Experience Sicily

Tag: catania

  • Blue Sky, Blacktop

    Catania’s Piazza del Duomo was one of the city’s grand piazzas built in the early 18th century by architects Giovanni Vaccarini and Stefano Ittar following the devastating Etna eruption of 1669 and earthquake of 1693. Incorporating the black volcanic rock from Etna into the pavement as well as the buildings’ design, the piazza possesses the…

  • White & Black

    The area around the crater of Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, sports a black lava surface. So, when it snows like it did last week, as shown here, the contrast between the white powder and the hardened, black lava is stunning.

  • Ski Sicily

    Have you ever thought of skiing on a volcano? Well, in Sicily you can. Mount Etna boasts two ski resorts: Nicolosi and Piano Provenzana. The best skiing is from December to February–so don’t delay, the season is almost over! (Photo Credit: Experience Sicily’s Filippo Buttitta)

  • Bird of a Float

    A float from Sunday’s Acireale Carnevale parade. If you look closely, you can see the light-bulbs for when this bird is brought out for the night procession. (Photo Credit: Experience Sicily’s Evelina Buttitta Rubino)

  • Fantastic Floats

    Colorful, illuminated floats from Saturday’s Carnevale parade at Acireale. (Photo Credit: Experience Sicily’s Evelina Buttitta Rubino)

  • Cannoli and Carnevale

    Cannoli are a traditional food of Carnevale, or Carnival, which is celebrated with gusto over the next few days in the Sicilian town of Acireale. A blend of history, satire, dance, music, and masques and costumes, Acireale’s Carnevale is known for being one of the most animated, boisterous, and prodigious in Italy. Children of all…

  • An Inspired Workout

    Caltagirone’s Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte was built in 1609 to connect the old lower town to the new upper town. Since 1954, each of its 142 steps was decorated with a unique design of colorful, handcrafted majolica ceramic tile, a craft for which the city is world renowned. (Photo Credit: Experience Sicily’s Filippo…

  • Walk the Rim

    Volcanic crater, Mount Etna. (Photo Credit: Experience Sicily’s Filippo Buttitta)

  • Viva Sant’Agata!

    Last night, “cittadini” of Catania (or citizens) packed the streets to pay homage to their patron Sant’Agata. 4-foot tall candles lit the way for the pink-flower-decorated, silver carriage, or fercolo, that carried the Saint’s statue and her relics to all of the important locations where Agatha lived and suffered, so devotees could reflect and pray.…