The Other Italy Field Notes
Short notes from the places we plan trips to in Sicily, Puglia, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont: what the food is really like, which towns reward a slower visit, and the planning mistakes worth avoiding. For the full picture, start with our Other Italy Planning Guide.
What Sicily Actually Is
Most people who come to us curious about Sicily start with Taormina, The Godfather, Palermo street food and Mount Etna. That's only a slice of it.
Palermo, Once You Stop Expecting Pretty
Palermo doesn't try to be pretty first. It tries to be honest, and the beauty shows up anyway once you stop expecting it to behave like the rest of Italy.