La Festa di li Schietti in Terrasini, near Palermo

April 4, 2010
9:00 am	to	11:00 pm

A very popular celebration takes place in Terrasini (near Palermo) on Easter Day every year. It is called “La Festa di li Schietti” which means the celebration of the unmarried/singles. The main event of the “festa” is the tree-raising contest. The participants either single or married, must lift up an orange tree of more than 100 lbs. (about 50 Kg) and as tall as possible. It is not an easy task, in fact it takes strength and balance ability.

This tradition has very ancient origins, but  it has been celebrated only since 1966. The event actually starts the day before, with the cutting of the best orange tree in the area and its decorating with ribbons and little bell-like ornaments. The day goes on with a folklorist picnic to which everyone is welcomed with some real treats: grilled sardines, sausage, lamb, wine, music, dancing and much more.

On Easter morning the tree is taken around the town and young men raise it below their fiance’s balcony to give a demonstration of their strength. In the afternoon the contest takes place. The music band plays to encourage the participants to resist as long as possible. The person, either single or married, that keeps the tree up for the longest time, is the winner. The entertainment goes on until late at night with music concerts in the beautiful illuminated square of Terrasini and spectacular fireworks.

By Maria Lina Bommarito

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The Cous Cous Festival in San Vito Lo Capo (Annual Event)

September 21, 2010 5:00 pm

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September 26, 2010 5:00 pm

The ancient fishing village of San Vito Lo Capo, located between the Gulf of Castellammare and the city of Trapani on the northern coast of Sicily, hosts an annual Cous Cous Festival each September. The festival is going to take place from  September 21 through 26.

Dedicated to exploring the culinary and cultural aspects of the tasty Mediterranean dish, the festival celebrates the cultural legacy of the Arabic peoples who ruled Sicily for more than 150 years. Cous cous originally arrived in Sicily with the Arabs from Morocco and other areas of Northern Africa who landed on the island in 827. By 903 they ruled all of Sicily and would continue to do so until the Normans began their conquest of the island in 1060. Despite the change in rulers the cultural and culinary stamp of Arabic culture would remain.

Cous Cous

Cous Cous is a food from Morocco of Berber origin. It consists of spherical granules which are made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat and then coating them with finely ground wheat flour. Traditional couscous requires considerable preparation time and is usually steamed (Wikipedia.org). Cous cous is a communal meal, that comes served from a large round platter. Another variety of cous cous, Israeli cous cous, or by its Arabic name, maftoul, is larger–almost pearl-size–nuttier-tasting than its familiar Moroccan counterpart.

The Festival

San Vito Lo Capo’s Cous Cous Festival’s principal event is a cous cous cook-off with the best cous cous Chefs from Israel, Morocco, Egypt, France, Algeria, Tunisia and Italy participating to determine who indeed is the cappo of cous cous (the best chef) in the Mediterranean.

The festival also includes four evenings of music, featuring free performances by Sicilian and African World Music artists Sudd MM-Anita Vitale, Roy Paci & Aretuska , Dam, Khaled, Agricantus, and Sasao Meravigliao in the Piazza Santuario in the heart of the ancient town.

Source: www.couscousfest.it

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Easter in Sicily

March 29, 2010 5:00 pm

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April 4, 2010 10:00 pm

Sicily is the richest Italian region in terms of festival, events and folk customs connected to the Holy Week. Among the most evocative and renowned religious manifestations of devotion are the mysteries of Trapani. Many other can be found between the Madonie and Nebrodi mountains, Palermo and Ragusa, making Easter time one of the most characteristic
periods of the year.

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The union between sacred and secular is one of the most meaningful characteristics of Sicilian culture and Easter is undoubtedly one of the religious celebration that most accentuates this dualism. All over the island, in large towns and tiny villages alike, processions weave their way through narrow streets and squares: saints’ statues carried on the shoulders by those devoted become the main attraction, surrounded by lights, stalls with meat, fruit and sweets, in a mix of mysticism and religiosity. The Spanish and Jesuit inheritance of religious festivals has a long tradition in the ancestral pagan traditions that used to mark the arrival of the Spring, now incorporated into the religious festivities.

The mysteries in Trapani on Good Friday is undoubtedly one of the most ancient and evocative celebrations of the week preceding Easter. This feast, in which the townsmen carry statues through the streets, has Spanish origins and has been taking place for over 400 years. Each statue is made out of wood by the best Trapani’s artisans. One by one the statues represent the stations of the cross, and thousands of Sicilians line the streets awaiting the arrival of the Virgin Mary in search of her son. The mysteries tradition is not only celebrated in Trapani, but also in the close medieval village of Erice and in Marsala, where instead of the wooden statues there is a wonderful representation of the stations of the cross. These processions have kept intact the theatrical aspect of the performance as it was in Medieval time. There are many interesting events not to miss if you’re visiting Sicily during  Easter time and want to taste the atmosphere of age-old traditions.

For more information to visit Sicily during Easter or other times, please visit www.dicasainsicilia.com

DiCasaInSicilia is the perfect partner for those who want to experience an unforgettable holiday in Sicily, with a wide selection of charming accommodations in or in the direct vicinity of the old town centers where some of the most beautiful Holy Week processions of the island take place.

Almond Blossom Festival in Agrigento, Sicily

February 14, 2010 9:00 am

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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 below). Tourists can admire the almond blossoms in the beautiful setting of the Valley of the Temples.

The Almond Blossom Festival originated from an idea of Count Alfonso Gaetani in 1934. The purpose was to celebrate the mild climate in Agrigento and promote typical Sicilian products.

Video of Agrigento

Enjoy this video of Agrigento in Sicily!

Agrigento – Sicily from Web TV Italy on Vimeo.

Palermo is among the top 10 undiscovered culinary capitals

According to www.askmen.com Palermo is among the top 10 undiscovered culinary capitals

For foodies looking for somewhere new to explore and give their taste buds a work-out, men’s Web portal AskMen.com has come up with a list of the world’s top 10 undiscovered culinary gems.

The list was compiled by editors at www.askmen.com and is not endorsed by Reuters:

5. Palermo, Italy

Sicilian culture is the product of many influences and its cuisine reflects this. In Palermo, enjoy greens and vegetables, and fish and grain, seasoned with the best influences of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Try restaurants like Il Mulinazzo and Osteria Altri Tempi for classic Sicilian favourites.

Read more at Canada.com

Ryanair is expanding its Sicily operations

Ryanair is expanding its Sicily operations. The carrier will open 13 new routes from Trapani next spring.

Two new Ryanair planes will be based at Trapani from next March. The move is good news for those renting their Sicily villas to holidaymakers.

Services will start between Trapani and Billund (Denmark), Bratislava, Cagliari, Eindhoven, Genoa, Gothenburg, Ibiza, Karlsruhe, Krakow, Maastricht, Memmingen, Trieste and Valencia.

Ryanair will also increase the frequency of its existing routes between Trapani and Brussels, Frankfurt and Dusseldorf. As a result of its expansion, Ryanair hopes to carry two million passengers through Trapani per year.

The carrier will also expand its operations at Bologna in the spring. An extra plane will be based at the airport from March.

The Bologna expansion will see a new route to Malaga added. The frequency of its Bologna services between Stansted and Ibiza will also increase.

Source holidaylettings.co.uk.

The Skinny on Taormina, Sicily by Matthew Bamman

The first time I visited Taormina was somewhat by accident. If you enter Sicily by ferry from Reggio di Calabria, the final city on the toe of the boot, and decide to go south on Sicily’s eastern shore—toward cities like Catania or Syracuse—Taormina is one of the first towns you’ll encounter. Strapped for time, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go in Sicily. But when I saw the striking Isola Bella, a tiny island straight out of Treasure Island, as I passed on the train, the striking natural beauty of Taormina drew me in.

Read more at EuropeUpClose.com

Galleria Regionale di Sicilia – Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo reopens

Galleria Regionale di Sicilia – Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo reopens to the public. The building was designed by Carnalivari at the end of the 15th century as the residence of Francesco Abatellis, harbormaster of the Kingdom of the two Sicilies. The palace is one of the most significant Gothic-Catalan architectonic samples in Western Sicily. Its gallery features sculptures and paintings from the 12th to the 18th century.

Highlights: the Triumph of Death fresco; the Annunciation by Antonello da Messina; The Malvagna Triptych by Mabuse; fine collection of statues by Antonello Gagini and Francesco Laurana.

Address: Via Alloro 4, Palermo
Tel.: (091) 616 43 17
Fax: (091) 617 21 87
Web site: www.regione.sicilia.it

Sciacca on the Wall Street Journal

It is unusual that the Wall Street Journal covers Sicily and Sciacca in the Agrigento province even more so…

Reporter Robin Sidel on what to do, where to stay and where to eat in this low-key fishing port town.

What to do: Tucked into Sicily’s southwestern coast, Sciacca (pronounced SHACK-ah) is a nice break from the busy tourist destinations like Taormina or Palermo. It’s also a good home base when visiting the ancient Greek temples in Agrigento and Selinunte, both of which are less than an hour away. This small hilly city (population 40,000) is best-known for its working fishing port, ancient thermal baths, handful of churches, and ancient serpentine streets that provide a good sense of typical Sicilian life. There aren’t a ton of don’t-miss destinations here, and you won’t find much English spoken in restaurants, hotels or shops. Like much of Sicily, the thing to do in Sciacca is to wander aimlessly, get lost, stop for an espresso, and then start up again. The main part of town is around Piazza di Scandaliato, a large square that offers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea below. Stop into Gran Caffe for a sweet-tart lemon granita. If you want to eat your gelato like a local, skip the cup or cone and order it in a brioche. Walk down Corso Vittorio Emanuelle and you will come across ancient palazzos, churches and shops that sell locally made ceramics in brilliant blues, yellows and greens. At Ceramiche Montalbano, a vibrant cappuccino cup-and-saucer set costs €18 (Corso Emanuelle, 54). For more ceramics, drive down to the fishing port and wander around the small streets to view beautiful staircases inlaid with colorful ceramic tiles. The main appeal, though, is the city’s thermal baths. For a truly unusual experience, spend a morning at the Terme Di Sciacca,. This massive complex is something between a spa and a hospital where locals receive treatments for everything from vascular to sinus ailments. For €23, healthy visitors who can withstand the powerful rotten-egg odor of sulfur springs (and some perfunctory questions from a staff doctor) can take a 15-minute soak in an indoor hydrotherapy tub, lay wrapped in a blanket for another 15 minutes and emerge with muscles that feel like jelly (via Fuguli, 2).

Where to eat: Not surprisingly, fish is the specialty here. The daily catch doesn’t get any fresher than at La Lampara, which is directly across the street from the fishing port. The elegant upstairs dining room is an incongruous surprise in this part of town, which appears to be somewhat down and out. Start with the misticanza e melone (sliced melon and small shrimp on a bed of greens) or the delicate filetto di spatula, a large portion of delicious and delicately sauteed local white fish. From there, choose from a wide assortment of fish entrees, including seafood risotto, spaghetti with clams or dorade in a light, lemony sauce with olives and cherry tomatoes (Vicolo Grande II Caricatore 33, Tel. 39-0925-85085). Hostaria del Vicolo, hidden on a tiny pedestrian alley, offers a creative menu that includes sea bass pickled in salt and ravioli with shrimp sauce, zucchini and almond flakes (Vicolo Sammaritano 10, Tel. 39-0925-23071, www.hostariadelvicolo.it). For a more casual dinner overlooking the sea, return to Piazza di Scandaliato and enjoy traditional Sicilian dishes like pasta with sardines at Miramare (Piazza Scandaliato 6, Tel. 39-0925-26050).

Where to stay: Finding your way around Sicily can be quite a challenge, so get a car with GPS if you want to stay at the peaceful Villa Palocla, an eight-room hotel on the outskirts of Sciacca. Folded in among the farms, vineyards and orange groves, the charming hotel has a lovely pool and plenty of room to stroll outside. The hotel restaurant provides a good excuse for staying in at night (Contrada Raganella, Tel. 39-0925-902812, www.villapalocla.it). For an easier find, the 77-room, modern Grande Hotel Delle Terme is conveniently located next door to the bathhouse (Viale delle Terme, 1, Tel. 39-0925-23133, www.grandhoteldelleterme.com). There are also assorted bed-and-breakfasts in and around town.

Write to Robin Sidel at robin.sidel@wsj.com

Source: The Wall Street Journal (free content)

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