Christmas in Monterosso Almo - Sicily

#monterosso #christmas #sicily Monterosso Almo, district of Ragusa, 700 meters on the Iblei mountains, not far from the highest peak, Monte Lauro. This is another hidden treasure of inland Sicily. Known as Lupia in the Norman period and Mons Almo in the Aragonese age, the town was certainly inhabited in a remote past so is among the oldest ones in the island. Its history is still breathable walking along the streets even if a dramatic hearthquake destroyed the town in 1693. To the following reconstruction is linked the baroc aspect of the main buildings and churchs. A part from its elegance and architectural interest, Monterosso Almo and its inhabitants hold a large heritage of traditions to discover and taste. Particularly, during Christmas period, the town becomes an open air exhibition of the Sicilian folklore linked with the Nativity and the farmer traditions. In the small alleys of Quartiere Matrice a spectacular living crib describes the ancient way of living of the local community. Old jobs almost lost, craft products, farmer uses, typical clothes and traditional music are shown in the workshops carefully reproduced during the holydays. This is a full immersion in the real soul of historical Sicily. While walking from a stand to the other, you’ll have the opportunity to taste the typical local products, the bread first of all, the ricotta, the bisquits, the polenta and the cavatieddi, a special type of pasta. The tour ends with a lovely Nativity scene in a rocky cave, perfect to celebrate Christmas. To visit the living crib you’ll have to buy a ticket in the main square of Monterosso, choosing among diffent scheduled time. Actually, this is a famous attraction and its relevance is growing each year so probably you’ll find a small crowd. It could be a good idea to take your time and go in advance. And don’t forget an heavy coat because winter in Sicily can be tough especially on the mountains far from the sea. For this video, a special thank is deserved to all the Monterosso Almo people. Their passion is the key for the success of this unique event. The song “Ninu Ninu lu Picuraru” is a traditional one but none knows exactly who is the Author. The version in this video is arranged and performed by Antonio Sparatore, a musician and a composer with a particular vocation for Sicilian music. The song is available in his last album “Un Nuovo Natale”. If you want to know more about him, check is YouTube channel: Filmed in January 2018, footage in this video have been shot with an Olympus OM-D EM5 MKII. Photos are by Francesca Sparatore and her Nikon D3100. For post-production and editing, I used Cyberlink PowerDirector Suite5, as always. You need any more information? Leave a message in the section below or contact me through the following links: Twitter Facebook MeWe Instagram information?