6 May 2021

Italy announces itself ready to offer a ‘Green pass’ to travelers who have recovered from Covid, been vaccinated, or tested negative. Excepting only Brazilians and South Asians. The EU will follow with its own Green Pass by June..

So, we are offering our full slate of tours for Autumn 2021 and of course 2022 and beyond. See the Tours pages for dates and details.

Second, for touring in the meantime, we’ve launched a new, lighter, multilingual offshoot of Sicily Tour called “Ciauru di Sicily Tour” (Sicilian for “Fragrance of Sicily Tour”). Click on the name to find out what we’re offering.

WHAT WE’RE DOING AS TOURISM RETURNS

Folks.,

We’re still here, Sicily is still here, and European and Asian tourists are trickling back in. For you, Sicily is wide open and free from crowds. Which country you come from will determine if you have any quarntine restrictions or not. The reputation of Italians is not that normally we are cautious and careful, but both government and people have turned that abundant italian social consience into Covid-carefulness (well, not all the young folks). As of today, a small uptick in cases cause the government again to mandate masks. This is re-evaluated constantly, so keep checking. Among the rest of you, Americans, for example, are not allowed in and won’t be until they improve their pandemic record.

We at Sicily tour are staying busy,

1. We again call your attention to our new, lighter, multilingual offshoot of Sicily Tour called “Ciauru di Sicily Tour” (Sicilian for “Fragrance of Sicily Tour”). Click on the name to find out what we’re offering.

2. Our own Douglas Kenning has a devoted following for his tours and lectures, and without tours to lead, he is offering lectures this autumn on Zoom. The first you should note is on American Immigration. To find out more, click here: “Gate-crashing the Party: 500 years of immigration to America”

WE'RE BACK ! -- coronavirus update

CORONAVIRUS NEWS — Folks, Italy is reopening, cautiously (in any case, Sicily from the beginning was one of the least-affected regions). We are in Phase II, which means that tourism is beginning again, and right now people from EU countries and select others are permitted to visit. Unfortunately that does not include people from the U.S. If you’re from the U.S., keep checking, because as soon as you guys are permitted entry, we’re here, ready to go.

If you are from anywhere else, contact us about a tour this year. What we’re offering at the moment is our streamlined version of Sicily Tour, called “Ciauru di Sicily Tour” (that’s Sicilian for “Fragrance of Sicily Tour”) on this link. Of course, our usual longer Sicily Highlights small group tours (on this website) remain open for this autumn, and we are happy to organize private tours and holidays for couples, families, and individuals.

We expect 2021 to be a banner year, and already we have people signing up.

Of course, we’ll stay on top of what is and is not possible regarding Italian tourism, so contact us with any questions.

MEANWHILE: Click here to see the indomitable Italian love of life,

We’re singing less from our balconies, but Italians still sing. Always.

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Coronavirus & Touring Sicily

CORONAVIRUS NEWS — Folks, Italy is coming out of lockdown (in any case, Sicily from the beginning was one of the least-affected regions). We are in Phase II, which means that tourism is beginning again, and right now people from EU countries and select others are permitted to visit. Unfortunately that does not include people from the U.S. If you’re from the U.S., keep checking, because as soon as you guys are permitted entry, we’re here, ready to go.

If you are from anywhere else, contact us about a tour this year. What we’re offering at the moment is our streamlined version of Sicily Tour, called “Ciauru di Sicily Tour” (that’s Sicilian for “Fragrance of Sicily Tour”) on this link. Of course, our usual longer Sicily Highlights small group tours (on this website) remain open for this autumn, and we are happy to organize private tours and holidays for couples, families, and individuals.

We expect 2021 to be a banner year, and already we have people signing up.

Of course, we’ll stay on top of what is and is not possible regarding Italian tourism, so contact us with any questions.

MEANWHILE: Click here to see the indomitable Italian love of life,

We’re singing less from our balconies, but Italians still sing. Always.

What about the Refugees?

People often ask about the refugees passing through Sicily.  Yes, indeed, tens of thousands have landed in Sicily, with numbers peaking in 2014, dropping for a while in 2015, as more traffic shifted to Greece, then again numbers again increasing 2106. It has been beautiful to see how individuals and private organizations have responded to the plight of these desperate people.  The UNHCR as well is to be applauded.  And supported. 

In the last few years (through 2019), the refugee flow has dropped to a trickle as Italian politics shifted to the right, tougher polities were enacted, and deals were struck with Libyans to keep them from trying to cross. What does this have to do with you, the visitor?  Nothing, unless you want to help. Refugees are rescued from their leaky boats, documented and housed, quietly, such as a visitor would hardly notice.  Most of them move quickly through Italy, hoping for residence in northern Europe.  

In the course of your tour with us, we will, of course, will talk about this situation as an aspect of modern Sicily from our perspective as Sicily residents; we might recognize who on the street might or might not be a refugee.  You could get closer to it if you want; you might be lucky enough to speak with a refugee met on the street. Many speak English; all have personal and often harrowing stories to tell.