Sicily Guide

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Carmen Consoli performed in Central Park in New York, at the Delacorte Theater, on Tuesday September 25. The concert, part of a two-week series organized by the Joe’s Pub in Central Park, also included the performances by Luciana Souza and Morley. Carmen, a talented singer originally from Catania, brought a little bit of Sicily in the heart of the Big Apple and delighted a small crowd with her lyrics.

Here is a streaming video of her singing Maria Catena at the Delacorte Theater.

Introducing the song Masino in English…

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45 second video of Noto and its cathedral

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 44 second video of the saltworks in Trapani

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Siracusa, in the Southern tip of Sicily, is a city of magnificent archeological past. It has gone through ups and downs through the centuries, but its quarter of Ortigya is thriving in popularity these days. Watch this 45 second clip to see how the city is changing!

Read more about Siracusa 
Travel itineraries

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Tonight, Liza Minnelli will be accompanied by her 26-piece in the Taormina concert entitled “The Best of Liza” and will be performing live all her best hits that have established her as a true living icon the world over.

Tickets to the concert at the Teatro Antico in Taormina are being sold by RPL at €45 each. VIP seats are available at €150 and €250. Tickets to the after-concert dinner are selling at an extra €50.

Watch a video of Liza Minnelli singing New York, New York together with Luciano Pavarotti

Read more at www.lizaminnelli-taormina.com

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I rarely mention Sicilian white wines. Summer is the ideal season to sip some delicate white wine. An amazing value from Sicily, the Planeta La Segreta Bianco 2005 is a blend of 60% Greciano, 20% Chardonnay, and the rest equal parts Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. The wine has terrific aromatics of white flowers and minerals, and, on the palate, it is clean and balanced, with mango and pineapple flavors and refreshing acidity. Full-bodied and rich, La Segreta is perfect with sushi, fresh octopus, and other fresh seafood or veggie dishes. Enjoy!

Watch the Planeta La segreta Bianco 2005 tasting video below…

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Ferragosto is an Italian holiday celebrated on August 15, traditionally believed by Roman Catholics to be the day when the Blessed Virgin Mary was bodily assumed in to heaven. However, this holiday was celebrated in the Roman Empire to honor the gods -specifically Diana- and the cycle of fertility and maturity. In fact, the present name of the holiday is taken from its original title of Feriae Augusti (from Wikipedia). Today, Ferragosto is a big national day in Italy: everything is closed and you barely find a doctor in case of emergency!

Il Gigante e la Gigantessa Are on View from August 10
Messina in the Eastern side of Sicily celebrates Ferragosto mixing sacred and profane traditions. Prior to August 15, the colossal statues of a couple of giants on horseback - a Moor called Grifone and a inhabitant of the village of Camaro (above Messina) called Mata, founders of the city according to the myth (in the photo) - are taken around the city.

The Religious Feast and Procession on August 15
Every August 15, Messina celebrates the Assumpion of the Virgin Mary with a traditional procession that sees the vara of the Madonna dragged with ropes by local people (view video of the 2006 procession below). The term vara, meaning literally coffin, derives from the small glass casket holding the figure of the mortal body of the Virgin, at the base of the machine. The procession goes extremely slowly due also to the particular cone-shaped statue representing the image of Crist supporting his mother in the palm of his hand and raising her to heaven. On the background of the statue is the structure of the universe: from the world up to heaven, with the angelic hierarchies in between. The procession is by no doubt one of the most suggestive traditional festivities in Sicily. If you are around, do not miss it!

Video of the 2006 Procession

More about Messina
How to get there
Where to eat
More about Ferragosto in Messina

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I always find new videos of Sicily on YouTube. Most of the times, I find that they are of poor quality. Recently, I saw these ones filmed by Alessandro Sorbello, a freelance producer living between Australia and Italy. Bravo, Alessandro! 

Sensational Sicily (1:25 min.)

Sensational Sicily: An Overview (1:55 min.)

Sicily: Nature, Parks & Environment (1:00 min.)

Sicilian Food, Wine and Cooking (1:13 min.)

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