8,000 square meters or 86,111 square feet of concrete mark the place where the town of Gibellina was before the devastating 1968 earthquake that was centered in southwestern Sicily. Artist Alberto Burri spent 30 years to create this sculpture called Grande Cretto or il Cretto, that outlines the streets of the old town where homes, businesses, restaurants, schools, and public spaces once existed. In person, it is astounding to see.
Allison Scola is founder, owner, and curator of Experience Sicily and the Cannoli Crawl. Named one of the experts for the 2019 New York Times Travel Show, Scola writes and lectures on Sicily and leads immersive tours and designs custom itineraries that delight discerning travelers. She has been featured on Rudy Maxa’s World with the Carey’s, America’s #1 Travel Radio Show and as the cannoli expert in the documentary Cannoli, Traditions Around the Table. Scola has lectured about Sicily at University of Pennsylvania, The New School, LIU Post University, Queens College, Westchester Italian Cultural Center, at high schools in the New York City metropolitan area, and at events in New York City.
