BERLUSCONI, SICILY FIRST, THEN THE REST

(AGI) - Rome, 31 July. This is very good news for the future of Sicily, Friday the government approved a plan to invest EUR4.3 billion in economic development in Sicily.
The government starts with Sicily and its Regional Plan (PAR). If other regions present their Plans in time, the government will discuss them already this summer, said Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi to the Interdepartmental Committee for Economic Planning (CIPE). Berlusconi announced that talks with Apulia have already started. ''The CIPE has approved the Sicilian PAR. Sicily was the first region to present the Plan. Other regions have presented it later or haven't presented it at all'' explained Italian Economy Minster Giulio Tremonti after the CIPE meeting.

To learn more about Sicily visit Sicily Tourist Guide

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The taste of Sicily is only a click away - Get the best Sicilian gourmet food delivered directly to your doorstep from www.Sicilian-Marketplace.com - The TOP 100 most sold Sicilian food products online. Our Sicily marketplace is powered by the worlds biggest online shopping site - best customer satisfaction guaranteed!

Interested in the best Italian sparkling wine? - taste like Champagne, but for a fraction of the price! Pinot Prosecco

Why not try some world class fishing and see Sicily from the sea, book a spectacular Sicilian fishing trip with SicilyFishing.com

“To have seen Italy without Sicily - is not to have seen Italy at all,
as Sicily is the key to everything” - Goethe

Sicily, The World's Next Great Retirement Destination(TM) of LivingInSicily.com -a forum for those who love Sicily and those who seek information about living in Sicily or moving to Sicily.

Simple Minds' Jim Kerr's heaven on earth

Simple Minds singer-songwriter Jim Kerr loves Taormina's great location overlooking the Ionian Sea, where he can see as far as the lights of Calabria. He first went to Sicily with his school at age 14. "It was then that I discovered the world was in colour – the Glasgow of my childhood wasn't the vibrant city it is today" he says.

I always enjoyed touring in Italy with Simple Minds and I particularly liked Sicily. We played a gig there once on my birthday and a friend took me for lunch the next day in Taormina, a little town on the island's east coast. I fell in love with it instantly, went back as often as I could, made friends with the locals, and eventually it became a home from home.

What's so special about it? For a start it has a great location, overlooking the Ionian Sea, and you can see as far as the lights of Calabria. It's also steeped in history. It's where the continents meet, and has all sorts of influences, including Arabic, Greek and Roman. There's also a wonderful open-air, ancient Greek theatre, where they have amazing concerts. But the real cherry on the cake is that it has the most fantastic view of Mount Etna.

In fact, Taormina is so special that around 10 years ago a friend and I opened a hotel there, The Hotel Villa Angela (www.hotelvillaangela.com)

One of my favourite local restaurants is La Botte (www.labotte1972.it) where the fish, along with just about everything else, is delicious. I can also recommend Tira Misu (www.tiramisutaormina.it), which is more of a family restaurant, but is a great place to dine al fresco at night.

Sicilian cuisine is distinctive from the rest of Italy in that it includes a lot more fish, be it squid, salt fish, or tuna, depending on the season, and you can see the fishermen bringing in the catch if you're up early enough. The local fruit and vegetables also taste fantastic. Unusually for a Scotsman, I'm teetotal but the local wines are said to be very good and have started to win a lot of prizes.

A good time to visit is May when it's not too hot, though I first went in the heat of high summer and loved it.

"As for any danger posed by the Mafia, forget it. The Mafia is as dangerous for holidaymakers as the Loch Ness Monster" Jim says.

source: Telegraph.co.uk

To learn more about Sicily visit Sicily Tourist Guide

To get updates about the Best of Sicily follow us at www.twitter.com/SicilyToday

The taste of Sicily is only a click away - Get the best Sicilian gourmet food delivered directly to your doorstep from www.Sicilian-Marketplace.com - The TOP 100 most sold Sicilian food products online. Our Sicily marketplace is powered by the worlds biggest online shopping site - best customer satisfaction guaranteed!

Interested in the best Italian sparkling wine? - taste like Champagne, but for a fraction of the price! Pinot Prosecco

Why not try some world class fishing and see Sicily from the sea, book a spectacular Sicilian fishing trip with SicilyFishing.com

“To have seen Italy without Sicily - is not to have seen Italy at all,
as Sicily is the key to everything” - Goethe

Sicily, The World's Next Great Retirement Destination(TM) of LivingInSicily.com -a forum for those who love Sicily and those who seek information about living in Sicily or moving to Sicily.

Over four thousand portions of cous cous was served for free on the beach in San Vito lo Capo

San Vito Lo Capo, Sicily | Bricarelli Henry, a renowned chef from Turin, won the competition "Vota lo chef per il Cous Cous Fest”, which took place during the Cous Cous Fish event at San Vito Lo Capo, the beautiful seaside town on the north coast of Sicily.

Bricarelli, author of several cook books also teaching good food management to hotels and restaurants, won with his recipe for cous cous named "poor but beautiful" - it was prepared using using blue fish, Sauri, sea pike, sardines, anchovies and tomatoes in sweet Pachino, green candied oranges, wild fennel and coriander.

The winner was selected by a jury of eight, chaired by Edward Raspelli, conductor of "Mela Verde e Attenti al lupo" (Green Apple Mind the wolf), including Donatella Bianchi, a famous television face. The food expert and journalist Laura Ravaioli was also in among the jurors.

Over four thousand portions of cous cous was served on the beach, for free everyday, during the Week of cous cous in San Vito lo Capo. A very satisfied mayor of the small famous beach town, Matthew Rizzo, declared it a huge success.

Many visitors and tourists was particularly pleased with the boat trips, which have helped over 500 people to participate in fishing trips accompanied by the fishermen of San Vito Lo Capo. The event also had initiatives and events dedicated to children.

Watch you tube video of the event here

To learn more about Sicily visit Sicily Tourist Guide

To get updates about the Best of Sicily follow us at www.twitter.com/SicilyToday

The taste of Sicily is only a click away - Get the best Sicilian gourmet food delivered directly to your doorstep from www.Sicilian-Marketplace.com - The TOP 100 most sold Sicilian food products online. Our Sicily marketplace is powered by the worlds biggest online shopping site - best customer satisfaction guaranteed!

Interested in the best Italian sparkling wine? - taste like Champagne, but for a fraction of the price! Pinot Prosecco

Why not try some world class fishing and see Sicily from the sea, book a spectacular Sicilian fishing trip with SicilyFishing.com

“To have seen Italy without Sicily - is not to have seen Italy at all,
as Sicily is the key to everything” - Goethe

Sicily, The World's Next Great Retirement Destination(TM) of LivingInSicily.com -a forum for those who love Sicily and those who seek information about living in Sicily or moving to Sicily.

The Vulcano on Stromboli, Sicily is increasing its activity

STROMBOLI, MESSINA, SICILY, JUNE 23, 2009 - 9 minor earthquakes and small landslides has been recorded in the last 24 hours by the technicians of the Section of the Institute of geophysics and volcanology of Naples (Vesuvius Observatory), which are responsible of monitoring the volcano. This news cast means that one of the most active volcanoes on Stromboli has intensified activities. The nine "shock events" associated with the small landslides were located in the Sciara del Fuoco area, while the other seven seismic signals were observed in the Labronzo. The magnitude of the tremor was low, and no warnings for the area has been issued.

Stromboli is the most northern island of the aeolian islands, also known as the Lipari islands. The area is 200 km long and famous for their active volcano which attracts visitors from around the world.

The Aeolian islands are in the Thyrrenian sea off the north coast of Sicily, Italy. They are ideal for a peaceful holiday where you can explore an amazing nature, and spend your days snorkeling off shimmery black coves, eating the freshest of seafood.

To learn more about Sicily visit Sicily Tourist Guide

To get updates about the Best of Sicily follow us at www.twitter.com/SicilyToday

The taste of Sicily is only a click away - Get the best Sicilian gourmet food delivered directly to your doorstep from www.Sicilian-Marketplace.com - The TOP 100 most sold Sicilian food products online. Our Sicily marketplace is powered by the worlds biggest online shopping site - best customer satisfaction guaranteed!

Interested in the best Italian sparkling wine? - taste like Champagne, but for a fraction of the price! Pinot Prosecco

Why not try some world class fishing and see Sicily from the sea, book a spectacular Sicilian fishing trip with SicilyFishing.com

“To have seen Italy without Sicily - is not to have seen Italy at all,
as Sicily is the key to everything” - Goethe

Sicily, The World's Next Great Retirement Destination(TM) of LivingInSicily.com -a forum for those who love Sicily and those who seek information about living in Sicily or moving to Sicily.

Siracusa International Tango Festival starting this week, and so do the Week of Tango in Palermo.

On Thursday the 25th to Sunday 28th of June the Siracusa International Tango Festival in Sicily, will again open for the dancers and spectators from around the world. This the 3rd edition, Fausto and Vero will be participating in the festival organization to help the visitors find their way around the event. The evening milongas will take place in the historical Maniace Castle that dates back to the year of 1239 and the afternoon milongas at the Zen Solarium, Via Riviera Dionisio il Grande, 194 – Siracusa. For the latest updates about the festival please consult the Siracusa International Tango Festival website.


Almost at the same time there is also another event named "A week of tango" in Palermo.

This full immersion into the world of tango is organized by the Argentine masters Silvina Larrea and Pablo Pouchot. Mondello Summer Tango, now in its fourth edition, will take place in Palermo from Saturday June 27th to Sunday July 5th.

The event will begin Saturday with the conference "Tango, history and fate of a language," followed by refreshments. The next day, Sunday, will be the time of opening milonga, from 21 all'Altamarea Lounge Bar in Isola delle Femmine. Thus, the seminar from June 29 to July 3, at Mondello Palace Hotel (Viale Principe di Scalea), where, as part of lessons designed for all levels, beginners, intermediate, advanced will be able to deal with the absolutely unique technique of two masters. Throughout the period of the Summer Tango Mondello, the Palace will host an exhibition of the artist Alicia Gelpi Argentina "Buenos Aires desde arriba", a personal interpretation of this multifaceted city.

On July 5, again at 21 and still all'Altamarea Lounge Bar in Island of Women, will continue with Milonga Final: The much awaited exhibition of Silvina Larrea and Pablo Pouchot and those of pupils of Mondello Summer Tango. For more course information, you can call 091/9765716 or visit the sites www.civitastango.com and www.silvinapablo.com.ar

To learn more about Sicily visit Sicily Tourist Guide

To get updates about the Best of Sicily follow us at www.twitter.com/SicilyToday

The taste of Sicily is only a click away - Get the best Sicilian gourmet food delivered directly to your doorstep from www.Sicilian-Marketplace.com - The TOP 100 most sold Sicilian food products online. Our Sicily marketplace is powered by the worlds biggest online shopping site - best customer satisfaction guaranteed!

Interested in the best Italian sparkling wine? - taste like Champagne, but for a fraction of the price! Pinot Prosecco

Why not try some world class fishing and see Sicily from the sea, book a spectacular Sicilian fishing trip with SicilyFishing.com

“To have seen Italy without Sicily - is not to have seen Italy at all,
as Sicily is the key to everything” - Goethe

Sicily, The World's Next Great Retirement Destination(TM) of LivingInSicily.com -a forum for those who love Sicily and those who seek information about living in Sicily or moving to Sicily.

Finnair-Meridiana code-share agreement opens connections to Sicily

Finnair and the Italian airline Meridiana will start cooperating within the framework of a reciprocal code-share agreement on flights between Helsinki and Italy as of June 22. The new agreement means that Finnair can offer its passengers connections to Cagliari and Olbia in Sardinia, Palermo in Sicily, and Florence, to which Meridiana flies from the Finnair destinations of Amsterdam, Rome Fiumicino, and Paris Charles de Gaulle. Palermo is the capital city of Sicily. The growing interest in Sicily with its many magnificent beaches, high quality tourism services and golf courses is the reason for Finnairs new code-share program.

"Italy is a very popular travel destination, both for Finnair's Finnish customers, Russians and for passengers using our Asian route network. The code-share agreement means that we can now offer a wider range of convenient connections to Italy," says Vice President Hannu Sundberg, who is responsible for Finnair's code-share agreements.

Further information: www.finnair.com and www.meridiana.com

To learn more about Sicily visit Sicily Tourist Guide

To get updates about the Best of Sicily follow us at www.twitter.com/SicilyToday

The taste of Sicily is only a click away - Get the best Sicilian gourmet food delivered directly to your doorstep from www.Sicilian-Marketplace.com - The TOP 100 most sold Sicilian food products online. Our Sicily marketplace is powered by the worlds biggest online shopping site - best customer satisfaction guaranteed!

Interested in the best Italian sparkling wine? - taste like Champagne, but for a fraction of the price! Pinot Prosecco

Why not try some world class fishing and see Sicily from the sea, book a spectacular Sicilian fishing trip with SicilyFishing.com

“To have seen Italy without Sicily - is not to have seen Italy at all,
as Sicily is the key to everything” - Goethe

Sicily, The World's Next Great Retirement Destination(TM) of LivingInSicily.com -a forum for those who love Sicily and those who seek information about living in Sicily or moving to Sicily.