Sicily, a revealing land

Our tour of the region starts in Agrigento, in its ‘Valley of the Temples’ where the knowledge and still-living echoes of ancient Greece inspired the foundation of the city. From here, just before disappearing at the horizon in the Mediterranean Sea, our glance moves on to some beautiful sandy beaches like the one called ‘Riserva Torre Salsa’, a true site for.

Then we climb up the steep steps of the ‘Scala dei Turchi’, which were dug into the white cliffs by the century-old sea and wind-induced erosion, and we head towards the Castle of Mussomeli overlooking the countryside surrounding Caltanissetta. Fairly close is the Province of Enna, which keeps the mosaics of Piazza Armerina, another masterpiece considered World heritage value.

Heading East we reach Syracuse. Its Greek theatre of the V century BC used to be the stage for the tragedies of Aeschylus. Adjacent is a series of rocky caves which Caravaggio defined ‘Dionysus’ ears’ because they are shaped like an ‘S’. In the outskirts of the city we find Noto, the finest example of Sicilian Baroque Art.

After an unmissable stop in Caltagirone, known as ‘the city of pottery’ since the Norman times, we move on to Catania. In the main square, along with the Cathedral and the Sant’Agata Church, we find the Egyptian Obelisk and the ‘Liotro’ Statue, the imposing elephant representing the city and symbolizing its victory over the Carthaginians during the Punic Wars.

The province of Messina treats us to the marvellous sea floors of Tindari and the timeledss beauty of the Aegean Islands. Among them, the Island of Vulcano strikes us with its black sand beaches, sulphur dioxide geothermal baths and nature’s gentle massage.

Palermo, the capital of the Region, will definitely meet the needs of those who are more fond of art. The Massimo Theatre, the Politeama Theatre, the Norman Palace, the Utveggio Castle and the Arco Cathedral will entertain us while visiting the town. It is worth going outside the city centre to have a deep look at the mosaics in Monreale and to taste some home-made ice-cream while sitting on the water’s edge.

But our journey cannot end without visiting the Province of Trapani. Erice, a town built on a rocky cliff just outside of Trapani, treats us to some unique and romantic landscapes we will remember for the longest time. And these unforgettable memories will stay with us, as we promise to come back to this Earthly Paradise called Sicily as soon as we can.

Sicily, a revealing land

Our tour of the region starts in Agrigento, in its ‘Valley of the Temples’ where the knowledge and still-living echoes of ancient Greece inspired the foundation of the city. From here, just before disappearing at the horizon in the Mediterranean Sea, our glance moves on to some beautiful sandy beaches like the one called ‘Riserva Torre Salsa’, a true site for.

Then we climb up the steep steps of the ‘Scala dei Turchi’, which were dug into the white cliffs by the century-old sea and wind-induced erosion, and we head towards the Castle of Mussomeli overlooking the countryside surrounding Caltanissetta. Fairly close is the Province of Enna, which keeps the mosaics of Piazza Armerina, another masterpiece considered World heritage value.

Heading East we reach Syracuse. Its Greek theatre of the V century BC used to be the stage for the tragedies of Aeschylus. Adjacent is a series of rocky caves which Caravaggio defined ‘Dionysus’ ears’ because they are shaped like an ‘S’. In the outskirts of the city we find Noto, the finest example of Sicilian Baroque Art.

After an unmissable stop in Caltagirone, known as ‘the city of pottery’ since the Norman times, we move on to Catania. In the main square, along with the Cathedral and the Sant’Agata Church, we find the Egyptian Obelisk and the ‘Liotro’ Statue, the imposing elephant representing the city and symbolizing its victory over the Carthaginians during the Punic Wars.

The province of Messina treats us to the marvellous sea floors of Tindari and the timeledss beauty of the Aegean Islands. Among them, the Island of Vulcano strikes us with its black sand beaches, sulphur dioxide geothermal baths and nature’s gentle massage.

Palermo, the capital of the Region, will definitely meet the needs of those who are more fond of art. The Massimo Theatre, the Politeama Theatre, the Norman Palace, the Utveggio Castle and the Arco Cathedral will entertain us while visiting the town. It is worth going outside the city centre to have a deep look at the mosaics in Monreale and to taste some home-made ice-cream while sitting on the water’s edge.

But our journey cannot end without visiting the Province of Trapani. Erice, a town built on a rocky cliff just outside of Trapani, treats us to some unique and romantic landscapes we will remember for the longest time. And these unforgettable memories will stay with us, as we promise to come back to this Earthly Paradise called Sicily as soon as we can.

Collaborazioni

Peridodico d’informazione

Alcantara is one of the most important rivers of Sicily. It has its source in Nebrodi Mountains, at 1,250 m of altitude near Floresta, and it runs for about 50 km before flowing into the sea near Capo Schisò.

The same river was given different names in the past, since each people settling along the valley called it in a different way.

The Greeks called it Assinos, Pliny called it Asines, Appiano Alessandrino named it Onobalas, the Muslims used the name of Al Quantarah or Cantara, meaning “bridge” in the Arab language, and Frederick III of Aragon called it Flumen Cantaris.

The Park Municipalities are characterized by several historical evidences you should visit accurately if you really want to discover the origins of the Valley.

Si ringrazia l’Ente Parco Fluviale dell’Alcantara per la gentile concessione delle immagini e per i testi.

1° FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DEGLI AQUILONI

“EMOZIONI A NASO IN SÙ!”

23-31 Maggio 2009

SAN VITO LO CAPO (Trapani)

www.festivalaquiloni.it

“Emozioni a naso in sù! “ è il nome del 1° Festival Internazionale degli Aquiloni che si terrà dal 23 al 31 maggio 2009 nella splendida località siciliana di San Vito lo Capo (Trapani).

L’evento nasce da un accordo di collaborazione tra la “Tra…Pani E…Venti”® S.r.l. e il Comune di San Vito lo Capo ed il patrocinio della Provincia Regionale di Trapani con il supporto di associazioni di operatori turistici e la consulenza di “Artevento”e dell’Associazione culturale “Sensi Creativi”.

Il Festival sarà un evento emozionante quanto spettacolare e di alto livello tecnico, dove famosi aquilonisti di 24 nazioni (Australia, Austria, Canada, Cina, Francia, Germania, Ghana, Giappone, India, Indonesia, Inghilterra, Israele, Cile, Messico, Brasile, Italia, Lussemburgo, Nuova Zelanda, Olanda, Pakistan, Spagna, Svezia, Svizzera, U.S.A.) si esibiranno con centinaia di aquiloni di tutte le forme, dimensioni e colori, dai più semplici ai più particolari, autentiche “opere d’arte volanti”.

L’area impegnata è la spiaggia di San Vito lo Capo.

Borgo incantato nella provincia di Trapani, disteso e racchiuso in una baia sulla costa nord occidentale della Sicilia, compreso tra le Riserve Naturali dello Zingaro e di Monte Cofano, in un territorio tra i più suggestivi della Sicilia e del Mediterraneo.

Il mare limpidissimo e la splendida spiaggia di sabbia fine lunga tre chilometri saranno lo scenario suggestivo. La spiaggia si distende verso il mare in maniera assolutamente dolce e graduale, creando atmosfere quasi esotiche.
Suggeriamo questa spiaggia per vivere il mare e la spiaggia nella loro pienezza…è la tipica spiaggia su cui trascorrere l’intera giornata. Ma l’evento 1° Festival Internazionale vi invita anche a conoscere l’intera provincia di Trapani attraverso i microeventi che si realizzeranno attraverso il tour dei “I girovaghi del vento” : durante i nove giorni del Festival alcuni aquilonisti “itineranti” lanceranno in volo i loro fantastici aquiloni nei siti turistico-culturali della provincia di Trapani.
Promontorio falcato ornato da autentici tesori d’arte come corallo, ori e argenti, per continuare nel verde degli uliveti e vigneti della campagna intorno e nel candore delle saline, dove vecchi mulini scandiscono il suono del vento, per finire in luoghi in cui storia e mito si fondono. Spiagge bianche e mare cristallino delle suggestive località balneari, mare e quiete della natura incontaminata delle isole e delle riserve naturali. Templi e teatri greci, chiese e castelli. I paesi dell’entroterra distrutti dal terremoto del ’68 mostrano architetture postmoderne dei più celebri architetti e artisti del XX secolo. Tradizione e folclore, scrigno di feste religiose e pagane. Sapori autentici della gastronomia con le sue antiche ricette.
Molte inoltre le iniziative collaterali inserite nel programma del Festival. Tra queste la “Fiera del Vento” che proporrà stand con attività e prodotti legati agli aquiloni e stand di prodotti tipici della Provincia di Trapani che costituiranno un’altra attrattiva per i turisti. La musica farà da sottofondo alle esibizioni degli aquiloni ma non mancheranno i concerti dal vivo, suggestivi voli di aquiloni in notturna e spettacolari esibizioni di deltaplani.

Un luogo da non perdere dove poter far volare gli aquiloni!!

31/03/2009

Per info:
Ufficio stampa
Simona Licata
Cell + 39 328 3080177
Tel + 39 0923 820632
Fax + 39 0923 437035
Via Quiete, 22
91100 Trapani
ufficiostampa@trapanieventi.it
www.festivalaquiloni.it

Per info su proposte di viaggio
Gira e Rigira Viaggi
Tel +39 0923541441
Fax +39 0923 820662
Via Carrara, 37
911100 trapani
www.giraerigiraviaggi.it
info@giraerigiraviaggi.it

The Hotel Tesoriero is situated in a central location in Panarea, the smallest but most fascinating of the Aeolian Islands, just a few yards from the arrivals jetty in the port area called San Pietro.

Recently built in a pure Aeolian style, the hotel boasts rooms with spacious terraces overlooking the sea, from which to enjoy the panorama of the group of islets in front of Panarea, including the adjacent island Stromboli, or even the verdant garden filled with typically Mediterranean plants.

All of our rooms have all the most modern comforts:

Ensuite bathrooms – Air conditioning – Colour televisions – Telephones – Safes – Mini-bar – Hair dryers – Certain rooms have interactive televisions for internet browsing – Upon request, we also offer shuttle services to and from the port – We accept small pets

This is the best choice to combine comfort, quality and affordable prices for your stay in Panarea.

Contact the hotel directly

Hotel Tesoriero – Panarea – Isole Eolie
Via Lani – San Pietro – 98050 Panarea
Tel. PBX  (+39) 090983098 – (+39) 090983144 Fax (+39) 090983007
Sito web: www.hoteltesoriero.it – e-mail: info@hoteltesoriero.it

Foto Gallery

The second largest city in Sicily by population, Catania spreads out over the Plain of Catania, between the Ionian Sea and the slopes of Etna. The surrounding countryside, which the volcanic eruptions have made very fertile, is mainly given up to the cultivation of citrus fruit. The close link between the city and the volcano is also visible in the buildings, many of which are constructed in lava stone. According to Thucydides, Katane was founded after 729 BC by the Chalcidian settlers from Naxos, on the hill now known as the “Colle dei Benedettini”. In the 7th c. the legislator Caronda gave the city a moderately inspired government, half-way between oligarchy and democracy. In 476 BC Catania was conquered by Hieron of Syracuse, and the inhabitants were deported, only to return after 15 years. During the Punic Wars the town was conquered by the Romans (263 BC) and it succeeded in maintaining a position of considerable affluence until the Imperial Age. After the decadence caused by the invasions of the Barbarians and the Byzantine conquest, the town was occupied by the Arabs, who redistributed the land and promoted agriculture and commerce. In 1071, after the Norman conquest, construction began on the cathedral, and numerous country villages were founded, each under the jurisdiction of a monastery . Under the Swabians, Frederick II built the Castello Ursino here, in order to complete his fortifications in this part of Sicily. The arrival of the Aragonese in Catania, which the Court often chose as a centre for its activity, led to the foundation of the Siculorum Gymnasium, the first prestigious Sicilian university. The great eruption of 1669 and the terrible earthquake in 1693, which affected all E Sicily and destroyed most of the city, annihilated an economy that was already in a critical state. Catania was eventually rebuilt, and it spread considerably; it then suffered the effect of a new agricultural crisis, before recovering yet again. It was elected provincial capital in the 19th c. and again began to expand towards new zones, until it achieved in our own days its present-day image of a modem city.

testi sono tratti dalla “Sicily and its islands” Ugo La Rosa editore.

The ancient city (Akragas for the Greeks, but Agrigentum for the Romans, whence its present name, given to it in 1927) occupied a magnificent panorarnic position on a high plateau dominated to the N by two hills, which constituted the Acropolis (the Rupe Atenea and the adjacent Colle di Girgenti), and terminating to the S in the Hill of the Temples, so called because on it, a part from other minor items, stand the remains of the 7 temples out of the original 10 or more which still remind us of this glorious centre of Greek civilization in Sicily. Felicitous circumstances of time and place allowed the city to have an exceptionally prosperous development (the “tyrannies” of Phalaris and Theron, though quite different in nature, had equal influences on the historical destiny of Agrigento in the first two centuries of its existence) and very soon the city presented itself, also to foreign visitors, with an air of magnificence. Thus Pindar in the l2th pythian Ode sings of it in about 490 BC, as “the lover of splendour”, “the most beautiful city of mortal men”, the site that was “sacred to Persephone”, the goddess who with her mother Demeter was the object of intense veneration.

I testi sono tratti dalla “Sicily and its islands” Ugo La Rosa editore.

The second largest city in Sicily by population, Catania spreads out over the Plain of Catania, between the Ionian Sea and the slopes of Etna. The surrounding countryside, which the volcanic eruptions have made very fertile, is mainly given up to the cultivation of citrus fruit. The close link between the city and the volcano is also visible in the buildings, many of which are constructed in lava stone. According to Thucydides, Katane was founded after 729 BC by the Chalcidian settlers from Naxos, on the hill now known as the “Colle dei Benedettini”. In the 7th c. the legislator Caronda gave the city a moderately inspired government, half-way between oligarchy and democracy. In 476 BC Catania was conquered by Hieron of Syracuse, and the inhabitants were deported, only to return after 15 years. During the Punic Wars the town was conquered by the Romans (263 BC) and it succeeded in maintaining a position of considerable affluence until the Imperial Age. After the decadence caused by the invasions of the Barbarians and the Byzantine conquest, the town was occupied by the Arabs, who redistributed the land and promoted agriculture and commerce. In 1071, after the Norman conquest, construction began on the cathedral, and numerous country villages were founded, each under the jurisdiction of a monastery . Under the Swabians, Frederick II built the Castello Ursino here, in order to complete his fortifications in this part of Sicily. The arrival of the Aragonese in Catania, which the Court often chose as a centre for its activity, led to the foundation of the Siculorum Gymnasium, the first prestigious Sicilian university. The great eruption of 1669 and the terrible earthquake in 1693, which affected all E Sicily and destroyed most of the city, annihilated an economy that was already in a critical state. Catania was eventually rebuilt, and it spread considerably; it then suffered the effect of a new agricultural crisis, before recovering yet again. It was elected provincial capital in the 19th c. and again began to expand towards new zones, until it achieved in our own days its present-day image of a modem city.

testi sono tratti dalla “Sicily and its islands” Ugo La Rosa editore.

da Caltagirone al Brasile con amore

Il progetto “Ceramica Solidale”, concepito nel 2004 con la collaborazione del Comune e della Curia Arcivescovile di Caltagirone, consiste in un corso di formazione sulle tecniche di uso del tornio, della smaltatura e della decorazione, per gli allievi della scuola d’arte della Missione Sao Tiago di Porto Velho in Brasile, diretta da padre Enzo Mangano. La scuola si trova in una regione amazzonica del Brasile particolarmente povera e depressa, dove questa missione cattolica da anni combatte le molte piaghe della disoccupazione e della tossicodipendenza. L’idea che anima “Ceramica Solidale” è formare sul posto giovani artigiani e realizzare un prodotto finito per commercializzarlo attraverso il circuito del mercato ecosolidale, in modo da investire il ricavato in ulteriori iniziative di lotta alla povertà di quei martoriati luoghi.

We shove off from the harbour of Palermo and we quickly get to Ustica: the emerged part of a great submarine volcano, it is as well the most ancient island, outcropped long before the Eolie isles. Its lavic-originated jagged coastline hides splendid caverns, inlets and coves. In town, the walls of the characteristic houses are painted as canvas by painters, who portrayed landscapes, trompe-l’oeil, portraits, still life and imaginary subjects. The town is ruled by the Tower of St. Mary, housing the Archaeological Museum, from which we see in the distance the second leg of our journey: Pantelleria, the greatest of Sicily’s satellite isles. Though it is under the province of Trapani, its latitude is equal to the one in Tunis. The warm climate is yet temperated by the omnipresent onshore winds. Its basaltic soil, the patrimony of its ocean floor and its steep and terrace-cultivate hillsides award it the appellation of “Black Pearl of the Mediterranean Sea”. Therefore, it’s worth spending more than one day to visit it through. We then hire a dammuso, the traditional habitation of Arab origins, of a typical squared shape: they are often surrounded by the “giardini panteschi” (circle or quadrangular high fences carved in stone), inside which citrus fruits and flowers grow out of the wind.

The following day, nearby a village probably founded in the Neolithic, we visit the sesi: megalithic funeral buildings typical for the island, similar in shape to the nuraghes of Sardinia. Back en route, we embark towards the Egadi, also situated in front of Trapani. In the distance, Favignana appears in the likeness of a butterfly, whose wings unfold over the blue flower of the sea. Recently its history is bound with that of Florio family, who established a set of tunny nets; its impressive mass still overlooks the landscape near the harbour. Tuff quarries, which bestow the scenery a pierced appearance, provide the most singular aspect of these places; they develop in big and mysterious drifts, to be explored only supplied with a torch.

Levanzo is on the contrary characterized by numerous caverns, among which that of the Genovese: it was discovered by chance in 1949, and holds rocky engraves representing anthropomorphic figures, quadrupeds, fishes and idols dating back to the prehistory. Very characteristic is the Faraglione, a conic islet linked to the main island by an isthmus. Stay on the island is reserved to those who deeply love the sea and calm walks. Circumnavigation of the isle is necessary to appreciate fully its beauty and to discover the colonies of the rare Black Coral.

We finally dock at Marettimo, a concentrate of dug-out pathways and white alleys between mountain and sea. Very few beaches are accessible from the land, alternating with tiny shingle bays, sheer on the waters, which are still extraordinarily limpid. It is the most mountainous, green and wild among the isles: a luxuriant garden amidst the sea, where over 500 different botanic species grow, also thanks to soft water springs. The Arabs built in the 9^th century a sighting tower on the promontory of Punta Troia, and later the Spanish added the Castle. Before ending our journey, it is necessary to visit the group of Pelagie. Among these, Lampedusa: situated amid the Channel of Sicily, it is equidistant from Agrigento and from the African continent. In 1996, the Assessorship for Territory and Environment of the Region set up a Marine Reserve aimed to preserve a natural habitat hosting animals and plants threatened by extinction. From the most famous beach of the isle, Cala dei Conigli, one can reach the tiny islet where turtles lay their eggs. The hatching occurs between August and September, when the little turtles make their way towards the sea, following their primordial instinct.

Our tour of the region starts in Agrigento, in its ‘Valley of the Temples’ where the knowledge and still-living echoes of ancient Greece inspired the foundation of the city. From here, just before disappearing at the horizon in the Mediterranean Sea, our glance moves on to some beautiful sandy beaches like the one called ‘Riserva Torre Salsa’, a true site for.

Then we climb up the steep steps of the ‘Scala dei Turchi’, which were dug into the white cliffs by the century-old sea and wind-induced erosion, and we head towards the Castle of Mussomeli overlooking the countryside surrounding Caltanissetta. Fairly close is the Province of Enna, which keeps the mosaics of Piazza Armerina, another masterpiece considered World heritage value.

Heading East we reach Syracuse. Its Greek theatre of the V century BC used to be the stage for the tragedies of Aeschylus. Adjacent is a series of rocky caves which Caravaggio defined ‘Dionysus’ ears’ because they are shaped like an ‘S’. In the outskirts of the city we find Noto, the finest example of Sicilian Baroque Art.

After an unmissable stop in Caltagirone, known as ‘the city of pottery’ since the Norman times, we move on to Catania. In the main square, along with the Cathedral and the Sant’Agata Church, we find the Egyptian Obelisk and the ‘Liotro’ Statue, the imposing elephant representing the city and symbolizing its victory over the Carthaginians during the Punic Wars.

The province of Messina treats us to the marvellous sea floors of Tindari and the timeledss beauty of the Aegean Islands. Among them, the Island of Vulcano strikes us with its black sand beaches, sulphur dioxide geothermal baths and nature’s gentle massage.

Palermo, the capital of the Region, will definitely meet the needs of those who are more fond of art. The Massimo Theatre, the Politeama Theatre, the Norman Palace, the Utveggio Castle and the Arco Cathedral will entertain us while visiting the town. It is worth going outside the city centre to have a deep look at the mosaics in Monreale and to taste some home-made ice-cream while sitting on the water’s edge.

But our journey cannot end without visiting the Province of Trapani. Erice, a town built on a rocky cliff just outside of Trapani, treats us to some unique and romantic landscapes we will remember for the longest time. And these unforgettable memories will stay with us, as we promise to come back to this Earthly Paradise called Sicily as soon as we can.

Peridodico d’informazione