All Posts

We had the most memorable weekend. I’m excited to sit down to write this, because something about it changed the way I see Sicily… and I didn’t expect that. We spent the weekend on Etna - Santi and I, along with Priscilla, and our photographer. We were there doing site visits for our upcoming Elite journeys. And I realize that’s something people don’t always see. Site visits are characterized by long days. We move around a lot, walk through spaces, sit down with multiple peo

I’ve been in Sicily for 10 years now, and I must say that my favorite holiday here is Easter. Not only because of how deeply meaningful it is to me personally, but because of the way it’s experienced here. The tradition of Easter is beautiful in Sicily, but it’s really about the atmosphere. It’s family. It’s a bit chaotic in the best way. There’s always something happening. Kids running in and out, someone calling from the kitchen, someone else setting the table while talking

When families ask me if Sicily is a good place to travel with children, I smile. Santi and I are raising our two girls here. This island isn’t just where we host tours. It’s where we do school drop-offs, stop for bread in the late afternoon, shop at the market, and meet cousins in the piazza while the girls run ahead of us.

I didn’t fully understand Sicily in my first year living here. I thought I did. I had fallen in love with the energy of Palermo, with the markets, with Mount Etna. But it wasn’t until my second spring, after a full year of routine visits to farmers, fishmongers, and wine makers all around the island, that I finally understood its rhythm. That second spring made the difference. When you live here year-round, you don’t just see the seasons, you work within them.

People often ask why I stay in Sicily during the winter. Many foreigners working in tourism leave. Even Sicilians travel elsewhere because it’s not beach season. In fact, the pace shifts. Winter in Sicily reveals something summer never does. The days soften. The light changes. And slowly, you begin to notice that the island smells like citrus.