Visiting the temples for the gods never gets old! For our fourth day of Savoring Sicily, we spent the morning making our way through the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. The best part for me is seeing the wonder in our clients’ eyes when they see this magnificent, 2-km long UNESCO site. Behind me,…
Tag: storia
The Admiral’s Seven Arches Bridge
This seven-arched bridge once crossed the Oreto River (now dried up or relegated to flow underground) on the south-east side of Palermo’s historic center. Known as the Ponte dell’Ammiraglio, or Admiral’s Bridge, it was built in 1113 by Roger II’s emir of emirs, George of Antioch. Today, this wonder of Arab-Norman architecture sits in a…
Bridge Over the Kemonia River
It’s hard to imagine today, but in ancient times, Palermo’s harbor extended south into the city, and two rivers fed it: The Papireto and the Kemonia. The Kemonia has long since dried up; however, locals keep its memory present with this sign that translates to “Here was the bridge over the Kemonia river.”
History or PR?
The crumbling, probably 14th century, coastal warning tower at Isola delle Femmine reminds us of the legends of how this island got its name. There are three theories that I learned from the locals of the mainland town by the same name: in the 16th century, it was a women’s prison, in the 19th century,…
Homes throughout Sicily possess ironwork over their principal doorways that reveals their histories. The crescent window decoration over my great great grandfather Vincenzo Scola’s home possesses a V and S for his initials, indicating that he built the house. #experiencesicily #ironwork #window #finestra #storia #history #familyhistory #famiglia #porticello #palermo #sicily #sicilia #siciliabedda #italy #italia #sicily_tourism…