This is a map of where the photos on my phone have been taken and how many. Since getting this memory card in 2016, I’ve taken over 16,000 photos–most of them in Sicily. It’s amazing to see that in Palermo province, for example, I’ve taken 3306 photos; in Siracusa province 1408. The other day, my cousin Anna asked me how many tours of Sicily I’d done since I arrived in May. I explained that I’ve toured Valley of the Temples five times since April, so, if that’s any indication… “Sempre in giro! (Always touring!)” chimed in Evelina, my fellow curator of Experience Sicily itineraries. (Meanwhile, I’ve been to Agrigento without going to the UNESCO site too!) Sicilians will tell you that I know the island better than they do–this documentation of my photos is a testament to that. But in the end, it’s not just having taken a photo in a place that makes my knowledge of Sicily deep.

Yes, every time I visit the Valley, it takes my breath away, but in the end, it’s about the connection I have to my family, friends, and colleagues –Sicilians– that makes my knowledge of Sicily deep. It’s their passion for their land and their culture which I too have absorbed and which can’t stop seeking more of. More of it, so I can share it with you. That’s why I invite you to experience Sicily together!