Sperlinga is a small town in the province of Enna not far from the North coast of Sicily and situated almost midway between the Nebrodi and Madonie …
London to Sicily by train
One of my lockdown reads was "How Bad Are Bananas?: The carbon footprint of everything" by Mike Berners Lee. If you have not come across it, it is an …
Music in Sicily
Many of our visitors to Sicily ask where they can find traditional Sicilian folk music. In this article we unearth some of the influences... I have …
The story of wine-making in Milazzo
Perhaps because of its connection to Nelson and a handful of English entrepreneurs, the story of wine-making in Marsala is well-known in the …
The Via Francigena in Sicily
A “Via Francigena” - or road of the Franks - is a pilgrim route. The name derives from the main route from Canterbury, through France, to Rome used by …
The adoption of Arabic numerals in Europe
On the left hand side as you enter the Palatine Chapel in Palermo is a stone mounted on the wall, with an inscription. Or rather three inscriptions - …
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Greek Temples in Sicily
Temples are perhaps the most iconic buildings the Ancient Greeks constructed. They are found throughout the Ancient Greek World: in Greece, Italy, …
The story of Marsala wine
John Woodhouse and the birth of Marsala wine The story of Marsala wine is one that the English can lay some claim to having brought into existence. …
Travel in the time of Covid-19
My bank cards had all expired and their replacements sent to my address in Cambridge. My 13 month old Mac Book Pro had seized up in the week after …
A brief history of food in Sicily
What could be a more typical Sicilian dish than a nice plate of pasta all norma? Some penne pasta topped with a tomato and aubergine sauce and …
The Story of Donnafugata
In Sicilian, the name “Donnafugata” simply means “the woman who fled” or “the fugitive woman”. And for one reason or another, throughout the …
The Sicilian Flag
Update, 16 Aug 2024: We have been made aware that this article has been referenced by a news article originating in the US reporting a comment made on …
The Sicilian language
The first question people often ask is: is Sicilian a language or a dialect? It is an interesting question open to debate and the answer depends on …
Ponte Dirillo :: Operation Husky and the Invasion of Sicily
The story of the second World War in Sicily is not overtly apparent to the casual visitor. There are few monuments, few reminders, few tangible …
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The locations of Inspector Montalbano
Without a doubt, the greatest advertisement for Sicily in the last few years has been the television series of Inspector Montalbano. Since it was …
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Monreale Cathedral
Anyone who has visited Monreale cathedral in Sicily will have had been filled with lasting awe on stepping inside and first glimpsing the fabulous …
The Madonie
The Madonie Mountains :: Sicily's finest landscapes Ma-do-ni-e: four syllables not three, the final two vowels being pronounced as separate syllables: …
Sicilian wine
Most of the Sicilian wine that finds its ways to the shelves of British supermarkets comes from the Trapani or Melfi areas of the island, but this is …
Easter Sunday in Piana degli Albanesi
Without a doubt, one of the most colourful and joyful spectacles in Sicily takes place on Easter Sunday in Piana degli Albanesi. Ethnically and …
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Start of a New Season – 2015
Here at Esplora, we are looking forward to a new season for 2015. We kicked off on April 1st with blue skies and sunshine to accompany the start of …
The town of Gangi, Sicily
The town of Gangi in Sicily recently made international headlines when the story broke that properties were being sold there for the price of a euro …
A Bourbon hunting lodge in the heart of Sicily
About thirty miles drive south from Palermo, on the road towards Corleone, the road makes a sharp right turn and an easily-missable side road to the …
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Museo Cultura e Musica Popolare dei Peloritani
Museum of Sicilian Folk music These photos are of an interesting museum of Sicilian folk music and folklore in Gesso, the province of Messina. The …
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Milazzo Castle
After a period of several years' closure for restoration, the castle in Milazzo is open once again. Many visitors to Milazzo are just passing through …
Abies Nebrodensis – A rare Sicilian Fir tree
This is one of just twenty one surviving Abies Nebrodensis. Despite its name (which might suggest it is found in the Nebrodi mountains) this …
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Petralia Sottana and Petralia Soprana
The two towns of Petralia - Petralia Soprana and Petralia Sottana - are among the most charming and well-preserved of the whole of the interior of …
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Walking at the Capo Milazzo
A few photographs of the footpath around the Capo Milazzo to the Torre Palombaro - a 16th Century watchtower. …
