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.All Trips / Europe / Italy
A Visit to the Basilica of San Zeno, Verona
Saint Zeno (about 300 to 380 AD) is the patron saint of Verona, and this Basilica is named in his honor. He migrated from northern Africa and possibly was a black man. Saint Zeno spent much of his life in Verona – first as monk, then as bishop. He was beloved by the people of Verona and it seems he served them well.
Verona has many very old buildings and historic churches, of which San Zeno is one of the more interesting. A church has existed on this site since the 4th or 5th century to house the remains of San Zeno. The building you visit today is a Romanesque church built in the 12th century after its predecessor suffered …
Tagged Basilica of San Zeno, San Zeno, Verona
.All Trips / Europe / Italy
Palermo’s Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico)
While Sicily itself is green and lovely after the rains, Palermo doesn’t have many spacious parks or gardens. This is in part why exploring Orto Botanico di Palermo (Palermo Botanical Garden) was a treat for my wife and I. It covers about 30 acres and has a large and interesting variety of plants that are pleasant to stroll through. Orto Botanico also conducts research for the Department of Botany, University of Palermo.
The garden dates to 1779 when the University created a chair of “botany and medicinal properties” and dedicated a plot of land for a botanical garden. The goal was to grow and study plants that useful had medicinal properties. The garden was moved to the present site in 1786 when …
Tagged Botanical garden, garden, Orto Botanica, Palermo, Sicily
.All Trips / Europe / Italy
A Day of Mosaics: Visiting Villa Romana del Casale, Sicily
I like to visit UNESCO World Heritage sites when travel allows because they are uniformly interesting. Villa del Casale is no exception as it has some of the best preserved and most extensive Roman mosaics anywhere. The place is situated off the main tourist path in the central hills of Sicily and was a little hard to find, but the lovely well-preserved floor mosaics make it worth a little effort to get to. It’s about 3 km from the town of Piazza Armerina.
Villa Romana del Casale was built in late Roman Empire, around the middle of the 4th Century AD, as a hunting lodge for a wealthy Roman (whose name is unknown). The overall architecture is similar to many villas …
.All Trips / Europe / Italy
Palermo’s Palazzo dei Normanni
Palazzo dei Normanni (Palace of the Normans) is the old Royal Palace in Palermo, Sicily. It was built in the 9th century by the Arab/Islamic rulers for the harems of their emirs. It was expanded and renovated by the Normans who subsequently conquered Sicily in 1072. The Norman kings transformed the building into a multi-functional complex that served as an administrative center and a royal residence. During the period of Norman rule, Sicily thrived and prospered.
The Palazzo sits on the highest spot in Palermo and is the oldest royal residence in Europe. After the Normans left, Palazzo dei Normanni was not used for several centuries. But the palace returned to an administrative role in the second half of the sixteenth century, when the Spanish governors chose …
“Pic of the Week”, July 7, 2017. A Wedding in Palermo
One of the pleasures of traveling is stumbling on memorable scenes of everyday life. So it was as we waited to gain admittance to the Capella Palatina…
Jul 6, 2017
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.All Trips / Europe / Italy
Exploring Historic Segesta, Sicily
When we visited Sicily a few aspects of our time there surprised me. 1) The food was even more delicious than I expected. 2) The landscape was far more hilly and mountainous than I thought it would be. 3) The large assortment and general good state of preservation of the country’s archaeologic sites.
Segesta (also known as Egesta) is close to the island’s most populous city, Palermo, and is even closer to its airport. It is easily accessible by car, the Autostrada only minutes away, so a car rental is the easiest way to get there (bus connections are said to be slow and difficult). Unlike Agrigento in southern Sicily, there is no modern city nearby — just beautiful hills, farms …
.All Trips / Europe / Food / Italy
Catania’s Fabulous Market
Besides the sight of Mt. Etna looming not far away, perhaps the most famous landmark in Catania is its lively fish market, La Pescheria. There’s more to the market than seafood, but I’ve never encountered a more diverse selection of fresh seafood anywhere. And the operative word is fresh as much of the merchandise was still flopping and flipping about. The fish mongers are a lively bunch, trying to entice everyone passing by to purchase their fish, which are said to be the best and/or cheapest in the market.
Given that it’s situated on the Gulf of Catania, it’s not surprising to find that seafood is so popular with the locals and a key ingredient in local cuisine. You’ll find massive …
.All Trips / Europe / Food / Italy
Palermo’s Vucciria Market
The most famous of Palermo’s four main markets is the Vucciria market. The market’s name is derived from the Sicilian language, wherein Vucciria means “voices”. Interesting…a market named for the sound of those bartering and dealing. You’ll find this market, which winds through the curving graffiti-covered streets around Piazza San Domenico, in the heart of Palermo’s historic district.
The Vucciria market is open every day except Sunday, from dawn until about 2 pm. You’ll find all kinds of fresh produce, seafood, meats and grocery items. Souvenirs, household goods and handcrafts are also for sale. A market has been held on these streets for at least 700 years.
My wife and I had looked forward to strolling through the Vucciria market because of …
Tagged farmer's market, La Vucciria, Market, Palermo, Sicily
