After years of admiring it from afar, last night, my cousin Giulia and I experienced the Infiorata di Noto, the Baroque town of Noto, Sicily’s annual flower festival. In order to arrive, we sat in a traffic jam of coach busses and cars stuffed with families. I wondered if it was worth it, and asked…
Tag: May in Sicily
Carnevale, Valentine’s Day, Mythology, and Love in Sicily
Love is in the air! Today is Martedì Grasso–Fat Tuesday–the final day of Carnevale! It’s also the day before St. Valentine’s Day… mmm… considering the ancient practices of Carnevale, could it be related to how we interpret Valentine’s Day today? I’m not really sure, but I’ll venture to guess there is a relationship between the…
Escape from the Chatter in Taormina’s Villa Comunale
If you’ve had enough politics, Taormina’s Villa Comunale is a lovely place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the boutiques, restaurants, and G7 conferences happening throughout town. With its lush plantings and shaded pathways, you’ll feel like you’ve escaped to a different era. There is a reason for that! Villa Comunale was given…
Our May 2016 Tour, Day 5: Taormina’s Secret Spot
Taormina’s public garden, Villa Comunale, was given to the town by English aristocrat and nature conservationist Florence Trevelyan (1852-1907), who once enjoyed bird watching from its cliff tops. Originally designed to be a private pleasure garden, the Villa Comunale was initially called Hallington Siculo, or Sicilian Hallington; Hallington for Hallington Demesne, the town from which…