Southern Italy offers plenty of reasons to visit.  There are ancient towns, extravagant churches, the footprints of a procession of invaders, lots of olives, sparkling seas, and wonderful food and wine.  And Sicily truly is something special, the place where everything seems brighter, livelier and historically more confusing.  

In antiquity, Sicily was called Magna Graecia (Greater Greece) because of the many Greek city-states that colonized the island.  Ancient Syracuse was one of the most powerful city-states on the Mediterranean.  Sicily was also an outpost of the mysterious Carthaginians, who were almost completely wiped out by the Romans.  Scattered across the island are some of the best ancient temples and theaters anywhere outside Greece, as well as some of the world’s best-preserved Roman floor mosaics. 

Strategically located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, practically forming a bridge from Italy to North Africa, Sicily’s culture and cuisine have been shaped by a staggering number of overlords and occupiers.  It’s an epic story:  from the ancient foundations of the Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans, to the Arabs who controlled Sicily for more than two centuries, to the Normans from France who ‘reclaimed’ Sicily for the Christian world, to the Spanish Bourbon kings who draped the island in a stately Baroque elegance, and even to the Mafia who dominated much of Sicily’s 20th-century. 

We traveled here with Overseas Adventure Travel and some of our best travel buddies:  Dennis and Vicky Shepard, Jo Wilson, Carol Bennett, Tom Huguley, Deb Huff and Dale Bundrick.  Our trip started in mainland Italy, with an overnight flight from Atlanta to Rome and then a shorter hop to the port city of Bari, on the Adriatic Coast.  From Bari, our first destination was the ancient town of Matera.  We could see right away why Matera is not a well-known tourist destination – it’s not easy to get there, but we soon were to learn that it is well worth the effort to visit this town in the arch of Italy’s boot. 

MATERA is built on a high rock face, in the region of Basilicata, Italy’s largest producer of wheat and pasta.  The city center of Matera is flanked by the hillside Sassi, peasant neighborhoods with an incredible array of cave houses that are thought to be the longest continuously-occupied cave dwellings in the Earth’s history.  They have been inhabited since prehistoric times right up until today. 

Natural caves in the tufa limestone attracted the first inhabitants around 7,000 BC.  For years, Matera was considered a national embarrassment, as families with six or more children still lived in caves, along with their livestock and without electricity, running water and sewer. Politics, poverty and disease (including a 50% infant mortality rate), led to the relocation of 15,000 citizens in the 1950s.

 

The government planned to dynamite the hillside until archaeologists discovered evidence that people have been continuously living in these caves since Neolithic times.  They found a 9th-century monastery, a 150,000-year-old hominid skeleton was found, and a number of Neolithic tools. The Ancient Romans, Greeks, Byzantines, and many others passed through here, all leaving behind physical artifacts as well as cultural ones like the painted caves inhabited by unknown artists of ages past.

Despite the government’s efforts to modernize, many people have moved back into the caves.  Social life occurs in central courtyards, which also contain the communal ovens where bread is baked. The unique value of this place has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and Europe’s 2019 City of Culture. 

Our hotel here was quite interesting.  It was not a single building; rather it is a network of former cave-homes now linked together as a collective.  Some of the rooms are connected through tunnels and some can only be reached by going outside and walking (or climbing) to another area still considered part of the hotel. Our room was near the top of the hill – from the reception area, we had to walk uphill along a winding pathway and then climb a flight of stairs to reach our entrance.  Inside … it was a cozy cave!

Our visit to Matera got underway with a walk through Sassi di Matera, the original district of ancient cave dwellings.  We walked past quarries, ravines and sculpted gardens as we wandered through the endless network of caves used as churches, crypts, and fortifications. 

 These photos of very small houses and a tiny church are quite misleading.  They look like one-room buildings, but they were structures built to cover the opening to a cave.  So ... the house or church actually is underground.  Pretty amazing.

We met this man heading home with a handful of wild asparagus.  He had been outside of town collecting part of his dinner.  We tried to get an invitation to join him, but he pretended not to understand English.  

The hillside is dotted with churches that overlook the town or the neighboring valley.  Some are quite simple, not a bit ornate, but nevertheless astonishing for the fact that they were carved into the rock centuries ago. 

Chiesa Madonna dell' Idria (Church of the Madonna of Idris) is located inside of a large chunk of limestone rock, from which there is a grand view of the city and the river running through it.  The church dates back to the fifteenth century and is part of a rock complex that also includes an old crypt that is important for the frescoes it preserves, ranging from the 12th to the 17th centuries. 

Convento de Sant’Agostino (Convent of Saint Augustine) is the former monastery of the Augustinian friars.  It is a baroque design, with interesting frescoes and other artwork.  The building is attached to a much earlier cave church.  This year it is hosting a Picasso exhibition as part of the 2019 City of Culture. 









Salvador Dali was also in town for the celebration of culture.  Some of his weird and wonderful works appeared in the most unlikely places.  

Chiesa San Pietro Caveoso (Church of St. Peter of the Caves), dating back to the 12th-century, is the largest of Matera’s cave or rock wall churches.  It once was home to a group of Palestinian nuns and later became a place of refuge in times of danger.  

Inside, all evidence of cave is covered over with stones.  The ceiling is covered with painted wooden planks - very colorful and very old.

Chiesa San Giovanni Battista (Church of St. John the Baptist) is one of Matera’s most important churches.  It was built in the 12-century, but has had many modifications over the years.

Matera Cattedrale (Cathedral of Santa Maria della Bruna) stands at the highest point in the rock city and is visible from everywhere.  It is adorned with magnificent decorations, frescoes, paintings, and sculptures. 

Casa Grotta (Cave House) recreates a furnished cave, complete with two lower levels, one for the livestock and one for wine.  This house was inhabited until 1958 and today it looks much like it did 60 years ago. 

ALBEROBELLO is a small town that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unusual white-washed conical-roofed houses characteristic of the area.  These dwellings, known as trulli, are built from limestone, with dry-stone walls and a characteristic conical roof; some of them date back to the mid-14th-century but they remain remarkably well-preserved.

The trullo is a simple, traditional type of structure; in its most basic form it is used as a shed in the olive groves. Alberobello was once a town of only trulli; their design was intended to fool the authorities and avoid paying taxes.  The local feudal lord moved his peasant workers here to clear woodland and cultivate the land. To get around the tax laws of the time, it was important that Alberobello wasn’t classified an inhabited settlement. So, until 1797, when Alberobello was finally given 'town' status, the people had to live in trulli, which could be dismantled in a hurry when necessary.

The buildings are usually square, with thick stone walls that are constructed without mortar. The thickness strengthens the structure and also helps regulate the internal temperature. The roof is actually a dome, but is built up on top into a cone shape, topped with a spire. There is generally a central room, with additional living spaces in arched alcoves.



Residential trulli are whitewashed, and their roofs are often decorated with fanciful painted symbols of religious or superstitious significance. The fanciness of the spire decoration was something of a status symbol; it showed the builder’s skill and thus the spending power of the owners. Many houses consist of more than one trullo roof: they are more like trullo complexes crowned with several roof-cones.

 

 

There are over 1600 trulli in Alberobello and no two are alike.  It looks like a life-size fairy tale.  Here Paolo, our guide, explains how to build a house without mortar while Dennis and Vicky check out some vacation houses for sale....

OSTUNI is visible long before arrival.  The picturesque 'White City' rises high above the ocean of olive trees that cover much of this part of Puglia.  Built atop a hill to protect from invaders, Ostuni is a jumble of whitewashed buildings, a maze of alleyways, staircases and arches, houses built upon houses, and hundreds of years of history laid out in a way no map can capture. Dead ends, hidden gardens, glimpses of the Adriatic Sea, colorful doors and blue skies; there’s a surprise around every corner. 

In the 17th century a plague killed millions in the area and infected houses were painted white by mixing limestone dust with water. Locals noticed that there was less illness around the white houses and attributed it to a miracle; most likely it was the antibacterial effect of the calcium carbonate.  Nowadays the local government encourages everyone to repaint every two years by paying half the cost.

The only way to experience Ostuni is by heading up and down the narrow lanes and side streets.  Like invaders of old, we would have gotten totally lost without our guide Paolo to lead the way. 

At the town’s highest point stands the Duomo di Ostuni (The Cathedral of Ostuni) or the Basilica Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta built in the 15th century in the late Gothic style.  Its graceful lines lead to the sky and there’s a magnificent fake rose window with Christ at the center surrounded by 24 finely carved columns representing the hours of the day.

 

The countryside around Ostuni is filled with olive trees.  This is the heart of the olive oil industry in southern Italy; 50% of Italy’s olive oil is produced in this region.  Some of these trees are 2,000 years old.  Even older than Tom and Fran …

Il Frantolio is a family-owned organic olive farm on which about 1400 of these old olive trees are cultivated.  The primary and most valuable product of the farm is extra virgin olive oil.  They operate a cold press, using olives without pits to avoid bitterness.

 

They also produce several flavored oils, infused with various fruits and spices.  We tested several different varieties – some sweet, some spicy, all delicious. 

 

LECCE is a small university city located in the Salento region of Puglia.  It is considered southern Italy’s Baroque masterpiece and is sometimes described as the 'Florence of the Baroque' or the 'Rome of the South.'   Lecce’s history goes back a long way; some say it’s been around since the Trojan Wars.  It has a lovely historic center surrounded by intriguing little lanes that lead to far-flung Baroque churches. The town's great artistic treasure is its architecture. 

Piazza Sant'Oronzo is the large central square which represents the historical and artistic character of the town.  Among the structures here is the Roman amphitheater, which once seated 14,000 spectators. The photo below shows the amphitheater, the Column, and the Venetian Church.  

The statue of a bishop perched on a column represents Sant'Oronzo, a patron saint of Lecce. The column is one of two which originally marked the end of the Roman Appian Way in Brindisi (the other is still in Brindisi).  This monument is currently undergoing restoration.; the Saint is resting comfortably in another location - he'll get cleaned up a bit, too.  

The Venetian Chiesa di San Marco (Church of Saint Mark) was built by the Venetian colony in 1543 to represent the good relations between the Venetian Republic and the people of Lecce.  The front portal bears the symbol of the lion and a small rose window; the sides have many Renaissance decorations.  

This photo shows the Basilica of the Holy Cross and the Palazzo dei Celestini; both were undergoing restoration during our visit.  Many thanks to a former visitor for this picture showing what they should look like.

The Basilica di Santa Croce (Church of the Holy Cross) is known for its amazing architecture and stunning Baroque façade.  Built in the 17th century, the church is created from the unique Lecce stone that gives the structure its light cream coloration. The outer walls are packed full of intricate sculptures, gorgeous rose windows and interesting stone statues. The interior is not as opulent but still features some beautiful stonework and religious decoration.

To the left of the Basilica of Santa Croce is the Palazzo dei Celestini, the former convent of the Celestine fathers, built in the 16th-century.  The atrium of the palace features 24 arches supported by 48 columns. The 21 capitals have been imprinted with letters with dark meanings.  Currently the palace houses offices of the Prefecture and the Province.

Chiesa di Santi Nicolò e Cataldo (Church of Saint Nicholas and Cataldo) is known locally as the Greek Church.  It was founded 1180. In the center of its Baroque façade, which was added in 1716, there is the superb Romanesque doorway of the original church. Around the older doorway are multiple statues from the 18th-century renovations, but the interior maintains much of the early French Gothic style, with frescoes dating from the 15th to the 17th centuries.

A Roman Theater is hidden among the narrow streets of this baroque city.  Built in the 2nd century AD, it once seated 4,000 people and was only rediscovered amongst the gardens and palaces in 1929.

Cattedrale di Santa Maria dell’Assunta (Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary) is a 17-century church known for its gilded, opulent interior.  Located in the Piazza del Duomo, it is one of the most important religious buildings in the city. It features a Baroque design, with an opulent northern façade and a beautiful bell tower. The interior of the Cathedral is highly decorative and features gold artwork, soaring arches and a ceiling that contains some gorgeous historical artwork.  There are twelve chapels within the church, each of which is dedicated to a different saint or religious figure.

 

In a small shop near the cathedral, we met Claudio Riso and learned about the art of cartapesta – making painted figures out of papier mâché.  Cartapesta began in Lecce in the 17-century with figures for nativity scenes and life-size models of saints made for religious processions.  Today churches, convents and monasteries are filled with intricate decorations and colorful figures made of papier mâché.  In this photo Paolo is explaining the different stages of building a figure and nearby is a life-size figure that Claudio is restoring for a local church.  

Chiesa di Sant’Irene (Church of Saint Irene) was built between 1591 and 1639 to honor the city’s patron saint at that time.  It has a baroque façade with columns, niches and lots of decorations, including a statue of St. Irene.

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Provvidenza (Church of St. Mary of Providence) was built in the early 1700s in conjunction with an adjoining monastery (now demolished).  Its style is Baroque.

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Porta (Church of St. Mary of the Gate) dates to 1597, though it was rebuilt between 1852 and 1858.  It is octagon-shaped, with a domed roof and a plain neoclassical façade.

Porta Napoli is the main city gate, built in 1548 for a state visit from Charles V and modeled on a Roman triumphal arch. Just outside the arch is the obelisk and beyond this is the university area.

 

Porta Rudiae is the oldest of the city’s gates.  It is topped by a statue of the patron saint of Lecce, Sant’Oronzo.  We spent one lazy afternoon in a sidewalk cafe just outside the gate - drinking sinfully thick and rich hot chocolate and getting to know Paolo's family.

 

OTRANTO is a historic seaside town and port on the Adriatic coast of southern Italy; it lies in the far eastern corner of Italy’s boot heel.  Its blue waters and white buildings make Otranto a picturesque spot.  Otranto was important as a Greek and then Roman port; later it was ruled by the Byzantines, the Normans and the Aragonese. 

 

 

Otranto’s principal attraction is its Romanesque  Basilica Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunziata (Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary) with its mosaic floor built in 1163-1165—it survived the Turkish invasion although parts of the Cathedral were destroyed.  It is one of the largest mosaics in Europe and covers the entire floor.

In 1480 the town was invaded by Turks, and 800 locals were executed for refusing to convert to Islam. The bones and skulls of these martyrs are stacked behind glass in the cathedral.

 

Its central motif is the Tree of Life, supported at the base by elephants, a symbol of purity, with branches telling pagan and biblical stories. Another tree near the front of the church depicts heaven on one side and grizzly scenes from hell on the other. 

 

CUTROFIANO is the home of L’Astore Masseria, an agricultural estate saved from abandonment with a loving restoration campaign inspired by one family’s admiration of Apulian traditions. The Achille family has been living here since 1960, slowly changing the farm into a winery that focuses on quality rather than quantity of wine produced. 

We enjoyed a tour around the large underground storage areas that are used for aging the wine, as well as housing a museum of vintage wine-making equipment.  Afterwards, we were invited into the large and rambling farm house for a “light” lunch and a sampling of wines.  It would have been tempting to spend several days here instead of just a few hours ….

 

GALATINA is small town that is delightfully walkable.  Before the unification of Italy, Galatina was named San Pietro in recognition of St. Peter’s stop here on his way to Rome. Once an entirely walled city, three gates remain standing.

Chiesa Madre dei Santi Pietro e Paolo (the Mother Church of St. Peter and Paul) is the mother church of the city. Originally built in 1633, the church has undergone several phases of reconstruction and renovation over centuries. Its façade complements the Baroque style of many other buildings around the town. The nearby Torre dell’Orologio, the clock tower in Galatina, adds to the charm.

Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Allessandria (the Basilica of St. Catherine of Alexandria) is the jewel of Galatina’s crown; it was declared a national monument in 1870).  The art here has been said to rival that of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Construction of the church started in the late 1300s to guard a sacred relic, the finger of St. Catherine of Alexandria. There’s enough gold and precious art inside to make you feel that you are in a museum rather than a church. The dazzling frescoes painted by disciples of Giotto served as a “poor man’s Bible” before the citizenry of Galatina could read.

Adjoining the church are the frescoed cloister and the refectory, now a museum with an Arabesque ceiling that houses many other artistic, historical and cultural riches of the church.

After five days in Basilicata and Puglia, we left the Italian mainland and flew to Palermo to begin our tour of Sicily.

PALERMO is the capital of the autonomous region (island) of Sicily and is noted for its history, culture, architecture and food.  This busy port city was founded by the Phoenicians over 2,700 years ago. Over the centuries, it has been possessed by the Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, and the Holy Roman Empire.  Today Palermo reflects this history in a contradictory mix of beauty and neglect, with a strong Baroque influence dating from the 17th and 18th-centuries.  Our lodging here, the Grand Hotel Wagner, was a renovated 18th-century mansion.

But what about the Mafia?  For many people, the word is synonymous with Sicily, thanks to the country infamous historical relationship with the organization and the many movies made about the Cosa Nostra.  Starting life in the 18th century, the Mafia has shaped Sicily both through its criminal activities and, more recently, its anti-Mafia movement, which has fostered a gradual resistance from all levels of Sicilian society. 

The concept of the mafioso goes back to the late 15^th century when feudal lords living in the city employed gangs of armed peasants to keep the peace and collect the rents on their agricultural properties.  These Mafiosi were soon robbing large estates and generally causing mayhem, but the local authorities were inept at dealing with them.  The peasants became willing accomplices in protecting the outlaws, as they were happy to support any effort to undermine the feudal system. 

Up until WWII, the Mafia had operated mostly in the countryside, but after the war it began expansion into the cities.  It took over the construction industry and later, the lucrative illegal drug trade.  More money led to vicious feuds between different Mafia families, sometimes resulting in hundreds of deaths. 

Government anti-Mafia efforts have had mixed success.  Some trials have led to long prison terms, but assassinations were often directed at investigators and prosecutors.  Two judges and a priest were murdered in 1992, marking the tipping point in resistance to the Mafia.

 

Over time, the power of the Mafia has been diminished and the code of silence has been broken, but today’s Mafia has infiltrated daily life, becoming intertwined with legal society.  Its collaborators and their children are now ‘respectable’ and influential citizens.  Some businesses display signs that they have said ‘no’ to paying protection money, but the Sicilian mafia is alive and well. 

As part of our introduction to Sicily, we had an interesting discussion about the Sicilian Mafia (Cosa Nostra) with Gino and Angelo, two young men with close family ties to the organization.  Both of their fathers were in the Mafia, based in the town of Corleone.  Gino’s father left the mob soon after Gino was born, at the insistence of his mother.  On the other hand, Angelo’s father (Toto Riina) rose through the ranks and became the chief of the entire Sicilian mafia. He lived as a fugitive for 30 years and was known for the ruthless murders campaign of the 1990s.   He was arrested in 1993 and imprisoned until his death in 2017.

Riina had four sons; two followed in their father’s footsteps and were sentenced to life imprisonment.  The other two have struggled to make a life for themselves as they are being punished for the sins of their father - they have been harassed by police and shunned by society.  The local newspaper has criticized OAT’s relationship with Angelo, and several hotels have refused to allow this gathering to be held on their premises. 

Quatro Canti (Four Corners) is the busy intersection that marks the center of the old city, dividing it into four major historical neighborhoods.  The junction is elegantly framed by a circle of four curvi-linear Baroque facades, each adorned by three tiers of statues.  The bottom statues represent the four seasons – from a young maiden for spring to an elderly woman for winter.  The building facades light up as the sun moves across the sky, earning it the nickname of Theater of the Sun.

Chiesa de Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio della Martorana (aka La Martorana) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  This 12th-century church, originally planned as a mosque, is a beautiful relic of the era when Palermo was the richest port in western Europe.

Delicate arches support a domed cupola depicting Christ Pantocrator enthroned among four archangels. 

In 1433 the church was given over to an order of Benedictine nuns, who tore down much of the structure and destroyed most of the mosaics.  Two remaining original mosaics are George of Antioch, crouched at the feet of the Virgin Mary and Roger II receiving his crown from Christ.  

 

The church was returned to the Greek Orthodox Community in 1935, and Greek Mass is still celebrated here. 

  

Chiesa di San Cataldo (Church of Saint Cataldo), next to La Martorana is an example of the Arabian-Norman architecture created in Sicily. San Cataldo is one of the sites in Palermo included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. It was founded in 1160, but its founder was assassinated with the result that church interior never was decorated.

Fontana Pretoria in Piazza Pretoria is a huge Tuscan fountain standing in front of City Hall; it is one of Palermo’s major landmarks.  The fountain’s tiered basins ripple out in concentric circles, crowded with nymphs, tritons and leaping river gods, with Diana, the virgin goddess of the hunt, presiding over it all.  The nude figures were considered quite racy, earning the fountain the nickname “Fountain of Shame."

 

Palazzo del Normanni (Norman Palace) dates back to the 9^th century and today is home to Sicily’s regional parliament.  It owes its current appearance and name to a major Norman makeover, during which spectacular mosaics were added to its royal apartments and magnificent chapel.  The palace is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as is the chapel built in 1130 inside the Norman rulers’ royal palace.

Cattedrale di Palermo (Palermo Cathedral) is a wild mix of geometric patterns, crenellations, cupolas and arches.  Its construction began in 1184, but it has suffered multiple reworkings over the centuries.  Nevertheless, the Cathedral remains a prime example of Sicily’s unique Arab-Norman architectural style and has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Parts of the cathedral are quite beautiful.  The three-arched portico built in the 15th century took 200 years to complete and is considered a masterpiece of Catalan-Gothic architecture.  The eastern exterior is adorned with exotic interlacing designs.  The Cathedral’s entrance is fronted by gardens and a statue of Santa Rosalia, one of Palermo’s patron saints.   

Behind the cathedral, we came across a couple of traditional Sicilian carts.  They were getting shined up in preparation for the festivities and processions to be held during Holy Week.

Mercato del Capo is one of the city’s most atmospheric street markets. There are stalls selling household goods, clothes, and foodstuffs of every possible description.  The air is filled with the scent of lemons and oranges, and the sounds of chickpea fritters emerge from the deep-fryers.  Our guide brought us here to sample some traditional Sicilian street food.

 

 We started off with pane e panelle, Palermo’s famous chickpea fritters, followed by some crocche, potato croquettes flavored with fresh mint, and arancino, deep-fried rice ball with fish inside.  After that, who knows?  The treats kept coming and we lost track of which was what – we do remember that they were mighty tasty.  Lots of street food is deep-fried, but very little fried foods in regular meals.

Teatro Massimo is Palermo’s opera house, which took over 20 years to complete.  It is the largest in Italy and second-largest in Europe.  The closing scene of The Godfather: Part III was filmed here. 

Teatro Argento is home to the Opera dei Pupi, marionette theatrical presentations that are one of Sicily’s best-loved cultural traditions.   Marionettes were first introduced to the island by the Spanish in the 18th-century.  The art form was embraced by the locals, who were enthralled with the re-enacted tales of Charlemagne and his heroic knights.  This theater was founded in 1893 and is still run by the  same family.
 

Puppet shows were the soap operas of their day, expounding the deepest sentiments of life – unrequited love, treachery, thirst for justice, and the anger and frustration of the oppressed.  Back then, a puppet could speak volumes where a person could not. The hand-made wooden puppets are intricately designed and the tales they enact date back to the first half of the 13th-century.  Sicilian marionette theater is listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. 

Teatro Politeama Garibaldi is a grandiose venue for opera, ballet and classical music.  It is home to Palermo’s symphony orchestra. 






Palermo has at least two rings of city walls, many pieces of which still survive.  The first ring surrounded the ancient core of the Phoenician city, with Porta Nuova the west gate (near the Norman Palace) and Porta Felicia the east gate (near the Marina).  

Moto-Ape Ride – Tour of Palermo in three-wheeled vehicles known as Moto-Apes.  Ape means “bee” in Italian, and we did buzz along the streets of Palermo. Sightseeing was mostly limited to the other vehicles in our entourage, but we did stop for a look at the marina. 

CASTELBUONO is located on Sicily’s northern coast, set amid forest of ash and chestnut trees in the Madonie Mountains.  It owes many of its buildings and much of its character to the powerful Ventimiglia family, which ruled the town for two centuries.  

On our way into town, we made an interesting rest stop – at a monumental cemetery.  This cemetery was typical of most Italian towns and villages:  a walled enclosure filled with multi-story rows of concrete vaults.  Many people have commission architects and artists to design special chapels and tombs, so that the cemetery is an open-air museum of funerary art.

In town, the Castello del Ventimiglia is an enormous fortress-like castle and is the town’s most distinctive landmark.  Built by Francesco I Ventimiglia in 1316, it features displays on local archaeology and history.  Legend holds that the castle is haunted by a 14th-century queen who runs along the corridors on the first Tuesday of each month.  We were there on a third Tuesday, no sign of her majesty.

At the heart of the fortress is the Chapel of St. Anne (Cappella di Sant’Anna) which dates from 1683 and is decorated with beautiful stucco work.  A silver urn houses the supposed skull of the saint, who is the patron saint of Castelbuono.

Around and below the castle lies the charming medieval town, visible through the gate in the formidable wall that surrounds the castle.  Jo and Carol look right at home ....

 

The town is delightful – there’s a central square with City Hall on one side, the church on another, and a fountain in the middle.

Beyond the square, there are plenty of narrow side streets to explore.

Our visit included with a delicious lunch at Ristorante Mangalarruni, which specializes in local mushrooms. 

 

After lunch, we stopped to sample some “manna,” solidified sap from ash trees.  The bark is cut so that the sap seeps to the outside where it deposits on the trunk when it comes in contact with air.  According to the locals, the manna has been known and valued since ancient times for its properties as an “intestinal regulator.”  It is said to promote a state of well-being and quality of life and to cure just about whatever ails you. 

 

CEFALU is known for its beautiful beaches and the Duomo di Cefalu (Cathedral of Cefalu), one of Sicily’s greatest Arab-Norman architectural masterpieces.  The squares, streets and churches of this medieval town are postcard-pretty, surrounded by mountains and with a small port lined with fishing boats. 

The Duomo di Cefalu is a magnificent cathedral, built in the 12^th century in a Sicilian-Romanesque style and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Filling the central apse, a towering figure of Christ All-Powerful is the focal point of the elaborate Byzantine mosaics – Sicily’s oldest and best-preserved. 

 

The Christ figure holds an open Bible in his hand with a Latin and Greek inscription.  

Spiaggia di Cefalu, Cefalu’s crescent shaped beach, is a popular spot for tourists, though our visit came in chilly weather that kept most folks in town checking out the colorful streets and shops

MONREALE is a hillside town overlooking Palermo and the Tyrhennian Sea.  It is best known as the home to one of Sicily’s greatest cultural treasures, the Cattedrale di Monreale (Cathedrale of Monreale), said to be inspired by a vision of the Virgin.  Incorporating Norman, Arab, Byzantine and classical elements, this 12th-century cathedral is considered the finest example of Norman architecture in Sicily and one of the most impressive architectural legacies of the Italian Middle Ages.  It is one of Sicily’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

The cathedral’s mosaics were completed in 1184, after only ten years’ work.  The interior contains 130 mosaics, covering an area of 60,000 square feet - the largest collection of Byzantine mosaics in Italy.  The mosaics are masterpieces, with rich colors and gold filigree.  Nearly every surface is covered with mosaics, depicting biblical tales from the creation of man to the Assumption, in 42 different episodes.  The largest mosaic is Christ, dominating the apse.  

 

 

 

 

Leaving Monreale, we stopped at an agriturismo, for lunch.  An agriturismo is a traditional Sicilian farmhouse sanctioned for dining and lodging by the Italian government.  We enjoyed our meal, which included local wines and olive oil. 

Sicily is one of the world’s largest producers of wine. Per year, it produces more than Australia, New Zealand and Hungary combined.  For a Sicilian toast:  one person says, “To your health,” then another replies, “health to whom drinks the wine.”   It is believed that grapes were brought to Sicily by the ancient Greeks. They found that the temperature and volcanic soil on the island was perfect for creating wines, and since that time, Sicily has been known for its vineyards.

Greek settlers imported olive trees to Sicily in the 6th-Century BC; olive oil has been produced on the island ever since.  Sicily’s fertile volcanic soil produces excellent olives, and today the island produces about 10% of Italy’s olive oil. 

After lunch, we took a long walk to explore the surrounding countryside, with views of olive groves, vineyards, lots of wildflowers, and some extraordinary temple ruins. 

 

SEGESTA is home to 5th-century B.C. Greek ruins on the edge of a deep canyon amid desolate mountains.  This area was settled first by the Elymians, an ancient civilization claiming descent from the Trojans who settled in Sicily in the Bronze Age.  These indigenous people were in constant conflict with the Greeks, who eventually slaughtered them all and repopulated Segesta with Greeks.   Today, little remains of ancient Segesta except for its never-completed Doric temple.

 

The temple dates from around 430 B.C. and is quite well-preserved.  Standing in isolation in a field of grasses and wildflowers, it has retained all of its 36 columns, topped by an intact entablature and pediment.  The missing roof and lack of fluting on the columns indicate that it was never completed. 

 

Leaving Segesta, we drove on to Mazara del Vallo and checked into another agriturismo for our three-night stay. 

MAZARA was one of the key cities of Saracen (Arab/Muslim) Sicily and the North African influence is still strongly felt here.  The town has the highest percentage of immigrants in Italy, with hundred of North Africans arriving annually to work on Mazara’s fishing fleet. 

Our first glimpse of the town was the hand-painted stairway leading up to the Norman Arch, all that remains of the old Norman Castle built in 1072 after Count Roger drove out the Arabs. It was mostly demolished in 1880.

Nearby is the Cattedrale del San Salvadore (Cathedral of Saint Salvador), which originally dates to the 11th-century and was completely rebuilt in baroque style in the 17th century.  Over the portal is a 16th-century relief.  Inside is a heavily ornamented altar, surrounded by statues and fancy stucco work.  To the right of the altar is a rare 13th-century painted cross.

 

Piazza dell Repubblica is Mazara’s central square, surrounded by palaces that date back to the 18th-century.  It is the site of the Cathedral, the bishop’s palace, the seminary palace, and the diocesan museum.  A statue of San Vito, patron saint of the city (and of dogs), stands at the center of the square. 

Seminario del Chierici (Seminary of the Clerics) was built around 1710, destroyed by earthquake and rebuilt in 1757.  It is connected to the Cathedral of Sant’ Agata via a flyover and integrated into the city walls.  It has many beautiful decorations and frescoes., as well as an impressive 11-arched portico. 

We were in town on Good Friday – just in time for the procession of priests from surrounding communities to lead the Bishop from the seminary over to the Cathedral. It was pretty impressive and apparently, we impressed the Bishop, too, as he slowed enough to wave and bless us.

 

Chiesa di Sant’Ignacio (Church of Saint Ignatius) was built in the early 18th century and then collapsed in the 1930s.  Its facade looks open for business, but inside, its roofless remains include a circular colonnade of twin columns backed by a vine-draped stone wall. 

 

The old College of the Jesuits was another quick stop.  It had a lovely courtyard and some exhibits of old urns that had been found in the sea around Mazara.

Mazara’s streets and alleys are decorated with colorful hand-painted tiles, and its historic quarter – still bearing the name La Kasbah – is a maze of narrow streets, sprinkled with Baroque and Norman-period buildings.  The area was once the heart of the Saracen city.  It’s all a bit dilapidated, but interesting because it retains a strong Arab connection through the 3,000 Maghreb Arabs (mostly Tunisian immigrants) who live and work here.  



Much of the street art was provided by the Mayor, an artist named Hajto Tomasz, along with some of his friends. 

 

  

Our guide for navigating the Kasbah was Hosni, a 20-year-old third-generation immigrant who wants to become a tour guide. Having a local guide in the Kasbah (any Kasbah) can be critical due to the number of twists and turns and dead-end streets.  It was designed to confuse attackers and we can vouch for its effectiveness - here's Brian checking out a street that went nowhere - unless you were looking for the laundry.  

It was interesting to learn about the intermingling of Sicilian and Arab cultures, and encouraging to see the peaceful coexistence of Muslim and Christian faiths.  It didn’t happen overnight – when the first immigrants arrived, locals thought the veiled women were nuns.

Museo del Satiro (Museum of the Satyr) is known for its central exhibit, a bronze statue known as the Satiro danza (Dancing Satyr).  The sculpture, which was hauled from the sea by fishermen in 1998, depicts a satyr dancing wildly like a whirling dervish, arms outstretched, head flung back, and hair flowing.  Two thousand years ago, it would have been used in Dionysian processions; today it stands proudly in the de-consecrated shell of the Chiesa di Sant’Egidio (Church of Saint Egidio). 

 

After visiting the Dancing Satyr, we had the wonderful opportunity to meet Captain Francesco Adragna, the owner of the fishing ship that discovered the precious statue.  He told us about the excitement of raising the heavy statue 1600 feet from the ocean floor.  After laying the statue on a bed of nets, he and his crew remained there, fascinated by those alabaster eyes.  He answered our questions and told funny stories – just a very special experience.

For lunch, we were welcomed into the home of Tea and Matteo, descendants of Tunisian immigrants and families of fishermen.  Tea was the only female sailor to work on a fishing vessel in Mazara.  Their nephew, Nino, joined us for the meal and served as translator as needed.  Nino is a professional dancer, with his own stories to tell; he was quite a character.   Our lunch menu owed much to the Arabs, who ruled Sicily from 827 to 1061.  We had at least six different types of fish, lots of vegetables, and delicious fava bean soup.  It was topped off with homemade cannoli, by which time we could barely walk. 

After lunch, we were scheduled for free time, but lunch went way over time and it wasn’t long before we left the hotel for dinner at a local restaurant.  We arrived early because it was our turn to cook, or maybe learn to cook.  Chef Paolo met us at the door, ready to give us a cooking class to teach us how to prepare some authentic Sicilian cuisine. 

Paolo divided us into four teams to prepare the four menu items:  Bruschetta, Veal Scallopini,  Pumpkin Tart, and Tiramisu.  We did our best to follow his instructions while he bounced around from group to group, reminding us that he was the best chef in all of Italy. He IS listed in the Michelin Guide, so he's at least ONE of the best ... and the food we prepared was excellent.

 

Museo del Sale (Salt Museum), located in the town of Nubia, retraces the history of harvesting salt along the west coast of Sicily.  Salt production has been practiced here since the  fourteenth century.  The presence of a shallow lagoon and the absence of significant tides allowed the building of a series of holding pools, or pans.  The salt-making process begins by filling the outermost pan with fresh sea water; the constant coastal breeze and the hot Sicilian sun hasten evaporation.  As the brine solution becomes more concentrated, windmills are used to pump the salty water into another pan.  The process is repeated until salt crystals form; further drying removes the last of the water and the salt is ready for harvesting.  Once it is dry, it is shoveled into wheelbarrows and piled into giant ‘salt dunes.’  A makeshift roof of terra cotta tiles protects the salt from rain.  This semi-working salt museum produces about 10,000 pounds of salt per year.

 

After learning all about salt, we boarded a small ferry for a bracing and windblown ride to the small island of Mothya (or Mozia). 

MOZIA (Mothya Island) was a Phoenician/Carthaginian island fortress on Sicily’s west coast.  Here, about 2,700 years ago, the Phoenicians/Carthaginians built a trade outpost, which soon became an important and thriving settlement.  Looking at the island today (just 100 acres in size), it’s hard to see how there was enough room for a full-blown town. Archaeological research has shown that the streets were narrow and the houses were tall, thus making the most of the limited space. The town was surrounded by strong defensive walls to ward off attacks from its Greek rivals.  A small artificial port, accessed by a man-made canal, was constructed at the southern end of the island.

 

Most ingenious of all was the creation of an underwater causeway bedded into the shallow lagoon. This connected the north gate of the town to the mainland and allowed large-wheeled carts and horses to seemingly glide across the water. This causeway, an amazing feat of engineering, can be seen on satellite photos.  Look for the faint line at top of island, heading north to the mainland.

After several hundred years of prosperity, in 397 B.C. Mozia was besieged by Dionysius, the Greek Tyrant of Syracuse. After a long and difficult battle, the Greeks triumphed, sacked the town and put most of its residents to the sword. A year later the Carthaginians retook Mozia but opted to build a new city on the mainland. Mozia continued to be inhabited by a few farmers, but its day was done.

Archaeological remains include the “Cappidazzu”, a place for religious sacrifice, parts of the defensive walls, including the northern gate, a necropolis with several tombstones and the outlines of several villas, complete with extremely old mosaics made using black and white pebbles. 

 

 

A small museum contains artifacts of Carthaginian and Greek origin, including many markers from the necropolis.  

 

We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the island.  Sicilian food lends itself well to picnic style eating – many dishes are served cold.  We enjoyed bread, olives, cheese, caponata (eggplant salad), fruit and nuts. 

After lunch we explored the island a bit more, walking along a network of footpaths that connect Mothya’s interior to the shore.  We saw ongoing excavation projects that continue to reveal new insights into how the island’s relatively small space was developed and used to full potential. And we enjoyed acres of wildflowers - just beautiful.  

 


Of particular interest was the necropolis, where cremated remains were buried in stone chests.  

 

After a good night’s rest, we were off early to begin our journey inland, toward Sicily’s center.  Our first stop was the Valley of the Temples, just outside the city of Agrigento.  Agrigento was once the Greek city of Akragas, one of the most culturally advanced cities of the ancient world.

VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that boasts the best-preserved Doric temples outside of Greece.  The 3,000-acre archaeological site encompasses the ruined city and is bordered by a grove of olive and almond trees.  Its eight remaining temples testify to the magnificence and supremacy of the ancient city here some 2,500 years ago. 

Temple of Hera (aka Juno) was built in the 5th century BC and was partly destroyed by an earthquake in the Middle Ages.  Some of the colonnade remains intact; six columns on the front and 13 on the side remain, giving an idea of the size of this imposing structure.   There is also a long altar used for sacrifices.

Temple of Concordia is one of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere; it has survived almost entirely intact since it was constructed in 430 BC.  It was converted to a Christian basilica in the 6th-century and the main structure reinforced to prevent earthquake damage.










It's also a favorite spot for posing.  Here's the whole gang from Carolina Travelers and Friends:  Dale, Carol. Fran, Margaret, Jo, Dennis, Vicky, Deb and Tom.  Didn't catch the other guy's name ....

 

Temple of Hercules is the oldest, dating from the end of the 6th-century BC.  Eight of its 38 columns have been raised; the rest are scattered around the base. 

Temple of Olympian Zeus would have been the largest Doric temple ever built had its construction not been interrupted by the invading Carthaginians.  It covered an area of 370 feet by 185 feet, and had columns 66 feet high.  The incomplete temple was later destroyed by an earthquake.  Lying flat on his back amid the rubble is a 26-foot-tall telamon (a sculpted figure of a man with arms raised); it was originally intended to support the temple’s weight.

There were many other ruins to be seen, just not enough time to take it all in.  We did get a good look at the ancient city wall, much of which was used later by Christians for burials.  One headless, but otherwise perfect, Roman statue stands amid the rubble and Girgentana goats (the only endemic animal of the area) keep an eye on it all. 

 

Beautiful ruins in a beautiful setting!   

PIAZZA ARMERINA was our afternoon destination, deep in the Sicilian hinterlands.  It is a charming market town built on three hills and set amid fertile farming country.  The Cathedral is its high point, visible for miles with its towering dome rising 217 feet.  We passed by the town on our way to lodging, another of Italy’s agriturismos.

Vecchia Masseria, dating back to 1856, is both a typical and an extraordinary rural estate.  Surrounded by nearly 5,000 acres of woodlands inside an archaeological nature reserve, this historical complex was established by Baron Andrea Guccione from Palermo.  It was originally built with locally sourced stones and materials and was conceived as a great agricultural complex or masseria, providing accommodation for the farm workers, who were employed in the farming and cultivation of the surrounding lands.

Carefully restored in 1966 by the Golina Family, Vecchia Masseria has regained much of its old splendor.   Features of the past estate include walls decorated with water-based paintwork, stonework, woodwork, Sicilian  tiles, and wrought iron details.  

 

VILLA ROMANO DEL CASALE is another of Sicily’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, home to the finest Roman floor mosaics in existence.  This late Roman Villa was built as a hunting lodge in the middle of the 4th century AD and is an excellent example of a luxury Roman Villa.  It is decadent even by Roman standards and is thought to have been the country retreat of Marcus Aurelius Maximianus, the Roman Co-Emperor during the reign of Diocletian.   The size of the complex – four interconnected groups of buildings spread over the hillside and nearly an acre of well-preserved multi-colored floor mosaics – suggest that this was a palace of imperial standing. 

Following a landslide in the 12th-century, the villa lay under 33 feet of mud for some 700 years, and was thus protected from the damaging effects of air, wind and rain.  Excavation work began in the 1950s and today the entire complex is covered with a wooden roof to protect the mosaics from the elements.  

Our first sighting of the villa was actually the remains of the aqueduct that brought water from the river to the house. 

The Main Entrance leads through the remnants of a triumphal arch into the Atrium (forecourt).   To the north is the villa’s Thermae (bath complex), which we entered through the Palestra (gymnasium) that features a mosaic depicting a chariot race at the Circus Maximus in Rome. 

 

 

From the palestra, enter the octagonal Frigidarium (cold room) where the radiating apses contained cold plunge pools and the Tepidarium (warm room), where vents allowed hot steam into the room (exposed brickwork visible).   Off the steam room are the Calidaria (warm baths). 

The main part of the villa is centered on the Peristyle, a vast covered courtyard lined with amusing animal heads – and entrances to a number of rooms.  This is where guests would have been received before being taken through to the Basilica (throne room;undergoing restoration).

 

Every inch of the place is covered with mosaics or frescoes.  Many of the hallways and less important rooms have geometric designs, many with animal pictures.  

On the northern side of the courtyard is the Hall of the Lesser Hunt, a dining room that features a mosaic called the Little Hunt. 

 

 

The Big Hunt is over on the eastern side of the courtyard in the Ambulacro della Grande Caccia (Corridor of the Great Hunt).  The 210-foot-long corridor is adorned with dramatic hunting scenes of tigers, leopards, elephants, antelopes, ostriches and a rhino – animals that the Romans eventually hunted to extinction in North Africa. The human figure in a Byzantine cape and flanked by two soldiers is most likely Maximianus himself with two members of his personal guard. 

 

 

 

Just off the southern end of the corridor is the Sala delle Dieci Ragazze (Room of the Ten Girls), home of the villa’s most famous mosaic.  It depicts bikini-clad girls working out with weights and dinky dumbbells, in preparation for the Olympic games. 

 

There are numerous apartments in the villa; their floor illustrations reproduce scenes from Homer and other mythical tales.   

 

And there's more.  Much more - impossible to keep all the rooms and illustrations straight.  Here are a few more of the more interesting ones around the complex.  It boggles the mind.

 

 

After our visit to the Roman Villa, we headed to the little town of SAN LEONE for a surprise – really two surprises.  The first surprise was lunch at the home of the La Scala family – some great home cooking!  The second surprise was down in the basement, where there was a beautiful collection of traditional Sicilian carts. 

We were escorted into the workshop of Raffaele La Scala, one of Sicily’s last master cart-makers – known as a Maestro Carradore.  One of the best-known symbols of Sicily, the cart was created as a means of transport that responded to practical needs, but went on to be transformed into a vehicle for cultural transmission. Sculpture and painting were applied its various parts to represent moments from the island’s history, or from epic stories or popular religion, creating valuable constructions that were genuine traveling works of art.

 


The workshop held several beautiful carts built by Raffaele La Scala, with the assistance of several other tradesmen.  A carver would create all the wooden parts (using various types of wood, a blacksmith took care of wrought iron elements, the “carradore” (carter) assembled the various parts and a painter would decorate all the surfaces that could be painted.  Even the wooden wheels could be used for patterns and scenes highlighted by the many bright colors – every one is a masterpiece in its own right.

 

 

CALTAGIRONE is known throughout Italy for its ceramics. The area’s high-quality clay has supported production for over a thousand years, and the ceramics industry is still important today.  The Arabs introduced glazed colors, especially the yellows and blues that distinguish the local ceramics.  There are numerous decorative ceramic features on structures throughout the town.

 

 

The town’s most famous sight is the epic, ceramic-inlaid staircase known as the Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte (Stairway of St. Mary of the Mountain).  It rises from the Piazza Municipio to the Chiesa di Santa Maria del Monte, at the top of the town.  The 142-step stairway was built in the early 17th-century to connect the old hilltop center with newer developments around the Piazza Municipio. The risers are covered with some 12,000 hand-painted majolica tiles.  The steps are flanked by colorful ceramic shops and grand views await at the top of the hill. 

The Cathedral of San Giuliano (the Duomo) was built in the Norman era, but has undergone many rebuildings and restorations following earthquakes.  The Cathedral stands just off the main square; the dome is done with blue Caltagirone tiles.

The Chiesa del San Salvatore (Church of San Salvador) was built in the 18th century, when it was a Benedictine church dedicated to St. Mary and the home of cloistered nuns.  We stopped by to meet Salvatore Milazzo, the church custodian who has created an amazing animated nativity scene made entirely of papier mache. 

 

 

RAGUSA is a dramatic hill town with green, rolling hills and neatly stacked stone fences.  Devastated by the 1693 earthquake, it is now a town with two faces.  Wealthier members of the population decided to build their new town higher up a cliff; today, Ragusa Superiore is a busy workaday town with all the trappings of a modern provincial capital.  Further down the hillside is Ragusa Ibla, where the rest of the town’s inhabitants rebuilt on the original site, at the bottom of a gorge.  Today the historic old town is a sloping area of tangled alleyways and baroque palaces on handsome squares.  It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our hotel was in the upper town, Ragusa Superiore, near the cathedral, Duomo di San Giovanni Battista (Church of St. John the Baptist).  This huge 18th-century church has a highly ornate façade and a pretty campanile.  The dome was added in 1820.  Across the street is the Bishop’s office and residence.

Also in the newer upper town, there are several notable buildings constructed in the 1930s to provide the town with the infrastructure and services needed to make it a “poster child” for Mussolini’s fascism.  The main post office and the Italian national bank are prime examples of this architecture.  Less obvious, but more numerous, are the Fascist-era manhole covers that bear Mussolini’s iconic emblem of power – the ancient Roman fasces (bundle of rods with axe).

 

From our hotel, we walked down to the lower town, Ilba Ragusa, via the Salita Commendatore, a winding path of stairs and narrow archways.  We had nice views of the old town below as well as close-up looks at some of the elaborate decorations on the palaces of noble families who built their mansions along this way.

 

 

The descent goes past the Chiesa de Santa Maria delle Scale (Church of St. Mary of the Stairs), a 15th-century church with impressive views.  The church was restored in the 18th-century and is known for the steep staircase leading up to it.

Farther down is the Chiesa Santa Maria dell’Itria (Church of St. Mary of Itria) with its cobalt-blue ceramic dome.  This church is located in the heart of the old Jewish neighborhood, where it was built in the 1600s.  It was remodeled and expanded after the 1693 earthquake. 

And then, near the bottom, there’s the Chiesa del Purgatorio (Church of Purgatory), dedicated to all saints and souls in purgatory.  The church stands at the end of a beautiful staircase.  It is a late Baroque-style building, one of the few to have survived to great earthquake of 1693.

Ragusa Ibla is a great place to wander; its labyrinthine lanes weave through old, richly ornamented Baroque structures, elaborate balconies, and highly decorated churches.  The gray stone pathways open into beautiful, sun-drenched piazzas. 

It’s easy to get lost, but not hard to find the Piazza Duomo, Ragusa’s central square.  The square is home to the town’s pride and joy, the mid-18th-century Cattedrale di San Giorgio (Cathedral of St. George), with a magnificent neoclassical dome and stained-glass windows.  Its extravagant convex façade rises like a three-tiered wedding cake, supported by gradually narrowing Corinthian columns and punctuated by jutting cornices. 

Chiesa di San Giuseppe (Church of St. Joseph) is a Baroque-style church erected in 1756-1796 under the Benedictines.  Like many local churches, the façade is highly sculpted and decorated with statues of saints.  Its cupola is graced by a beautiful fresco, Gloria di San Benedetto, done in 1793.  The interior has an elliptical layout, with elaborate decorations and sculptures.  

Chiesa di San Giorgio Vecchio (Old Church of St. George) is now mostly ruined, but the Catalan Gothic portal, dating from 1400, is still standing.  The lunette features a bas-relief of St. George slaying the dragon. The Portale San Giorgio is the only structure that survived the 1693 earthquake. 

In the city park, Ibleo Garden, there are lovely walkways, as well as a couple of old churches.

One is Chiesa di San Giacomo Apostolo (Church of St. Giocomo), built around 1300 and largely destroyed by the 1693 earthquake.  After multiple restorations, the current façade was built in 1902

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The other is Chiesa de Sant’Agata ai Cappuccini (Church of St. Agatha or the Capuchin Church).  The Capuchin convent, which now houses the public library, was built right next to the church.  The wooden roof of the church was made in 1614 and is a rare example of pre-earthquake architecture. 

Also at the park, there is a funeral bulletin board, a frequent sight in public places and near churches.  It is covered with posters about recent deaths and upcoming funerals.  

The highlight of our time in Ragusa was a visit with Salvatore Appiano, a descendant of one of Sicily’s noble families – dating back to the 1100s.  Among his ancestors were a number of crusaders and two popes; his home is the family’s palazzo (palace), built in the 1600s. This delightful gentleman showed us all around his house, which was quite unassuming from the outside. 

Inside, wow!  It felt more like a museum than a home, but then we didn’t see his living quarters.  There were French furnishings from the 1700s and 1800s, Chinese vases, a chandelier made of Murano glass, a Madonna and Child statue dating to 1600, and much more.

One of the family’s special collections was a group of presepes monumentales (Nativity scenes).  These came in all sizes and shapes – all made of painted papier mâché and most quite old. 

Our favorite was the version showing the birth of Jesus taking place in Ragusa, with the manger leaning against the cathedral. 

Besides watching over this amazing house, Salvatore is an accomplished pianist.  He played a tune for us – what a setting for an impromptu concert!  What a wonderful experience arranged by our guide!

 

  

After a full day of wandering around old town Ragusa, we gathered back at our hotel for a special trip to nearby Modica.  We traveled like locals – in vintage Fiat 500s, small Italian cars well-suited to maneuvering through narrow streets and lanes. 

Our drivers were members of the Driving Club of Modica; they didn’t speak much English, but they loved to drive like maniacs. They made us honorary club members, just in case we want to ride with them again …

MODICA is a bustling town set in a deep rocky gorge; its steep medieval center and spectacular baroque cathedral have earned listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The town suffered major damage in the 1693 earthquake and was rebuilt in upper and lower sections; both featuring some of the most outstanding Sicilian Baroque architecture on the island. 

Chiesa di San Giorgio (Church of St. George) is one of Sicily’s most extraordinary baroque churches. It stands in isolated splendor at the top of a 250-step staircase.  Its three-tiered façade towers above the medieval alleyways of the historic town center.  It is listed on UNESCO World Heritage List.











We stopped for photos and a visit inside the church.  The interior is a kaleidoscope of silver, gold and egg-shell blue and lots of fancy carvings and decorations.  The priest came out to say hello, tell us about his cousins in America, and answer questions about St. George. 

 

Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista (Church of St. John the Evangelist) is yet another grand baroque church.  Its front entrance is at the top of a sweeping staircase; its interior is elliptical and has much neoclassical stucco-work. 

Cattedrale di San Pietro (Cathedral of St. Peter) is an impressive church atop a staircase lined with life-sized statues of the apostles.  After the earthquake of 1693, the church was restored, and it now has a very elegant front, embellished by four statues, which represent San Cataldo, Santa Rosalia, St. Peter and the Madonna.  The apex at the front is topped by a sculpture, in high relief, of Jesus Christ in triumph.  The monumental flight of steps adorned with statues of the 12 apostles makes the entrance even more majestic.  The Cathedral is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chiesa Santa Maria di Betlem (Church of Saint Mary of Bethlehem), is one of the oldest churches in Modica, dating to 1645.  It has three naves inside with a wooden-coffered ceiling.  On the outside wall, there is a 1000-year-old bas-relief carving known as Lunetta de Berlon.  It represents the adoration of the shepherds at the birth of Jesus.  Inside, there is a presepe monumentale (nativity scene) made of terra cotta in 1882.  

 

The wild ride ended at the Antica Dolceria Rizza, a shop where chocolate is made from a very old recipe – from none other than the Aztecs, via the Spanish conquistadors that dominated Sicily for a couple of centuries.  It is known as cold chocolate, somewhat grainy and crumbly, and frequently flavored with spices, fruits or nuts. And delicious – we sampled everything but the chili pepper chocolate!

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SICILIAN FARM

To see different side of life in rural Sicily, we traveled to Castelluccio Noto, a rural community between Ragusa and Siracusa.  We were there for the day – a day in the life of a Sicilian farm.  Our hosts were Michele and Theresa, a couple originally from Modica, where Michele was a cardiologist.  In 2001, he quit his job and they moved to “Casale Modica,” an abandoned farm that had been owned by members of his family for 170 years.  They bought out his brother’s share and set about restoring the old house that was nearly 300 years old.

The house is surrounded by 321 acres of farmland, with crops of almonds, wheat, carob, olives, oranges, and prickly pears (here called Indian figs).  They use organic farming practices and are part of a movement to restore the growth of the ancient grain of durum wheat – to be used for pasta instead of processed flour. Because they don’t use herbicides, the farm is a riot of wildflowers – Michele took us for a walk around the property while his wife prepared for the next phase of our visit.

 

Our visit included a different way to appreciate Sicilian cuisine, as our hosts walked us through the art of baking bread.  It wasn’t just show and tell – some of the group had a hand in kneading and shaping the loaves for baking.  

 

Others were recruited to help with sorting almonds – checking through a bag full of nuts to remove any trash or broken pieces.  Only perfect almonds were bagged for selling at market. 

Time to set the table – a very big table!  Our hosts probably could have done this faster without our help, but we got it done and everyone settled in for lunch.  Lunchtime was a feast – the fresh bread was especially nice, but everything was delicious.

 

After lunch, we walked around the gardens close to the house – some big and beautiful plants, with plenty of shade from ancient trees.  Just about a perfect place to walk.

At last, we had to say our good-byes and return to Ragusa.  Thankfully, dinner was light - a traditional Sicilian apericena – a light meal featuring a variety of traditional Sicilian foods eaten by hand.

SIRACUSA (Syracuse), birthplace of the mathematician Archimedes, was once an important port and the largest city in the ancient world.   Now over 2,700 years old, ancient ruins rise out of lush citrus orchards, while medieval lanes lead down to the sparkling blue sea.  The city’s rich display of Greek, Roman and Baroque architecture has helped it earn recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Ortygia is the city’s most beautiful corner, situated on a mini-peninsula across the water from the mainland.  It is connected to the mainland by short bridges and otherwise surrounded by ancient seawalls.  Within those walls, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a maze of alleyways and lovely piazzas.  Its narrow lanes are lined with shops, palaces and sidewalk cafés. 

Palazzo Municipale (City Hall), on the north side of the cathedral, is home to the Syracuse city council.  It was built in 1629 and has the architect’s signature (a lizard) carved into a stone on the corner.

Palazzo Arcivescovile (Archbishop’s Palace), built in the 17th century, stands on the south side of the cathedral. 

The square is also home to the Chiesa di Santa Lucie alla Badia (Church of the Burial of St. Lucy) houses Caravaggio’s masterpiece, Burial of Lucy, painted between 1608 and 1609.  (Note:  Photo of painting from Wikipedia, as no photography was allowed in the church.)

The Duomo, Syracuse’s Cathedral (Cathedral of the Virgin Mary), was built on the skeleton of a 5th-century BC Greek Temple to Athena.  It became a church when the island was evangelized by St. Paul.  Its most striking feature is the columned baroque façade added after the 1693 earthquake.  A statue of the Virgin Mary crowns the rooftop, in the same spot where a golden statue of Athena once stood. 

Along the sides, the old Greek columns are clearly visible; walls were constructed by filling in the spaces between columns.  Inside, there are even more columns; this church is a good example of re-purposing an old building. 

Nearby is the old Jewish quarter and the roofless remains of Chiesa San Giovanni Battista (Church of St. John the Baptist).  A close look at some of the corner stones reveals Hebrew writing, suggesting that this location may have been a synagogue or other religious structure before it became a Christian church. Siracusa was known to have a large and rich Jewish community. 

 

The Temple of Apollo is one of the most important ancient Greek monuments on Ortygia.  It dates to the beginning of the 6th-century BC and is thought to be the oldest Doric temple in Sicily.  This perhaps was the model for the temple surrounded by a portico with stone columns – the design that became the standard in the whole Greek world.   

Just behind the temple is the market, with plenty of hats and sunscreen for tourists and behind that, there is the regular open-air market where the locals shop for food.  Vivianna helped us pick out some spices to bring home for cooking pasta a la Sicilia.

 

Fontana di Diana (Fountain of Diana) was built in 1907 to stand in Archimedes Square.  It highlights the figure of Diana with bow and dog, the attributes of the goddess of hunting and protector of the island of Ortygia in Greek times. 

Down by the sea, Fontana Aretusa (Fountain of Arethusa) has been bubbling with fresh water since ancient times, when it was the city’s main water supply.  The fountain is a monumental affair, set around a pond full of papyrus plants and grey mullet.

Over in the fisherman’s marina, many boats were in for the day and fishermen were busy cleaning and untangling their nets, while Archimedes watched over it all.  

 

CATANIA, was originally founded in 719 BC by the Chalcidians and grew into major regional center in the 4th and 5th centuries BC.  In subsequent centuries, it was ruled by a succession of foreign powers, but by the mid-17th century, it had become a prosperous commercial center again.  In the late 1600s, disaster struck twice: first, Mt. Etna erupted in 1669, engulfing the city in boiling lava; then in 1693, a huge earthquake rocked the region, leaving 12,000 people dead. 

Out of the ashes arose the city that stands today.  A new street grid incorporated spacious squares and streets of differing widths, designed to provide escape routes and greater shelter in case of another eruption.  Grandiose palaces and churches were erected out of the same volcanic rock that Etna had rained on it.  Today, Catania’s historic core is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with black-and-white palaces towering over broad baroque piazzas.  Beneath it all are the ancient ruins of the town that flourished over 2700 years ago.  Keeping an eye on it all is nearby Mt. Etna, a powerful presence and a beautiful backdrop. 

We started our visit to Catania with a walk through Villa Bellini, the large and beautiful park in the center of Catania. The park was completed in 1883 and has many statues of locally famous people. It includes a staircase to a large gazebo on top of a hill.  Here we met Giorgio, a local musician who had come to entertain us with traditional Sicilian music as played by shepherds tending their sheep or cattle. 

Giorgio showed us several different sizes of flutes made from a reed (similar to bamboo).  There was also a double-flute that is very challenging to play; people often use it to practice for learning to play bagpipes. He pulled out some other instruments used for traditional music – an accordion ancestor, tambourine, conch shell and a mouth harp – and demonstrated how to play each one.  Quite a talented fellow!

We headed to dinner after the concert and celebrated Deb’s birthday – complete with cake, prosecco and a special gift.  We’re off to a good start in Catania!

The next morning, there was a protest march.  We weren’t quite sure who was demanding what, but the folks involved were friendly and colorful.  We saw them later at City Hall, but don’t know if anything really changed.

We started our official tour at the Roman Amphitheater, one of the largest in the Roman Empire, with seating for 15,000 spectators on its 32 steps.  Only about one-sixth of the structure is visible; most of it is preserved underground, covered by the buildings of Catania’s historic center. 

 

 

Just above the amphitheater is the Chiesa Sant’Agata all Fornace (Church of St. Agatha in the Furnace).  The church was constructed on the venerated spot where St Agatha was force to roll naked on burning coal.  For this martyrdom, St. Agatha was chosen as the patron saint of Catania to protect the city of the dangers of lava flowing from Mt. Etna. 

Nearby is Chiesa Sant’Agata al Carcere (Church of St. Agatha in the Prison).  This church was built to memorialize the spot where the incarcerated St. Agatha received St. Peter who had come to heal the wounds inflicted by torture on her breasts.   Note:  St. Agatha is a very popular saint; her feast day is the third largest celebration in the Catholic world. There is a Cult of St. Agatha whose members make pilgrimages to all of the many St. Agatha churches in Catania; maybe next time …

The University of Catania, founded in 1434, is the oldest university in Sicily.  It has a population of over 60,000 students.  This is the main administration building; the University has about 50 buildings all over town.  Note the scaffolding in front of the building – they are preparing for some sort of event.

The next time we walked by the university, we learned that the event was a telethon to raise money for children’s cancer.  We came by just in time to see some fancy costumes and elegant dancing.  All sorts of things happen when streets are designated ‘pedestrian-only.’

Chiesa Santa Maria dell’Elemosina, better known as the Collegiate Church, features statues of two of the city’s favorite saints – Agatha and Lucy.  It is considered an outstanding example of Sicilian Baroque architecture.

Piazza del Duomo, Catania’s central square, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is surrounded by contrasting lava and limestone buildings in the unique local baroque style and crowned by the grand cathedral.  In its center stands Fontana dell’Elefante, a smiling black lava elephant dating from Roman times and surmounted by an Egyptian obelisk.  Another fountain, Fontana dell’Amenano, marks the entrance to the fish market.     

 
     

Here, too, is the Municipio (Town Hall), once known as the Palazzo degli Elefanti.  It is the seat of local government for Catania, the second largest city in Sicily.

Cattedrale de Sant’Agata (Cathedral of St. Agatha), because of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, has been built and rebuilt several times since its original construction in the 11th-century.  The cathedral has an impressive marble façade with two orders of columns taken from the Roman amphitheater.  Inside lie the relics of the city’s patron saint, as well as the remains of the composer Bellini. 

Chiesa della Badia di Sant’Agata (Church of the Abbey of St. Agatha) is just across the street from the cathedral.  For three euros, one can purchase the right to climb 170 steps to the top of the dome for grand views of the city and Mount Etna.  Maybe next time.

 

Just beyond the cathedral and the town square is the old town wall.  Porta Uzeda (Uzeda Gate) is built in typical Sicilian Baroque style.  It connects two parts of the Bishop’s office and the cathedral’s museum. 

Vincenzo Bellini is Catania's favorite son - the homegrown composer known around the world.  We did not see the ‘new’ opera house, completed in 1890 and built just for him.  We did see his big statue in the middle of the main street. 

Catania has 136 churches in the city center, along with 36 convents and monasteries.  This is a bit more than we could squeeze into our time available, so we headed to Via dei Crociferi, Catania’s monumental road in the historic center.  This emblem of Baroque art was built in the 18th-century and is surrounded by churches and monasteries. In this one area, there are four churches: St. Benedict, St. Francis Borgia, St. Julian, and St. Camillus, as well as the Jesuit College and the Convent of the Crucifixes.  The Arch of the Benedictines stands at one end.

 A bit farther down the street is Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi all L’Immacolata (Church of St. Francis of Assisi and the Immaculate). The church was completed in the early 1800s and features a main façade with two levels and two identical domed bell towers. The candelore that are paraded during St. Agatha’s feast are kept inside this church.  These are large votive candles that are offered to the saint by the various commercial guilds operating in this area.  Those here belong to the florists and gardeners; they are embellished with statues of martyred saints and Catanese bishops.  In total, there are 11 candelore in the procession,

After overdosing on churches, we went shopping for some coffee beans. Our guide had told us where to look and, by happy coincidence, she was at the coffee shop when we arrived.  It sure helps to have a translator.  This was a small shop, selling only coffee – five varieties, whole beans or ground.  Interesting experience.

Historic Museum of the Landing in Sicily 1943 (aka by OAT as the World War II Museum) is dedicated to the Allied landing on the southern coast of Sicily on July 10, 1943.  The invasion of Sicily is considered the beginning of Italy’s liberation from fascism.  The battle for Sicily took over a month and cost the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians.  The Museum is a moving reflection of what happened in Sicily in 1943. 

 

BIANCAVILLA was our destination after a full day of sightseeing in Catania.  Biancavilla is a tiny village with ancient origins rich in culture and history, but we came to visit Casa di Maria, an organization that fosters young refugees and has recently partnered with the Grand Circle Foundation.  During our visit, we had a chance to learn about the islands’ immigration problem and meet with people who have extended a helping had to those in need.  We met the members of an extended family who started this project that is focused on helping local children without homes, including refugees.

Casa di Maria was founded in 2008.  Their first residents were young children from the area; later, they took in Nigerian girls who were victims of human trafficking. Today Casa di Maria is home to 8 foster children: 2 Nigerian female teenagers, one with a little boy, 1 Egyptian male teenager, and four Italian children ages 4-13.

 

No government funds support Casa di Maria, so the family has started a restaurant and catering business to bring in some income and to teach useful skills to the older children.  Fruits and vegetables come from their farm, and the food was delicious.

We were able to interact with most of the foster children, though only the older ones could speak English.  Susan, a Nigerian teenager with a baby boy, told us her heart-breaking story of being trucked across the Sahara Desert for three days, with no food or water.  She was raped by the guards and was headed for life as a prostitute until she was rescued by the folks at Casa di Maria.  Now she is going to school, taking care of her child, and learning a trade.

Today the children seem like typical kids – running, playing, laughing, enjoying their school holiday.  Even little Mia seem right at home – this 3-year-old had only been here for four days; her father was in jail and her mother couldn’t take care of Mia and her brother.  Several of us were ready to adopt her on the spot.

 

 

More information about Casa di Maria is on their website:  www.casadimaria.org.

At last it’s time to get up close and personal with MOUNT ETNA, Italy’s most recent addition to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.  At 10,922 feet, it dominates the landscape of eastern Sicily.  It is Italy’s highest mountain south of the Alps and the largest active volcano in Europe.  Mt. Etna is in an almost constant state of activity and eruptions occur frequently, sometimes spectacularly.  The volcano and its slopes are part of the Parco dell-Etna, a national park with landscape that ranges from severe, snow-capped mountaintop to lunar deserts of barren black lava, beech woods and lush orchards and vineyards. 

We departed our hotel in 4-wheel drive vehicles for the hour-long ride to the volcano.  We were accompanied by a local naturalist.  Upon arrival at the northern slope, we saw traces of old lava flows.  It takes many years for plants to reclaim spaces covered in lava.

 

In perfect weather, we enjoyed hiking along the volcano’s slope.  We did not make it to the snowy but still  steaming summit, but we did take in some magnificent views. 

 

We paused for lunch at a local restaurant and then made our way back down the mountain to Catania. In time for dinner, of course.

Our final stop in Sicily was TAORMINA, a resort area spectacularly perched on the side of a mountain.  Overlooking the Ionian Sea, the town is a walkable collection of crooked stone alleyways and Gothic churches looming over sunny piazzas. 

 

 

Founded in the 4th-century BC, Taormina enjoyed some prosperity under the Greeks and Romans, but fell into obscurity under the Normans.  It was reincarnated as a tourist destination in the 18th century; apparently, it’s become a wedding destination, too. 

We found it to be a very fine place try a strawberry granita with cream.  Granita is made of very thin ice flakes churned with fresh fruit; whipped cream on top is optional.  Delicious.

 

Teatro Greco (Greek Theater) is Taormina’s premier sight; it is a perfect horseshoe-shaped amphitheater, suspended between sea and sky, with Mt. Etna looming on the southern horizon.   Built in the 3rd century BC, it is the most dramatically situated Greek theater in the world and the second largest in Sicily (after Siracusa).  In summer, it is used for arts and film festivals. 

 

 

After exploring Taormina, we returned to Catania and said our farewells to Sicily.  We had a special Farewell Drink at the hotel and then a big dinner at a nearby restaurant.  Time to pack and prepare for Calabria.  Photo of Mount Etna is the view from the roof of our hotel; the cake is a special creation of our very special guide - our group picture from the farm recreated in Italian cream icing!

CALABRIA

After bidding farewell to some of our travelers, a smaller group (11) of us returned to mainland Italy to visit the region known as Calabria.  Calabria is at the toe of the boot, the extreme south of Italy – separated from Sicily by the Strait of Messina. The warm climate, the beautiful blue of the sea, rocky coasts that alternate with sandy beaches, the flavors of local food and the vestiges of its ancient origins make Calabria a perfect place to spend the last days of our trip.   

A two-hour drive brought us to MESSINA, where the Strait of Messina connects the Tyrrhenian Sea (to the north) and the Ionian Sea (to the south).  Messina is the main point of arrival and departure for ferries to and from the Italian mainland, barely a mile across the narrow strait.   From the deck of the ferry boat, the whirlpools of Charybdis are on the left and the big rock cliff of Scylla on the right.  

Every eight hours, the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea on the north and the Ionian Sea of the south change directions and flow through here, equalizing the currents and tides in this part of the Mediterranean. This distance is short, but the crossing must have been difficult and terrifying for ancient sailors.  There are many myths and legends about seafarers in the 8th-century BC.  Homer’s hero Odysseus had his rowers go closer to the rock of Scylla (and only lost 6 men to the six-headed monster) instead of taking a chance on the whirlpools and losing the whole ship. 

Our crossing was uneventful; short and sweet.  We landed at Villa San Giovanni, the ferry port on the mainland side of the Strait. 

REGGIO DE CALABRIA was our first stop on the mainland; here we visited a small museum that houses two intact, life-sized, 5th-century BC bronze statues of warriors.  Now called the “Bronzes of Riace,” they were discovered underwater in 1972; it took ten years to clean off the barnacles and coral.  We have seen many bronze sculptures on our travels, but these must be the best preserved, intact bronzes anywhere in the world. 

 

The warriors were found in 1972 by Stefano Mariottini, who was diving in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Reggio de Calabria.  They have eyes made of calcite, lips made of copper, and teeth made of silver, but are missing their helmets, shields and spears. There are many theories about the identity of the two men; the most accepted theory is that they were sons of Oedipus, Etocles and Polynices – two brothers fighting over who would rule Thebes. 

 

The warriors live in a lovely museum that contains many other artifacts from this region.  When we went to lunch later, we were reminded that this little town is VERY proud of the bronzes – they are pictured on sugar packets at restaurants all over town.

 

The town also has a nice walkway along the waterfront – great for a post-meal stroll – or a rest under one of the giant fig trees.

And there’s art outside, too.  On the grounds of the university, some very interesting sculptures and carvings.

 

We headed north along the coast to SCILLA, a small fishing village surrounding the Rock of Scylla, with its Crusader castle on top.  Our bus dropped us off on one side of the village and promised to pick us up on the other side. We were immediately fascinating by a boat fishing for swordfish in the traditional way.  There’s a spotter up high in the crow’s nest, while the rest of the crew waits with harpoons to capture any big fish that gets near the boat.  We watched the boat go up and down the coastline, but we never saw any fish.

 

The fishing village is interesting in that each boat must pulled ashore or be winched up next to the owner’s house so the strong, changing current doesn’t take it away. 

 

As we strolled along the narrow road, we admired artwork and monuments – and the hill in front of us…

From the rock, we could see the main village in one direction and the beach area still ahead.  From the beach, we got a good look at the castle.

 

As we walked around the rock, which was surrounded by smaller rocks, we got a real surprise.  There, sunning on the rocks, was a pair of mermaids! 

 

MONTEROSSO CALABRO has all the characteristics of medieval centers, narrow and winding streets, ups and downs and passages to tunnels. There are palaces with beautiful stone portals, noble coats of arms and elaborate decorations. There are simple brick and stone houses along steep lanes.  And there are local residents, going about their daily lives, friendly and welcoming to their historic little town.

Our lodging here was the Agriturismo Villa Velia, located on a ridge overlooking the Angitola Valley, a lake and the sea.  It was designed to resemble an ancient Roman villa, and its tower is reminiscent of the Medieval Tower of nearby Monterosso. At sunset from the Tower there are grand views and on clear days one can spot the volcanoes of Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands and Mount Etna in Sicily.

At dinner on our first night here, we gathered to meet Antonio and his wife Velia, who operate the agriturismo and to toast our arrival with a welcome drink.  Dinner featured local ingredients, including produce grown here on the farm.   Antonio invited us to join him in town the next night, to meet two Americans living in Monterosso and to see the new museum that is his pet project.  It sounded like a simple invitation, but it got complicated in a hurry. 



He actually had invited us to the Town Hall to participate in an event honoring the two Americans (and a local resident) for contributions to developing the new Museum of the Peasant and Artisan Civilization of Calabria.  The two Americans were Gale Claire (a science writer) and Stuart Reninger (a boats and boating journalist).  We did have a chance to talk with them – and confirm that they both love it here!  They were recognized, as was the local man who helped collect items for the museum (his daughter came to represent him).  This photo shows (L to R) the president of the citizens’ group, the mayor, the project coordinator (our landlord), the daughter of the collector, Gale and Stuart.  After all the townspeople thanked us for coming, we went over to see this new museum. 

The Museum of the Peasant and Artisan Civilization of Calabria has sections dedicated to linen, silk, broom-making, barrels, wrought iron, pressing olives and anything else of craftsmanship important to the history of Calabria.  It’s brimming with interesting items and we had Antonio and Gale to show us around.  We’d probably still be there except our guide finally convinced them that we had dinner reservations.

There was nothing simple about dinner, either.  We were guests of the family at the Palazzo Massara right in downtown Monterosso.  Our hosts were Hercule, his wife Rosanna and his mother, Elena.  It’s a bit hard to believe this is their home – it feels more like a five-story museum.  We entered on the ground floor, greeted by a beautiful statue of St. Francis of Paolo, the patron saint of Calabria.  He was carved from the trunk of an olive tree back in the 1700s.  This floor is where the family stored grain and olive oil from their farmlands.

Up one floor, we met Elena, who had spread out ‘a few’ of the items from her family's dowry.  Lots of lacy, hand-made things – all part of tradition.

Up another floor and we sat down for a nice glass of wine while Hercule told us about the history of his family (dating back to 1000 AD) and how he and others of his family had served as mayor of Monterosso. 

 

Up another floor and we saw one of the palace’s back doors – opening onto a different street, higher up the hillside.  We saw the old watch tower, which was restored by the 11 American families now living in the town.

 

Up to the top floor and we finally reached the dining room, where we gratefully sat down and enjoyed a delicious meal. 

SERRA SAN BRUNO is a picturesque town founded in the 11th century and nestled in the forested Appenine Mountains. The historic center of Serra San Bruno was born in the shadow of the monastery and has the characteristic labyrinthine structure of medieval times. The buildings have kept their untouched 18th-century features; they are surrounded by thick pine and fir forests. The houses in the town have carved granite main doors, small sculpted wooden loggias and wrought-iron railings.

Chiesa di Maria Santissima dei Sette Dolori (Church of Our Lady of Sorrows) has a most impressive façade and is built in granite with a Baroque style. Inside is an altar originally from Certosa; it was transferred after the 1783 earthquake. 

Chiesa di San Biagio (Church of St. Blaise or the Matrix Church) was built in Baroque style during the late 1700s. It's situated in Piazza Barillari. It has a high granite façade and statues in its interior. 

Chiesa di Maria Santissima Assunta in Cielo di Spinetto (Church of the Blessed Virgin of the Assumption in Heaven) has an elegant façade, also built in Baroque style.

La Certosa di Serra San Bruno (the Monastery of St. Bruno) is a monastery that has provided a home to monks for over 900 years.   It was founded in 1091 by Saint Bruno of Cologne, Germany, and is the second community of his Carthusian Order. The first abbey was established in 1084 in the Chartreuse Mountains near Grenoble, France. The color chartreuse owes its name to these monks and the greenish liqueur that they’ve been making since 1737. The town of Serra San Bruno traces its origins back to the building of the monastery, housing workers and artisans employed by the Carthusians.

We had the unexpected opportunity to meet the prior of the monastery, and he graciously stopped to answer our questions.  He was in the process of leading a tour of his own and he had some visitors who wanted to pose for pictures. 

We enjoyed a walking tour of the monastery – not a monk in sight.  They’re not much for mingling; they spend most of their time praying.  They have a pretty basic existence – there’s nothing soft about life here.

The wooded park surrounding the charterhouse is quite peaceful and makes for a nice place to walk. This area is said to have been St. Bruno’s favorite place to walk, meditate and pray.   

The Chiesa di Santa Maria del Bosco (St. Mary in the Woods Church) is here, as is St. Bruno’s tomb.  The saint died at the charterhouse and his bones are laid to rest here. 

 

 

Time for a break – this time in a cafe, where the hardiest souls had expresso and everyone fell in love with Italy’s favorite chocolate treat, tartufo. These were filled with cream and we thought they were wonderful – we were to learn later that they are even better when filled with ice cream.

 

Not far from the monastery, we stopped at an unnamed spot in the forest to learn about the region’s charcoal-making tradition.  This industry and the techniques used date back for centuries.  These Italian coalmen or charcoal burners (carbonai) may be the last of a generation to make charcoal by hand, the only community of coalmen left in Europe. At this quiet place in the countryside, there is a distinct smell of smoke in the air. The origin of the smoke is a mound of dirt with bluish white smoke being blown in one direction by the wind.

The process begins by building a giant pile to which is added more and more branches, arranging them in a teepee-like configuration. When they finish, the result is a gigantic mound.  The branches are then covered with dried grass, and after that, a layer of dirt which has been mixed with previously burned charcoal. It takes two to three days to compete the mound. All the work is done with hand tools, shovels and a very large curved knife or machete.  There are no other tools except an axe, a hose, a wheelbarrow, and a ladder hand-made from tree branches.

After the mound is completely finished, the charcoal men light it. It burns for approximately three weeks, during which time, more wood is added to the pile.  The men keep watch day and night, catching a little sleep in a small shed they have built next to the mound.  Once the mound has been burning for a while, smoke emits from various holes created for ventilation. The holes close to the bottom of the mound emit white smoke, and the holes near the top allow a bluish shade of smoke to vent.

Blue smoke is a sign that the charcoal is ready, while white smoke indicates it needs to burn longer.  When the men judge that the charcoal is done, they put out the fire with water and let it rest for a day for the steam to dissipate. And then, they uncover it to reveal a pile of charcoal ready to sell.  The whole process takes a month; they produce about 500,000 tons per year.  (Fifty tons of wood yields about 10 tons of charcoal.)

First thing in the morning, we traveled all the way to the sea, where we explored the Chiesetta di Piedigrotta (Church at the Foot of the Grotto), a seaside cave-chapel full of carved stone statues. It was first carved into the tufa rock by Neapolitan shipwreck survivors in the 17th century.

 

Other sculptors added to it and it was eventually turned into a church. Later statues include the less-godly figures of Fidel Castro and John F Kennedy. Today, the cave protects a somewhat bizarre collection of sculptures, bas-reliefs, even a bell tower – all within earshot of the ocean. 

 

PIZZO CALABRO is a seaport town situated on a steep cliff, high above the Chiesa di Piedigrotta and overlooking the Gulf of Saint Euphemia.  The town has a long history and is home to a 15th-century castle and a 17th-century Baroque Church.  Fishing is one of the main activities.

We’d barely stepped off the bus before we met Giacomo, cruising around in his little truck to deliver vegetables to his regular customers.  He gave us some fava beans to try and was very proud to have us take his picture.  Apparently he told everyone he saw about us because folks across town knew we were coming.

It is a charming little town with its narrow streets, winding lanes, balconies and churches.  And it was a beautiful day, so we really enjoyed just wandering.

But … what the town is really famous for is its tartufo, a large ball of creamy gelato filled with molten chocolate and coated with chocolate.  We stopped at Gelateria Chez-toi to sample this famous desert.  Only 700 calories and as filling as a full meal – incredibly delicious. 

Maestro Amorino then showed us how it’s done.  First, he makes the chocolate sauce – four hours of stirring over heat.  Then he scoops up some gelato, pokes a hole in it, fills the hole with chocolate, and squeezes it closed.  It’s quickly wrapped and placed in a deep freeze until it’s time to serve (but the chocolate never freezes).  To serve, the frozen ball of gelato is coated in powdered chocolate.  

He makes tartufo four or five times a week, in batches of 100; it takes nearly the whole day.    We begged him to open a shop in the U.S.

CIVITA is located within the Pollino National Park and the Natural Reserve of Raganello Canyon; it occupies a bluff of volcanic rock on the slopes of Mount Pollino.  Founded in 1471 by eighteen Albanian families escaping from the Turks, it is one of the most ancient Albanian communities in Italy. 

The structure of the town, with alleyways and squares, and the religious architecture are evidence of the cultural heritage of the local population. The churches are oriented to the East and have the symbols and shapes characteristic of the Byzantine Theology. Religious functions are celebrated in Albanian.  The people speak an Albanian dialect known as Arberesh.

Chiesa de la Santa Maria Assunta (Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary) is the main church, standing right in the middle of the town square.  It’s easy to find – the bells ring every 15 minutes (day and night) and there are always the same four guys sitting on the bench outside.  They don’t speak any English but they are a friendly bunch – the only requirement for joining the club is to have a cane or walking stick.  Dale fit right in ….

 

Inside the church, there are Byzantine mosaics and beautiful icons.   Lots of gold, lots of color.

The Museum of Ethnic Culture Arberesh is also in the town’s main square.  Here a local guide helped explain some of the exhibits and the history of the Albanians in Italy. 

 

Characteristic of Civita are its chimneys and “talking houses.” The chimneys are almost works of art. The local custom is to raise large and imposing chimneys, different for each house and built according to the inspiration of the master mason. The chimney was like the signature for a new house, of which it became the totem, with the function not only to suck the smoke from the chimneys, but also to keep away evil spirits. There are about fifty historic chimneys, built between the late seventeenth and early twentieth century.

Throughout the village there are houses with an anthropomorphic appearance, the so-called “houses of Kodra” or “speakers”, a sort of homage to the Italian-Albanian painter Ibrahim Kodra. These are small dwellings, with windows, doors and chimney, arranged so that the façade recalls the human face.

Our lodging here was Il Granaio (The Granary), a bed-and-breakfast inn owned and operated by Rina, with some help from her cousin Rosemary (for translation) and Rosemary’s daughter (for cleaning).  Absolutely delightful people; they made us feel welcome and fed us til we could barely walk.  Six of us filled all their rooms, and we had the run of the house – just an excellent experience!

After checking in and saying hello, we set off on a hike to the DEVIL’S BRIDGE (Ponte del Diavolo); it is a stone bridge, suspended in mid-air, and folklore says that it was built by Lucifer himself.  The arch-like bridge crosses Raganello Gorge, one of Italy’s deepest gorges.   The gorge is a seismic canyon, not caused by erosion, and is located at the base of an impressive cliff wall. The bridge was rebuilt after quake damage, so it has both old and newer stone structure. The bridge is 75 feet above the stream, and offers dizzying views both up and down.

 

We're eternally grateful that we didn't have to walk back up - there was a driver with four-wheel-drive vehicle waiting to transport us.   Note that there were far too many people to fit in that one vehicle - better photo would have been after we all crammed in there, but nobody available to take that shot ...

We had a little time one day to visit the morning market - on the main square.  It's not as big and bustling as the bigger city markets, but it had the same beautiful fruits, vegetables, sausages and cheese.  We came away with a tasty hunk of pecorino romano cheese.

 

 

 




POLLINO NATIONAL PARK, the largest and wildest natural park in Italy, was our next destination.  After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, we set off to explore the scenic mountain landscapes of the 7,375-feet Mount Pollino.  Because of its large unspoiled areas that vary at different altitudes, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

It was a chilly day, but mostly sunny and great for a hike.  There were some early flowers blooming, but also some snow still on the ground.  Not quite spring yet at 7000 feet. 

We met a couple of mounted rangers riding around enjoying the day, but very few other hikers. 

We hiked to an overlook with a nice view of the valley – and a chance to see the Bosnian Pine (or Pollino Pine), which is only found clinging to cliffs at a limited elevation range.  A hardy species, to say the least.  

When we returned to the parking area, some vendors had set up.  Most were selling local crafts, but one guy was selling truffles.  And he had a truffle-hunting dog who was very friendly and fond of cheese.  The truffles sell for about fifteen Euros per 100 grams ($4.75 per ounce).

After our hike on the mountain, we continued to MORANO CALABRO, a small and beautiful hillside town.  The community was built on and up the side of a hill, resulting in a dense and compact collection of simple, angular buildings.  The town has retained its Medieval origins, especially evident in its narrow, winding streets and stone stairs carved into the hillside.  Many of the houses have similar red roofs – it looks a bit like a bee hive. 

We stopped for a short while at the Morano Nature Museum, where Nicolo and Alxandro told us a bit about flora and fauna of Pollino National Park. 

 

Atop the hill and crowning the town is its 9th-century Norman castle, Castello di Morano Calabro.  It’s now in ruins but it was built in a strategic position to dominate the whole valley below.  Its origins date back to Roman times when it was erected as a fort and later used as a base to build the castle, which was the residence of the Lord of Morano.   

 

On our way to Salerno, on Italy’s western coast, we stopped to visit I Tempio, a farm that produces buffalo mozzarella.  The main highway here is lined with domestic water buffalo farms, and locals consider their cheese the only “true” mozzarella.  It’s tangy, creamy, and a bit softer than the cow’s milk mozzarella – the kind most Americans know. 

The cheese is produced each night for early morning delivery, so we spent most of our visit in the barns, learning all about the care and feeding of water buffalo – who seem to spend their time eating, sleeping, mating and relaxing.   They are fed special formulas, depending on whether they are pregnant or not.  

They can get an instant massage by rubbing against a spinning brush gadget (that seemed to be a popular activity).   They can even eat and get massage at the same time ...

 

Newborn buffalo are nursed for 3 days, then bottle-fed milk from Emmental cows for 3 months and 3 more months to learn to eat grass.   Then they go out to the field until they are mature.   As soon as a female is pregnant, she gets special feed and TLC until she goes to the nursery to deliver.  So the cycle continues. 

The staff tried hard to convince us that these were happy buffalo, living a life of luxury.  But … only a few males are involved in breeding; most of the young males are sold for hamburger.   The females are useful only as long as they produce the milk needed for cheese production.  

PAESTUM is home to one of the best collections or Greek temples anywhere in the world.  This town was founded by Greeks in the sixth century B.C. and became a key stop on an important trade route.  Barbarian tribes conquered the area in the fifth century, and Romans took over in the third century.  The final conquerors were malaria-carrying mosquitos, who kept the area deserted for nearly a thousand years.  The temples were rediscovered in the 18th-century. 

While Paestum is famous for its well-preserved Greek temples, most of the structures here are Roman.  Five elements of Greek Paestum survive:  three Doric temples, a memorial tomb, and a circular meeting place (the Ekklesiasterion).  The rest, including the wall that defines the site, is Roman. 

The Temple of Athena was dedicated to the Greek goddess of wisdom and war.  The temple is made from locally-quarried limestone and dates from about 500 B.C.   Its wooden roof is long gone, as are some interior features that were cleared out when the temple was used as a Christian church in the sixth century.

The Greek Memorial Tomb, also from 500 B.C., survived because the Romans respected religious buildings.  Since the tomb was inconveniently located in the middle of the city, the Romans built a wall around it, added a tile roof, and then buried the whole thing.  This location is a mystery because the Greeks (and the Romans) generally buried their dead outside the city – there are thousands of ancient tombs outside the city walls.  When this tomb was uncovered in 1952, no bodies were found inside – only 9 perfectly preserved vases.  No one knows for sure what the tomb’s purpose was; perhaps it was some sort of memorial rather than a burying place. 

The Temple of Poseidon dates from 450 B.C.  and employs the architectural trick where the base is curved just a bit to overcome the illusion of sagging that comes with a straight base.  Since this same technique was used 30 years later in the Parthenon in Athens, many think that this temple could have been its inspiration.  This temple is the largest and best-preserved; it is capped by stone eaves, providing insight into how these structures looked when finished out with wooden beams and terra cotta roof tiles. 

The nearby Temple of Hera, dating from 550 B.C., is also known as “the Basilica.”  It is the oldest of Paestum’s temples and one of the oldest Greek Temples still standing anywhere.  Changes in architectural styles are noticeable, particularly in the columns.  Together, the two temples formed a single huge sanctuary with altars on the east side, facing the sun.  During World War II, the temple served as an Allied military tent hospital. 

The Ekklesiasterion, which looks like a sunken circular theater, was a meeting place where the Greeks would get together to discuss issues and vote.  Archaeologists believe the market (agora) also was located here. 

Roman Paestum follows the pattern typical of Roman garrison towns – rectangular with a grid street plan and two main streets dividing the town into four equal sections.  City administration buildings were on one side, and residential buildings on the other. 

A large Roman pool is thought to have been a sanctuary dedicated to Fortuna Virilis, goddess of luck and fertility.  The strange stones in the pool supported a wooden platform for priests and statues of gods.  Young women walked down a ramp through the pool, hoping to conceive a child. 

The Roman Forum is a big square at ancient Paestum’s main intersection.  The road across the street led directly to the port, for moving freight from the sea to the center of town.   The forum was surrounded with small shops, usually with a front room for sales and a back room for storage and for slaves to sleep.

The Temple of Peace stands on one side of the Forum.  It is rather small, but set on a high podium that made it a prominent feature in the forum.  It had four columns at the front and an altar in front of it.

The layout of the Roman houses at Paestum resembles the appearance of the houses at Pompeii.  The entrance consisted of a vestibule in front of the main entrance.  The rooms of the house open onto the atrium, a large courtyard with a pool in the center.  At the end of the atrium, in line with the front entrance, was a large room where the master of the house received his guests. 

The Paestum Archaeological Museum offers an opportunity to see artifacts, both Greek and Roman, at the site where they were discovered.  The best in show was the Tomb of the Diver, but there are several other beautifully decorated tombs.   

 

SALERNO, nestled along the sea just below the Amalfi Coast, was the destination for our final evening in Italy.  It is a lovely town, with palm-lined boulevards stretching out from mountain backdrops and sun-drenched piazza decorated with statues and fountains.  Our farewell dinner was at a local restaurant.  The menu highlighted Italian cuisine, with excellent wine to toast our visit to Calabria and the discoveries we made throughout our adventure.