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Did you know that four Italian cities – Rome, Reggio Calabria, Syracuse, and Pozzuoli – are mentioned in the Bible, or that the first non-Jew that the Apostles converted to Christianity was an Italian? It is safe to say that Christianity itself might well have remained a minor Middle Eastern sect had it not been for the Italian domination of the Me...

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My great grandfather Niccolò Cipollina was born in the Cala, Palermo’s ancient port, in 1899. My great grandmother was born in Villarosa in the Enna province at around the same time. My Sicily roots run deep and it’s one of my favorite places to travel. It’s also a frustrating place to dine out since so many restaurants exist mainly to cater to tou...

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With family celebrations taking up the winter holidays and the summer a perennial struggle to mesh everyone’s schedules, spring break in Italy can be a great alternative. Schools generally close at least once between March and April, and stay closed for a week (or slightly longer, if you count two weekends); flights are often cheaper during these s...

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When Italians discover that I’m Greek-American, they almost always utter the same thing: “Una faccia, una razza” (“One face, one race”). It’s not just the way we look, or the uncanny similarities in certain words (take, for example, “sabato” or “Σάββατο”, which is the same in both Greek and Italian)—there is a centuries-long history that links the...

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Sicily captivates with its tangled web of history that can be traced back to the Phoenicians. The island has a distinct patchwork of hyperlocal architectural styles, dialects, and cuisines that reflect thousands of years of invasion and conquest that began with the ancient Greeks and continued through Romans, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, and French an...

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As the summer heat wanes and the air turns crisp, Italy undergoes a transformation. The country, renowned for its art, history, and gastronomy, dons a vibrant palette of autumnal hues, making it an even more enchanting destination. From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the historic streets of Turin, let’s start a journey to discover Italy’s gems in...

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In Sicily, 8 km west of Siracusa, surrounded by orange trees and vineyards, is the Nature Reserve of Ciane river and Saline of Siracusa. The name Ciane has Greek origins and draws the blue-green color of its waters (Cyanos). The reserve includes the river, which originates in Cugno Cardinale and flows into the great harbor of Siracusa, and the wet...

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Catania is a beautiful and charming city located on the east coast of Sicily. Picturesque and elegant, it stands on the slopes of the Etna volano and is surrounded by seaside villages, Baroque towns and natural wonders, all within easy reach in one day trip. Departing from Catania, you cannot miss a one-day trip to Mount Etna, Europe's highest acti...

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The small island of Ortigia is tied to Sicily by two short bridges only. Located on the very edge of the south-eastern coast, it is a world entirely of its own. Anthony Bourdain wrote about Sicily, “It’s beautiful. It’s old. It’s Italy, but it’s not.” If that is so, then Ortigia is Sicily, but it’s not. We drove to the end of Syracuse, to a carpark...

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Whether you’ve followed Part 1 of our itinerary and are now halfway through your trip, or you’re starting off here, welcome! There is no such thing as seeing it all in Sicily – the landscape is vast and varied, its architecture and customs change from area to area, and the food…oh the food, is endless and each city has its forte, from arancini to g...

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