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We offer fun-filled tours with top notch local experts who will guide you every step of the way. You will experience it all through the eyes of the locals. Our promise – white glove concierge service and beautiful memories and friendships which will last a lifetime.
![Gina[2][1]](https://atescapes.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Gina21-pvri8q69tccisbyr1fqmyzews8rvxsuaxm93zzhtwu.png "Gina[2][1]")
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.
Beloved grandparents, now gone many years. Still missing them. They emigrated from Sicily in the early 1900s, but few stories or details about their life there. I imagined what it would be like to have an experience that would bring them alive in their native Sicily. And there we were.
We started the morning in great anticipation as we waited for our driver, D, to pick us up and take us to Santo Stefano, the home of my husband G’s fraternal grandparents. Armed with their names, their wedding date, the name of the church, a potential address of G’s great grandparents, and knowing the town was known for their ceramics, our goal was to visit the church, see if the address was accurate, and purchase a piece of ceramic as a special memory of our day there.
The drive along the coast from Palermo was beautiful, and we were delighted as we drove into Santo Stefano, a medieval town originally dating to the 11th century, and rebuilt in the late 1600s after a landslide destroyed the town. It was very picturesque, especially as we arrived in the historic center, filled with cafes and shops featuring the famous work of the “Town of Ceramics.”
The church, Chiesa di San Nicola di Bari, was built in 1685. We walked across the street, toward the church, in awe that here, 100 years ago, G’s grandmother and grandfather were married. We stood in the Piazza Matrici, staring at the church’s humble facade, imagining his family gathered for the wedding.
We approached the doors, hoping we could enter; they opened to a fabulous Renaissance interior. We lit two candles in their memory, and then, in hushed silence, the only ones in the church, we walked down the same center aisle as they had. We were both surprised at the emotion we experienced. We stood in front of the altar, where they had stood, pledging their lives to one another, knowing that days later they would embark on a journey to America.
We couldn’t find the address of the home, which should have been right by the church. It appeared a new street had taken the place of the old one. D approached some older men sitting by the piazza and began conversing in Italian. One of them pulled out his cell phone and made a call. Moments later, D explained that we were to follow the men. We walked about four blocks through the old streets, arriving at a small, more modern building that we would later discover was the town’s records office.
We have to recognize the role that D played, here. On his own, he took the initiative to approach the men and ask about G’s family and the information we had. Without him doing that, our experience would have ended with the church visit. But there was to be more.
After another brief conversation in Italian, the man in the office went into a back room and returned with a large, old register. He opened it, scanned his finger down the page to rest and read two names with a date. My husband gasped– “That’s my grandparents! It’s them!”
The man went again to the back room and returned with another old, but larger, book. He opened it and read their names, again. He proceeded to read, with D translating. It was the original civil wedding license! It listed their names; their ages; what they did for a living–farm worker and house worker; their parents’ names; and the names and professions of their two witnesses– a sailor and a rich man. And, at the bottom, their signatures. Not a copy, but their original signatures. From 100 years ago.
I was overwhelmed. I looked at G and saw the tears welling in his eyes. Never had we expected this. Such a meaningful, emotional, touching experience. And one neither of us will ever forget. G has many memories of his grandparents, but this experience has added a depth of connection, understanding, and appreciation for who they were, and ultimately, who he is, too.
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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