web@passionesicilia.it, Autore presso Amazing Sicily Magazine

News

Gibellina proclaimed Italian capital of contemporary art 2026

8 November 2024

Gibellina is the first city to be “Italian capital of contemporary art”, winner of the Portami il futuro project, which saw the participation of 23 cities, including Carrara, Gallarate, Pescara and Todi. The title “Italian capital of contemporary art” was introduced this year by the Ministry of Culture and the winner will receive one million euros funded by the Ministry of Culture. «I express deep satisfaction for the proclamation of Gibellina as Italian capital of contemporary art 2026. This recognition celebrates a city that is a symbol of cultural and architectural rebirth, a place that, from the tragedy of the earthquake, has been able to rise again as an international point of reference for contemporary art and creative innovation. The choice of the Trapani town underlines not only the historical and cultural importance of this Sicilian municipality, but also the incredible contribution of our region to the national artistic panorama».…

News

Palermo Airport, Gesap: «Almost one million passengers in one month»

2 October 2024

The growth trend of the Falcone Borsellino international airport of Palermo continues, which in September is approaching one million passengers in transit. After the record numbers of July and August, with over one million passengers per month, in September the airport recorded 922,536 travellers, marking an increase of 10.71% compared to September 2023 (833,312) and 21.67% compared to September 2022 (758,259). Domestic passenger traffic accounted for 64.91% (598,820) of the total for September and 67.70% (4,705,459) for January-September. International traffic accounted for 35.09% (323,716) in September and 32.30% for the annual progressive (January-September), with 2,245,282 travellers. The good traffic performance also concerns flights: +7.93% on September 2023 (6,163 out of 5,710). In the first nine months of 2024, Palermo airport totalled 6,950,741 passengers, +10.04% on January-September 2023 (6,316,841), while the increase in flights was +10.50% (47,977 against 43,417 in 2023). «The double-digit growth continues for Palermo airport, which is now…

Places

Marzamemi, a triumph of colours in the south of Sicily

11 July 2024

An ancient fishing village built around the tuna fishery becomes an exceptional tourist destination between the sea, typical products and lots of color… In the extreme south-east of Sicily there is a delightful fishing village, with ancient yellow stone houses, which fascinates with its natural beauty and its maritime culture. This is Marzamemi, a small hamlet of Pachino, in the province of Syracuse, known since ancient times for its tuna fishery and which has now become a destination for thousands of tourists attracted by the transparent sea, the golden beaches and the characteristic restaurants, with their chairs and blue tables, which give the small village a picturesque appearance and bring to mind the most famous Greek islands. Even the two small natural ports, the ancient Balata and the more commercial Fossa, contribute to creating breathtaking views that are impossible not to fall in love with, thanks also to the presence…

Culture

Piazza Armerina and la Villa Romana del Casale

11 July 2024

A cultural journey among mosaics with mythological scenes, chariot races and… girls in bikinis! In the heart of Sicily, on the Southern Erei Mountains, at a height of about 700 meters, stands an ancient city among the most important cultural tourist destinations in the region: Piazza Armerina. Famous for the presence of the Villa Romana del Casale, with its magnificent mosaics, Piazza Armerina has much more to offer visitors, with its medieval historic center characterized by a mixture of styles, from Norman to Baroque. It was not for nothing that in 1512 Emperor Charles V had given it the title of Urbs Opulentissima (very rich city). Obviously, the Villa Romana del Casale is the main attraction of Piazza Armerina. Inserted among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997, the structure, which has the characteristics of the Roman imperial urban palace, was built in the Constantinian age, in the first half…

Beaches

A dip in the sea of San Vito Lo Capo

11 July 2024

White sand and blue sea for a magnificent beach suitable for children Very fine white sand and a crystal-clear sea that enchants at first glance. When you think of the best Sicilian beaches, you can’t help but think of San Vito Lo Capo. The town in the province of Trapani is famous for its sea, its events and also for its delicacies, among which couscous stands out. The main beach of San Vito Lo Capo is that of the town. Its white sand makes the color of the sea so light blue that it is impossible to resist a dive. The frame of the white houses, the lighthouse that can be seen in the distance, the Monte Monaco that rises behind, make the beach an authentic jewel. The beach is child-friendly, as certified by the Green Flag, a recognition created in 2008 which is awarded to the best beaches for…

Castle

The castle of Carini and the story of the Baroness

11 July 2024

Famous for the sad story of the Baroness of Carini, the La Grua Talamanca Castle has transformed over time from a military fortress to a noble residence: let’s discover its secrets A medieval fortress that stands over all the surrounding territories and the sea, which later became a noble residence before being abandoned at the end of the feudal era. The Castle La Grua Talamanca in Carini is famous today for the sad story of the Baroness of Carini but its history is intertwined for over five hundred years with that of Sicily and tells of fallen nobles, lack of heirs as well as honor crimes. The first traces of the Castle of Carini date back to the Arab period but historically the building was built in the Norman period, between the eleventh and twelfth centuries, by the feudal lord Rodolfo Bonello, a warrior who arrived in Sicily following Count…

Nature

A walk on the crater of Isola di Vulcano

11 July 2024

A natural path between black beaches, thermal baths, valleys of “monsters” and walks on the edge of the crater! Mount Etna is not the only volcano in Sicily where you can go on an excursion. Among the most evocative excursions, in fact, there is the one on the Isola di Vulcano, in the arcipelago of Eolie, in the province of Messina. The seven volcanic islands that make up the Eolie (in alphabetical order: Alicudi, Filicudi, Lipari, Panarea, Salina, Stromboli and Vulcano), became part of the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 because this volcanic archipelago represents a model important for the study of global volcanology. Much of the island would also be part of the Isola di Vulcano Oriented Nature Reserve but some legal disputes have temporarily suspended the activity of the reserve. In any case, the dual value of nature reserve and a World Heritage Site highlights how unique…

Wine

Nero d’Avola: the most important native variety in Sicily

11 July 2024

Initially used as a blending wine, Nero d’Avola is today among the most appreciated throughout the world There are Sicilian wines that have had a long and tortuous history before establishing themselves internationally as among the most important products of the region. Among these, there is one of the most important and famous native vines in Sicily: Nero d’Avola. Its name derives from its black berried grape and from the town of Avola, in the province of Syracuse, the place of origin of the vine together with other towns in the Syracuse area such as Noto and Pachino. Its origin, in reality, is lost over time: the history of the vine could date back to the Phoenicians, according to some discoveries made on the slopes of Etna, but it is much more likely that the vine was introduced at the time of Greek colonization. In the Syracuse area, the vine…

Advertising

Duca di Salaparuta celebrates 200 years of history and wine

11 July 2024

Duca di Salaparuta celebrates 200 years of history and wine Advertising – A 200-year history, told through the territories, the historic estates and, above all, through the wines. Duca di Salaparuta celebrates an important milestone, that of 200 grape harvests, and does so with an eye towards the past and one towards the future. The company was founded in 1824 by Giuseppe Alliata, Prince of Villafranca, who decided to vinify the grapes coming from his estates in Casteldaccia, in the province of Palermo, in his summer residence, Villa Valguarnera, thus giving life to distinctive wines, already elegant and innovative for that era. To celebrate the company’s bicentenary, we could only focus on the history and art of the territory, through a wide-ranging wine and cultural project and on a restyling of the labels of iconic wines that embraces Sicilian culture, starting from a vine that is synonymous on excellence for…

Recipes

Pasta tenerumi and mussels

11 July 2024

Tradition in the kitchen Ingredients for 4 people1 kg tenerumi approximately 2 bunches350 g spaghetti500 g cooked popped mussels3 ripe or peeled copper tomatoes3 cloves of garlicextra virgin olive oil to tasteSalt to tastechili pepper to taste You’ll also needmussel cooking water to taste20 g toasted breadcrumbsGrated Caciocavallo cheese to taste Method Clean the tenerumi*: take the most tender leaves together with the tender part of the stem and remove the fibrous part. Rinse them several times under running water to eliminate soil residues. As soon as they are clean, boil them for a few minutes in a pan with salted water. In the meantime, prepare the picchi pacchi*: in a large pan, sauté the garlic, chilli pepper and plenty of extra virgin olive oil over a low heat. Add the tomatoes from which you have removed the skin and cut into small pieces. Salt to taste. Add the already…