What is Sicily life like?
Who are the real Sicilians? They’re the heart and soul of the place called Sicily, and they’re worth getting to know. Sicilians are the real people who make Sicily the special place it is. Eighteenth century British aristocrats, followed by the Germans and French, established the idea of the “Grand Tour” of Europe to discover the peoples whose history had so influenced their own. For those who could afford it, this was a great opportunity to learn everything that the history books didn’t mention. By the 1970s, travelers had evolved into “tourists” interested in efficient sightseeing and good food. Things seem to have come full circle, since twenty-first century travelers seem motivated to learn something about the people of the places they visit. They’re more sophisticated than ever. Even the Americans among them seem to have discarded the notion the Italians are “just like Americans” but happen to speak a different language. Today, most of the better hard copy travel guides and online
