This is Hugo. I miss him. Normally, during every visit to Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, I get a chance to say hello to him. Last year, that was six times. Of course the temples are always impressive… but on some days (for me), Hugo steals the show. I miss our flirtations. Hugo is…
Discover Eastern Sicily With Synchronous Chocolate Tasting
Let’s eat chocolate from Sicily while dreaming about traveling there! Join Experience Sicily on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 7PM Eastern for an online presentation about Sicily travel with a synchronous chocolate tasting. Sign up for Zoom meeting is complimentary. The artisanal chocolate (As is made in Modica, as in this photograph I took last summer.)…
Wine Is Another Window Into Sicily
Wine offers another window into Sicily. The soil, landscape, climate, flora, and fauna of a region all contribute to the taste, smell, and wonder of the island’s now renowned wines. To be continued…
The Significance Of Pine Cone Ceramics In Sicily
You’ll see majolica pine cones like this one I photographed in the ceramic center, Caltagirone, all over Sicily and southern Italy. It’s a significant symbol. As a botanical, the pine cone is a reproductive organ. Female pine cones hold seeds. Male pine cones hold pollen. From ancient Greek times, the pine cone recalls the Greek…
Ancient Roman Barbecue In Sicily
This mosaic scene from the Roman Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina features hunters at an altar for the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, moon, and childbirth, i.e. the Roman Diana or Greek Artemis. The Roman Villa, a UNESCO site, is better described as an ancient plantation. Scholars believe that the original owner was…
Hand-picked Family-run Inns In Sicily
Our hand-picked family-run inns and restaurants in Sicily will surprise and delight you. Our hosts can’t wait for you to visit them! #seeyousoonsicily
Taormina Mustsee: The Teatro Antico
Taormina is always bewitching. From the charming boutiques and cafes to the fabulous hotels and restaurants, it is the best European-style resort city in Sicily. Please don’t leave Sicily to go to the Amalfi Coast or Capri! Go to Taormina! It’s stunning. The views of Mount Etna will grab your attention along with the beautiful…
Sicily’s Watermelon Sugar
Watermelon Sugar…. Ideal for a hot summer day, gelu di mulune or, in Italian, gelo d’anguria (or gelo di melone), is a watermelon custard that is served chilled, in little cups. This one, made at the not-to-be-missed shop of il Monastero di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria in Palermo, is topped with chocolate chips (Jasmine flowers and…
Visit Mount Etna’s Valle Del Bove
The Valle del Bove or Valley of the Oxen is a lava valley on Mount Etna’s eastern flank. Note the distinct difference between the green treeline on the left and the black lava flow on the right. Seeing this illustrates the definitive force of lava pretty clearly. The Valley is one of Etna’s most rugged…
Our Hostesses Taught Us Well
One of the many memorable moments of last year’s Secret Sicily: Life In A Remote Sicilian Town tour was making a pasta lunch with the ladies of Licodia Eubea (and their husbands too!). It was all hands on in order to make fresh cavatelli with a traditional meat ragù. Maria Concetta, Antonella, and Carmen wasted…