Ortigia’s Piazza del Duomo seduces me with her beauty, but then, when she adds in the harmonies and melodies of an accordion player, I’m hypnotized.
Tag: piazza
Tarantella In Baroque Sicily
If I could have been anywhere last night, I would have been in the UNESCO town of Scicli (pictured), dancing the pizzica tarantella and tracing out with all the other tarantate at the Taranta Sicily Fest. *sigh* Another time!
October in Sicily
October in Sicily means harvest festivals and sagras celebrating the abundance of the season. Each Sunday of this month in the town of Zafferana Etnea, pictured, on the east slope of Etna, they host the 40th edition of Ottobrata Zafferanese, a culture and food festival celebrating the typical products of the volcanic region. Each Sunday…
Mazara del Vallo
Piazza della Repubblica, pictured, is the heart of the city of Mazara del Vallo in southwestern Sicily. Mazara del Vallo is considered the most important fishing port in Italy. Founded by the Phoenicians as a trading post, it was significant during the Arab era, when it was the capital of Val di Mazara, one of…
Grand Grammichele
Inspired by the enthroned goddess from Grammichele in Siracusa’s Museo Orsi, and after having seen photos of the town’s hexagonal piazza online, I hoped to visit in order to see the grand plaza for myself. Well, in May, our host Carmelo Cafici from nearby Licodia Eubea, guided my cousin Giulia (pictured) and me there. Built…
Me And The Guys In The Piazza
When I started learning Italian in 1996 while backpacking solo through Europe, it was a dream of mine to be able to talk to the locals and (attempt) to understand their cultures. I wanted to hear what someone from another country thought and felt. Since gaining a command of Italian, it’s been a great joy…
The Most Beautiful Piazza in Italy
Every time I am in Ortigia, I fall deeper in love with Siracusa’s Piazza del Duomo. I think it is the most beautiful piazza in Italy!
Catania’s Elephant
Two rivers meet under Catania’s Piazza del Duomo to feed the Fontana dell’Elefante, or the Elephant Fountain. Designed by G.B. Vaccarini in 1736, this focal point of the cathedral’s square possesses an ancient Roman-era statue of an elephant made from black lava stone holding an Egyptian obelisk that boasts hieroglyphics about the goddess Isis, and…
Ortigia Sound System
Going on now through 31 July in Ortigia (Where the Piazza del Duomo pictured is located.) is the 3rd annual Ortigia Sound System, a music, design, and culture festival. Contemporary bands and DJs take to the streets, boats, and pop-up concert venues to push boundaries of modern music and entertainment. Designers host workshops about building…
Stroll through Taormina
A view of Taormina’s main shopping street, Corso Umberto, from the Church of San Giuseppe on Piazza IX Aprile We’ll wake up here on Day 9 of this September’s Savoring Sicily tour. Contact me at AllisonScola@ExperienceSicily.com to learn about the special offer I have going on right now.