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Meeting Tommaso Romano is like stepping into a kind of fairy tale, and I can’t help but feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland when I visit him at his home and studio in Palermo. But it’s more than just a home or studio – it’s better described as his ‘album of life’. This is because it’s not merely a place where the professor lives his life as an ordi...

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Italian airline Neos will operate a direct flight between Palermo and New York JFK from June 9, 2024. Neos offers the direct air flight between Sicily and the United States for the entire summer season. The new flight is operated by a 355-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, for 710 weekly seats. Two frequencies per week with flights departing from Italy...

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Sicilians were bewildered last week to see a Japanese billionaire, Kaoru Nakajima, block booking entire sections of their city for his extended birthday party. Palermo’s most deluxe hotels were completely occupied by Japanese celebrants. The seating of the grand Politeama theatre was rearranged so that his 1,400 guests could also dine and dance. Th...

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“La dolce vita” translates into “the sweet life” in Italian, and if you are thinking of retiring soon, you might want to set your sights on the nation that is known for pasta, wine, culture, scenery and so much more. But with all Italy has to offer, perhaps it is out of your price range, especially if you are going to be on a fixed budget once you...

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What if we momentarily forgot the history of the construction of Palermo’s Teatro Lirico Vittorio Emanuele, better known as Massimo, and instead let our imaginations run wild, playing detectives to unravel the enigma behind the inscription on the entrance pediment? Would two or three days at most (“due o tre giorni al Massimo”) suffice to uncover t...

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“Sicily is not Italy,” reads stenciled graffiti around Palermo, a sign that some in the Sicilian capital view the city as both a physical and cultural outlier from the mainland. Influenced by Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Spanish conquerors, the port city has long been known for its distinctive dialect, original street food, medieval ch...

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The Association for the conservation of Popular Traditions, founded by Antonio Pasqualino in 1995 who was a surgeon and anthropologist, established the International Puppet Museum in 1975. Due to the changing economic and social landscape in Italy in the 1960s, many puppeteers abandoned their careers for something more lucrative. The association op...

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Our electric Mokka Opel car glinted under the Palermitan sun as we walked over to the ‘Sicily by Car’ hire section of Falcone Borsellino airport. Green as a Noccelara olive, its matte exterior catches your eye. “All good to go?” we asked the representative. “Yes, have a beautiful stay in Sicily!” they replied, and we were on our way. I thew the key...

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Italy, a country renowned for its rich history and cultural heritage, is home to countless well-known landmarks and attractions. However, it also harbors a multitude of lesser-known gems, each with its own unique story. Let’s embark on a journey to uncover five such “secrets” hidden in plain sight in some of Italy’s most famous cities. Our first st...

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It would be easier to list what Italy doesn’t have (Domino’s and afternoon cappucinos) than to list everything this iconic country has to offer. Some visitors come for the spectacular food and wine; others for the history, the romance, or the breathtaking coastlines.  It’s no surprise that travelers today are flocking to Italy at 70% higher rates t...

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