S I C I L I A M O

Egadi Islands Scores with The Telegraph

2011-01-06T19:37:00.004Z

It seems that almost with every top 10 or top 20 list of places to travel to, be they lists focusing on exotic, out of the way, food orientated, historical, sunny and beachy or just plain beautiful, and you will see Sicily's name prominently added to the list. This time it is the Egadi Islands to the west of Sicily, previously covered by this blog. The Egadi Islands (Aegadian Islands in

The Fountain of Youth does exist - Lago Specchio di Venere

2011-01-04T23:11:00.001Z

Nothing prepared me for what I witnessed on the sun drenched southern Sicilian Island of Pantelleria. Pantelleria - more Africa than Europe, more East than West, more tropical than temperate, but above all, more mythical than real. Not only is Pantelleria jam packed with some of the most picturesque beaches in Europe but it also guards many secrets, some of which are only recently starting to

Review: Gigliotto - Piazza Armerina

2010-05-27T21:45:00.000+01:00

Image via WikipediaGigliotto Agriturismo SS 117 bis km 60 - Piazza Armerina (EN) +39 0933 970898 / +39 0933 979092 1 out of 3 Stars Accommodation: 100 euro per couple Dinner: 3 course meal, typical Sicilian ; 60 euro for two including wine After being recommended in both the Lonely Planet Guide and the Touring Club of Italy - Guide to Sicily, both reputable and independent publications, one

Review: La Piazzette - Caltagirone

2010-05-27T20:53:00.004+01:00

La Piazzetta Via Vespri, 20/A - Caltagirone (CT) +39 0933 24178 3 out of 3 Stars Dinner: 3 course meal, typical Sicilian ; 45 euro for two including wine Don't be put off by the name. La Piazzetta is not a pizzeria. Instead it is one of those typical restaurants found in country Sicilian towns that cannot but help serve only the most earthy, mouth watering and honest dishes. La Piazetta is

Surfing? Sicily? You better believe it

2010-05-05T19:03:00.002+01:00

The calm seas of the Mediterranean do sometimes give way to the awesome swells of surf ... in some places ... including parts of Sicily. Dream of Italy� - Italy Travel News Blog: Surf's Up in Italy

2,500 year "Homer" Ship Found off Coast of Sicily - A Treasure Hunter's Delight

2010-05-02T19:08:00.006+01:00

Sicily has many more treasures to give up yet. Recently, a ship dating back to 500 BC was salvaged off the coast of Gela, Sicily. The ship was believed to be sailing from Greece to Gela, a Greek colony, transporting various materials. The 21-metre long vessel, is the largest of its type ever discovered, but what is the most amazing thing to me, is that the ship was constructed using a

The "Bloody Handprint" 447 years on

2010-04-27T00:40:00.006+01:00

Those of you who follow this blog (on all that is fascinating and useful about Sicily) will know that we are big fans of the legend of the Baroness of Carini. This is partly because it is based on a poem written in old-Sicilian that is regarded as one of the most beautiful poems written in Italy (even Dante claimed that the only true poets in his era were from Sicily), and partly because it is

Top 10 Food Experiences In Sicily

2009-07-20T00:02:00.006+01:00

A US blogger has enshrined their Top 10 Food Experiences in Sicily. I have listed them here and added my own comments for further information.Fresh Ricotta. It is a well known secret that the Sicilian shepherds keep the best ricotta for themselves. Break into this inner circle and your taste buds will thank you.Cassata. And not like any cassata you haver tasted before. This is the real

Sicily: Contrasts at a Meditteranean crossroads

2009-04-20T18:19:00.007+01:00

Another interesting pressie about my magnificent island..GIOVANNA DELL'ORTO writes For The Associated PressMONREALE, Italy—I am inside one of the most glittering monuments to Christianity—the mosaic-filled cathedral of Monreale - talking to a conservator, whose apron is covered in Arabic script, about President Obama.As our chat about possible new American policies in the Middle East interrupts

Aida at the Teatro Massimo

2008-11-02T14:11:00.015Z

The Teatro Massimo in Palermo it is the largest Theatre in Italy and one of the largest of Europe (the third after the Opéra National de Paris and Staatsoper in Vienna), and is world renowned for its perfect acoustics. The Teatro Massimo was dedicated to King Victor Emanuel II and inaugurated on 16th May 1897 with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff. Although you will be more likely to

Bike Riding in the Sicilian Aeolian Islands

2008-09-15T19:33:00.004+01:00

This post is for those of you who are passionate about the joys and benefits of truly experiencing a new place by way of riding a bike. The Travel Mag, International Living, has a Special Report on their choice for "The World's 10 Best Travel Adventures", with an adventurous biking adventure in the two most remote islands of the volcanic Aeolian Islands making the list.Sicily and the Aeolian

For a Traditional Sicilian Experience ...

2008-09-07T16:25:00.004+01:00

Via Carso 23Nestled atop of a scenic mountain overlooking the sea and dominated by a 11th century castle, the mediaeval village of Carini is the perfect spot for those seeking a unique Sicilian holiday. A "real" Sicilian experience.Siciliamo has just acquired the perfect house for a true romantic Sicilian getaway for those of you who want to immerse yourselves in all the beauty and abundance that

History of Sicily in one hundred seconds

2008-08-31T21:05:00.000+01:00

This video is not only one of the funniest things about Sicily I have seen in a long time (which is really saying something as those who have driven in Palermo traffic can attest to) but it also provides a rich outline of one of the most diverse and ancient European civilisations - compacted into just 100 seconds! As the author, Turi Scandurra says, "blink and you may miss a whole century".

South West on a Shoestring

2008-08-18T08:10:00.000+01:00

Travelling on a budget?No worries. Sicily is one of the few European destination where, if you know the right places, you can get a delicious meal for less than 20 euro and b&b accommodation on a picturesque rustic farm-house for just 30 euro.Forget group tours: rent a car (possibly with GPS), drive around and explore this fantastic island in all your freedom.If you are after great Greek temples

Sicilian Item of the Day: The Duke of Magic

2008-08-12T10:37:00.001+01:00

With clients like Greta Garbo and Coco Chanel, Palermo born Fulco di Verdura was the most famous of Sicily's jewellery designers.From ruby hearts wrapped with braided gold rope to scallop shells studded with precious stones.The exquisite creations of Fulco di Verdura (1898-1978) are noted for their glorious exuberance and refined glamour.Ashley Rudd looked gorgeous in them in the movie, DeLovely.

Sicilian Item of the day : Cucunci

2008-07-10T16:32:00.000+01:00

Nobody knew how good it tasted, until Sicilians revealed one of their best kept culinary secrets : Cucunci.Cucunci is not quiet a caper. It is even more: like a caterpillar that turns into a butterfly, so too, do caper buds - if not picked - turn into a beautiful. And in my opinion, the most beautiful flower ever.When a bud flowers, you typically lose the fruit...but with Cucunci, right after

Culinary crimes

2008-07-08T16:26:00.005+01:00

Sicilians can't handle order or rules from anyone ... except in the kitchen : .....No cappuccinos after noon,.....no cheese on seafood risottos.....no butter on bread.....(the list is endless)...Despite this, there are a few rules that seem to have been broken in Sicilian cuisine, for very tasty reasons of course ;)We (Sicilians) can tolerate cheese on certain seafood dishes, but a cappuccino

Sagra del Cappero - The Caper Festival

2008-06-21T23:56:00.001+01:00

Anyone who’s seen the movie Il Postino (The Postman), shot on the Sicilian island of Salina, will be familiar with the magnificent beach at Pollara. Thankfully, nothing much has changed since this piece of paradise was captured on film. The best time to come to Pollara beach is at the end of the day to swim under the overhanging cliffs and to later, watch the sunset. Pollara is not only famous

Sicilian artichokes

2008-06-08T20:43:00.004+01:00

Catherine de Medici introduced artichokes to France when she wed Henri II. Sicilian immigrants planted California's first artichoke farm near Half Moon Bay in the late 1800s and Marilyn Monroe was crowned California's first artichoke queen in 1948. A theory suggests that artichokes actually originated in Sicily and were introduced to the rest of Europe around the 12th century. In fact, records

The Secret Tunnels Under Palermo

2008-05-18T15:13:00.000+01:00

From Robin Hood to the Illuminati, to the Knight Templars : Conspiracy theories are always fascinating. The black-hooded, Robin Hood-like, Beati Paoli waged a secret yet revolutionary struggle against the power of both the Catholic Church and the reactionary authorities. Located in Palermo and named after "Beato Paola," Saint Francis of Paolo, the Beati Paoli are a group of hooded "avengers"

Review: Spaghetteria Andrea e Marianna - Sferracavallo, Palermo

2008-05-13T14:31:00.001+01:00

Spaghetteria Andrea e Marianna - Sferracavallo, PalermoPiazza A. Beccadelli - Sferracavallo (PA)+39 329 002 7030 / +39 392 560 02852 out of 3 StarsDinner: 3 course meal, typical Sicilian ; 20 euro per person including wineNear the foreshore of the Palermo beach-side suburb of Sferracavallo, there exists what appears to be some makeshift buildings, half covered in a tarpaulin. They invoke the

Tindari and the Story of the Black Madonna and Medusa

2008-05-01T17:05:00.016+01:00

In mediaeval times the legend of the Black Madonna was augmented in France by some especially "esoteric" popular religious sects, common amongst them were the Knights Templars and Cathars. One of the central excuses the French monarchy issued in the persecution and destruction of the Knights Templars was the fact that they had adopted the Maure and had several "Baphomets" in their monasteries.

Restoration Alert: Villa Romana del Casale

2008-04-20T20:23:00.002+01:00

Where: Villa Romana del CasalePiazza Armerina (Enna)Restoration estimated time : Two years (expected to finish, early 2010)There is a Restoration Alert on what experts credit as the most well preserved Roman Villa of its type, Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, dating back 330 AD. The Villa Romana del Casale is world famous for its well preserved and evocatively beautiful mosaics that

The Castle of Carini

2008-04-19T11:11:00.006+01:00

Constructed by Ruggero II between 1075 and 1090, the Castle of Carini is superbly positioned atop the highest rock of the hill. Stately and unconquered from the North side, while looking down on a strong and imaginary enemy already defeated, it is outlined against the blue sky during the day as if it were at the outer limits of the universe, while its silhouette against the dark night sky makes

Introduction of the "Restoration Alert"

2008-03-30T19:49:00.004+01:00

Restoration work on significant historical monuments holds mixed feelings for many of us. On the positive side, it is warming to see that the local authorities are taking seriously their responsibilities as custodians of our history and heritage. The restoration of such monuments ensure that the pleasure and education that they give are provided for generations to come.On the other hand, it is