival - February heralds the carnival at Goa.

For three days and nights the streets come alive with color. Held in mid February the weeklong event is a time for lively processions, floats, the strumming of guitars, graceful dances and of non-stop festivity. One of the more famous of the Indian Carnivals the Goa Festival is a complete sell out in terms of tourism capacities. Surajkund Mela - Febuary As spring glides in, full of warmth and vibrancy leaving the gray winter behind, Surajkund adorns itself with colorful traditional crafts of India.

Craftsmen from all over the country assemble at Surajkund during the first fortnight of February to participate in the annual celebration known as the Surajkund Crafts Mela. Celebrated in March or April according to the Hindu calendar, it was meant to welcome the spring and win the blessings of Gods for good harvests and fertility of the land. As with all the Hindu festivals, there are many interesting legends attached to Holi, the most popular being that of Prince Prahlad, who was a devout follower of Lord Vishnu.

It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali. Holi in India is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha. The exuberance and the festivity of the season are remarkable. Diwali - "Diwali", the festival of lights, illuminates the darkness of the New Year's moon, and strengthens our close friendships and knowledge, with a self-realization. It symbolizes that age-old culture of India which teaches to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge.

Diwali, the festival of lights even to-day in this modern world projects the rich and glorious past of India. Very few, if at all any, fairs in the world can match the liveliness of Pushkar. The region has three important industrial districts:. In Palermo there are important shipyards such as Fincantieri , mechanical factories of famous Italian companies as Ansaldo Breda , publishing and textile industries. A table showing Sicily's different GDP nominal and per capita growth between and After the table which shows Sicily's GDP growth, [] this table shows the sectors of the Sicilian economy in The unemployment rate stood at Highways have recently been built and expanded in the last four decades.

The most prominent Sicilian roads are the motorways known as autostrada running through the northern section of the island. Much of the motorway network is elevated by columns due to the mountainous terrain of the island. The first railway in Sicily was opened in Palermo-Bagheria and today all of the Sicilian provinces are served by a network of railway services, linking to most major cities and towns; this service is operated by Trenitalia. Of the narrow-gauge railways the Ferrovia Circumetnea is the only one that still operates, going round Mount Etna.

From the major cities of Sicily, there are services to Naples and Rome; this is achieved by the trains being loaded onto ferries which cross to the mainland. In Catania there is an underground railway service metropolitana di Catania ; in Palermo the national railway operator Trenitalia operates a commuter rail Palermo metropolitan railway service , the Sicilian Capital is also served by 4 AMAT Comunal Public Transport Operator tramlines; Messina is served by a tramline.

Mainland Sicily has several airports which serve numerous Italian and European destinations and some extra-European. By sea, Sicily is served by several ferry routes and cargo ports, and in all major cities, cruise ships dock on a regular basis. Plans for a bridge linking Sicily to the mainland have been discussed since Throughout the last decade, plans were developed for a road and rail link to the mainland via what would be the world's longest suspension bridge , the Strait of Messina Bridge.

Planning for the project has experienced several false starts over the past few years. Sicily's sunny, dry climate, scenery, cuisine, history and architecture attract many tourists from mainland Italy and abroad. The tourist season peaks in the summer months, although people visit the island all year round. The last features some of the best-preserved temples of the ancient Greek period. Many Mediterranean cruise ships stop in Sicily, and many wine tourists also visit the island.

This increased the attraction of Sicily as a tourist destination. By the order of inscription:. Because many different cultures settled, dominated or invaded the island, Sicily has a huge variety of archaeological sites. Also, some of the most notable and best preserved temples and other structures of the Greek world are located in Sicily. Here is a short list of the major archaeological sites:. The excavation and restoration of one of Sicily's best known archaeological sites, the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, was at the direction of the archaeologist Domenico Antonio Lo Faso Pietrasanta , Fifth Duke of Serradifalco , known in archaeological circles simply as "Serradifalco".

He also oversaw the restoration of ancient sites at Segesta , Selinunte , Siracusa and Taormina. The Coastal towers in Sicily Torri costiere della Sicilia are old watchtowers along the coast. In Sicily, the first coastal towers date back to and of the Aragonese monarchy. From the threat came from the south, from North Africa to Maghreb , mainly to Barbary pirates and corsairs of Barbary Coast.

In , the Turks settled in Algiers , and from , the corsair Hayreddin Barbarossa under the command of Ottoman Empire , operated from that harbour. Most existing towers were built on architectural designs of the Florentine architect Camillo Camilliani from [] to , and involved the coastal periple of Sicily. The typology changed completely in ', because of the new higher fire volumes of cannon vessels, the towers were built on the type of Martello towers that the British built in the UK and elsewhere in the British Empire. In the U. Marines and Navy, in the Battle of Derne , near Tripoli. Ligny Tower - Trapani.

Torre Cabrera Pozzallo Pozzallo. Vignazza Tower Giardini Naxos. To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is to not have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything. Sicily has long been associated with the arts ; many poets, writers, philosophers , intellectuals, architects and painters have roots on the island.

The history of prestige in this field can be traced back to Greek philosopher Archimedes , a Syracuse native who has gone on to become renowned as one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. Terracotta ceramics from the island are well known, the art of ceramics on Sicily goes back to the original ancient peoples named the Sicanians , it was then perfected during the period of Greek colonisation and is still prominent and distinct to this day.

Famous painters include Renaissance artist Antonello da Messina , Renato Guttuso and Greek born Giorgio de Chirico who is commonly dubbed the "father of Surrealist art " and founder of the metaphysical art movement. The Sicilian Baroque has a unique architectural identity. Noto , Caltagirone , Catania , Ragusa , Modica , Scicli and particularly Acireale contain some of Italy's best examples of Baroque architecture , carved in the local red sandstone.

Noto provides one of the best examples of the Baroque architecture brought to Sicily. The Baroque style in Sicily was largely confined to buildings erected by the church, and palazzi built as private residences for the Sicilian aristocracy. However, even at this early stage, provincial architects had begun to incorporate certain vernacular features of Sicily's older architecture. By the middle of the 18th century, when Sicily's Baroque architecture was noticeably different from that of the mainland, it typically included at least two or three of the following features, coupled with a unique freedom of design that is more difficult to characterise in words.

Palermo hosts the Teatro Massimo which is the largest opera house in Italy and the third largest in all of Europe. Many award-winning and acclaimed films of Italian cinema have been filmed in Sicily, amongst the most noted of which are: The golden age of Sicilian poetry began in the early 13th century with the Sicilian School of Giacomo da Lentini , which was highly influential on Italian literature. In terms of academic reflection, the historical and aesthetic richness as well as the multi-layered heterogeneity of Sicilian literature and culture have been first grasped methodologically and coined with the term of transculturality by German scholar of Italian Studies Dagmar Reichardt who, after having published an extensive study on the literary work of Giuseppe Bonaviri , [] was awarded the International Premio Flaiano "Italianistica" for a trilingual English, Italian, German collection about the European liminality of Sicily, Sicilian literature and Sicilian Studies.

Today in Sicily most people are bilingual and speak both Italian and Sicilian , a distinct and historical Romance language. However the use of Sicilian is limited to informal contexts mostly in family and in a majority of cases it is replaced by the so-called regional Italian of Sicily , an Italian dialect that is a kind of mix between Italian and Sicilian. Sicilian was an early influence in the development of the first Italian standard, although its use remained confined to an intellectual elite.

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This was a literary language in Sicily created under the auspices of Frederick II and his court of notaries, or Magna Curia , which, headed by Giacomo da Lentini , also gave birth to the Sicilian School , widely inspired by troubadour literature. Its linguistic and poetic heritage was later assimilated into the Florentine by Dante Alighieri , the father of modern Italian who, in his De vulgari eloquentia , claims that "In effect this vernacular seems to deserve a higher praise than the others, since all the poetry written by Italians can be called Sicilian".

Catania has one of the four laboratories of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare National Institute for Nuclear Physics in which there is a cyclotron that uses protons both for nuclear physics experiments and for particle therapy to treat cancer proton therapy. In the Observatory of Palermo the astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi discovered the first and the largest asteroid to be identified Ceres today considered a dwarf planet on 1 January ; [] Catania has two observatories, one of which is situated on Mount Etna at 1, metres 5, feet.

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Syracuse is also an experimental centre for the solar technologies through the creation of the project Archimede solar power plant that is the first concentrated solar power plant to use molten salt for heat transfer and storage which is integrated with a combined-cycle gas facility. All the plant is owned and operated by Enel. It was founded by the physicist Antonino Zichichi in honour of another scientist of the island, Ettore Majorana known for the Majorana equation and Majorana fermions.

As in most Italian regions, Christian Roman Catholicism is the most predominant religious denomination in Sicily, and the church still plays an important role in the lives of most people. Before the invasion of the Normans, Sicily was predominantly Eastern Orthodox , of which few adherents still remain today.

There is also a notable small minority of Eastern-rite Byzantine Catholics which has a mixed congregation of ethnic Albanians ; it is operated by the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church. Most people still attend church weekly or at least for religious festivals, and many people get married in churches.

There was a wide presence of Jews in Sicily for at least 1, years and possibly for more than 2, years. Some scholars believe that the Sicilian Jewry are partial ancestors of the Ashkenazi Jews. Islam was present during the Emirate of Sicily , although Muslims were also expelled. Today, mostly due to immigration to the island, there are also several religious minorities, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism.

There are also a fair number of Evangelical Church members and practitioners who live on the island. The island has a long history of producing a variety of noted cuisines and wines, to the extent that Sicily is sometimes nicknamed God's Kitchen because of this. Cassata is typical of Palermo although available everywhere in Sicily, as is Granita, a Catania speciality. The ingredients are typically rich in taste while remaining affordable to the general public. The most well-known part of Sicilian cuisine is the rich sweet dishes including ice creams and pastries.

Like the cuisine of the rest of southern Italy, pasta plays an important part in Sicilian cuisine, as does rice; for example with arancine. Parsley is used abundantly in many dishes. Although Sicilian cuisine is commonly associated with sea food, meat dishes, including goose , lamb , goat, rabbit, and turkey , are also found in Sicily.

It was the Normans and Swabians who first introduced a fondness for meat dishes to the island. The most popular sport in Sicily is football , which came to the fore in the late 19th century under the influence of the English. Some of the oldest football clubs in Italy are from Sicily: No club from Sicily has ever won Serie A, but football is still deeply embedded in local culture and all over Sicily most towns have a representative team.

Palermo and Catania have a heated rivalry and compete in the Sicilian derby together. Although football is the most popular sport in Sicily, the island also has participants in other fields. Amatori Catania have competed in the top Italian national rugby union league called National Championship of Excellence.

They have even participated at European level in the European Challenge Cup. Competing in the basketball variation of Serie A is Orlandina Basket from Capo d'Orlando in the province of Messina , where the sport has a reasonable following. Various other sports that are played to some extent include volleyball, handball , and water polo.

Previously, in motorsport , Sicily held the prominent Targa Florio sports car race that took place in the Madonie Mountains, with the start-finish line in Cerda. This sailing race featured, among other entrants, all boats that took part in the America's Cup. Each town and city has its own patron saint, and the feast days are marked by colourful processions through the streets with marching bands and displays of fireworks. Sicilian religious festivals also include the presepe vivente living nativity scene , which takes place at Christmas time.

Deftly combining religion and folklore, it is a constructed mock 19th century Sicilian village, complete with a nativity scene, and has people of all ages dressed in the costumes of the period, some impersonating the Holy Family, and others working as artisans of their particular assigned trade.

It is normally concluded on Epiphany , often highlighted by the arrival of the magi on horseback. Oral tradition plays a large role in Sicilian folklore. Anecdotes from this character's life preserve Sicilian culture as well as convey moral messages. Sicilians also enjoy outdoor festivals, held in the local square or piazza where live music and dancing are performed on stage, and food fairs or sagre are set up in booths lining the square.

These offer various local specialties, as well as typical Sicilian food. Normally these events are concluded with fireworks. The most important traditional event in Sicily is the carnival. The sides of donkey carts are decorated with intricate, painted scenes; these same tales are enacted in traditional puppet theatres featuring hand-made marionettes of wood.

A great place to see this marionette art is the puppet theatres of Palermo. Today, there are only a few troupes that maintain the tradition. They often perform for tourists. Other beautiful marionettes are on display at the Museo Civico Vagliasindi in Randazzo. There are several cultural icons and regional symbols in Sicily, including flags, carts, sights and geographical features. The Flag of Sicily , regarded as a regional icon, was first adopted in , after the Sicilian Vespers of Palermo.

It is characterised by the presence of the trinacria triskelion in its middle, the winged head of Medusa and three wheat ears. The three bent legs are supposed to represent the three points of the island Sicily itself. The colours, instead, respectively represent the cities of Palermo and Corleone , at those times an agricultural city of renown. Palermo and Corleone were the first two cities to found a confederation against the Angevin rule. It finally became the official public flag of the Regione Siciliana in January , after the passing of an apposite regional law which advocates its use on public buildings, schools and city halls along with the national Italian flag and the European one.

Familiar as an ancient symbol of the region, the Triskelion is also featured on Greek coins of Syracuse , such as coins of Agathocles — BC.

The symbol dates back to when Sicily was part of Magna Graecia , the colonial extension of Greece beyond the Aegean. The three legs of the triskelion are also reminiscent of Hephaestus 's three-legged tables that ran by themselves, as mentioned in Iliad xviii. The Sicilian cart is an ornate, colourful style of horse or donkey-drawn cart native to Sicily.

Sicilian wood carver George Petralia states that horses were mostly used in the city and flat plains, while donkeys or mules were more often used in rough terrain for hauling heavy loads. The Sicilian coppola is a traditional kind of flat cap typically worn by men in Sicily.

First used by English nobles during the late 18th century, the tascu began being used in Sicily in the early 20th century as a driving cap , usually worn by car drivers. The coppola is usually made in tweed. Today it is widely regarded as a definitive symbol of Sicilian heritage. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This article is about the region of Italy. For other uses, see Sicily disambiguation.

For the Roman province, see Sicilia Roman province. For the Italian film about Sicily, see Sicilia! Autonomous region of Italy. Norman conquest of southern Italy. Kingdom of Sicily and List of monarchs of Sicily. List of airports in Sicily. Strait of Messina Bridge. Torre di Altavilla Milicia. List of museums in Sicily. Italian Literature and Sicilian School.

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The Normans in Sicily: The Normans in the South — and the Kingdom in the Sun — The Colony at Lucera". Lexington Books — via Google Books. Archived from the original on 4 August Teaching Italian Migration from a Transnational Perspective". Archived from the original on 27 November Retrieved 29 May Sicilia, l'ex roccaforte del centro-destra.

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