Travel writing

Tips for first-time travellers to Italy

Categories Italy, Sicily, Travel, Travel advice, Travel Italy, Travel writing

2024 is the perfect time to plan your trip to Italy here are some tips for first time travellers from a local.

Travel advice: self guided tours of Sicily

Categories Authentic Sicily, Beautiful Italy, Italia, Italy, Sicilia, Sicily, Travel, Travel advice, Travel Italy, Travel Memoir, Travel Sicily, Travel writing

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

Travel advice: Taormina, Palermo and Catania

Categories Italia, Italy, Sicilia, Travel, Travel advice, Travel Italy, Travel Memoir, Travel Sicily, Travel writing

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. Hi, I came across your website and have a question. My husband and I will be visiting Sicily for 2…

Continue reading ➞ Travel advice: Taormina, Palermo and Catania

Travel Advice: Santa Ninfia and the province of Trapani

Categories Italia, Italy, Sicilia, Sicily, Travel, Travel advice, Travel Italy, Travel Memoir, Travel Sicily, Travel writing

Hello friend, I'm gradually working through your travel questions about Sicily. It's taking me a while, but I'm loving it. 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, Rochelle! What travel planning advice would you suggest as I'd…

Continue reading ➞ Travel Advice: Santa Ninfia and the province of Trapani

Travel advice: where to watch the game

Categories Italia, Italy, Sicilia, Sicily, Travel, Travel advice, Travel Italy, Travel Memoir, Travel Sicily, Travel writing

Hello friend, I'm gradually working through your travel questions about Sicily. It's taking me a while, but I'm loving it. 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 query. Hi Rochelle, How are you? Hope you're…

Continue reading ➞ Travel advice: where to watch the game

Travel advice: a Sicilian reading list

Categories Authentic Sicily, Italia, Italy, Sicilia, Sicily, Travel, Travel advice, Travel Italy, Travel writing

Hello friend, I’m gradually working through your travel questions about Sicily. It’s taking me a while but I’m loving it. Right now I have plenty of questions to answer so I’m not asking for any more for now. But be sure to take a look at the answers I’ve been beginning to post to you…

Continue reading ➞ Travel advice: a Sicilian reading list

Travel Advice: what to see in Sicily

Categories Authentic Sicily, Italia, Italy, Sicilia, Sicily, Travel, Travel advice, Travel Italy, Travel Sicily, Travel writing

Hello friend, I need to say thanks to everyone who has sent me their questions about Sicily. I’m gradually making my way through your queries. Give me some time to work through them. The response has been great. Here is this weeks question that I try to answer for you. Ciao Rochelle,I have plans to…

Continue reading ➞ Travel Advice: what to see in Sicily

Sagre and Feste in each Sicilian province: Agrigento

Categories Feste e Sagre, Italia, Italy, Sicilia, Sicilian Cuisine, Sicilian Culture and Traditions, Sicily, Travel Sicily, Travel writing

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: Agrigento

Sagre and Feste in each Sicilian province: Catania

Categories Events in Sicily, Feste e Sagre, Italia, Italy, Patron Saint celebrations, Sicilia, Sicilian Cuisine, Sicilian Culture and Traditions, Sicily, Travel advice, Travel Italy, Travel writing

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: Catania

Sagre and Feste in each Sicilian province: Caltanissetta

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, Events in Sicily, Italia, Italy, Only in Sicily, Sicilia, Sicilian Cuisine, Sicilian Culture and Traditions, Sicily, Travel advice, Travel Italy, Travel Sicily, Travel writing

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: Caltanissetta

Food and religious festivals in Sicily this August

Categories Beautiful Italy, Italia, Italian Culture, Italy, Sicilia, Sicily, Travel advice, Travel writing

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

10 More Food Festivals in Sicily

Categories Authentic Sicily, Beautiful Italy, Italia, Italian Culture, Italy, Sicilia, Sicily, Sicula Cuisine, Travel, Travel writing

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

Messina: the city of mythology

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, Authentic Sicily, Italy, Sicilia, Sicilian diary, Sicilian History, Sicily, Travel Memoir, Travel writing

Even though Messina battles the usual problems of a big city in Sicily, it is much more cosmopolitan and laid back than the other provincial capitals. What attracts me most to Messina is the unusual mixture of mythology and legend, which intertwines with the city's history to create an intoxicating and alluring tapestry. As is…

Continue reading ➞ Messina: the city of mythology

First and lasting impressions of Palermo: stereotypes

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, Authentic Sicily, Italia, Italy, Life in Sicily, Sicilia, Sicily, Travel writing

Image from Carmen Laeuzza unsplash.com Looking above the street level on Via della Libertà, I see high rise 'Palazzi' buildings and elegant apartment buildings all along the road as far down as I can see. The street is lined with multi-storey buildings with intricate stonework, some with particular wrought iron designs and glass panels. They…

Continue reading ➞ First and lasting impressions of Palermo: stereotypes

A taste of local politics

Categories 1,000 Words about Sicily, Culture Shock, Italian Politics, Italy, Life in Sicily, Living in Italy, Living in Sicily, Sicilia, Sicilian diary, Sicily, Travel writing

This year it is election time in my small Sicilian town. I've never been one to follow politics on any level unless it has to do with a particular issue or social problem. I can never muster the energy to pursue it. Yet, I am constantly surprised at how deeply political everyone is in Italy.…

Continue reading ➞ A taste of local politics