THE CURIOSITIES OF ZIBIBBU

This legend has Greek origin and explains the richness of freshwater springs in the Etna area. There are, in the province of Catania, numerous towns with the word “Aci” in their names: Acitrezza, Acicastello, Acibonaccorsi, Acicatena, Aci San Filippo. The legend tells about a shepherd, named Aci, who lived on the banks of a river, who, with his flute, enchanted the animals and the beautiful nymph Galatea, who sat on the seashore, listening to him. Polyphemus, the rich shepherd, was in love with her, but she always rejected him.

When the Cyclops realized that the girl was in love with Aci and he returned her, he threw a boulder at the shepherd and killed him. The gods, moved to pity by the harrowing pain of Galatea, turned the shepherd into a river, the Aci stream, and mixed its waters w...

Pasta alla norma was born in Catania, soon becoming – thanks to its success – a dish spread throughout Sicily. After all, it is difficult to resist a plate of tomato sauce pasta (generally macaroni) to which fried eggplants, grated salted ricotta cheese and basil are added to give it that touch of Mediterranean freshness, which distinguishes the dish and balances the fried vegetables.

But why is this first course called "alla norma"? It seems that this name was baptized by the Catania playwright Nino Martoglio who, bewitched by the scent and tastiness of the dish, exclaimed: "Chista è 'na vera Norma!" (This is a real Norma!). The reference is to the "Norma", a famous opera by composer Vincenzo Bellini, a fellow countryman of the playwright and of the pasta itself. The opera – initially ...

According to the original legend, around the year 1000, in the middle of the Moors’ domination in Sicily, in Palermo’s Arab district "Al Hàlisah" – which means the chosen one, today called Kalsa – lived, locked up at home, due to her father’s jealousy, a beautiful girl. Her only leisure was taking daily care of the plants on her balcony. One day, a beautiful young Moor soldier, who used to pass by that street, fell in love with her at first glance, to such an extent that he declared himself with great ardour. The young woman, struck by that face and body which seemed carved in ebony, believed she had found the long-awaited prince charming, loved him back with just as much passion.

The Moor, however, hadn’t mentioned that he had a wife and children waiting for him in the East, in that lan...

Laura Lanza of Trabia (7 October 1529 – 4 December 1563) better known as the Baroness of Carini was an Italian noble woman, the protagonist of a famous and tragic Sicilian story.

The legend tells about the death of Donna Laura Lanza who – at the early age of 14 – married, at the behest of her father, the Baron of Carini. Disappointed by the marriage and the continuous abandonment by her husband involved in the care of his property, the baroness soon fell in love with Ludovico Vernagallo, and became his lover. Discovered by her husband and father, Laura was killed with Ludovico. The murder room, located in the west wing of the castle, collapsed completely and it is said that the baroness's bloodied footprint was to be seen on a wall.

Actually, there are documents showing that the Viceroy...

The word "zibibbo" comes from the Arabic word zabīb (ÒÈíÈ) meaning "raisin" or "sultana". Zibibbo is one of the very rare grapes in the world with a triple attitude: it is a wine grape, it is delicious to eat and ideal to wither. His extraordinary ability to adapt is one of the reasons for its very long history, which dates back to 5,000 years ago.

Also known as Moscato D'Alessandria – it comes from Egypt and spread throughout the Mediterranean thanks to the Romans. Originally grown only in Sicily, today Zibibbo is also planted in several European countries. Cultivation has also spread to South Africa, California, Australia and South America, and there are over 200 registered synonyms of this vine. In Sicily the largest production is concentrated in the province of Trapani. Pantelleria –...

He was born on August 22, 1750 in Catania (the same city where he died on February 4, 1821) from Giuseppe, a wood merchant, and Apollonia Arcidiacono. The third of seven children, he had been destined for priesthood and, to this end, entered the archbishop's seminary, which was at that time the most important school in the city.

He left that school at the age of 23, in 1773, and his father, given the failure of his son's priestly vocation, wanted to start him in the forensic profession, but also this attempt failed, because the young Domenico preferred to carry on the path of humanistic studies.

Known as Micio or Miciu, a dialectal version of his name, he was one of the greatest Sicilian poets of his time, straddling the late 1700s and early 1800s. He was welcomed into the Palladi Academ...

The ‘Hundred Horse Chestnut' represents a hymn to nature's might. A majestic tree surrounded by stories, legends, magic. It is recognized as one of the oldest trees in whole Europe, whose age is about 4000 years. But that's not all: it is also in the Guinness World Record list as the largest in the world and unique to its species. It measures about 22 meters in height, while its hollow trunk is 22 meters in circumference.

In 2008 it has been recognized as a "Messenger of Peace Monument" by UNESCO. Around this beautiful tree, numerous legends revolve. The Hundred Horse Chestnut grows in Sant'Alfio, not far from the town, along the provincial road that leads to Linguaglossa, on the eastern side of Etna in Sicily. Even though there is no precise dating, according to experts its age is betwe...

In 1130 in the Kingdom of Sicily the first Parliament in the world was established and divided into three branches: aristocratic, ecclesiastical, state-owned. Sicily was an independent state for 686 years.

In the early 1400s, at the hands of two Catania doctors, Gustavo and Antonio Branca, plastic surgery was born in Sicily: the two managed to mend, with remarkable skill, noses, lips and mutilated ears.

With its 25,832.39 square km it is the largest region in Italy, the most populous island in the entire Mediterranean area and has the highest provincial capital, Enna, 931 meters above sea level.

The Archipelago of the Aegadian Islands, in the province of Trapani, holds the primacy as...

Nicola was the youngest of many brothers: he lived with his family in Messina, in a hut near the sea so, from an early childhood, he was familiar with the waves. When he grew up and became a quick and muscular boy, his joy was to dive into the water and, once into it, he too marveled that he did not feel the need to return to the surface unless after a long time. He could stay underwater for many hours and when he came back up, he told his mother what he had seen: underwater mansions of ancient cities engulfed in streams, caves full of wonderful phosphorescences, fierce struggles among giant fishes, boundless forests of coral, and so on. His family, hearing about these wonders, thought he was exalted; but seeing him insisting on staying out of the house, not helping his brothers in the ha...