Sicily Guide

Bridging Worlds… Through the Children – Part II

<< Part I All agreed to repeat the calls every few weeks. There are so many differences to discover, and stories to share. Most Italian schools are in session from 8:15am to 1:15pm, Monday through Saturday (yes, Saturday). Children eat at home, each day, with their families, who take breaks from 1pm to 4pm—la pausa [...]

Bridging Worlds… Through the Children Part I

The second-graders at the Mary E. Dardess Elementary School in Chatham have succeeded in doing something that even Italy’s powerful President, Silvio Berlusconi, has not yet been able to accomplish—building a bridge between the island of Sicily and the outside world. To Berlusconi, the bridge would be a physical one, connecting Messina, Sicily to the [...]

Verdura Golf & Spa Resort among the sexiest golf resorts in the world

Verdura Golf & Spa Resort has been nominated among the sexiest golf resorts in the world by A Position.com. Here is what journalist Brian McCallen writes about Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily: Crossroads of civilizations, Sicily—the triangular-shaped island at the tip of Italy’s boot—is etched with more than 3,000 years of history. But it’s a recent [...]

Guttuso’s La Vucciria will be shown in Messina

[ February 13, 2010 6:00 pm to March 15, 2010 6:00 pm. ] For the second edition of the "Notte della Cultura" in Messina on February 13, tourists and locals will have the opportunity to view "La Vucciria" (the famous open-air market of Palermo, photo on the left), the 1974 painting of Renato Guttuso, currently kept at the Palazzo Chiaramonte, the headquarters of the University of Palermo. The [...]

Almond Blossom Festival in Agrigento, Sicily

[ February 14, 2010 9:00 am to February 21, 2010 10:00 pm. ] Agrigento will host the 65th edition of its Almond Blossom Festival this coming February 14-21, 2010. The event showcases folklorist groups and musical bands from diverse parts of the world: Armenia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cipro, Georgia, Guatemala, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Serbia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine (see last year video of a Korean group [...]

Carnival in Sicily

[ February 6, 2010 1:00 pm to February 16, 2010 11:00 pm. ] [caption id="attachment_1824" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Carnevale in Acireale - Copyrights Joe Zarba"][/caption] Carnevale is a feast that occurs before Lent. It usually takes place in February and is approaching now. Sicily hosts some of the best Carnivals in Italy. Among them is the one in Acireale, popularly known as the most exciting, beautiful, and fun carnival in [...]

4th Festival of the tarocco orange in Francofonte (SR)

[ February 19, 2010 12:00 pm to February 21, 2010 9:00 pm. ] The tarocco orange is a variety of blood orange. The main center of Francofonte (SR) is hosting the 4th Festival of this fruit from February 19 through 21. [mappress]

The Sicilian Film Festival in Miami on April 16 @ 6PM

[ April 16, 2010; 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. ] [caption id="attachment_1810" align="alignright" width="175" caption="Emanuele Viscuso"][/caption] The success of the inaugural Sicilian Film Festival in 2006 was very encouraging. So was the second edition of 2007. The Sicilian Film Festival is now renowned throughout the United States and the world. This festival is a creation of Emanuele Viscuso. The concept began when The Ragusani Nel Mondo [...]

New steps to help business growth in Sicily

2009 closed for the UniCredit Sicily Territorial Committee, chaired by entrepreneur Josè Rallo, with a healthy set of concrete initiatives to encourage the growth of the island’s economy and of its enterprises. In parallel, the Committee has been working on a series of analyses, comparisons and activities in specific areas related to the main guidelines [...]

Patti and Tindari: bednights increase by 10%

Copyrights - nunnariteresa Good news for the travel industry in Patti and Tindari in the Messina province. The Servizio Turistico Regionale nr.16 of Patti and Tindari reported that arrivals reached 19.426 in 2009 (+3,42%) and bednights 82.009 (+10,24 %). Tourists stayed in hotels (40%), B&B and rentals (68,79 %). Domestic arrival accounted for 14.797 (76,17 % [...]

Cocktail reception by Intervolumina in Messina during the “Notte della Cultura”

[ February 13, 2010; 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm. ] The cultural association Intervolumina in Messina is hosting a cocktail reception during the "Notte della Cultura" on February 13. The event will have as theme the medieval life under Federico II with music, customs and dishes of that time. Tickets cost 7 Euros. If you are visiting Messina, stop by and say hi to our friends at [...]

Silvio Berlusconi announces plan to defeat Mafia in its own backyard

This is an article from the British Times Online. Anyway, let’s hope that this time they are serious about defeating the Mafia. I have heard many announcements like this… Silvio Berlusconi, who has been accused of links to the Mafia, today unveiled a ten point “extraordinary plan” to defeat organised crime at a Cabinet meeting held [...]

Cusumano, Nero d’Avola, Italy

STV is featuring some quality Italian wines. Among them is the Cusumano Nero d’Avola, one of my favorite reds. Italy’s Mediterranean island of Sicily is increasingly offering great value wines, many of them made from indigenous southern grapes like this Nero d’Avola. The emphasis here is on the fruit, not oak, with dark blackberry and black plum [...]

Discover Italy! Sicily

[ June 10, 2010; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] Fascinating ruins of early civilizations and beautiful coastal paths above the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean are ours to discover on this virtual journey through Sicily. A special Sicilian food demonstration with native Sicilian Giusto Priola from Cacio & Vino in New York will be a delightful end to the evening. For more information or reservations, [...]

Tastes and traditions of Sicily tour

1st DAY: CATANIA – FRANCAVILLA DI SICILIA Arrival at Catania airport and transfer on your own to Francavilla di Sicilia (about 1 hour), a small village located in eastern Sicily on a hill in the fertile Alcantara Valley, near the Nebrodi Regional Park. Accommodation in a farmhouse, dinner and overnight. (www.quattareddu.it). 2nd DAY: FRANCAVILLA DI SICILIA (about [...]