Festivals of Sicily
Sicily’s rich cultural life is supplemented by its many festivals which are held throughout the year.
Food and religion are the most popular themes of these festivals on an island where both are revered and celebrated.
Here are nine of our favourites
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- Festa di San Sebastiáno, AcrealeCatania, January: the saint’s statue is taken on procession through huge crowds
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- Festa di Sant Agata, Catania Febuary: Catanians dressed only in sackcloths in stare the Saint through the streets in another impressive procession.
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- Festa del Mandorlo in Fiore, Agrigento, Febuary: The arrival of spring is celebrated at this Festival of the Almond when the almond tree which grows across the island bursts into bloom. The festival takes place among the glorious Ancient Greek ruins in the Valley of the Temples.
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- Easter Week: There are many celebrations, commemorations and processions across Sicily during Holy Week . Here are just three:
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- *Il Cristo Morto, Trapani: a re enactment of the crucifixion.
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- *Procession dei Misteri, Trapani: Hooded men commemorate Christ’s sacrifice in this day long Procession of Mysteries.
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- * Maundy Thursday Procession, Marsala: a kilometre of masked figures.
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- Festa di Santa Rosalia, Palermo: Six days of festivities in honour of the city’s patron saint who according to legend saved Palermo from the terrible plague of 1624.
- Noto’s Flower festival
- Easter Week: There are many celebrations, commemorations and processions across Sicily during Holy Week . Here are just three:
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- L’infiorata, Noto, May: Crowds descend for a flower festival when the streets of this baroque city in south east Italy are filled with images and words created by flowers.
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- Orange Festival of Ribera: Oranges ,lemons , melons and pistachios were brought to Sicily by the Arabs and orange trees and plantations can be found everywhere.
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- Palio dei Normanni – August, Palermo in celebration of Norman king, Roger the first
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- Festa di San Vincenzo, Agrigento. September: Masked revellers go in procession through the town.
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- Cocoa Delhi Assi, Palermo, October: grand prix of horsemanship
Destination – Italy