Hello friend, I've been taking a little mental health break this past week, resting, trying to relieve the unbelievable amount of stress I manage to put upon myself and resting. Let's talk more about mental health in general because these are complex and difficult times, and everyone has their struggles. We need to normalise taking…
Continue reading ➞ Una passeggiata
Photo by Javon Swaby Hello friend, Apart from Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, there are a few other significant dates in the Italian festive season calendar that you must watch out for if you decide to visit Italy in December and January. Some people are wary of visiting Italy for Christmas…
Continue reading ➞ All the essential festivities to celebrate in Italy during the festive season.
Photo by Jeffrey Czum Hello Friend, Are you ready for some more insider tips for your trip to Italy? As a travel writer who has explored most of this beautiful country, I've gathered some valuable tips to make your Italian adventure unforgettable. 1. First things first, try to learn some basic Italian phrases…
Continue reading ➞ More tips still for first time visitors to Italy
Hello friend, I'm gradually working through your travel questions about Sicily. It's taking me a while, but I'm enjoying it. Don't expect detailed travel itineraries; let's keep the questions nice and general. And please send all questions via email as I will lose track if you ask them on any other of my social media.…
Continue reading ➞ Travel advice: self guided tours of Sicily
Hello friend, I'm gradually working through your travel questions about Sicily. Don't expect detailed travel itineraries; let's keep it general. I'm happy to point you in the right direction if you are planning a trip. Hello, My father's mother immigrated to the US (I do not know the year) from Santo Stefano de Quisquina. My…
Hello friend, I'm working my way through a pile of various travel questions about Sicily. Don't expect detailed travel itineraries; let's keep it general. I'm happy to point you in the right direction if you are planning a trip. Here's this week's email and my reply. Greetings, My wife and I will return to Sicily…
Continue reading ➞ Travel advice: Siracusa and language schools
Hello friend, I’m working my way through heaps of travel questions about Sicily. It’s taking me a while but I’m loving it. Don’t expect detailed travel itineraries, lets just keep it general. I’m happy to point you in the right direction if you are planning a trip. Here’s this weeks email and my reply. …
Continue reading ➞ Travel advice: buying a house in Sicily
Throughout the year, Sicily offers the occasion to enjoy the best local food and traditions for locals and visitors. A town or city's Sagra will feature a particular speciality celebrated and usually consumed for only a few Euros. Some people hire a camper, particularly in the summer and go from sagra to sagra, depending on…
Continue reading ➞ Sagre and Feste in each Sicilian province: Messina
August is a month filled with endless Sagre and Feste in a series of celebrations which fill the table with food tasting and patron saint holidays. Most Italians have their annual summer holidays this month, so things are particularly hectic. August in Italy means the thermometer hits its peak. The humid Italo summer closes down…
Continue reading ➞ Food and religious festivals in Sicily this August
Sicily has a wonderfully variegated cuisine; its plate is filled with influences from all around the Mediterranean, from the Middle East to North Africa, Greece and many more. There is great pride in preparing local specialities and showing off the abundant talent of each chef. Like in most of Italy, each region, even town from…
Continue reading ➞ 10 More Food Festivals in Sicily
Randazzo sits under the feet of Mount Etna; a gigantic menacing shadow is constantly over the city. It is a place born out of the volcano and at its mercy. The wide lava streets of Randazzo create a sense of ancientness, the shades of grey sketching out the city in the deep depressing tones of…
Continue reading ➞ Randazzo: at the feet of Mongibello
It's been a while since my last rant about the irksome parts of culture shock in Italy. I've learnt to adapt to most of the stuff I used to find bothersome; after all, you cannot pretend that an entire culture will change to fit your convenience. I take culture shock with a smile and try…
Continue reading ➞ 10 irksome culture shocks in Italy
Every town and city in Italy has its own Saintly patron or protector which has its own dedicated festa or celebration during the year with associated religious processions and events. In Sicily alone, there are three hundred and ninety town halls which means many different variations in Saint day celebrations. Apart from the religious…
Continue reading ➞ 10 Feste Patronale in Sicilia
People are always asking me for Italian book recommendations and after I recently posted my favourite movies I knew I will have to also write a list of book recommendations. I've tried to avoid huge commercial successes and clichè building monsters as I want to give everyone something different and challenging to read. So excuse…
Continue reading ➞ 10 of my favourite Italian-themed books
Capizzi is clumsily spilt on a high hill; its stone houses have been plucked out of the Middle Ages. The streets are made of tightly paved stones and tiny dwellings like huts huddled together to create a mosaic in different shades of charcoal. The road snakes up the hill to Capizzi reaching a peak at the head of…
Continue reading ➞ Hunting near Capizzi
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