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Sicily Travel Blogs

Background: Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.

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By Kurtis
September 23rd 2008

Nonnas House......Home! Europe » Italy » Sicily » Catania

Licodia...Vineyard

Tuesday 9th August Licodia Giuseppe took us to the council to help us get our original marriage certificate back. When I applied for my Italian passport and wanted to have my children’s names added, my marriage certificate was required. I don’t how it happened but the Italian consulate held on to my original marriage certificate and when questioned they said, if I wanted to hold an Italian passport, my marriage certificate had to return to my parent’s place of origin. So here we are at the council office of Licodia, humbly requesting our original certificate. And guess wh [View Full Entry]

By Kurtis
September 23rd 2008

Piazza Amerina----Villa Romana Europe » Italy » Sicily » Piazza Armerina

Licodia

Wednesday 10th September Villa Romana - Whole family dinner My parents and us were up and ready by 8.30am ready to drive out and visit Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina. The great thing about the 3rd century Villa was that it was covered for many years, which protected it from an earthquake and just general aging. The majority of the Villa is covered with a Perspex roof which apparently is causing conservationist major concern as 80% of the mosaics are fading. The heat under that roof, on that hot day, was horrible. We were sweating profusely and started [View Full Entry]

By Kurtis
September 23rd 2008

Licodia Market - Farm.....Roasting Peppers Europe » Italy » Sicily » Catania

Zios Farm

Thursday 11th September Licodia Market - Campania We were very excited to learn a produce and clothing market came to Licodia every Thursday. There was heaps of cheese and salami and clothing everywhere. Katelyn loved it!! She took her allowance and loved the E1 and E2 stands. She pulled the clothes from the bottom of the piles, turned them over and threw them back. She’d ask “Quando coste?” and spend her money if something took her fancy!! What amazed me about these markets was that there were no fitting rooms, not even little cubicles to try on bras!! So if [View Full Entry]

By Kurtis
September 23rd 2008

Licodia - Donnafugata....Cartagirone Europe » Italy » Sicily » Catania

Donnafugata.

Friday 12th September Licodia - Donnafugata.. On Friday Kurt bought a telephone card from the local bar. I’m always so impressed when he heads out on his own with limited Italian and doesn’t hesitate to speak to the locals. After that he went to Giuseppe’s home (my dad’s cousin’s son) to use their internet. He virtually lived there during so much of our time in Licodia, trying to download photos for my blog, reply to emails and do banking. They were always so welcoming and trying to feed him. Kurt spoke to his Mum and Dad who had just returned from [View Full Entry]

By Intrepid Sicilian
September 22nd 2008

Sicily - Back To Home Roots Europe » Italy » Sicily » Catania

Mineo

Sicily - Back To Home Roots My next relative stop over was the small town of Mineo deep in the middle of Sicily, where two aunties (mums sisters) and one uncle have resided there their whole lives. Most of my cousins have since left for better prospects in bigger cities. A common trend for the younger generations, leaving the much older folk and the very young the main life line of the town. But every August this quite quaint little town of around 3000 residents, doubles it's population with families returning from main land Italy, Switzerland, Boston (USA) and as far [View Full Entry]

By Kurtis
September 22nd 2008

Nova Siri - Licodia Eubea Europe » Italy » Sicily » Catania

On the Ferry to Sicily

Saturday 6th September Nova Siri - Licodia Eubea Today was going to be a big day with a long 6 hour drive through the region of Calabria and across the water to Sicily. The roads were fantastic and I couldn’t believe how big Calabria was!! When we approached a toll booth and there was no person or section to drop the money, we were all on alert for a ticket!!! We found the ticket, thank god!!! As we approached the ferry, the GPS (a complete god sent!) sent us straight to the ticket booth. The guy at the counter spoke English [View Full Entry]

By Gini
September 12th 2008

Siracusa & Mt Etna - Sicily 2008 Europe » Italy » Sicily » Siracusa

A Treat from the Sun

A week in Siracusa in Villa Scogliera, stopping off at Fontane Bianche, Mt Etna, Siracusa, Ortegia and tasting the best pizza in the world - twice... ;) [View Full Entry]

By Mr Leeds United
September 10th 2008

Sizzling in Sicily Europe » Italy » Sicily » Palermo

Laurel, me and Hannah

Well since Iceland, I’ve had a busy couple of months. My trip to Italy has been and gone and I loved it, and over the coming blogs, by the photos you will be able to see why. I originally thought I would only need one for the whole Italy trip, but due to over 1,000 photos taken, that made that a little ambitious! But first things first; a week after Iceland, I moved into a new flat with (originally) two South African girls, Kim and Meg (sisters), one Aussie girl, Ally, and a French couple, Ben and Kat. But the French [View Full Entry]

By sandybeynon
September 8th 2008

LAST DAYS ON QV + ROME THEN HOME! Europe » Italy » Sicily » Taormina

TAORMINA, SICILY

Our last days on QV: Sicily, Rome and home! Friday 5th September: Today, we arrived in the port of Messina on Sicily, an island off the southern coast of Italy. We all got up early and boarded our tour bus for the resort town of Taormina, about an hour's drive from the port. Taormina is situated high on the cliffs above the sea and is known as the "diamond" of the Italian Riviera. It is very much THE destination for Sicilians and is serviced by very good highways. Much like Queensland's Noosa, this is an ideal weekend getaway for Sicilians. Indeed, [View Full Entry]

By Gini
September 5th 2008

Modica Europe » Italy » Sicily » Noto

Cross Skyline

A beautiful Italian cemetery hidden away in the countryside near Modica, worthy of a blog mention all of it's own. [View Full Entry]

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