My Sicilian Paradise - Taormina & Hotel Villa Angela

Buona sera amici!! This is the first post that I have written in a while as I have been travelling around Sicily undertaking some research for my upcoming travel articles. I have had a wonderful time and seen some truly spectacular places and I would like to share one of the highlights of my trip with you. As I'm sure you all know from my previous posts, I am completely in love with the hill-top town of Taormina in the Sicilian province of Messina. It is my favourite place on the entire island and therefore I could not resist taking the opportunity to stay there overnight while on my journey.

For some time now I have heard wonderful reports about a certain hotel in Taormina and this research trip presented me with the perfect chance to experience the hotel's offerings for myself. This hotel is the Hotel Villa Angela and is the result of a vision by Jim Kerr, the lead singer of Simple Minds who owns the residence and guided its creation from day one. Mr. Kerr was obviously enchanted by Taormina's magic just as I was and he also fell in love with the town many years ago, thus deciding to build the hotel and allow others to enjoy the same experience.

As I travelled up the winding roads above Taormina towards Hotel Villa Angela, the views across the Bay of Naxos became more and more breathtaking and the presence of Mount Etna more magnificent. We arrived at the establishment to find that there was ample car parking which, as anybody who has experienced the labyrinthine 'vias' of Southern Italy will know, is a real bonus. The reception area below opens out onto a large terraced area, with the views of the Ionian Sea ever-present, and we were immediately greeted by the Hotel Manager Charlie Galea who was courteous and obliging from my very first contact with Villa Angela.

In-keeping with the rest of the hotel, our room was adorned with Sicilian furniture and beautiful Caltagirone ceramics and featured a large terrace overlooking the swimming pool. Many hotels in Taormina do not have a full-size pool due to the towns hill-top location therefore it was truly heavenly to take advantage of this element and swim in such a picturesque setting. Breakfast is served on the restaurant terrace and there is a vast selection of local produce on offer.

In the evening, we used the hotel's shuttle bus service and ventured into the resort centre to dine at the Ristorante Granduca which is situated on the seafront. The perfect setting to indulge in some Sicilian cuisine and chilled vino bianco! After dinner we visited my favourite bar 'Caffé Wunderbar' in Piazza IX Aprile and listened to a Sicilian accordian player before heading back to the hotel.

I had such an enjoyable experience in Taormina and at the Hotel Villa Angela that I really didn't want to leave. I shall console myself, however, with the fact that I can now share my time there with my Sicilian Connections friends worldwide and hopefully I shall see you there one day soon!

The hotel's website is www.hotelvillaangela.com if you would like to take a look at their beautiful photographs.

A presto :-)

Debra
www.sicilianconnections.com

Any Excuse for a 'Festa Siciliana'!

September is known to be a month full of festivals in the Italian calendar and most Sicilians have recently spent their summer celebrating occasions such as 'Ferragosto', therefore this seemed like the perfect opportunity to write about the festivals which form such an integral part of the Sicilian culture. These 'feste' provide the perfect occasion for Sicilian communities to come together, share news with family and friends and indulge in the vast variety of festival food on offer. Many merchants come together and set up stalls selling everything from jewellery and clothes to paintings and sculptures. The atmosphere is always full of anticipation and excitement as everybody joins in the 'passeggiata' along the promenade or through the streets dressed in their 'vestiti della Domenica' or Sunday best!

The main highlight of the summer for Italians is 'Ferragosto' which is celebrated on the 15th August. The majority of Italian workers are on holiday over this period and journey to seaside resorts for the festivities. In Sicily, many groups of friends and family spend the night of the 14th August sleeping on the beach, lighting bonfires and participating in a traditional midnight swim. Everybody then gathers together to watch the sunrise before heading to the local café for their espresso coffee and their granita & brioche. One of my most memorable summer moments was spent doing just this on the Giardini Naxos beach in Messina..........truly unforgettable!

The main religious festival during the summer is that of Santa Rosalia, the Patron Saint of Palermo. Thousands of visitors come to the city on the 15th July to see the statue of the saint being paraded through the streets and on the 4th September devotees walk barefoot from the city of Palermo to Mount Pellegrino in her honour. At the beginning of the twentieth century Sicilian immigrants took the tradition of the Feast of Santa Rosalia over to New York to the first Italian parish in Brooklyn - the Sacred Hearts and St. Stephen's Church in Carroll Gardens. The festival has since moved to the Bensonhurst neighbourhood.

My favourite summer festival in Sicily is that of San Pietro in the town of Adrano in Catania on the 1st August. I just love the intimate atmosphere in the small piazza where the statue of the saint is carried out of the church. When it comes to choosing my favourite festival food it would have to be 'zeppole di San Giuseppe',  also known as 'crespelle'. You can enjoy these filled with ricotta cheese or anchovies  or made with rice and covered with honey.......absolutely buonissimo! :-)

Be sure to get in touch with stories and photos about your favourite summer festival!

A presto!

Debra :-)

Dreaming of 'La Dolce Vita'

Buona Sera Amici!

Firstly, I would like to say a heartfelt ''mille grazie'' to all of you who have supported Sicilian Connections in our first week online. It was a big (& rather nerve-wrecking!) step for me to publish everything that I have been working on over the past months and it truly means a lot to me that so many people have got involved.

As a thank you for sharing your personal thoughts, stories and photos with us, I would like to write about a place that is very special to me - it is actually my favourite place on the island of Sicily. For me, it is the most magical place in the world and when I am here I feel completely removed from the worries of day to day life. Piazza IX Aprile in the hilltop town of Taormina, in the province of Messina, boasts the most breathtaking panorama that I have ever seen.

I just love to sit at a table at the Wunderbar Café with a glass of prosecco or a 'granita di mandorla' and look out across the baia and the seemingly infinite Ionian Sea. You can see the beach resort of Giardini Naxos from here and there is also a wonderful view of Mount Etna.

There are often mandolin players in the piazza which provide the perfect accompaniment for watching the many boats drifting along in the water far below. I could sit for hours with the sun shining on my face listening to the romantic music of the mandolins. It is easy to comprehend what inspired great authors such as D.H. Lawrence and Goethe to spend time here whilst working on their literature. Indeed, there are often artists in the piazza looking to capture the enchantment and beauty of this location.  Another reason to visit Piazza IX Aprile is to see the charming church of San Giuseppe which looks out over the piazza and the beautiful Ionian Sea.

I'm sure that many of you have visited this wonderful destination and can understand why it holds such a special place in my heart. For those of you who have not yet visited Taormina, I hope that one day you will be able to experience its magic!

Please keep in touch and continue to share your wonderful stories and photographs.

A presto!

Debra
www.sicilianconnections.com