“Sicily is not Italy,” reads stenciled graffiti around Palermo, a sign that some in the Sicilian capital view the city as both a physical and cultural outlier from the mainland. Influenced by Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Spanish conquerors, the port city has long been known for its distinctive dialect, original street food, medieval ch...

The Association for the conservation of Popular Traditions, founded by Antonio Pasqualino in 1995 who was a surgeon and anthropologist, established the International Puppet Museum in 1975. Due to the changing economic and social landscape in Italy in the 1960s, many puppeteers abandoned their careers for something more lucrative. The association op...

Our electric Mokka Opel car glinted under the Palermitan sun as we walked over to the ‘Sicily by Car’ hire section of Falcone Borsellino airport. Green as a Noccelara olive, its matte exterior catches your eye. “All good to go?” we asked the representative. “Yes, have a beautiful stay in Sicily!” they replied, and we were on our way. I thew the key...

Italy, a country renowned for its rich history and cultural heritage, is home to countless well-known landmarks and attractions. However, it also harbors a multitude of lesser-known gems, each with its own unique story. Let’s embark on a journey to uncover five such “secrets” hidden in plain sight in some of Italy’s most famous cities. Our first st...

It would be easier to list what Italy doesn’t have (Domino’s and afternoon cappucinos) than to list everything this iconic country has to offer. Some visitors come for the spectacular food and wine; others for the history, the romance, or the breathtaking coastlines.  It’s no surprise that travelers today are flocking to Italy at 70% higher rates t...

If Sicily is your stop for some relaxation, you can not miss Palermo, a place of very ancient origins, so much so that it is defined as an Arab-Norman city for the influences experienced over the centuries. In this article we will guide you hand in hand, within its monuments, flavors and markets. An itinerary that you can live in person if you have...

The Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA), the oldest and most established organization in support of Americans of Italian descent, has recently established its new italian lodge in Palermo, Sicily. The charter inaugural event, was held on June 7th at the Sala Mattarella of Palazzo dei Normanni. It was dedicated to the founder of the...

BlueMed makes landfall in Sicily. Sparkle (Tim Group’s global operator) is laying a high-speed internet submarine cable across the Mediterranean Sea. On Tuesday, it successfully connected it to the “Sicily Hub” neutral data centre in Palermo, which is connected to eighteen other international cables. BlueMed now stretches from Genoa to Golfo Aranci...

May 23, 2023 marks 31 years since tensions between Sicily’s Cosa Nostra mafia and the Italian government reached an explosive turning point. The date will now also mark the opening of a new anti-mafia museum in Palermo, Italy, dedicated to Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, two anti-crime leaders who were murdered within 57 days of each other b...

The smoke of roasted sardines, the yeasty fragrance of fresh bread, the sizzle of frying oil pots, and the multicolored abundance of fruits and vegetables. I stop for a salty breakfast of pane and panelle, rigorously seasoned with a fresh squeeze of lemon, and observe the morning market frenzy–a daily unscripted play here in the streets of Palermo’...