burgio

After spending a week in my mother-in-law's town, it was time to head south toward the other coast of Sicily.  The other side of the family was awaiting our arrival in Burgio, where my father-in-law grew up.  Goodbyes are always difficult, and leaving our relatives in Ciminna was especially hard since we don't know when we'll be back again.  Luckily, we had one last day together as they drove us from Ciminna to Burgio.  The towns are only 88 kilometers (~55 miles) apart, but the route winds through some hilly (more like mountainous) areas so the drive took us a few hours.

Credit: googlemaps

Once we arrived at my husband's aunt and uncle's house, the immersion experience really began.  See, our cousin in Ciminna lived in the U.S. when she was young.  Even after all these years, her English is outstanding.  But our relatives in Burgio don't speak any English, so my Italian and my husband's Sicilian skills were put to good use.  

I loved the tiled roof of the Chiesa della Maria SS. Immacolata.

The morning after our arrival, my husband's cousin picked us up and took us on a tour.  Our first stop was the Museo della Ceramica di Burgio, a ceramics museum located at the top of a hill in Piazza Santa Maria.  Various cities throughout Sicily are renowned for their pottery, including Burgio and another nearby town, Sciacca.  We visited a ceramics workshop which I will detail in an upcoming post.     

From there, we navigated the car through the narrow streets over to the Castello Peralta, a medieval fortress which overlooks the town.

Castello Peralta, or Castello Saraceno di Burgio

From that height, you can get this view of the town below -- all the sun-drenched houses and the mountains they admire from their balconies.

Benvenuti a Burgio / Welcome to Burgio!