Tag: castello
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Don’t Mess With Etna
On March 8, 1669, Etna began erupting. The citizens of Catania thought they could challenge the volcano. Unfortunately, they were wrong. The population of the city watched from the shores of the Ionian Sea as towns north and west of them were destroyed. Thinking their city walls would be a match Mother Nature’s wrath, they…
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The Key To Success Is Who You Know
Because when you know the right people, you can get insider access to the cool places with the breathtaking views. (Sicily has a lot of castles, and I love that the key to this one actually says, “Castello” to open the gate to the castle!) Grazie Giuseppe Sciurca for your hospitality!
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Sleep Like A Princess
I arrived in Sicily today, and it’s super late here (Ah, jet lag … but really, what’s been keeping me awake is that I’ve been working most of the night!). I’m about to go to sleep, and yes, I’m sleeping in *this* castle! This is a magnificent castle hotel-resort that I’m investigating for your future…
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Being Part of the Local Action
Last night proved me right! I love working local festivals into our Experience Sicily itineraries, because as a traveler, you gain a real sense of community from witnessing townspeople come together to celebrate. Here in Ischia, where I am on vacation with my husband, last night we experienced the Festa di Sant’Anna. I loved watching…
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Ischia’s Castle of Aragon: A Fortified Village
We registered a lot of steps and flights yesterday when we visited the striking Aragon Castle of Ischia! Really a fortified village on an island, the castle was built over centuries and has been occupied by civilizations since before Greek times. At the end of the 16th century, nearly 2000 people lived within its walls.…
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Lords and Ladies in Caccamo
The castle at Caccamo is everything you think a castle should be. Its position over the valley below is extraordinary and it even has a room with a trap door where the lord of the fortress could literally pull the rug out from under you if you were on his bad side, and you’d fall…
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Sicilian Skyscraper
Enna’s Castello di Lombardia has existed in various forms since pre-Greek times. Its foundation is built over what once was a temple to Demeter, the goddess of the grain and the harvest. Photo credit: Filippo Buttitta
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The Belly Button of Sicily
Considered the “belly button of Sicily,” the small city of Enna holds court in the center of the island region. It has been strategically important since the Sicanian era (the population before the Greeks and Romans). The citizens of Enna are very proud of their medieval heritage, and especially proud of their castle, the Castello…
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Castle In The Sky
Constructed starting in the 11th century, the Norman castle at Caccamo, Sicily sits atop a steep mountain overlooking a vast green valley in the province of Palermo. Thank you to my cousin Filippo Buttitta, who took this photo. Today, the medieval structure houses a civic museum and an excellent pizzeria, where we’ll eat lunch on…