Sicily – where to start? Our eight day romantic getaway to Taormina, was only enough to sample a fraction of this amazing Island. Sicilian culture is as unique as it is rich, due to its colourful history and passionate inhabitants. Its melting pot of different cultures can be partly attriubted to the various emperors who ruled, invaded & left their mark: Romans, Greeks, Byzantines, Normans and Arabs. All of this is reflected in Sicily’s cuisine, architecture & folklore.
Everything is extreme in Sicily: The sea is bluer, the deserts sweeter and the pasta sauces richer than anywhere else in Italy. In good old “Eat, Pray, Love” fashion, this is not the place to come if you are dieting! Come with an open heart (and stomach) and savour the world famous Cannoli & Cassata!
Traditional Sicilian marzipan fruit is made of fresh almonds.
Sicily’s fashion is both opulent and rich, and is embodied by my favourite designer duo, Dolce & Gabbana. Their signature style pays homage to their homeland; elegant lace, rich brocade, delicate crochet and accessories reflecting Sicilian folklore.
You can buy stunning, Sicilian inspired jewellery from the shop “Nico Design” in Catania, the artesian airport town that lies 45 minutes south of Taormina.
The beautiful decorations have a gruesome history: They say that around 1100 AD, when Sicily was ruled by the Moors, a beautiful girl was living in seclusion and spent her days cultivating flowers on her balcony. One day a young Moor passing by saw her, decided he had to have her and entered the house to declare his love. The young girl, surprised by such a gesture, reciprocated him, but just when she got to know him he decided to return to his wife and children. Distraught, she waited for nightfall and as he fell asleep she cut off his head and used it as a vase for her flowers, displaying it on her balcony for everyone to see. This way his love was forever hers. Apparently, the flowers grew lush, the neighbours envious, and they built vases of their own, shaped like Moors’ heads. Or so the tale goes!!
You can purchase miniature versions of the ‘pupis’ in one of the many, gorgeous jewellery shops in Taormina.
Dolce and Gabbana honoured the Sicilian marionettes in their SS2013 collection.
I’m wearing a vichy checked dress from Gant.
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YouTube DirektDolce and Gabbana Summer Ad Campaign 2013 Sicily
This beautiful video by Dolce and Gabbana epitomises Sicilian summer, tastes and traditions.
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