In September/October 2016, I went with a group on a trip to Italy. We began on the western side of…read moreSicily in Palermo. As part of the tour, while in Sicily we went to Erice, a walled medieval town on a steep hill. There are many artisan businesses lining its wending, narrow, cobbled streets: no surprise, this is Italy, famed for art for hundreds of years. Spotting a courtyard fronted by a wrought iron fence and gate, we wandered up a short stone path into an open air showroom of ceramic art. Beyond the open air showroom was a small office/gallery (part of the magnificent old stone buildings of the town); they had more items on display there. There were many beautiful handmade items, from small to large. At one point the proprietor took a very large ceramic bowl that I was admiring off the wall for me so I could examine it closely. I was very nervous as two people, with great care, laid it down on a horizontal surface. This bowl was being used as wall art, but could also be used as a huge salad bowl for a large party. They indicated that shipping costs are included if I wanted to buy one of the larger, more expensive pieces. I have the business card, and it indicates that shipping to USA is included for purchases that are priced at 950 euros or more. I ended up buying a small, vibrantly colored porcelain tile of the sun coming up over a mountain town because it evoked Erice, and it was easy to take with me. This tile has quite a bit of red in it; I bought it for my kitchen, which is white with red accents (it hangs over my cheery red door). I checked the web today;the business appears to have been renamed since I went to Italy last year: Casa Altieri (which means pretty much the same thing as Maison Altieri). The website page http://www.casaaltieri.it/panoramica-maison-altieri-erice/236-sala-vendite-maison-altieri-erice.html has "Sala Vendite Maison Altieri Erice" in bold lettering. Also the address is slightly different - Via Cordici, 14 instead of Via Cordici, 11 listed on the business card. But from the website photos, it's clearly the same business. Maybe they had to renumber the street, just as some of our residences and businesses have had to be renumbered to make it easier for first responders. The email address (erix_maioliche@libero.it) is the same as on the business card that I have.

We were incredibly lucky to have Teatro Massimo di Palermo literally on our doorstep. The…read morearchitecture is stunning and absolutely photo-worthy. It's also famous from The Godfather Part III, where the assassination of Apollonia was filmed. We loved passing by day and night, always catching a new angle. Overall, it's a must-see and an easy stop while exploring Palermo. Saluti

Historical Teatro Massimo, Godfather 3 movie, one of the main scenes was filmed here, the feeling…read moreis amazing, the energy is dynamic. Sitting on those steps and just enjoying the atmosphere is a very unique experience. There are lots of shops and restaurants around it, in the heart of the Palermo, old and new are mixed and that gives the city a beautiful view , the whole street is filled with shops and carts where you can buy all sorts of gifts , souvenirs and memorabilia. People in general are nice, and kind of rule of thumb, the fancier the restaurant, the snobbier is the service lol we tried both: fancy and mom and pops eateries, one of the best to try is Dal Pompiere. In general, Sicilia is amazing

Our first stop with the rental car after leaving Palermo, we headed almost directly to Erice…read more Nearly 2500 feet above sea level and accessed by road (lots of fun switchbacks!), the city was first conquered in 831 and ruled by Arabs until the Normans came along in 1167. Two castles survive here, the Pepoli Castle from the Saracen times and the Venus Castle that dates from that Norman period. As we were here during off season in January, parking was easy and the streets were nearly empty. Of course, that meant that nearly all the restaurants and sites were closed. We still enjoyed walking through the ancient streets and did find a gift shop that was open. A cafe/bar looked interesting as well. One of my favorite stops on our drive and something completely unexpected and fun. [Review 12805 overall, 119 of 2020.]

Beautiful medieval town on a hill over viewing the City of Trapani. The town is absolutely…read moregorgeous. Restaurants, shopping places, and museums are all over. A 'must stop' if you are in Trapani. Do not leave Sicily without seeing 'Erice.'

Our fault for going on an organized tour that walked too quickly through the halls and without…read morebeing able to hear much of what the guide was saying through the headsets they handed us on the bus ride over. If you can hook up with a tour of maybe 5-6 others and a guide that's probably ideal, or if you don't mind not knowing much about the who and why you are ogling, then go on your own to take in a fascinatingly freaky experience.

My husband and I had visited ossuaries and catacombs in other countries and thought we would visit…read morethis well known one in Palermo. While he has a tough stomach, he wanted to leave ASAP. Agree with others that this may not be for everyone, especially for younger children. There are a series of rooms, some of which are categorized by the occupation (members of the Capuchin order, who originally were the only people to be interred there) and others by age or gender. It is disarming to see a room designated entirely to children and babies. In addition, it is even more disarming to see some of the "residents" in considerably better condition, which is attributable to different embalming techniques. The site appears to still be run by the Capuchins, as a monk sold us our tickets. No pictures to post because signs ask you not to take any and also in deference to the deceased. 8/8

Fantastic selection of goods mostly made by a boyfriend/girlfriend team. There are some really…read morenice styles here, especially if you're into really interesting stones. The designs are elegantly simple, making for some very nice wearable jewelry that is less gaudy than most of the other shops we looked into. Also, if you're an instrument, there are a lot of stringed instruments (mostly guitars and ukuleles) made from recycled items like cigar boxes and wine boxes that are really cool.