Love is in the air!

Today is Martedì Grasso–Fat Tuesday–the final day of Carnevale! It’s also the day before St. Valentine’s Day… mmm… considering the ancient practices of Carnevale, could it be related to how we interpret Valentine’s Day today? I’m not really sure, but I’ll venture to guess there is a relationship between the date of St. Valentine’s Day (a date that marks spring’s arrival in some parts of the Mediterranean), lovers, and Carnevale. Which brings me to the float pictured from 2017’s Carnevale in Acireale, Sicily.

The floats that the teams from the town on the slopes of Etna create for Carnevale all possess a story. They are often satirical, which is in the vein of the feast, and often about political issues and/or famous figures. This one pictured, which is my favorite from last year, is different, however. It depicts a local legend about the beautiful nymph Galatea and the handsome shepherd Aci (here, gazing into each other’s eyes) and the tragic love triangle they found themselves in with the cyclops Polyphemus. You can read their story from a past post at https://experiencesicily.com/2015/02/02/hit-and-myth/.

Do you enjoy mythology and stories of gods, goddesses, and nymphs? If so, you’ll want to join me for our May 2018 tour: Myths & Mysteries of Sicily. We’ve got one spot left for a couple or a single!

Contact me at allisonscola@experiencesicily.com or +1-646-281-4324 to learn more.

Let’s experience Sicily together!