Western Sicily
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INSIDE: Disney Does Italy 4 The Details Harvest Time: Volunteer at an Italian Farm 6 Castellammare: Gourmet Tours of Venice 6 Afitta Camere Francesca C. da Magazzinazzi, 165 Florence Shopping Finds 7 Alcamo Marina (39) 0924 597739 Rome with Kids 7 www.affittacamerefrancesca.it Italian Government Tourism Board Tourism Italian Government Segesta Rates: Rooms cost about 65€ a night.A wonderful local cook, Francesca, prepares full dinners for just 20€ per person. dream of Erice: Pina Parisi ® Via C.A. Pepoli, 55 (39) 0923 869049 www.pinaparisi.it La Bottega dei Sapori Via V. Emanuele, 21 (39) 0923 869641 www.labottegadeisapori.net ITALYVolume 6, Issue 8 www.dreamofitaly.com October 2007 Pasticceria Grammatico Via Vittorio Emanuele, 14 (39) 0923 869390 The Quiet Jewels of www.mariagrammatico.it Maria Grammatico’s world-famous pastry shop sells frutta di martorana (marzipan WESTERN SICILY candies), cudduredde (fig biscuits), crostate di marmellata (jam tarts), mostaccioli di Erice (Erice cinnamon biscuits) and other delica- hen Americans visit Sicily, land- west rather than east for a taste of cies. Maria, a former nun, was the subject ing and departing from Palermo what this region has to offer. of Bitter Almonds: Recollections and Recipes Wor Catania, they often follow the from a Sicilian Girlhood by Mary Taylor Simeti. well-developed tourist tracks to the Castellammare was our base for three predictable yet never disappointing nights and we were well positioned to Castello di Venere Open daily, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. sights such as Taormina, visit Trapani, Erice and No admission fee. Siracusa, Agrigento and Scopello. This town has Piazza Armerina. Yet this often showed up in the path makes them miss eyes of America as the Scopello: the enormously wonder- place where Italy’s mafiosi La Crapraria ful towns and cities have been regaled and Via A. Diaz just beyond the two rewarded for their das- Open daily. gateways. tardly deeds. However, (39) 339 1005668 Affitta Camere Francesca with the push of the mani E-mail: [email protected] Often overlooked is the westernmost puliti initiative of Italian magistrates Pensione Tranchina portion of this enigmatic and com- Giovanni Falcone and Antonio Borsellino, Via A, Diaz pelling island that takes visitors to the the power of the mob has been safely (39) 0924 541099 saltpans of Trapani, the heights of Erice pushed back. Both men have been lion- E-mail: [email protected] and the coastline of Castellammare del ized for their courage and integrity as Rates: 80€ per night with elaborate Golfo. This summer, we opted to take you will see on a pillar inscribed with breakfast. Eurofly’s new nonstop service between their names along the Autostrada on the New York and Palermo, but drove continued on page 2 continued on page 3 Italy’s geographic coordinates are 42° 50’ N, 12° 50’ E. “It seems that cities that have had centuries’ old relationships with Western Sicily continued from page 1 the world beyond their island through trade, for instance, are capable of communicating that openness upon one’s first visit..” S.Vito lo Capo way to Palermo in Scopello tourists can actually choose the area of Capaci, Palermo to watch in May and June, Erice Castellammare where they were though it is not for everyone as it assassinated. Trapani Segesta is actually the slaughter of tuna. Sicily Until recently, much of Japan’s tuna In any case, tourists for sushi arrived right from need not be frightened Favignana, which is about 10 miles Catania by its reputation, as off the Trapanese coast. For insight Castellammare is a Agrigento into this fascinating and mysterious slightly gritty, hilly world of the tonnara, pick up and energetic town built Theresa Maggio’s book, Mattanza: on the edge of Sicily’s Expect to pay The Ancient Sicilian Ritual of Tuna northern coast. Its peo- about six euros to Ragusa Fishing (and see Dream of Italy’s ple are sophisticated, park your car in the September/ October 2002 interview earthy and friendly to lot, gain access to the park with Maggio). tourists and its beaches are worth and beaches, but you can drive away visiting. to Scopello for lunch and return for a Trapani’s fiore di sale and saltpans stand dip with the same ticket. like bright white pyramids in the Staying on the edge of Castellammare blinding summer sun and are among is a good bet for beachgoers as you can Salt Capital the most important in Europe. Most of walk from your B&B, take the train for the production takes place in July and a daytrip into Palermo rather than Trapani stands out as perhaps Sicily’s August and, and if weather permits, drive (something to avoid at any cost) most organized city. Its boulevards are can be harvested up to three times. 2 and take excursions to nearby towns. wide and in general traverse the city Visit the Nubia Salt Museum for more We stayed at Affitta Camere Francesca, a from sea to sea…from details on this fascinating bed-and-breakfast just a 10-minute Piazzetta Saturno to aspect of the city. To buy walk from the beach. The rooms are the fishing port across trapanese salt, which is spacious, some with balconies its hook of a harbor. purportedly rich in overlooking the sea. Jutting out into the iodine and other trace Mediterranean Sea minerals, visit Sale Marino Additionally, this zona, as the Italians like a long sickle, Artigianale of the call it, is home to a few old fishing vil- with the Ligny Tower, Board Tourism Italian Government Consorzio Sale Natura Salt mining in Trapani lages as well as a phenomenal park a former watchtower, Company. reserve called Lo Zingaro or the Gypsy. now home to the Museum of Its well-marked trails are reasonably Prehistory, balanced on its extreme tip, Less known is that Trapani’s coral was easy for average walkers. The trails are Trapani is a wide, open city that wel- considered among the finest in the 16th rocky in spots and hilly but not steep, comes visitors. century representing a great source of and every step of the way hikers are wealth for the city. Unlike many other treated to panoramic views of marble It seems cities that have had centuries’ crafts that fall into oblivion, Trapani’s and limestone cliffs that drop old relationships with the world young artisans have taken up the tradi- precipitously to the sea in grottoes beyond their island through trade, for tional art of crafting coral, which can and secluded coves of turquoise blue instance, are capable of communicating be viewed in shops along Trapani’s waters. that openness upon one’s first visit. Its fashionable boulevards. port remains a hub for island hopping The beaches are open to the public and to the Egadi Islands of Pantelleria, A walk during the Italian equivalent of rather than climb to San Vito, many Favignana and Marettimo as well as to a siesta leaves the town to a group of visitors stop in to the museums in the the mainland ports and even Tunisia in visitors happy to take photos and stare park — one devoted to basket weaving Northern Africa. at whimsical doorways, lintels and and the other to the once fruitful imaginative and elaborate details on industry of the manna tree — and head The obvious industries here are fishing the newly refreshed facades of bank down the inclines to the beaches. and salt. The mattanza is an event and government buildings, the first to Segesta was the ancient city of the Elymi, receive the monies to carry out such with a light touch of sauce made from climb its silent streets (the lanes away projects. Visitors can join Trapani resi- frutta secca (dried fruit) or tagliatelle zaf- from the shops), its steep marble dents in the leafy parks before heading ferana (pasta with saffron). stoned alleyways past its discreet gray up to the funierice or cable car that houses, often set behind walls, perhaps climbs the half mile up to Erice or drive Where Time Stands Still a vestige of its Arab past. Study the if you like up Via Vito Carvini. Unlike stones you walk upon, smooth with Trapani below, which was rebuilt after Set at over 2,500 feet above Trapani, age and time and set in delightful pat- World War II, Erice retains its medieval Erice stands at the peak of Monte San terns almost like carpets on the hills. ambiance with a labyrinth of narrow Giuliano, often wrapped in mist, but in streets and some 60 old churches. spring is simply crowned by oleander, Among the most outstanding artisans pines and festive purple, yellow and here is perhaps Pina Parisi whose After a full day of walking, we found red flowers that bloom out of the stone daughter, Francesca has inherited her ourselves facing the sea again from a pockets. You have heard it before, but mother’s love of the loomed rugs she table at Le Mura on Via delle Sirene din- it is true — Erice is a place in which produces in geometric patterns of ing on pesce spada (swordfish) made time literally stands still. Walk and bright colors reflected in the Sicilian landscape. The carpets follow a native style of bits of colored material and The Details (continued) cotton thread woven in quite modern themes that could accompany a wide Rooms vary in size, but fine linens, marble collection of coral works inside an old range of interior designs. floors and cool breezes run throughout this Carmelite monastery. Other decorative objects friendly, well-appointed property.