Experience Sicily

Category: Observations about Culture

  • Celebrate Santa Lucia 2021 With Experience Sicily

    In Siracusa, veneration of Santa Lucia may be found in many locales, for example at this grocery store that I frequented last February during an extended stay. I saw this tamburello (frame drum) with the patroness of light, eyes, and grain on it, and I lept for joy! I want one! Join me next Monday,…

  • Bizzarely-Named Foods: These Sicilian Cookies

    Normally, I avoid posting two food pictures in succession, but I wanted to thank journalist Sharon McDonnell for including me in her latest story for Fodor’s Travel about bizarrely-named foods! (Thank you!) When McDonnell asked for such examples, these biscotti immediately came to mind. Called Lingua di Suocera, or Mother-Law’s Tongue, perhaps this pastry gets…

  • A Special Doorway In Palermo

    This is a special doorway. A lazy-Susan, really. Put your money down with your sweets order, spin it around, and the cloistered nuns turn it back to you with your pastries. No face to face contact, but they speak to you through their ancient recipes. In Palermo, visit the Cloister of Santa Caterina of Alessandria…

  • Lindsay’s Inspector Montalbano Tour

    “I highly recommend Experience Sicily for creating a wonderful tour of the film set locations of Camilleri’s internationally acclaimed fictional detective, Inspector Montalbano. The fulsome itinerary included viewing the interior of the ‘Vigata police station’ at Scicli, with the highlight of the day being a walk along Punta Secca beach outside Montalbano’s house. Damiano was…

  • The Leopard, Sicily’s Epic Novel

    Prince Don Fabrizio Salina faced a new world in 1860 during the “unification” of Italy. He is the protagonist of “Il Gattopardo (The Leopard),” the posthumously published 1958 novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. Burt Lancaster (pictured) starred in the epic movie by Luchino Visconti in 1963. If you haven’t seen it (or read the…

  • Pupaccene Sweeten The Day Of The Dead

    Sicilians have a profound appreciation for the delicate boundary between the living and the dead. November 2 is All Souls Day, better known as the Day of the Dead (Il Giorno dei Morti in Italian or in Sicilian, Un juornu re muorti). Traditionally, this feast, which follows All Saints Day, is spent recognizing one’s relatives…

  • The Ancient Wisdom Of Persephone In Sicily

    In Enna, Sicily’s historic center is a copy of Bernini’s Abduction of Persephone in bronze (modeled after the statue in the Galleria Borghese in Rome). Its presence illustrates how pervasive this story from ancient Greek times is still today. In fact, the legend which discusses this event that sparks fall’s arrival, was set in Sicily…

  • Prayers for Catania

    Sending prayers and sunshine to our friends in Catania. The Piazza Duomo of Catania in 2019.

  • Terry’s Photos From Stunning Sicily

    Some photos from Stunning Sicily by our client Terry Preskar, October 2021. When can we return?