Sicily Guide

The Sicilian volcano, Mount Etna, is erupting again. The lava flow goes slowly as typical of the volcano and does not endanger the villages nearby, according to the local Civil Protection officers.Mount Etna (also known locally as Mongibeddu in Sicilian and Mongibello in Italian) is an active volcano on the East coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the largest volcano in Europe, currently standing about 10,991 ft (3,350 m) high, though it should be noted that this varies with summit eruptions (the mountain is 71 ft (21,6 m) lower now than it was in 1865). It is the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps. Etna covers an area of 460 square miles (1190 km²). This makes it by far the largest of the three active volcanoes in Italy, being nearly three times the height of the next largest, Mount Vesuvius. (Wikipedia)

Check out images from live webcams and past eruption videos at VolcanoEtna.com.

Technorati Tags [ etna | mount etna | sicilian volcano | volcano | lava | sicily | volcanoetna ]

Every once in a while, talks about reopening the casino in Taormina, a small resort town on the Eastern coast of Sicily, resume. However, the Italian minister of internal affairs Giuliano Amato, has finally put an end to the reopening of the casino in Taormina saying that such a facility could be an easy target for money laundering.Taormina has been a very popular destination with tourists since the 19th century. It has beautiful beaches (accessible via funicular) by the Ionian Sea. Economic experts and tour operators are convinced that reopening the casino could be an excellent drive for tourism in the region. Even the minister admits that a casino can increase travel arrivals.

A fascist law of the ’30s prohibits gambling in Italy, “not for ethical reasons, but for the danger of possible disturbances in the public order”. However, there are 4 authorized casinos operating in Italy: San Remo, Champion, Venice and Saint Vincent.

I understand that local criminality can use the casino for its one evil purpose, but this attitude of the government seems extremely passive and detrimental to Sicily. Who is supposed to guard against criminality if not the government? Instead, the answer from the government to the Sicilian people is lame: we will not to do anything because mafia could take over.

Technorati Tags [ taormina | giuliano amato | taormina casino | sicily resort ]

Two years after the agreement between Hilton International and the construction company Euro Costruzioni S.P.A., Hilton Portorosa opens its doors. This is the second Hilton-owned property in Sicily, Villa Igea in Palermo is the other. This new resort is located nearby the Gulf of Patti in the Messina province and is geared to both leisure and business travelers.This new hotel has 263 rooms and is equipped with a 6,500sq. ft meeting space and can host up to 1,200 delegates, representing one of the biggest spaces in Southern Italy.

From the Hilton web site:
Hilton Portorosa Sicily lies in the center of the Bay of Patti, which stretches from the Milazzo peninsula to the Tindari promontory. This location combines culture, spectacular views on the Portorosa Marina, Aeolian Islands and nature. This seven floor building has been conceived to ensure natural daylight everywhere offering a wide range of very spacious rooms and suites in contemporary style. Hilton Portorosa Sicily is strategically located close to the main highways in Sicily, directly accessible by private yachts from Portorosa, the most important tourist Marina in Sicily.

Hilton Portorosa
Complesso Turistico Portorosa
Furnari
Italy
Phone: (+39) 0941-802-500
Fax: (+39) 0941-802-555
Web site: www.hilton.com
Map

Directions:
Hilton Portorosa Sicily can be easily reached following the coastal highway A18- A19 route CATANIA-MESSINA-PALERMO, exit Falcone, then follow SS 113 (National Road) direction Messina.

Technorati Tags [ hilton portorosa | sicily hotels | euro costruzioni | hilton international ]

A quick list of the most interesting news about Sicily from around the world. Some are good; some are bad. Leave a comment if you think we missed any. Thanks.

The American Experience of Death
Arizona Daily Wildcat - Tucson, AZ, USA
During my recent tour of Italy, I visited the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily. Created by friars in the 16th century, the site contains about 8000 […]

Color, Tartness Make Blood Oranges Stand Out
Nashua Telegraph (subscription) - Nashua, NH, USA
Native to Sicily, the flesh of the blood orange varies wildly in terms of amount of pigment it contains. Some slices are a rich orange lightly spangled with […]

Health Nuts — In Sicily, Where Almonds Are the Joy
Centre Daily Times - Centre County, PA, USA
I’ve been in Sicily for a month. Because I write about food - and this island has been renowned for its almonds for well more than 1000 years - my mom keeps […]

Sicily to Build World’s First Solar Power Plant
Independent - London,England,UK
The world’s first solar power plant, which will yoke the power of the sun with gas, will go on stream on the sunny east coast of Sicily by 2009, […]

Sicilian Grape Takes Town by Storm
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Rochester, NY, USA
“The Syrah of Sicily.” Nero d’Avola wines are often described as having rich, dark fruit aromas (blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, plum, etc. […]

Origins of the Mafia
PopMatters - Chicago, IL, USA
Opening in 1556 with the story of Sicily’s Gramigano family feuding with and ultimately besting the ruling Spaniards’ authority, what should be a case of a […]

Woman’s Battle Against Mafia Subject of Documentary
UNCG University News - Greensboro, NC, USA
The 40-minute film, which was shot in Sicily and features interviews with Impastato and her other son Giovanni – an anti-Mafia spokesman, will be shown on […]

Easter is Not All Chocolate & Bunnies … Taste a Traditional …
e-Travel Blackboard (press release) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Perhaps you’d prefer to celebrate Easter in Sicily, Italy’s cultural hotpot. The town of Enna has a large procession on Good Friday, with more than 2000 […]

From Grape to Glass: Sicilian
France24 - Paris, France
Becoming a world-known grape variety such as Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay is no mean task, yet Sicily’s once little-known native red grape, […]

Technorati Tags [ sicily news | blood oranges | sicilian almonds | mafia | solar plant in sicily | nero d’avola | sicilian grape | easter in sicily ]

I was in Sicily last Christmas and, finally, I gained enough miles for a round-trip plane ticket from New York to Catania, Sicily. As soon as I came back from my short Sicilian vacation this past January, I started calling Alitalia’s Frequent Flyer Program (Club Millemiglia at 800-223-05730). Eager to capitalize on my miles, I tried to book some dates for August. Having only two week vacation per year from work, I can only travel on specific dates during a short period of time. Sadly, I could not find anything that matched my requests for the month of August. The only flight available required an overnight stay in Amsterdam. I have been to Amsterdam several times and I love the city, but I do not want to stay an extra night there in August. At the end, I gave up on trying to use my miles to go to Italy.In the meantime, I postponed buying the ticket and now it is March. I have been looking online a bit to find a plane ticket at around $1,000 to fly to Catania (this is the price that was considered expensive for the same traveling dates last year!), but the average ticket price is around $1,300 nowadays. It is $1,012 if I just fly to Rome.

Lesson learned: March is not considered early enough to book a trip to Sicily and Italy in August. Next time, I will buy it in December as a Christmas gift to myself.

Here are the rates as of today’s date for a roundtrip plane ticket from New York (JFK) - Catania (Sicily) from July 31 through August 11:

Tired of finding similar results (SideStep and Orbitz are practically the same, so they show the same price) and eager to save some extra bucks, I checked out Eurofly’s web site since it seemed to be the least expensive flight. But I found a ticket for about $ 1,261: not that much less. Just to give you an idea, the plane ticket for the same traveling dates is about $ 895 to Barcelona in Spain (flight operated by Air France); $ 1,083 to Granada in Southern Spain (flight operated by British Airways and Iberia); $ 1,239 to Istanbul in Turkey (flight operated by Emirates and Turkish Airlines); $ 1,259 to Tokyo (about 12 hour flight operated by United Airlines from La Guardia Airport) and I could continue with the list.

Overall foreign arrivals have decreased in Italy in the past few years, now the 5th most visited destination in the world after France, USA, Spain, and China. Sicily, where foreign visitors are less numerous, suffers even more from this trend. Tour operators argue that foreign travelers are not going to Sicily because of the lack of infrastructures and this might be true in part, but I would add: “It’s the plane ticket, stupid!”.

Technorati Tags [ eurofly | alitalia | fly to sicily | august in sicily | plane ticket to sicily | expedia | travelocity | priceline | sidestep | new york - catania ]

There are zillions of web sites about Sicily on the web today. When you search under the word Sicily, Google displays 13,600,000 results. Oh my God! I am passionate about Sicily, but I do not think I am going to check all of these results one by one. I know that these web sites are not all worthwhile. Sicily is not well presented on the Internet - only a few web sites do the job right and search engines have rewarded them, so consumers.
Statistics show that people look only at the top 10 results displayed on the first page. Some of the most complete web sites about Sicily are displayed on the first page of Google; others are new to the game and are not. So, besides sticking with the best ranked sites, I also went beyond the first page of Google results to find other interesting web sites that matched my interests and my idea of how Sicily should be portrayed online.Wikipedia/Sicily
The free content multilingual encyclopedia, which is constantly enriched with new collaborative content, was launched by Jimmy Wales in 2001 and now is one of the most visited web sites in the world. The wiki (collaborative web site that allows surfers to change content without registering) tends to be extremely search engine friendly. This explains its #1 position in the search engine ranking.
Pros: contents of Wikipedia about Sicily are good and easy to find. Cons: the wiki tends to be graphically limited and gives only a general overview.

Best of Sicily
This web site is the richest English language web site about Sicily I know of. You can find any type of information about Sicily on it. It is in plain html, but it looks almost like a wiki web site. “Best of Sicily” is well linked to many other web sites about Sicily and cited both on the Internet and offline.
Pros: accuracy and amount of information. Cons: content is not well organized, making it hard to find your way around on the web site. Also, pages are hard to read due to the heavy content.

Sicilia in Dettaglio
This web site is in English and Italian. Dettaglio means “detail” in Italian. I find that Sicily is truly shown in precise detail on this web site.
Pros: English and Italian translations; it contains information on almost any single village of Sicily. Cons: it looks too commercial with paid text links on the top of the page; site architecture is not clear.

Sicily’s Tourism Department
This web site is hard to find and shows all the limits of an already outdated institutional web site.
Pros: English and Italian; complete database of travel related businesses in Sicily. Cons: the navigation is messy and the URL is impossible to remember.

Sicily Web
It is probably the most complete and organized site about Sicily from this list
Pros: English and Italian, great for tracking events in Sicily! Cons: It is a bit too commercial.

Love Sicily
I found this web site through my feed aggregator and I loved it. The site supports RSS. It contains a nice blog that markets culinary tours and stays in the southeastern part of Sicily.
Pros: appealing, clear site architecture, engaging content and tone. Cons: it does not seem to be updated on a regular basis.

thinkSicily
This is a commercial site launched by Rossella and Huw Beaugie. Based in London, it started as a villa rental business and grew into a sophisticated online travel agency. It still offers villa rentals in Sicily, but lots of other tours have been added.
Pros: vast selections of beautiful villas in Sicily, great pictures and straightforward navigation. Cons: I cannot think of one: I requested their brochure online and I cannot stop thinking about those beautiful Sicilian villas as my ideal summer vacation.

Sicily Scene Blog
Great blog of a retired English teacher from Cardiff who now lives in Sicily. I always like to see the point of view of non-Sicilians, especially when it is so spontaneous. The blog is not pretentious and it does the job right.
Pros: the tone is passionate; the blog is currently updated and the English is great! Cons: no real downside… I am a Sicilian living abroad and this blog makes me miss Sicily too much!

Final considerations
The good thing is that search engines find a great deal about Sicily in English, but I hate to say that there are only a few gems out there. Most of the travel web sites about Sicily are commercial and lack the passion needed to involve people. Some hotels’ web sites that I have not included in this list are graphically interesting, but they are missing the boat of online marketing and Web 2.0 as well. I think that there are tons of smart and inexpensive opportunities to market Sicily on the Internet in a serious way, but nobody has yet to pick on this.

If you think I missed some great web site about Sicily, please leave a comment. I will be happy to review and give my opinion on it.

Technorati Tags [ best of sicily | thinksicily | love sicily | sicily scene blog | sicilia in dettaglio | sicilian tourism department ]

The Aeolian Islands, UNESCO World Heritage Site, are seven islands located North East of Sicily in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Lipari is the biggest of the islands, the other islands are: Vulcano, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli, Alicudi and Filicudi. In the summer months, travelers flock in masses to the islands because of their pristine beaches.As a kid, I spent most of my summer vacations with family and friends hopping from island to island. It was fun: we were happy just with going to the beach mornings and afternoons. Living close to Milazzo, it was fairly easy to reach the islands. We were taking the boat and arrived in Vulcano in about two hours. The hydrofoil takes much less, but I think it is half of the fun.

As soon as we started seeing the sulphureus coasts of Vulcano, we could smell the sharp scent of the still-active volcanic island. Vulcano is typical for its bubbling mud pools and fumaroles that can be found just a few steps away from the port. Be aware that you will smell like a match for about two days after entering these mud baths: no matter how many showers you take!

The Aeolian Islands are of volcanic origins; Vulcano and Stromboli have both active volcanoes. Vulcano’s last eruption was in 1890, while Stromboli is continuously erupting. Volcanologists constantly monitor the situation. Both islands can be climbed, but I strongly advise to hire professional guides for this, especially to walk up to Stromboli. It can take from four to six hours to reach the highest allowed point and inexperienced hikers can easily loose their way back at dusk. The nocturnal views of the Stromboli’s activity are spectacular and unforgettable.

Lipari boasts a rich archeological museum that illustrates the history of the islands from the prehistory to classical period. The submarine archeological section is of particular interest. You will be surprised at how much mythology gravitates around these places. Do not forget that the Aeolian Islands are named after Aeolus, the Greek god of the winds who was believed to reside in these islands. Odysseus lost his way home and wandered along these places for seven years before returning to Ithaca.

Salina is the second biggest island after Lipari. Hilly as the other islands, it is internationally well-known because of its production of Malvasia wine (from the local Malvasia delle Lipari grapes) and capers.

Panarea is probably the most exclusive of the islands: its hotels and nightclubs are crowded with VIPs every summer. Mind the wallet: it can be very expensive!

Alicudi and Filicudi are the most remote. Very isolated, especially during Winter time, and inhabited by only a few people, these two islands are an ideal escape for a different type of vacation.

How to get there
There are frequent ferries and hydrofoils from Milazzo, Messina and Reggio Calabria daily. A few ferries a week depart from Naples. For more details and ticket prices, check out Siremar (Italian only), SNAV (Italian only) and NGI (Italian and English). Tickets start at 9 Euros for the ferries during low season and can be purchased at the port in Milazzo and Naples. Milazzo and Naples are both well served by public transportation.

Good to know
1) The Aeolian islands do not have fresh water. Boats from Sicily deliver water on a daily basis during Summer time. Water is preciously saved.

2) Leave your car in Milazzo if you are visiting for a couple of days. There are lots of options where to park and also paid parking lots. You can rent a moped once you are in the islands. Lipari, the biggest of the islands, can be seen in less than a day.

3) If you like the ocean, spend at least 4 days to visit the archipelago.

4) If you are traveling in a rush, Lipari is where to go.

Best time to go
Weather can be hot in the summer and unpredictable in the winter months of the year. Rare storms might stop ferries and hydrofoils from operating for brief periods. If you love the beach, the best months to go are June, July, August and September. The end of July and the entire month of August are crowded and accommodation is more expensive. Locals might be seen to take the first swims of the year around Easter time. Easter Monday weekend is a popular time to go for a short break, if the weather is good. The beginning of October is much less crowded and might still be good to swim, but some facilities might already be closed down because of the end of the tourist season.

Where to stay
Capofaro Malvasia & Resort
Address: Via Faro, 3 - Malfa
98050 - Salina (Me)

Tel.: (090) 984 43 30 - 984 43 31
Fax: (090) 984 43 39

Villa Meligunis
Address: Via Marte, 7
98055 Lipari (Me)

Tel.: (090) 98 12 426
Fax: (090) 98 80 149

Map of the Aeolian Islands

Technorati Tags [ aeolian islands | sicily | lipari | sicily guide | stromboli | vulcano | panarea ]

The Greek Theater in Syracuse (Sicily), UNESCO World Heritage Site, will stage the classic productions of The Trachinie by Sophocles and Eracles by Euripides from May 10 through June 24, 2007. Thanks to the Instituto Italiano per il Dramma Antico (INDA), this spectacular setting has been turning into a real ancient action every other year for 43 years now. It is like experiencing theater as ancient Greeks did more than 2000 year ago!I studied ancient Greek literature and grammar as a teenager. Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides were a burden to read and I certainly preferred the comic characters of Aristophanes. Even though I was a good student, translating those ancient lines was not a pleasure and I still remember the fear I had of my unfriendly and unsympathetic professor of Greek literature. The school used to take us on a bus trip to Syracuse to see live what we were learning from the books. I remember that it was fun and everybody from my class used to get involved with the performances at some degree. The experience was magic and emotional.

If you are in Sicily during that time of the year, I strongly suggest a stop in Syracuse. Even if the performances are going to be in Italian, it does not really matter: the sheer enjoyment of taking being part of such an old tradition will make the visit worthwhile. Tickets start at € 24 (currency converter).

General information:

Archeological Site of Syracuse (Unesco World Heritage Site)
Address: Via Rizzo/Via Paradiso, Syracuse

Tel.: (0931) 662 06

To buy tickets
INDA di Palazzo Greco
Corso Matteotti 29, Siracusa
Phone: (+39) 0931 - 48 72 48
Fax: (+39) 0931 - 48 72 49
http://www.indafondazione.org/

Online Tickets
Hello Tickets
Viva Ticket

Best Places to Stay While in Syracuse
Hotel des Etrangers et Miramare
Address: Passeggio Adorno, 109
6100 Siracusa

Tel.: (0931) 62 671

Grand Hotel Villa Politi
Address: Villa M. Politi, 2
Syracuse

Tel.: (0931) 41 21 21
Fax: (0931) 360 61

From Wikipedia
The Trachiniae Summary
The Trachiniae or The Women of Trachis (Greek: Τραχίνιαι) is a play by Sophocles, notable mainly for the unsympathetic portrayal of Heracles. As in the play Ajax, Sophocles has cast a well known hero in a negative light.

Heracles Summary
Heraclae is a play by Euripides (c. 416 BCE). While Heracles is in the underworld obtaining Cerberus for one of his labors, his father Amphitryon, wife Megara, and children are sentenced to death in Thebes, Greece by Lycus. Heracles arrives in time to save them, however the goddesses Iris and Madness (personified) cause him to kill his wife and children in a frenzy. It is the second of two surviving plays by Euripides where the family of Heracles are suppliants (the first being Heracleidae). It was first performed at the Great Dionysia festival and did not win any prize.

Sicily enjoys a fine tradition of food and wine. There are numerous dishes that have become part of the national tradition and/or are famous internationally today. All the outside dominations throughout the centuries left their traces in the island’s gastronomy. The Ancient Greeks started producing refined flours and whole grain. They planted the Malvasia and Moscato vines which are still predominant in the island today. The ancient Greeks also seem to have used the snows of Mount Etna to make ices based of fruits and honey; they also introduced the first olive trees.

Arabs imported rice, sugar and almonds, and while couscous clearly draws origin from the couscous in North Africa, it differs just for the use of fish. Of Arabic derivation also come the two most famous desserts of the island: cassata and sorbetto. The Normans introduced stockfish to the island’s cuisine.

The Angevins, Aragonenses and Bourbons also left their sign. The “farsumagru“, a roll of meat with filling, is derived from the French. The Spanish introduced diverse dishes and ingredients such as the pan of Spain, chocolate, tomato and, most importantly, eggplant. From the fusion of these products and local traditions originated some of the most typical Sicilian recipes we know today: pasta with sardines, caponata, racines, and orange salad.

1. Swordfish carpaccio
2. Pasta alla Norma
3. Arancini (Sicilian rice balls)
4. Couscous with fish
5. Pasta with sardines

For more recipes, please visit the recipes’ section on SicilyGuide.com.

Technorati Tags [ sicily culinary traditions | sicily | sicilian food | sicilian recipes ]

Sicily counts more vineyards than any other Italian region and boasts one of Italy’s most progressive wine industries. Noted mainly in the past for strong bulk wines and often sweet Moscato and Marsala, the island has switched its emphasis toward lighter, fruitier white and red wines. Sicily is divided into three main wine producing districts: Trapani province in the west, Etna in the east and Ragusa on the southern tip. Sicily was considered a bulk wine producer up to ten years ago, but things have changed a great deal in the last few years.

Great Sicilian wines

• Nero D’Avola
  This is the classic Sicilian wine: ruby red in color with intense aromas of vanilla and spice. On the palate it is bursting with bright cherry fruit, balanced acidity and exotic spices. It is produced in the southeastern side of the island, but also in the Palermo province where Duca di Salaparuta is located.
• Cerasuolo di Vittoria
  This wine is made from 100% Nero d’Avola grapes grown 1,600 feet above sea level. The grapes are fermented for 18 days in temperature controlled, stainless steel tanks and then aged for 4 months in Allier barrique. The wine is ruby red in color with intense aromas of vanilla and spice. On the palate it is bursting with bright cherry flavor, balanced acidity and exotic spices.
• Etna Rosso
  Made from Nerello Mascalese (80%) and Nerello Capuccio (20%), the resulting wine is a pleasant surprise to the palate. Etna Rosso wine combines a rich and warm bouquet with hints of spice and green bell pepper on the nose. In the mouth it is medium-bodied, with a smooth texture, ripe fruit, soft tannins, mild acidity, and a surprisingly long finish.
• Etna Bianco
  This wine is made from the Carricante and Cataratto grapes as well as varieties from Milo. Straw-yellow with green reflexes in color, Etna Bianco wine possesses a fruity aroma and fresh taste.
• Bianco D’Alcamo
  This wine is produced from white catarratto grapes (up to 80%) and damaschino, grecanico, and trebbiano (up to 20%). It is considered the classic Sicilian white; it is fruity on the palate and has a straw-yellow color with greenish highlights.
• Passito
  The wine is made from the must of very well ripened grapes, to which naturally dried grapes from the sunny and windy climate of Pantelleria are added. Fermentation at controlled temperature lasts until the end of October.
• Marsala
  Produced from the Grillo, Inzolia, and Catarratto white grapes among others, Marsala wine is characterized by its intense amber color and its complex aroma that shows hints of strong alcohol flavor. Marsala wines are classified according to their characteristics and the duration of their aging.
• Malvasia
  Made from 85% Malvasia grapes, this sweet wine is made with techniques that have changed little over the centuries. The grapes are gathered when they are extremely ripe. The wine is amber-gold in color with an unusually alcoholic content.

Some Sicilian Wine Producers
Planeta; Cusumano; Tasca d’Almerita; Tenuta di Donnafugata; Feudo Principi di Butera (Zonin); Morgante; Duca di Salaparuta; Benanti; Palari; Firriato; Marco De Batoli; Salvatore Murana.

Technorati Tags [ sicilian wines | nero d’avola | sicily | planeta | regaleali | bianco d’alcamo ]

Sicily is comprised of nine provinces: Palermo, the capital of the region on the Western coast; Messina, on the Eastern side, where Taormina, Tyndaris and the Aeolian Islands are the biggest tourist destinations of the province; Catania and Syracuse, both ancient Greek settlements in the Southeast; Ragusa, Caltanissetta and Agrigento in the South; Enna in the center with no connection to the Mediterranean Sea; and Trapani on the Western side, whose points of interest can be found in Selinunte, Segesta, and Erice. I believe that Sicily is an ideal destination for travelers: still unspoiled and with lots to offer in terms of culture and traditions. Just take your time while visiting the island and locals will show you the best Sicily has to offer. Sicily is not the traditional tourist destination, it is a place all of its own. The more you will discover the soul of the island, the more magical your trip will become.Main cities and sights:

• Agrigento
  Located in Southern Sicily, Agrigento has a population of 55,000. Agrigento has very ancient origins and was once part of the Magna Grecia. Today, Agrigento still offers some of the best preserved Greek ruin sites in the world. The famous Valley of the Temples is situated on its premises.
• Catania
  Catania is the second biggest city in Sicily, with 306,464 inhabitants. It was founded by the Greeks in the 8th century BC. Located South of the active volcano Mount Etna, the city was covered seven times by the lava flow and rebuilt. Catania also hosts the oldest university of Sicily, established in 1434.
• Enna
  Enna is located in the center of the island and has a population of 29,072. It was founded in the 7th century BC. Because of its celebrations, the Holy Week is the best time to visit the city. This province has great archeological importance, thanks to sites such as the Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina and Morgantina.
• Erice
  Erice is a small town of the province of Trapani. The town is located on the homonymous Mount Eryx, the religious center of Elimi. Famous for its temple, this is where the Phoenicians worshipped Astarte; the Greeks Aphrodite; and the Romans Venus. Today, Erice is also an important center for scientific conferences.
• Messina
  Messina, located on the Northeastern side of the island, is the third largest city in Sicily with 260,000 inhabitants. Founded in the 8th century BC by the Greeks, the city was conquered and by different populations because of its strategic position on the straight. Messina was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1910, but was soon rebuilt. Taormina, Tyndaris and the Aeolian Islands are the most visited tourist destinations of the province.
  
• Modica
  Modica is a town located in the province of Ragusa and counts approximately 51,807 inhabitants. It was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1693 and was rebuilt in a magnificent Baroque style. It is also the birthplace of Salvatore Quasimodo, recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature in 1959.
  
• Noto
  Noto is a town located in the province of Syracuse, well know for its Baroque architecture.
  
• Palermo
  Palermo, located on the Northeastern side of Sicily, is the capital and largest city of the island with 750,000 inhabitants. Founded in the 8th century BC by the Phoenicians, Palermo was a prosperous center throughout the centuries, but has also been a coveted and repeatedly occupied location. This has turned the city into a melting pot of different people and cultures which have all left their influence.
• Ragusa
  Ragusa is located in the Southern tip of Sicily and counts a population of 68,346. The town was totally devasted in the earthquake of 1693, but rebuilt.
• Syracuse
  Syracuse, located in the Southeastern part of Sicily, was founded by the Greeks in the 8th century BC. The city’s archeological site is part of the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Taormina
  The small town of Taormina is located in the Southeast of the Messina province. Founded by the Greeks in the 5th century BC, Taormina’s most important monument is its Greek Theater. Today, Taormina is a fashionable resort and one of the most visited tourist destinations in Sicily.
  
• Trapani
  Trapani is a city on the Western coast of Sicily with 67,456 inhabitants. Throughout the centuries the saltworks along the coast have created a unique environment of great cultural and economic relevance. The fishing industry flourishes, especially the famous tuna or tonnare which are caught by fishermen still using the mattanza technique to catch them.

Technorati Tags [ sicily | sicily guide | sicily travel guide | sicily travel destinations | palermo | sicilian cities | sicilian itineraries | taormina ]

Growing up in a small town of Sicily - Pace del Mela in the province of Messina, I remember that it was lots of fun on Saint Joseph’s Day (Il Giorno di San Giuseppe), every March 19. It was a day off from school and my mom was cooking the yummy crespelle, better known as zeppole di San Giuseppe or sfingi.

I still remember the nice smell in the house and the sweet taste of the raisins and sugar contrasting with the simplicity of the fried pasta dough. I miss those flavors and tend to be profoundly fond of the memories now that I live in New York City.

The feast of San Giuseppe is still a big day for my family back in Sicily because it is also father’s day and my sister Pina’s name day. Pina is a short form derived from the name Giuseppe. My sister was supposed to be named after my grandmother Peppina, but my father mistakenly registered her with the short form at the city hall the day she was born. My mother was upset at the moment, but soon she dismissed my father’s behavior as emotional. Many other relatives and family’s friends in Sicily are named after San Giuseppe. Therefore, you can easily imagine how this day turns into a very big feast.

Speaking to my mom on the phone, I became a bit homesick and asked for the family’s recipe of the zeppole. I am going to try to make and share my zeppole with some friends after work tonight.

Ingredients for 8 people:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 package yeast
Pinch salt
2 cups water (room temperature)
1 cup raisins
6 cups canola oil
1/2 cup sugar

Method

Mix flour, yeast, salt, raisins and water in a bowl. Let rest for about 2 hours. The dough should be almost liquid. With a spoon, scoop dough and make a ball. In a heavy pot, heat oil. Add the dough to hot oil and deep fry until golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar and serve the zeppole. Enjoy!

Technorati Tags [ sicily | zeppole di san giuseppe | san giuseppe | sicilian traditions | sicilian recipes ]

Sicily is a beautiful land with breathtaking views, great cultural heritage and traditions, but it turns out to be a hell for investors that come from outside. Lately, things appeared to have taken a different path: new foreign investments raised national attention thanks to the state financed project Sviluppo Italia.

Rocco Forte Hotels’ web site reads: “Rocco Forte Hotels is currently building a €129 million hotel and golf resort on the southern coast of Sicily in a small village called Verdura, near Sciacca, about an hour’s drive from the international airport in Palermo and 30 kilometres from Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples.
The development, involving the restoration of several existing buildings on the site together with new construction, which will reflect the history and character of Sicily and the region, will consist of a 200-room ocean-view hotel, two championship golf courses, a hydrotherapy spa, sports facilities and a relatively large real estate development. The architect is Denton Corker Marshall. The Verdura Golf & Spa Resort is currently scheduled to open in 2008″.

As matter of fact, the Verdura Golf & Spa Resort was scheduled to open in December 2006, but this date has been postponed more than once. Aeroviaggi, an Italian tour operator, is having a similar experience in Geraci and, most likely, will give up the idea of building a resort in the area.

Both companies have been facing an unusual amount of red tape that inevitably has put stop to their businesses in the region. The municipalities fighting Rocco Forte Hotels and Aeroviaggi argue that the projects are not environmentally feasible. Public opinion in Sicily and Italy has become increasingly aware of environmental issues and suspicious of big corporations. It might easily be that both projects have not been presented to the local communities, but imposed. The problem is that it is taking too long to solve this entangled matters now, with the consequences that even a child can understand: 1) it is not good for Rocco Forte Hotels and Aeroviaggi; 2) it is not good for the image of Sicily since the region badly needs to attract investments; 3) it is extremely bad for the local economy. Basically, no jobs and no opportunities, not even when they are offered directly at your doorstep.

Technorati Tags [ rocco forte | aeroviaggi | verdura | sciacca | geraci siculo | sicily | sicilian tourism | sviluppo italia ]

Social networking and web 2.0 technology have changed the web in the past few years. Blogs allow comments, wikis encourage collaboration, everybody can freely talk about anything they like and be heard. Sicily is on the Internet more than ever. What people publish online (journals, pictures, videos, etc.) undoubtedly has an impact.It is recent news that the Italian government spent 42 million euros on a web site to promote Italy as a travel destination (www.Italia.it). 42 million?!? YES! It was all over the news. Enraged, some volunteers put together a wiki in no time and argued that this was just a waste of taxpayers’ money. They are right! Now that web 2.0 technology is in place, consumers expect something else from a web site. This project, called Progetto David, has gained wide consensus in the Internet community and has been joined from a great number of enthusiastic marketing experts and tech people.

Surfing the World Wide Web, you can find lots of good and bad things about destinations. Italy is an example of how fast the online community can come together and work against the establishment. The most important thing to notice is that the conversation is on (The Cluetrain Manifesto). Destination marketers can join it or do nothing. It is up to them, but I do not think that ignoring the conversation is an option anymore.

Here is a small list of Travel 2.0 web sites where they can start joining the conversation about Sicily:

TripAdvisor.com
If you are a hotelier, you cannot afford dismissing the comments from this site. Owned by Interactive Corp. (the same company that owns Expedia, Hotels.com, Hotwire, etc.), this web site represents the first stop for almost anybody who is booking a hotel in North America. It also displays journals, photo galleries and forums.

IgoUgo
This web site is owned by Travelocity, a Sabre company. It has similar format as TripAdvisor, but is more focused around the travel journals.

Google Videos (YouTube)
Not always the best videos for a destination, but it is a start. If you are a destination marketer, I would suggest that you convert any professional video you have into a short streaming video and upload it on YouTube right away. Before posting it, do not forget to put a frame with your web site URL on it. If the video picks up, it could be seen by literally millions of people.

Google Photos
You can get any type of photo by searching under the word “Sicily” on Google. Though, sometimes, they are not the best.

Flickr Photos
I think Flickr has the best destination photos online at the moment. There are some passionate people out there and they really show it through the pictures they take.

YahooTravel
You can virtually find any travel information on this web site; buy a vacation package and/or a plane ticket; write a travel journal; upload the pictures from your trips and share them with the online community or just your friends; etc. Plus, you have the reliability of Yahoo.com.

There are plenty of new sites where people publish their journals, pictures of their trips, travel tips, etc…

Here is a short list:
Gusto.com
Real Travel
Home&Abroad
TriuUp

Did I miss anything? Most likely, yes. Please, write to me at SicilyGuide@gmail.com or leave a comment.

Keep in mind to ALWAYS tell the truth about your destination and/or product. If you do not, the online community can start a backslash against you. Do not be intimidated; you will gain rather than lose if you decide to join the conversation.

Technorati Tags [ sicily | social networking | web 2.0 | travel 2.0 | destination marketers | italia.it ]

I do not disagree with the right of Sicilian Governor, Salvatore Cuffaro, of expressing his point of view on the actions of the current Italian Government. I disagree with his style. The governor went well beyond his official mandate and acted like a real comedian on a short television commercial created by Nuove Opinioni by Teleakras, a local TV station in Agrigento Sicily.

The Governor dressed in a Sicilian, old-fashioned way that resembles a real Mafioso and speaks in dialect. He blamed the current Italian government for everything that he does not manage to accomplish in Sicily;namely the Strait of Messina Bridge and other works. He even declared war to America so that Sicily can be invaded and conquered by the Americans.

He forgot that he has been in charge of Sicily for five years with a solid majority and that Sicily is an autonomous region. Sicilian politicians are some of the best paid in the world, but are they really the best? Judging from the facts and from the way Sicilian people live, I would say a convincing no.

Stereotypes against Sicily abound all over the world. I am just sad that even elected politicians help feeding them, instead of doing everything in their power to turn negative views into positive ones with their honest conduct and critical thinking.

Technorati Tags [ sicily | cuffaro ]