Ferragosto is upon us! And that means throughout Sicily (and Italy) there are feasts, music festivals, and gatherings of all sorts, like Ypsigrock (pictured) that took place over the weekend in Castelbuono, Palermo province. My cousin Filippo attended, and he sent me this photo of one of my musician heros, Alfio Antico, who performed on…
Tag: castelbuono
Drink Sicily
Experience Sicily’s Evelina Buttitta and her husband toured Abbazia Santa Anastasia cantina in the Madonie Mountains today. She said it was, “Bellissimo.” Sicily has a robust wine production industry. For your visit to the region, we can organize tastings and tours of vineyards throughout the island, so you can “drink Sicily” too!
Dreams and Colors in Noto
This weekend is the 38th annual Infiorata di Noto, or Noto Flower Festival. This year’s theme is “Sogni e colori del Principato di Monaco” or “Dreams and Colors of Monaco.” Over the last two days, along the Baroque town’s via Nicolaci, different art-school groups have been laying out their mosaic designs of flower petals and…
Castelbuono’s Haunted Castle
The Castello dei Ventimiglia in Castelbuono meets all of your ideas about what a castle should be. It has a wall around it. It has a look-out tower. It was built in the 14th century. And it is haunted. Yup–legend says that Queen Constance Chiaramonte haunts the castle! Today, it is a town museum. This…
There Will Be Jousting
Speaking of Lords and Ladies, this weekend head to Piazza Armerina for the annual Medieval Festival featuring period music, dance, jousting, and a Palio (horse race)! The citizens of Piazza Armerina don’t fool around–from 12-14 August, the entire town recalls the 11th century, dressing, eating, entertaining, and sporting in the style of the citizens during…
Castelbuono Celebrates Sant’Anna
The city of Castelbuono is currently celebrating its patroness Sant’Anna whose feast day is July 26. Each day since July 17, devotees have been processing a life-size statue of the saint through the alleys and thoroughfares of the walled-city–most in costumes illustrating the pride they have in their Medieval past. On July 25, in the…
A Man and His Miniature Donkeys
Sicilian donkeys are a special breed of donkey, better known as miniature donkeys. They originated in North Africa and were brought to Sicily centuries ago. Sicilians have much to thank donkeys for: they are, so to speak, work-horses. Throughout human history, domesticated donkeys have carried people and goods, pulled carts, and even propelled the grind…
Summer Jazz in Sicily
This week in the piazza at the foot of Castelbuono’s medieval castle is the 18th annual Castelbuono Jazz Festival. Experience Sicily’s Evelina Buttitta attended the show on Monday night when jazz musicians under 30 years of age competed to win a trip to New York City. The festival was funded by the town of Castelbuono…
Magic Carpets
This weekend is the 36th annual Infiorata di Noto, or Noto Flower Festival. This year’s theme is “Benvenuta Catalogna” or “Welcome Catalonia.” Over the last few days, along the Baroque town’s via Nicolaci, different art-school groups have been laying out their mosaic designs of flower petals and other natural materials into “carpets” that reflect this…
A Colorful Steeple
Castelbuono is a beautiful medieval town in the Madonie Mountains. This bell tower pictured is from one of the town’s churches–perhaps built in the 14th century. It is decorated with colorful majolica tiles. This time of year, the Comune di Castelbuono sponsors a series of events for the Christmas and New Year holidays, starting this…