White Almond Sicily

Sicily is an island full of much history, culture, folklore and traditions. Puppet theatres ( teatro dei pupi ) have been popular in Sicily since the fourteenth century but really became popular in the 1800's and provided nightly entertainment for thousands of Sicilians who would watch the good guys fight the bad guys in stories of adventure and romance. Travelling puppet theatres drew huge crowds in smaller villages. The art of the Sicilian puppet theatres has been given recognition by UNESCO in 2001 when it was included in the Representation List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The most traditional stories are derived from the stories of the Holy Emperor Charlemagne and his Paladin Knights battle for Christianity against the Saracens and Turks involving raucous sword fights. Other stories include the lives of Saints, legends of bandits, local farces and even Shakespearian themes and there is always a love interest. So who are the good guys? ...

Taormina has always been renowned as a destination for British visitors ever since the 18th Century with many leaving a legacy of history and romance giving the town a quintessential British touch. From the Grand Tour to poets, writers, movie stars and pop idols you can find evidence of the British Isles everywhere. It all started with the The Grand Tour ..... In the 18th century British aristocracy would embark on what was known as 'The Grand Tour' visiting all of continental Europe enjoying the culture and embarking on purchasing fine works of art and antiques. Taormina was an obligatory stop on The Grand Tour and has played host to foreign visitors ever since. Being the last stop on the tour many decided to stay and make Taormina their home. Visitors chose Taormina for its peaceful location and beautiful landscapes with many drawing inspiration for paintings, poems and novels. They enjoyed Taormina’s glamourous way of life, with afternoon teas...

Nelson's Column in London is one of the most famous monuments in the world, but have you ever heard of Nelson's Castle? Well, it exists, and it is in Sicily! One autumnal day, we decided to take a road trip to seek out Castello Nelson also known as  Castello di Maniace . Off the beaten track and tucked away in the shadow of Mount Etna, the castle is located near the beautiful town of Bronte and takes approximately 2 hours by car from Taormina passing through the stunning Alcantara Valley and the medieval towns of Francavilla di Sicilia, Castiglione di Sicilia, Randazzo and of course Bronte which is famous for its pistachio production. It is a spectacular drive through fruit orchards, olive groves, past vineyards and pistachio trees, often having to stop to let shepherds with their herds of cows, goats or sheep pass by, a traffic jam Sicilian style. On arrival as we pulled into the car park everywhere looked abandoned and closed. We parked the car and...