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One night in 1171, King William II, known as “the Good,” was resting from the burdens of war and governance, as was customary for Norman kings, in an ancient Arab village called Balharā. In a dream, the Virgin Mary appeared to him and revealed the location of an immense treasure—a war booty hidden by his father, William I, known as “the Bad.” She i...

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A familiar face has resurfaced from the ruins of an ancient Greek city in Italy. Archaeologists in Sicily have discovered what they believe to be an ancient Roman mask mould depicting the iconic Medusa. Under the direction of Roberto Sciarratta, they unearthed the mould in a building from the late Republican period (133 to 31 BCE) in the ruins of F...

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Modern day pizza dates back to the 1700s in Italy. Since then, this food has spread with pizzas of all styles and types being enjoyed in countries around the world. Thankfully, the United States has been blessed with many styles to enjoy, including Detroit-style pizza with its wonderful corner pieces and Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. What many Ame...

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Each summer, the remote Italian island of Alicudi attracts a slow drip of tourists looking to escape the trappings of modernity. There are no cars or even roads on the two-square-mile volcanic outcrop, though footpaths are traversable by donkey. And while cellphone coverage is now available in most places, many houses lack electricity and water. Fo...

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When Agrigento was declared the Italian Capital of Culture for 2025 on May 25, 2023, the significance of the title and the preparations it required may not have been immediately clear. The journey since has been long and fraught with challenges, setbacks, and high hopes. The year 2024 brought severe droughts that exacerbated water shortages across...

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Christopher Nolan chooses Sicily as one of the primary filming locations for his upcoming film The Odyssey. The island's rich historical and mythological heritage makes it the perfect backdrop for a film inspired by Homer's ancient epic. The decision to shoot in Sicily highlights the island's significance not only as a geographical site but also as...

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Join us for an early Valentine's Day celebration with a screening of Palermo: Amore e Fontane, a love letter to the city of Palermo. The screening will begin At CCF (8 East 69th Street | New York, NY) at 6:30 pm on Saturday, February 8th and is preceded by a thirty minute cocktail reception. After the film's conclusion, a short Q and A with the dir...

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Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is rapidly gaining recognition as a vibrant hub for digital nomads. With its rich history, stunning landscapes, and affordable living, it’s becoming an attractive option for remote workers from around the world. The city has all the benefits of a metropolitan environment but offers a more relaxed pace of life, making...

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One thing I enjoy about returning to a destination is the chance to update the outdated impressions I’ve held in my mind from previous visits. Europe is always changing — and on my last visit to Sicily’s capital of Palermo I discovered that it’s become a whole new city in recent years. It’s cleaner, safer, and more efficient than it was in years pa...

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Southern Italy, particularly the regions of Puglia and Sicily, is grappling with a mounting agricultural crisis. Recurring droughts, rising temperatures, and diseases such as xylella fastidiosa have ravaged traditional crops like olives, grapes, and citrus fruits. The situation has reached such extremes that cities like Agrigento — which is this ye...

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