Archive for 'Main Islands'

Cefalù must be one of Italy's most beautiful seaside towns. It boasts incredible beaches, beautiful Arab-Norman architectural gems and a wonderful scenic setting amongst rocky outcrops and lush greenery. Furthermore, it presents a dreamy palette of honey-coloured stone facades, terracotta roofs, golden beaches and gilded church interiors, rich blue waters and skies, and vibrant greenery.

No wonder, then, that director Giuseppe Tornatore chose it as a location for scenes in his famous and beloved film, “Cinema Paradiso”; it really is like a slice of paradise. If you want to experience it for yourself, just find a vacation rental in Cefalù.

The perfect spot to get well and truly get away from it all, the pace of life is slow, ideal for wandering around and just enjoying yourself. You can simply take in the harbour, with its bobbing brightly coloured boats, hang out on the sandy beaches, get lost in the winding Mediaeval streets, pop into the little shops located all over or you can check out some of the city's various attractions.

There is no shortage of beautiful towns and villages in Italy. Picturesque towns that look like something ripped right from the pages of a storybook or like a postcard come to life are scattered all across the country.

Made up of historic buildings, winding streets, great views and scenic surroundings, these little gems are the perfect place to well and truly get away with it all and experience the unique culture of Italy. One of the most beautiful among all of these lovely towns is the village of Novara di Sicilia in Sicily.

Located around 70 kilometers from Messina, the town is steeped in legend. Built where the Nebrodi mountains and the Peloritani mountains meet, it is fabled to have been inhabited by the Cyclops. Today, sadly, there are no mythological creatures to be found but there is still plenty to discover in this incredibly pretty town.

Many different cultures have variations of fruit cakes that are traditionally made and served during winter and, in Christian cultures, over Christmas, which makes sense as it allowed delicious fruits to be made available even when they were out of season in the past. Today, we have many more ways to access fruits throughout the year and more options when it comes to sweet things, in general, yet these traditional treats are so firmly connected to the festive season that they remain popular.

Sicily is absolutely no different, it has buccellato: a combination of figs, raisins, dates, nuts (usually almonds) and candied citrus like fruits (like citron) that are baked as either a round cookie shell, as a ring cake, or as small pastries. Its exact origins have been lost to the mists of time and it is uncertain as to when Sicilians began making it but it has been around for centuries. Associated with family milestones, it can be given by Godparents to the parents of their godchild or by best man or maid of honour to the parents of the bride and represents good fortune and prosperity.

Parmigiana – also known as parmigiana di melanzane, melanzane alla parmigiana, or eggplant parmesan in Australian English – is an extremely popular Italian dish that is made with a shallow or deep-fried sliced eggplant (or aubergine) filling and then layered with mozzarella and parmigiano cheese and tomato sauce, before being baked. It is claimed by both the Southern regions of Campania and Sicily, often being associated with Naples but commons in the Campanian countryside, Calabria and Sicily. However, there are actually several theories about the origin of the dish and some of them don't even pinpoint its origins anywhere in the south of the country.

One of the things that travelling foodies will want to do on any trip is to try local delicacies and dishes that cannot be found anywhere else. If you are one of the people in this number, then find a vacation rental in Sicily and head to Palermo. Pani ca meusa is a Sicilian street food that literally translates to "bread with spleen" and is a dish exclusively typical of Palermo.