Ferragosto - A Magical Midsummer Celebration!

Buongiorno a tutti! I hope that wherever you are in the world you are enjoying some of the summer sun which is currently in abundance on the island of Sicily. Temperatures have been consistently hitting 40 degrees celsius and across the island beaches are full of both residents and holiday makers looking for a welcome escape from the midsummer heat.

Next week it will officially be midsummer according to the Italian calendar as the entire peninsula celebrates 'Ferragosto' on the 15th August. This festival derives from the Latin Feriae Augusti (the holidays of the Emperor Augustus) and traditionally celebrates summer and the end of hard labour in the fields. In the past, businesses used to close for the whole month of August and even now offices often close for at least one week as Italians travel to the beach for their annual holiday. Cities across the country become almost deserted apart from the ever-present tourists as residents leave the humid city air behind for the unrivalled beauty of the Italian coastline.

Many families and groups of friends actually make their way to the beaches on the evening of the 14th August to light campfires and spend the night under the stars. This often coincides with the peak activity of the Perseid Meteor Shower which is generally between the 9th and the 14th August - providing beach-goers with a front row seat for this spectacular sky scene. According to tradition, the falling stars represent the tears of St. Lawrence who was buried on the 10th August 258 A.D. following a martyr's death. In fact, the Night of St. Lawrence (or La Notte di San Lorenzo) is an enchanting occasion for Italians who look to the sky in the hope of making a wish on a shooting star.

In the early morning of Ferragosto, revellers sit around their campfires and watch the famous Sicilian sunrise before making their way to the nearby beach-front cafés for a morning espresso and delicious granita. This is one of my favourite Italian traditions and one which is now celebrated around the world. An example of this is in Arthur Avenue, New York (or Little Italy in the Bronx) where over 15,000 Italian Americans take to the streets each year in September to enjoy their ancestor's fascinating culture and delicious food.

Buon Ferragosto amici! I hope that you will find a summer celebration near you ... and if not, at least be sure to look up to the sky next week and be ready to make a wish!

A presto,

Debra
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 page. Grazie mille for your support!!

Stragusto! Trapani's International Food Festival

Buongiorno amici! We are now in the middle of July, which in Sicily means that Summer is now in full swing. As residents seek shelter from the 40 degree Mediterranean heat, the thousands of tourists now on the island enjoy Sicily's unrivalled selection of golden beaches.

July also means that it is finally time for Stragusto! Trapani's International Food Festival which takes place every year in July. This year the event will take place between the 22nd and 24th July in Piazza Mercato del Pesce, the city's historical fish market which offers a breathtaking panorama over the Mediterranean Sea.

Every evening from 7pm until midnight this beautiful location will play host to stalls selling an endless variety of delicacies, all created and cooked for you in the piazza. These foods include Sicilian specialities such as zeppole, arancini and sfincioni but also showcase a wonderful selection of cuisine from other Mediterranean countries. There will be live entertainment and music including performances displaying international traditions and customs. Wine connoisseurs will also have the opportunity to indulge in tasting at the festival's 'wine sensory analysis laboratories'!

The province of Trapani has long been renowned for its international aspect due to its status as an important fishing port, its vicinity to Tunisia and, like the rest of the island, its many conquerors throughout history. This has culminated in the creation of a fascinating local cuisine which is a fusion of the province's many influences. The area's most famous dish is fish couscous and the town of San Vito lo Capo holds a world-renowned annual couscous festival in September.

San Vito lo Capo is also famous for its beautiful golden beach which has just been voted the best beach in Italy for the second year in a row.

So, buon appetito amici ..... and just incase if you can't make it to this this year's festival, here is a video of Stragusto 2010 for you to enjoy -

A presto!

Debra
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 page. Grazie mille for your support!!

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

Viva San Giorgio!

Buona sera amici. I would like to start this new blog post by sending my thoughts and prayers out to those affected by the tragic earthquake that struck Emilia Romagna yesterday. To suffer again only ten days after the last earthquake hit the region is terrible and I am sure that you all join me in sending out our sincere condolences to the families of the victims.

On the last Sunday in May every year there is a spectacular feast day held in Ragusa dedicated to the Patron Saint of Ragusa Ibla - St. George or San Giorgio. This year it will actually be held on the 3rd June but the celebrations last across the whole weekend.

The Cathedral of San Giorgio is a beautiful example of Baroque architecture and is characterised by its ornate facade featuring 250 steps and enormous intricate columns. Each evening throughout the celebrations this Cathedral, or Duomo, will be spectacularly lit up and in the Piazza Duomo there will be live events and music bands.

On the Sunday of the 'festa', the statue of San Giorgio, which was sculpted by the Palermitan Rosario Bagnasco in the second half of the 19th century, is paraded through the streets of Ragusa Ibla on the shoulders of devotees. This is followed by a marching band and hundreds of the town's residents and Sicilians who come to Ragusa for the celebrations. When the procession is over, there is a spectacular firework display in the Piazza Duomo which is famous for its elaborate exhibition and magnificent colours that light up the night.

If you won't make it to these wonderful celebrations, take a look at the beautiful video below to see what it is that attracts devotees from across the island -

You can read more about Ragusa on my website - http://www.sicilianconnections.com/?c=8310.

A presto, amici!

Debra

www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. 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!!

Baroque Noto in Bloom

Buongiorno a tutti! I hope that you are all well and that you acted upon my previous blog post's advice to indulge in a Spring Sicilian 'scampagnata'! Today I want to talk about the Infiorata di Noto which is due to take place from the 18th to the 21st of May in the Siracusan town of Noto. This is a beautiful flower festival which takes place each year on the third Sunday of May.

On the Friday of the festival, artists start to create their own individual work of art with flower petals, organic seeds and a special kind of soil. These pieces all come together to create a beautiful flower scene stretching all of the way along the Via Corrado Nicolaci. The stunning effect is almost like a stained glass window and leads up to Chiesa di Montevergini which is also worth a visit to see its beautiful ornate marble altar and concave facade. Hundreds of visitors will come to the festival over the weekend to enjoy the 'Infiorata' and on the Monday local children will be allowed to run through the flowers to destroy the exhibit until next year.

Via Corrado Nicolaci is also home to the elegant Palazzo Nicolaci, a Baroque-style residence which now houses the local library and is renowned for its intricate balconies such as the one in the image below. The city of Noto is famous for its 18th century buildings including its beautiful cathedral and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Anyone who won't be able to make it to Noto for the flower festival should at least make a visit to our new Facebook group - Siclian Connections 'La Piazza' at the following link -http://www.facebook.com/sicilian.connections#!/groups/304770149603514/. This group has been created to allow our friends across the world to share their favourite Sicilian photographs and songs so please join us!

A presto!

Debra
www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. 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!!

Sicilian Sunshine and 'Scampagnate'!

Ciao amici - I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter! In Italy, no sooner are residents back to work and school after the Easter holidays then other celebrations make their appearance.

The 25th April is the 'Festa della Liberazione' in Italy, or, Liberation Day. This 'festa' commemorates the day in 1945 that signalled the end of the the Fascist regime in Italy and is now a national public holiday. Throughout the country ceremonies take place in commemorance of the peninsula's fallen soldiers and exuberant marching bands play in hundreds of beautiful piazzas.

The 1st May is also a national public holiday known as the 'Festa dei Lavoratori' or, the celebration of the workers. This is to celebrate the achievements of Italian workers in the struggle for their rights and Italian Labour Unions organise an annual concert in Rome's Piazza San Giovanni which is attended by internationally famous music groups. In Sicily, families and groups of friends head into the country for a 'scampagnata', or picnic, which usually entails an abundance of barbecue-cooked meat and litres of homemade wine being consumed! Many people also head to the coast where beaches open for the summer and the sun is finally hot enough for the first swim of the season.

At the 'Lago di Pozzillo', in Regalbuto (Enna), boat races are held on this day every year attracting numerous visitors to the shores of this beautiful artificial lake - one of the largest man-made lakes in Europe. I would recommend a trip to this area at any time of the year just to experience the beauty of rural Sicily and to see for yourself the expanse of the hills and valleys with the legendary backdrop of Mount Etna. Regalbuto itself is an ancient town set high up on the Sicilian hills and is the location of many stunning Baroque churches and aristocratic buildings.

Many Italian residents, especially office workers, will take advantage of these two public holidays by taking off all of the days inbetween to enjoy a leisurely extra-long weekend. The expression for this is a 'ponte', which literally means bridge.
So amici, enjoy this 'ponte'  - and I hope that those of you who are not in Italy will be able to enjoy a delicious 'gelato' somewhere scenic ....... or why not even organise a full-blown Sicilian 'scampagnata'!!

A presto :-)

Debra
www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. 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!!

Buona Pasqua!

Buongiorno a tutti i miei amici!! I hope that you are all well and enjoying the Spring sunshine :-)

We are now entering a period which, to me, is the most significant week in the Sicilian calendar, and that is Easter. Every year, the atmosphere in Sicilian towns changes considerably throughout the week according to the day and its religious implications. Even the weather usually changes accordingly, with the week prior to Easter being dark and miserable, only to give way to glorious sunshine on Easter Sunday. My own personal experiences of the week's events have mostly been in the town of Adrano, which is situated at the foot of Mount Etna, in the province of Catania. The processions are so elaborate and moving here, and they attract thousands of devotees.

Today the procession of 'Cristo alla Colonna' takes place from 6pm until 3am tomorrow morning, when the statue of Christ on the cross is carried throughout the streets of Adrano, calling in at each of the town's churches in order for the men carrying the statue to kneel at each altar. This is so emotional to watch as the statue is carried very slowly, three steps forward then two steps back, and sways from side to side. On Good Friday from 7am until 2pm the statue of the Virgin Mary, l'Addolorata, is carried through the streets visiting each church looking for her son Jesus, and at 8pm there is the procession of 'Cristo Morto'. In dialect, this is 'U Lizzanti' and is the statue of the body of Jesus which makes four stops around the town, each time accompanied by a marching band playing the funeral song 'Canzoncina a Gesù morto'.

On Easter Sunday the sun is normally bright in the sky and hundreds of families head towards the town centre to see the procession of 'Cristo Risorto' (Christ Resurrected), the Angel and of 'Maria Annunziata' (Virgin Mary). The happiest time of the day is when the statues of Jesus and Mary finally meet and this is known as 'A Paci'. The statues are made to dance and kiss and the atmosphere in the piazza is so happy and uplifting. Adrano is renowned for 'la Diavolata', which is a theatrical production held outside in the piazza on Easter Sunday and depicts the fight between good (symbolised by angels) and evil (the devils). In the evening the town holds an incredible fireworks display.

I wish each one of you a 'Buona Pasqua' and will leave you with a video in Italian showing the highlights of Easter in Adrano -

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!!

A presto :-)

Debra
www.sicilianconnections.com