Tag: catania
-
Grillin’ With The Locals In Sicily
In Sicily, I let the locals guide me so I can guide you. As a tour leader, I enable my clients to discover Sicily without all of the hassle of navigation and logistics because I take care of the details. That way, you can be in the moment, focusing on the people, sights, flavors, and…
-
Inspired By The Clamour of Sicily’s Markets
Sicily has vibrant outdoor markets that in some cases are centuries old, like this one pictured, in Catania that is well known for its fresh fish, vegetables, cheese, meats, and nuts (Here, I’m buying pistachios from Bronte.). Palermo has three very famous ones: Vucciria, Ballarò, and Il Capo, each with its own character. Among their…
-
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…
-
Me and Vincenzo Bellini
Celebrity Selfie Alert! Well, sort of. While in Catania in January, I took the opportunity to take a photo with the composer Bellini at the (You guessed it.) Giardino Bellini. Catania and Sicily are very proud of their “son,” the opera composer, Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835). Bellini was born into a family of musicians in Catania…
-
Carnevale in Sicily Is Underway
Carnevale is underway in Italy, and in Sicily that means the towns of Acireale and Sciacca are throwing big parties. The main festivities are this coming weekend, leading up to next Tuesday’s finale. This photo is from 2017, when I was fortunate enough to be dancing in the streets with all of the other revelers.…
-
Sicilian Pastry Shaped Like A Breast: Minna di Sant’Agata
One of the iconic elements of the feast of Sant’Agata–and lighter ones too–is the Minna di Sant’Agata (or Minna di Sant’Aita in Sicilian), or Saint Agatha’s Breast, a pastry that you’ll find this time of year made and eaten in honor of the saint. I ate this sweet ricotta-filled pastry covered with layers of marzipan…
-
Agatha Prayed Louder
Christianity was illegal during Agata’s life in the early 3rd Century AD. So, when she refused the advances of the Roman prefect Quintianus, he arrested her and condemned her to a brothel as punishment. Having sworn herself to God, she protested participating in the activities of the brothel. As a result, Agata was thrown into…
-
Drinking In Sicily
I can’t express enough how much, every time I visit Sicily, I drink it in! When I was in Catania last week, I did just that in the ancient market–with a little help from my new friends. My desire to take it all in is backed by a passion to then turn it around and…
-
Always Make Time To Dance
My time in Catania, Sicily’s second largest city, during this trip was packed with wonder, and even if it’s not officially a tarantella, 🎶 “Vitti ‘na crozza” gave me an opportunity to dance under la Fontana dell’Elefante, effectionaltely known as Liotru, in the Piazza Duomo.