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Monthly Archives: September, 2008
Wine Making Festival in Vetralla, Italy
Posted in Italy Travel
All are welcome to the town of Vetralla (see location information below) on October 4-5 for the first Vendemmia or Wine Making Festival. Watch how wine making was done...
Gas discovery off the coast of Agrigento, south of Sicily
Posted in Sicilian News
Agrigento coastline
Eni has made a new gas discovery in the Sicilian Strait, about 20km off the coast of Agrigento, through the Argo 2 well. The Argo 2 discovery (Eni is the operator with a 60% share, Edison 40%), located at a water depth of approximately 500 metres, follows the recent Cassiopea 1 well gas discovery.
The adjacent Argo 1 well gas discovery (made in 2006) was confirmed by the Argo 2 well, and in addition Eni discovered new amounts of gas at a higher water depth. Preliminary tests on the new discovery have shown a production of around 170,000 cubic metres of gas per day.
The Argo 2 discovery confirms the high potential of the Sicilian Strait deep offshore area, where the neighbouring Panda and Cassiopea fields are also located. A fast development plan is now being studied in order to create synergies between these fields. The potential of the area is estimated at approximately 18 billion cubic metres of recoverable reserves.
Source: EduBourse.com
Trapani makes tourism more accessible to disabled visitors
Posted in Sicilian News
Trapani
Trapani and its province have published new brochures with useful information for disabled tourists. This is part of a comprehensive effort to promote tourism to people with different needs. Guides and trained personnels are already available in some of the tourist and archeological sites of the province.
Tourism is 20% down in Catania
Posted in Sicilian News
Catania
According to Confiturismo (Fiavet, Fipe, Faita, Federalberghi), tourism is 20% down in Catania. Giuseppe Castiglione, the province president, is worried and affirms that Catania needs to push its positioning through more aggressive marketing initiatives and better services for tourists.
I believe that there is an endemic cause to the decrease of tourist arrivals in Sicily this year. It is not just a marketing related problem, the global economic crisis and strong euro can be added to the long list of items affecting sicilian tourism. It is about time to tackle the issue seriously and not with temporary solutions.
Italy Air and Train Transportation Updates
Posted in Italy Travel
Alitalia, Italy's major airline, may cease operation as soon as October 1, 2008. They're making a last ditch effort to find a buyer, but if things aren't settled soon, it...
Palermo: 70 events for the “Vie dei Tesoriâ€
Posted in Sicilian News
Palazzo Steri - The Sicilian inquisition headquarters
If you are visiting Palermo in the following weeks, this is something not to miss! Four different weekends in Palermo from September 26 through October 19, 2008 mark the initiative of the University of Palermo called the “Vie dei Tesori ” (the streets of the treasuries) to discover art, science and nature. Among the highlights: a visit to the old prison recently restored and the Chapel of San Giuseppe Falegname.
PROGRAM
September 26 - 29
Science & Research
October 3 - 5
Discover Palermo
October 10-12
The inquisition
October 17 - 19
Visit the Steri Palace, the headquarters of the Sicilian inquisition
The event is FREE
View event map
More about Palermo >>
More details about the Vie dei Tesori >> (in Italian)
Milan’s Duomo From On High
Posted in Italy Travel
Milan's Duomo is the world's largest Gothic cathedral and its roof sports 135 spires and 3200 statues. To get a better view of these fascinating spires and statues, climb the...
Michael Schumacher might buy a castle in Sicily
Posted in Sicilian News
Castle Tafuri
According to Corriere della Sera, the formula one pilot - Michael Schumacher - might buy Castle Tafuri located nearby Portopalo in the Syracuse province of Sicily. The deal should be reached soon, apparently because Corinne - Schumacher’s wife - is rumored to have totally fallen in love for Sicily during a trip there.
Castle Tafuri was commissioned by the Bruno family in 1936. They owned a local tuna fishery and their fortunes were mostly linked to this business activity in those years.