The Taste of Ortigia

September 7, 2022 | Design & Culture by Ed

The small Baroque island of Ortigia, the historic center of Syracuse, is widely considered one of the most beautiful destinations in Sicily. Inhabited for over 3,000 years and renowned for its Greek heritage, it is a UNESCO landmark for its “remarkable testimony of the Mediterranean cultures over the centuries” and makes for a perfect weekend escape in any season. Dotted with impressive church facades, outdoor restaurants, elegant piazzas and surrounded by a crystalline sea, Ortigia is more manicured than Catania, less overrun that Taormina and as delicious as Palermo. Once on the island, you should make the bustling Mercato di Ortigia your first and most important stop. It’s filled with colorful fruit, vegetable stands, fish vendors and stalls selling spices of all types. Be sure to pick up a few local specialties for your pantry, including pistachios from Bronte, almonds from Avola, sun-dried tomatoes from Pachino and capers from Pantelleria. Then grab a bite to eat at Fratelli Burgio, a buzzing deli and wine bar that assembles mouthwatering meat and cheese boards, fish platters and sandwiches stuffed with marinated vegetables. And of course, eat the oysters! After all that goodness, we strolled around the place, enjoying the gorgeous Ortigian views…

Photos by Edward Kanarecki.
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Il Consiglio Di Sicilia (& Donnalucata)

September 7, 2022 | Design & Culture by Ed

The story of Il Consiglio di Sicilia is made of three keywords: love, hospitality and happiness. Top-quality ingredients – local seafood from the Donnalucata port being their speciality – are presented on the plate straightforwardly: a style that inherently talks of the territory, beyond the trends of the moment. At the helm of the restaurant, there is a caring and sparkling couple. In the kitchen, chef Antonio Cicero prepares refined dishes, without pretension, but with great love for details. In the dining room, the charming Roberta Corradin welcomes everyone with a smile and offers knowledgeable guidance to her guests. This unique restaurant is a wholesome, heavenly experience. Eating their signature red prawn feels like that restaurant scene from Luca Guadagnino’s “I Am Love” with Tilda Swinton. The busiata pasta with anchovies is a recipe dating back to Ancient Rome. The cannolo is different level. And just on the side of the outdoor terrace you’ve got a chic selection of cashmeres and Italian accessories from Nel Garage boutique (more on it in the upcoming Ragusa post!). Don’t forget to visit Il Consiglio di Sicilia’s highly-curated wine enoteca, which is on the same street!

Via Casmene 79 / Donnalucata

And here are a few pics from the lovely day we’ve spent at the Donnalucata beach…

Photos by Edward Kanarecki.
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All About Scicli

September 7, 2022September 7, 2022 | Design & Culture by Ed

Less well-known than its prestigious neighbours (like Noto or Ragusa), but just as fascinating and beautiful, Scicli is well worth a visit if you’re ever in southeastern Sicily. It sits in a gorge just a few miles from the long sandy beaches of Sampieri and Donnalucata and is overlooked by a towering rocky mass on which the Church of San Matteo sits. The town shares much of its history with the other UNESCO Heritage Site towns of Val di Noto, most specifically the fateful earthquake of 1693, during which over 3,000 of the town’s population died. Scicli, like the towns in the area, was totally rebuilt in pure Sicilian Baroque style. Today, it is a joy to wander around. Scicli’s history, of course, long predates 1693, and it is thought to have taken its name from its founders, the Sicels, one of the three main tribes that inhabited Sicily before the arrival of the Greek colonists. Like the rest of the island, it was passed from one invading conqueror to another, reaching its economic and cultural peak during the Arab and Norman dominations. The many aristocratic palazzi, such as Palazzo Beneventano, are also fun to see, brimming over with characterful gargoyles, elegant swirls, and decorative fancies. A stroll along Via Francesco Mormina Penna is also strongly recommended as it provides a perfect example of a late Baroque street, harmonious in its wholeness and equal to anything found in the neighbouring towns of greater fame.

Photos by Edward Kanarecki.
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Sicilian Wild Beaches

September 6, 2022 | Design & Culture by Ed

Whether you come here to walk, bird-watch or swim, the 8km long Vendicari Nature Reserve is one of Sicily’s most spectacular nature spots and a firm favourite with anyone who enjoys the charm of wild beaches. Situated in the south east corner of the island, it is made up of a mixture of lagoons, sandy beaches and rocky coastlines. Most importantly, it is visited each year by thousands of migrating birds, including flamingos, herons and terns, en route to or from Africa. Plant life too is significant, the high salt levels providing an ideal habitat for sweetly-scented herbs, dwarf palms and juniper bushes. On the way to the beach, there’s a lovely caffè serving the most delicious granita from local lemons and avocado.

Photos by Edward Kanarecki.
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Palazzo Castelluccio in Noto

September 5, 2022 | Design & Culture by Ed

If you lose yourself to the streets of Noto, you will find incredible places to visit and fall in love with immediately. The Palazzo Castelluccio, belonging to one of the oldest families in Noto, was built in 1782 by the Marquis di Lorenzo del Castelluccio after the earthquake of 1693 which partly destroyed the region. The façade of the Palace, on Via Cavour, does not have the same baroque style used for the reconstruction of the main buildings of the city, but instead reflects the neo-classical taste popular in the late 18th century, which can be found in the well-preserved frescoes on the ceilings and walls of the main first floor. Four years of work were needed to revive the Palace, respecting its fine finishing and its history. The frescoes were cleaned and restored, the fabrics replaced and the silver wallpaper remade identically. A collection of Italian and Sicilian furniture and paintings restored the atmosphere of an inhabited palace. The music room, chapel and ballroom are testimony the power and good taste of a large aristocratic Sicilian family. After the death of the last Marquis of Castelluccio, the Order of Malta inherited the Palace and kept it for some years. When the current owner took possession in 2011, the Palace had been uninhabited for decades. The main first floor was in a terrible condition, and the doors, windows, paintings and electrical installations all had to be removed and replaced. Today, the colours have been restored to the grand staircase and its vases and extend a magnificent welcome to visitors…

Via Cavour 10