Boat hire Scopello Zingaro

Just spent a great day on the  Mediterranean sea on a hired boat…drove out of the marina Castellammare del Golfo, raced across the sea (bit choppy), moored up on the scopello coast and later anchored in a bay in the zingaro reserve and we all dived off the boat in and out in the sea….don’t forget your snorkels…sub acqua scopello good….so i just wanted to explain how easy it is for you too to be part of the jet set cruising along the water on your boat without a boat licence. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 3% [?]

Heatwave in Italy

A heatwave is crossing Italy, originating from Africa. Here in Sicily the southern island of Italy we are the first to get it. Locally called the “scirocco” you know when it arrives. The air stands still, the sun rises and the day bursts into warmth. The city streets remain deserted as people retreat to the indoor air conditioning. The brave tourists roast on the beaches, regularly dipping into the crystal blue seas to chill down, the yachts occasionally bobble in  the calm sea as hosts dive into the water, mostly dressed in the latest swimwear….but only the mad man stays under the sun from 12- 3, when it really does burn. Lunchtime or the midday break is when a lot of people catch up on lost sleep, as they stay up late and start work early when it is much fresher.

The land is dry the occasional bush fires spark up, someone maybe threw a cigarette out of the car window and smoke travels across the countryside as the guardia forestale battle to extinguish the flames. The car tyres squeal on the corners as the tyres and the road heat up. The ice cream parlours with their freezers working overtime, humming in the background, are full of every flavour and colour you could imagine as locals scoop away at their gelato, granita and crema di caffe.

Here in Salemi the hillside Sicilian town the fresh air breezes through the palm trees, the Palermitani retreat from the city centres to the countryside to get some fresh air.

You can feel in the air that it is the start of the Italian holiday period and not much will get done until September…..

Popularity: 1% [?]

Petrol Strike Italy 8/07/09 – 9/7/09 : Car hire Italy : Italy petrol station

Holiday in Italy this week. Hired a car ? Please note that there is a national 2 day petrol strike in Italy this Wednesday 8^th July and Thursday 9th July, which means that as from Tuesday 7^th evening 19:30 till Thursday evening same time you cannot get petrol.

In Sicily the Italian petrol strike is for 3 days as it starts Read the rest of this entry »

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Ryanair online check in changes

Ryanair europes low cost airline connects Italy to many European destinations and is even worth considering for domestic internal flights in Italy.

These cheap flights give great opportunities to those who buy a house in Italy and then rent a house in Italy to others.

Ryanair has as of today changed its online check in procedures. The 10 euro/sterling charge previously paid for those that checked in the traditional way has now been cancelled !!! Because with Ryanair as from today you CANNOT check in at the airport. You MUST do online check in before your flight starting 14 days prior till 40 mins before scheduled departure. Those with luggage (not hand luggage) will have to use a new drop off service.

POST your personal experiences of this drop off service here in the comments below.

Hidden in the small print of the press release is that from TODAY we will all be charged a 5 euro online check in fee !! Ryanair saves money closing the check in desks YET raises the charges of online check in !!!

Ryanair OnAir mobile service

Though we can’t criticise Ryanair as yesterday on an internal Italian flight I had the opportunity to use the new on flight ryanair mobile OnAir service. Yes you can be in the clouds and call/text your loved ones to tell them where you are !! or as the Ryanair press release stated to tell them that “yet another Ryanair flight is on time”.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Italian Holiday Villa for Sale in Sicily, Italy.

Scopello, Castellamare del Golfo, Trapani, (west Palermo) Sicily.

Palermo (PMO) airport 30 mins / Trapani (TPS) airport 30 mins.
3 bedroom holiday villa located near lo Zingaro nature reserve and close to Scopello. Set in mature private gardens, with patio overlooking the sea and Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 4% [?]

Trapani Airport TPS Sicily

Trapani airport (TPS) is fastly expanding and becoming the gateway to south west sicily, Trapani, Marsala, Salemi, Scopello, Segesta and the Egadi Islands. Historically a military airport. With Ryanair operating flights from here since last year, the airport has transformed Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 15% [?]

Scandinavian Sicilan Project Monte Polizzo Salemi Sicily NIU

As from the 25th May 2009 the Northern Illinois University will be present in Salemi at Monte Polizzo for a month long archaeological dig. The study abroad program is Read the rest of this entry »

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Palermo Airport PMO Sicily Italy

Palermo airport is the International gateway into West Sicily. Please also consider flying in to Trapani airport (TPS) for visiting West Sicily (45 mins from PMO), now serviced by Ryanair from over 25 destinations. Catania airport is great for the Sicilian east coast. (3 hours drive from PMO). All 3 airports are in Sicily if you are looking for nearest airport to Sicily.

Flights to PMO from Germany by AirBerlin

Follows a brief introduction to PMO to help you with your onward travels. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 3% [?]

Easter in Sicily

Next weekend is Easter. Good Friday 10 April and Easter Sunday falls on 12th April.

Looking for an interesting weekend ?

Why not join MIPC visiting the 1 euro property in Salemi offer. There is a weekend of events to learn all about Discovering Salemi.

Starting on Good Friday through to Easter Sunday in Salemi and then highly recommended is to spend Easter Sunday in Trapani, there is  a spectacular procession…

Read the rest of this entry »

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Fly America to Italy.

Further to your many requests about flights from America to Italy and onward flights to Sicily to visit Salemi for the MIPC Discovering Salemi trip, If you can’t get a direct flight to Palermo(PMO)then I would recommend that you fly to Italy mainland hubs, like Rome, Milan Malpensa or even via London or Paris, then make a connecting flight to Palermo(PMO) or Trapani(TPS) in Sicily.

For transatlantic flight to Italy Book on Eurofly
Eurofly has scheduled direct flights from New York JFK to Palermo (Falcone Borsellino) & viceversa.
For details visit Eurofly
Read the rest of this entry »

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