Homes on Sale for 1 Euro in Sambuca di Sicilia

When Leonardo Ciaccio, the mayor of Sambuca di Sicilia (a rural town in the Sicilian province of Agrigento) launched a new housing scheme he had no idea that it would have such an impact across the world.

The governor was simply hoping for an innovative way to repopulate this majestic city and he dreamed of enticing expatriated Sicilians back to their ancestral birthplace. Little did he know that the project would be picked up by the US news channel CNN and become viral across the internet!

In a recent article for an Agrigento website, Sr. Ciaccio told how he had spent the morning showing Japanese and American tourists around the enchanting Italian town. In fact the town has been receiving requests from across the globe, including Switzerland, Spain, France and Germany, and over ten homes have already been sold.

My interest in this event has been steadily growing but peaked yesterday when I received several emails asking me for my opinion on this interesting project. I've decided to write this article in order to help my loyal followers make an informed decision on the matter.

My 'Sicilian Ghost Story', a blog from many years ago, was actually based on Sambuca di Sicilia and you can read it here to get a better feel of the town and its unique past. However, don't let yourself be put off by the ghostly apparitions and spooky legends! This city has much to offer and its rich Arabic history has woven its way intrinsically into the magic of the town.

Sambuca di Sicilia is situated on a hilltop with views reaching as far as Mount Etna on a clear day. It is surrounded by breathtaking countryside and has rolling vineyards that take you all the way down through the resort of Menfi to the spectacular Mediterranean coastline. Just over an hour's drive will take you to the island's capital of Palermo which offers flights to the main airports across the world.

While this offer may seem too good to be true, I want to make you aware of the project's small print. In order to buy your home for one euro you must commit to spending at least 15,000 euro over the next 3 years on the property's restoration and also put down a deposit of 5,000 euro.

Therefore, while the purchase will definitely cost you more then one euro, it could be the perfect way to get your foot on the Italian property ladder and allow you to revisit your 'Sicilian Connections'!

I also want to point out that Sambuca di Sicilia isn't the first Sicilian town to introduce a project of its kind. Several other cities around the island have similar schemes running and I've actually put together a short document showing you the various options so that you can make an educated decision.

The contact details for the Sambuca di Sicilia scheme are also included in this directory for you together with a list of available houses!

>> Click here for your free guide! <<

I hope this post has helped you understand the situation better. Feel free to comment below with any questions you may have and be sure to click the 'follow' button to stay updated with the latest news from Sicilian Connections.

Have a wonderful day!

Debra
Sicilian Connections
www.sicilianconnections.com

The Ghostly Bridal Party of Cammarata

Buongiorno a tutti! I hope that you all had a wonderful Summer and are enjoying the beautiful Autumn colours that now surround us. The dark nights are drawing in and there is a distinct chill in the air which means the time has come again for me to write my Halloween blog - one of the blogs which I enjoy writing the most! This year I have a wonderfully spooky tale to tell; a tale which will take you deep into the heart of Sicily and to a time long ago - a time of noblemen and of tradition. Enjoy!


Deep in the woods of Cammarata, in the province of Agrigento, lies a lonely castle with a noble past. The imposing, picturesque castle lies in a beautiful location but the mystical woods that surround it have long believed to be haunted. The horror of the events that happened there makes a sad, romantic and tragic story.

Hundreds of years ago the Baron of Cammarata had a very beautiful daughter named Elisabetta, whom he adored. She was to marry a nobleman of rank and fortune. But, unfortunately, the bridegroom was the Baron's choice. He had forbidden Elisabetta to meet again the man she truly loved.

Despite all her tearful protests, Elisabetta was married in the castle chapel by the Priest of Cammarata. Afterwards the full bridal party set out to 'ride the bounds' - that was to ride in procession around the entire boundary of the estate, as tradition demanded. On their return to the castle, a magnificent banquet would be held in their honour.

Elisabetta's lover had heard of this, and with a party of his friends, he was waiting in ambush in a little wood nearby. His plan was to launch a surprise attack, rescue Elisabetta, and then they would make their escape together.

Back at the castle the feast was prepared and servants and minstrels waited with the Baron in the Great Hall to greet and serve the guests. Many hours passed without their return. The increasingly anxious Baron sent out men to search, but they could find no trace of the missing party. At last the servants were dismissed to bed, and only the Baron was left to keep a lonely vigil in the dimly lit Hall.

On the stroke of midnight he awoke from dozing to the sound of the castle drawbridge being lowered, and noises of horsemen in the courtyard. Almost in the same instance the bridal party filed silently into the Hall, and in the dead quiet took their places at the table. No-one spoke, not a single word.

Gazing in puzzlement at his guests, the Baron began to realise to his horror that the white and frozen faces of his daughter and friends belonged to their ghosts.With a terrible scream he fell to the floor in a faint, and as he did, the 'ghostly bridal party' vanished from sight.

According to the story, the poor Baron never recovered his speech, and remained paralysed for the rest of his life.


It was believed that when the bridal party was ambushed, a terrible fight had taken place, Elisabetta herself being accidently killed in the general confusion. No one survived the slaughter, and the blood from the dreadful carnage flowed into a hollow stone, which is known to this day as 'The Raven's Stone'.

Every year on the anniversary of the tragedy, the ghostly bridal party rides again through the woods near the castle. It is said that the sound of hoof-beats and the jingling of harness can be heard clearly. Strangely, although time has altered the landscape, the riders keep to their original route, passing straight through any walls or fences that now bar their way.

Have a wonderful Halloween .... and be sure to listen out for the sound of hooves and of jingling harnesses!

A presto,

Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com

If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'join this site' icon at the right of this blog page. Grazie mille for your support!

69th Annual Almond Blossom Festival - Agrigento

Buongiorno a tutti! I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year wherever you are in the world. Here at Sicilian Connections we thoroughly enjoyed the festive period but are very happy  to see the evenings become lighter and the early appearance of the Spring sunshine! This also means that it is again time for the wonderful 'Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore', or the Almond Blossom Festival of Agrigento.

This year will be the 69th edition of the International Festival and will take place from the 8th February to the 16th March. The annual festival takes place in the majestic Sicilian city of Agrigento and celebrates the first almond blossoms of the season - one of the earliest visible signs that Spring is coming. The city will come alive with colourful folk dancers from around the world exhibiting their traditional costumes and dances for the gathered crowds. Local restaurants and bars in the area serve delicious almond dishes and vibrant processions take place throughout the town.

Enjoy this video taken from an Italian news programme which shows last year's festival highlights -

If you can't make it to the festival why not enjoy some almond and honey cookies, or 'Mastazzoli'. The recipe is on my Christmas blog post - http://sicilianconnections.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/tis-season-of-sicilian-christmas.html.

A presto,

Debra Santangelo

www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of this blog page. Grazie mille for your support!

A Sicilian Ghost Story for Halloween!

>>  Update: Due to popular demand, I have created an article about the homes for one euro in Sambuca di Sicilia - click here to read :-) Enjoy your ghost story! <<

Buona sera amici! Well the nights are getting longer and the dark evenings have taken on an almost mystical quality. This can only mean one thing - Halloween is approaching. Any of you that have been following my blog for some time will know that I love this time of year as I can write about one of my favourite topics: Sicilian legends and ghost stories. This year I am taking you all on a journey to a small town in the province of Agrigento called Sambuca di Sicilia. More specifically to a street there which in 1882 was given the official name of 'Via Fantasma', or 'Ghost Street'.

The legend starts way back in the year 830 when the town was still known as 'Zabuth' in honour of its founder, the Arab Emir Al Zabut. The town was enjoying a period of prosperity under the Arab ruling and was protected by a large Arab fort which dominated the town. A large staircase was built into the rocks around the fort for the Arab troops to utilise in times of conflict and attack. In fact, the town of Zabuth was continuously under siege at that time by the troops of  Federico II who was determined to convert the residents to Christianity. It was this conflict between Christians and Muslims (at that time known as Saracens) which led to a great war breaking out in the early thirteenth century.

Between the years of 1223 and 1225, the town of Zabuth was the location of horrific violence and hundreds of the town's inhabitants lost their lives, as did many of the Christian soldiers sent by Federico II. The legend states that bodies were constantly thrown from the high walls of the fort onto the rocks below.

The Arabs were defeated and from that day everything changed in the town of Sambuca. The Christian occupants of the town often awoke from their sleep to hear the tortured cries of the war's victims as their souls wandered through the tiny cobbled streets for all eternity. When there was a full moon, it is said that the shadow of an enormous Saracen warrior would appear on the steps of the stone staircase and throw his hands to the sky with a desperate, tormented wail. When commemoration ceremonies were held for the lives of the fallen Christian soldiers, the haunting cries coming from the streets would be heard even above the sobs of the gathered mourners.

This dreadful fear amongst the town's inhabitants lasted for many years. So much so that in the sixteenth century, a church was built in dedication to the 'Madonna del Rosario' by the Jesuit Gaspare Paraninfo to exorcise the town's lost souls. On the rock face next to the stone staircase where the apparition of Emir Al Zabut would appear, a large mural was painted of the Madonna (the Virgin Mary) to keep any Saracen spirits away. This mural became known as the 'Madonna della Scala'.

The painting was eroded away by nature's elements long ago but the church of the 'Madonna del Rosario' still exists, as does the cursed staircase ..... however even the town's worst sceptics are loathed to set foot upon it!

Happy Halloween!

>> Click here for your free guide to homes in Sambuca di Sicilia for one euro <<

A presto,

Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com

Amici, if you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon at the top right of the page. Grazie mille for your support!!

Almond Blossom Festival - Agrigento

Buongiorno a tutti! As the evenings start to turn lighter and we head into February, many of us start to look forward to the onset of Spring. The winter snow was fun and Christmas was enchanting as always, but I, for one, am certainly ready for the first rays of Spring sunshine to make their appearance.

On that note, I would like to talk about one of my favourite events in Sicily - La Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore or 'the Almond Blossom Festival'. This annual event takes place in the majestic city of Agrigento and celebrates the first almond blossoms of the season - one of the earliest visible signs that Spring is coming.

The main city of Agrigento lies on a plateau overlooking the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of Sicily. It is the site of the ancient city of Akragas which dates back to around 580 BC and was described by the poet Pyndar as ''the most beautiful of mortal cities''. A great number of visitors come to the area to view some of the best-preserved Ancient Greek temples outside of Greece itself, which are situated in the 'Valle dei Templi' (Valley of the Temples) to the south of the city. This is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From the 1st until the 10th February, the city comes alive with colourful folk dancers from across the world exhibiting their traditional costumes and dances for the gathered crowds. Local restaurants and bars in the area serve delicious almond dishes and vibrant processions take place throughout the town.

Enjoy this wonderful video which shows the festival's highlights from last year -

If you can't make it to the festival then why not enjoy some almond and honey cookies or 'Mastazzoli'. The recipe is at on my Christmas blog post - http://sicilianconnections.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/tis-season-of-sicilian-christmas.html.

A presto,

Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!

Buon Carnevale!

Buona sera a tutti! With memories of Christmas fading fast and the mountainous supply of panettone finally coming to an end, this can only mean one thing ....... it's Carnival time!! Carnevale in Italy is one of the year's biggest celebrations and towns throughout the peninsula come alive with music, parades and concerts. The word 'Carnevale' is thought to originate from the Latin words 'carnem levare' which literally mean 'to take away the meat', and this highlights the true reason for the festival which is to enjoy a final party before the restrictions of Lent.

Many towns, such as Venice, celebrate 'Carnevale' in February but, this year, the most famous carnival in Sicily will commence on Saturday 26th January in Acireale. On this day there will be a spectacular inaugural parade around the town at 5pm and then, until the 12th February, Acireale will be a flurry of amazing colours, embellished floats and, of course, mouth-watering Sicilian delicacies. The floats are enormous decorated platforms made by residents of the town and are judged throughout the competition for their design and originality. The winners will be announced at 11pm on the final day.

Other towns in Sicily which are renowned for their spectacular carnivals are Misterbianco, in the province of Catania, Sciacca in Agrigento and Termini Imerese in Palermo.

You can read more about the origins of 'Carnevale' on my carnival blog post from last year at http://sicilianconnections.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/la-vita-e-un-carnevale.html.

For a taste of what you can expect from the 'Carnevale di Acireale' enjoy this video of one of last year's finalists -

Buon Carnevale a tutti! I hope you get the chance to enjoy carnival time wherever you are in the world.  Be sure to share your photos and stories with us as always.

A presto,

Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!