Lonely Planet Sicily

Sally O'Brien Born in Melbourne, raised in Seoul and Sydney and a keen traveller from the time she first shoved a toothbrush and a camera in a handbag as a child, Sally joined Lonely Planet in 1998 as an editor on Southeast Asian titles. She jumped the fence to update LP's guide Sydney and the Sydney chapter of Australia. She has visited Italy numerous times, and a lazy stint as a student in Umbria gave her sufficient Italian language skills to wander around the country and realise that the Mezzogiorno was where the really good food, coffee and anecdotes came from. Subsequent visits to Sicily have led her to understand why so many Sicilian emigrants return home - or long to. Fionn Davenport was born and raised in Dublin - an idyllic youth interrupted only by jarring moves to Buenos Aires, Geneva and New York (thanks to his dad's job). He stayed in Dublin long enough to complete a degree in French and History at Trinity College before moving to Paris and then New York. A series of odd jobs and adventures eventually landed him behind a desk editing other people's travel experiences for a travel publication. These days he splits his time between New York, Dublin and wherever the call of work and travel takes him. He has written about many destinations throughout the world and has previously written or contributed to Lonely Planet's Spain, Dublin, Ireland, Britain, England and the 1st edition of Sicily. First of all, thanks to Amanda Canning and Tim Fitzgerald for my dream job. Thanks also to Fionn Davenport for his great first edition of this book and for his generosity with travel tips. A great big thank-you to Jenny Lansbury and lan Stokes for their hard work and grace under pressure during a difficult and unpredictable time. In Melbourne, Lara Morcombe and Jody Fenn provided the best airport taxi, mail-collecting and plant-watering service possible. In Sicily, there are so many people to thank that it could make a separate book but I'll start with a general thanks to the many Sicilians who, every day and in every way, prove the cliched and often downright insulting stereotypes of their island untrue. Naming names: thanks to Jacqui Alio and Rosalba, Palermo's 'intrepid lady bus driver', for a magnificent time in the Madonie mountains; Rosalba's dad, who supplied the station wagon; Nic in Palermo for all the hospitality and sterling hotel gossip; the wonderful Michele Gallo, who made the ancient world come to life with his knowledge, wit and fortitude on one of the hottest days of the year; the Gallo family, who reminded me what it was like to eat dinner while a conversation took place; the unbelievable Signor Caviezel in Catania, who turned a potential nightmare into a great week with his kindness, contacts, efficiency and great conversation; to Romeo, for the nervous laughs on a still smokin' Mt Etna and for the snorkelling at Acicastello; to the delightful Giallongo family in Syracuse for making me feel like I was at home; crazy Max and Sergio in Syracuse for their uproarious descriptions of the way crazy young Sicilians live; Diana Brown for her kindness and the lowdown on the Aeolian Islands; Sam on Filicudi for his local knowledge; and the Palermitani film-makers who sympathised with my desire to stay in Palermo for as long as possible. Finally, eternal thanks to my favourite Sicilian-American and old room-mate from my misspent student days on Via del Verzaro, Leslie Rodgers. Your photos and stories of your travels while searching for your grandfather's history in Sicily served as a call for me to travel there and your warmth, humour, generosity and friendship over the years have shown me just how Sicilian you are. Mille grazie, e forse ci vediamo in giro, mia amica.O'Brien, Sally is the author of 'Lonely Planet Sicily', published 0000 under ISBN 9781740590310 and ISBN 1740590317.