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Gina Casella, the President/Managing Director of AT Escapes has been going back and forth between the US and Italy ever since she was a child. Adriana Trigiani Tours later became AT Escapes, a full service boutique travel company, whose offerings include customized travel across the globe and small group tours in New York and throughout Europe. Gina couples her knowledge and creativity to develop travel experiences which allow you to indulge, be pampered, kick back and relax.
An Experience Like No Other In May 2023, the Evangelista family traveled with AT Escapes to Italy. They spent two weeks traveling to some of the most remarkable places the country has to offer, such as Venice, Rome, Florence, and Capri. Some highlights of their trip included picking lemons on the Amalfi coast, wine tasting
In the Midst of Legends and Myths Guest post by Cindy Amoroso. She visited Sicily with AT Escapes, and shared her experiences and photos from the trip. I must admit that ever since ninth grade English class, I’ve been fascinated by Greek and Roman mythology. I read all the myths, Homer, and the modern versions and
In Awe of MOunt Etna Guest post by Cindy Amoroso. She visited Sicily with AT Escapes, and shared her experiences and photos from the trip. I had never seen an active volcano, let alone hiked on one. Or watched the smoke billowing from the top. Or eaten honey harvested on its slopeside orchards. Or eaten a
Stunning Sicilian Vistas Guest post by Cindy Amoroso. She visited Sicily with AT Escapes, and shared her experiences and photos from the trip. Have you ever wanted to spend time at the seashore, in awe of the many hues of blue and turquoise? How about hiking a volcano? Do you enjoy vistas of golden wheat or
Guest post by Cindy Amoroso. She visited Sicily with AT Escapes, and shared her experiences and photos from the trip.
I must admit that ever since ninth grade English class, I’ve been fascinated by Greek and Roman mythology. I read all the myths, Homer, and the modern versions and retelling of these ancient stories. However, I had no idea that so many of their origins were tied to Sicily. You can imagine my delight as I heard the stories and saw the places that brought these myths into being.
Where do I even start? This could be an entire book or course, in itself.
Everyone remembers Cyclops, the one-eyed monsters, one of which terrorized Odysseus and his men in The Odyssey. Let’s start there. The Cyclops lived on Mt. Etna where they were tasked with using the fires of the volcano to forge weapons, This is where Odysseus’ men were held and escaped.
Nearby, the waters of Aci Trezza hold the rocks that Cyclops threw at Odysseus and his men as they escaped. Today, this area is known as the Riviera dei Ciclopi, and the rocks are known as i Fariglioni di Aci Trezza. I walked on the land of Mt. Etna, stood by these famous rocks, and waded in the water surrounding them. It was incredible to have that story come to life around me.
If you, too, are a mythology fan like me, you’ll recognize the names of Aratusa, Artemus, Scylla, Charybdis, Demeter, Persephone, Dionysus, and Bacchus. All these characters, and more, from mythology are connected to Sicily in significant ways.
In Ortigia, we stood staring in the pool of water known as the Fountain of Arethusa. The fountain is not man-made, but a natural pool with papyrus and waterfowl making it home. I was fascinated by the papyrus, as I’d never seen it growing before. According to myth, this “fountain” was formed when the river god Alpheus fell in love with the nymph, Arethusa, who didn’t want his advances. Artemis helped her by turning her into a stream in Ortigia, but Alpheus discovered her and mixed his waters with hers so he could always be with her.
Today it is known as the fountain of love and happiness for couples, and we saw several wedding couples there. How wild it felt to be standing there, looking at a pool about which a myth was borne over 2,500 years ago. The same water. In the same place. And there I stood, in 2022.
One legend with ties to Sicily surprised me because it’s one of my favorites, and I had no idea it had any connection to Sicily. The Legend of King Arthur! There are theories that the mythical Island of Avalon, King Arthur’s resting place, is actually Etna. In fact, it is believed that Etna was also the home of Morgana Le Fay. Some believe that Excalibur, Arthur’s sword, was honed in the forges of Mt. Etna. The mountain, the hillsides, and the sea all took on a bit of a different feel when I looked at them through the perspective of the King Arthur legend.
As we stood looking out over the sea at the Straits of Messina, I was mesmerized looking at that narrow strip of water and imagined the tales of Greek ships passing through. In Greek mythology, these straits are terrorized by Scylla and Charybdis, two monsters. If passing too close to Scylla, on the Italy side, the monster would grab six seamen for sacrifice. If passing too close to Charybdis, the underwater monster would create a whirlpool which could take down the entire ship. I found myself looking for any sign of swirling water in the distance! I marveled at how Homer’s writing seemed to come to life in front of me!
I could list all the temples we saw that were built to honor the gods, but there were many! It was eerie looking at the sacrificial altars that still stand in front of several. Our tour guide in Agrigento really brought the everyday experiences during Greek and Roman times to life. It was a little overwhelming standing in the midst of these temples, built by hands 2,500 years ago, and imagining not only the life of the people, but also the stories by which they lived, and which we now read as myths.
There are so many more mythical locations in Sicily that we didn’t have a chance to explore. An itinerary of visiting all the locations in Sicily associated with myths and legends could be a trip in itself! However, what we did experience leaves a lasting feeling of wonder that we stood in places and saw artifacts that have become legendary from hundreds, and thousands, of years ago.
If you enjoyed this article, you can read more about Cindy’s trip and how it connected her family with their Sicilian Ancestry.
To discover the best of this magnificent island yourself, feel free to contact AT Escapes today to discuss your dream trip to Sicily!
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