Episode 1
Sicily
Italian native Alessandra journeys through the mythological, vibrant, historical region of Sicily.
PlaySicily Travel Tips
-
Taste the local street food in Palermo. It’s a must! Go for the spots full of locals to avoid tourist traps.
-
Drive another 30 miles north from Bagheria to visit Cefalù. You’ll see the third most beautiful Norman cathedral in Sicily and can experience the beautiful sea there too.
-
Visit the salt-pans (between Trapani and Marsala) during June and September when the salt is collected. The scenery is simply spectacular!
-
Enjoy fresh, local tuna during May and June at one of the small little restaurants in town. I went to “Osteria del Gallo Innamorato” in Marsala. The food was excellent, inexpensive and the owner let me taste all kinds of local goodies.
-
Experience a wine tasting tour in Marsala. Whichever one you choose, you can’t go wrong!
-
Drive along the coast from Palermo to Trapani. Make sure to stop at “Tonnara di Scopello.” This ancient tuna fishing trap, now a museum, offers an unforgettable swim and a breathtaking landscape.
-
In summer, almost everywhere in Sicily, starting the day with brioche and granita is a must! It’s a custom! Let's try it!
-
Granita is an iced dessert made of water, sugar, and fruits or nuts. It's a smoothy and grainy consistency, created by icing slowly while continuously stirring the mix.
-
You can choose between several flavors of granita and they differ from town to town. The most common varieties are almond, lemon, coffee, and pistachio. My favorite one is mulberries!
Italian native Alessandra journeys through the mythological, vibrant, historical region of Sicily. First stop: Palermo to visit Unesco entity, Mimmo Cuticchio, puppeteer of the Pupi Siciliani, world-famous Sicilian puppets. And if you’re craving Sicilian choir singing, Alessandra makes it happen with an epic trip to the last Saracen tower in the palace-museum of Countess Alwine Federico. Just 20 km away in Bagheria, she meets up with Michele Ducato, one of the few living artists of Sicilian cart paintings who learned the craft from her father. Along the way, Alessandra stops at Villa Valguarnera to meet The Princess Vittoria Alliata of Villafranca, who shares a story about the origin of vegetarian food hidden within her palace. Alessandra’s Sicily journey also leads to Trapani, set on the blue sea, to meet Platimiro Fiorenza, another Unesco entity, known for his passion in making extraordinary creations with rare Mediterranean Red Coral. Alessandra’s trail naturally leads to the Marco de Bartoli winery, set in a traditional “Baglio” or local farmhouse in the country. For ruins, she stops at Selinunte on the southwest coast – the temples, acropolis and agora – are on par with the Greek sites. And finally, she checks out the beautiful Castelvetrano’s St.Donato church and joins the festivities of Sicily’s most spectacular historical parade, which re-enacts St Rita’s life and includes sumptuous costumes from the 1500s.
Follow Alessandra as she seeks out the real Italy. All of which you can visit!
