Rooftops

There is something quintessentially Italian about Italian chaotic rooftop views. From the rooftops, you can see the urban landscape, the irregular dimensions of the houses, and how each building leans up against the next.

More tips still for first time visitors to Italy

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…

Travel advice: Santo Stefano di Quisquina, Sicilian ancestry research and travel from Spain.

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…

Travel advice: Taormina, Palermo and Catania

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…

Travel advice: a Sicilian reading list

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…

Sagre and Feste in each Sicilian province: Caltanissetta

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…

The story is always in the details

I use my camera like I'd use a notebook. I record little details and notes, things I've noticed or want to remember for later. I photograph small things that catch my eye, a particular design or pattern which seems unusual. It could be a texture that catches my eye or how the sunlight hits a…

Words from Sicily: Souvenirs

My brother and I used to have this game we played. Every place we visited, we’d seek out the tackiest souvenir we could find and take a photo of it. It was just about having a bit of a laugh and trying to outdo one another on family trips. It could have been a tacky…

Words from Sicily: Taormina

Taormina has long since been Sicily’s most favourite resort town, perched on a coastal bluff that looks out to the Tyrrhenian Sea between Messina and Catania in the north east of the island. Its ancient narrow streets are full of little specialist shops, cafes and restaurants, which are an invitation to step into the spell…

How to peel a fico d’india

The exotic prickly pear (fico d’india) is a delicacy in Sicily and thrives around the entire island. Known also as the Barbary fig (opuntia ficus-indica) it is a species of cactus cultivated throughout the world in arid and semiarid areas and is thought to be native to Mexico. It is best to taste them after…

Visit Secret Sicily with Oriana

One of my favorite new blogs about this complex isle I live on is Secret Sicily written by a fab virtual friend of mine named Oriana. I love meeting new people through their blogs and I think good blogging is about bringing out your own personality, passions and interests. It was great to have a…

The toilet situation in Italy

***Warning this post contains images of Italian toilets, bad double entendre and Australian slang*** I have never understood the reason behind the lack of public toilets in major Italian cities as you would think it is a common courtesy to keep lovely, clean toilets for tourists and visitors. So what should anyone visiting do to…

Italian festivals and theaters for opera lovers

Apart from the history, architecture and historical sights to see in Italy there are endless opportunities to experience the products of its thriving culture. So many people travel to Italy and simply tick off the main tourist sites off the bucket list. Colosseum, check, Ponte Vecchio, Check, Leaning tower of Pisa, Check, Instead of being…

Postcards from Sicily: ancient crafts

  I'm a bit of a postcard addict, always on the lookout for original or vintage images from wherever I am visiting. I recently found this great series of cards depicting ancient arts from Sicily. Work that is no longer needed or has simply disappeared as the world has become 'modern'. It saddens me to…

A Sicilian wish list for the summertime

   Daphne’s house: Giardini Naxos, Castelmola and Taormina Taormina is a beautiful town to explore but it is terribly touristy and there are many other things to see in the vicinity. Be sure to visit Casa Cuseni an historic house which became like a real character in one of the best books around about Sicily…