Sicily Sensations, the tour: from the blog to personalized experiences

"Hello everyone and happy new year 🙂 I am writing to you from Ortigia, in Syracuse, for a call to action dedicated to bloggers who love to tell the territory they visit (or in which they decide to stop for a while) from different points of view, from culture to landscapes, from food and wine to entertainment, without forgetting the neighborhood life and getting to know the locals. "

Thus began, with this invitation, the Ortigiano weekend project conceived by Gianluca Interlandi and the Baroque Apartments team.

A “Ortigiano Weekend”

Why a blog tour? Baroque Apartments is a circuit of apartments for short stays that has a recent history, but decades of experience in the tourist reception of all members of its team: not only beautiful, well-kept apartments in a beautiful setting, but dedicated services and knowledge and love for the territory. How to communicate all these characteristics in the most effective way possible?

For the weekend from 3 to 5 March, we begin by publishing one of the photographs we like best, not only because it welcomes a lot of light, but because this is one of the historical places of Syracuse that you can only go back to admire. This shot embodies something of what we want to tell about the blog tour, of this experience shared with the team and our two guests: mutual knowledge by discovering places and perspectives based in Ortigia; the once forgotten rock and today a "transatlantic" island from which we would never want to get off. (In the photo Stefania Manfredi and Laura Manfredi intent on capturing shots for Sicily sensations; church of San Giovanni alle Catacombe, 6th century AD)

Bloggers, instagramers: our favorite storytellers

Not exclusively fashion bloggers or travel bloggers, Laura Manfredi of #rocknmode and Stefania Manfredi of #stampingtheworld, are also instagramers, but not only. It is true, it is the guests who usually choose us, while in this case it was us who chose who to host; their gaze on the #SicilySensations that we have proposed has many advantages: transversal technical, technological, cultural, human and yes, social skills. Right ways and times, peculiarities on the part of both. Without forgetting the great availability, attention and desire to get involved, always; because Laura comes from professional experiences such as Salento Up & Down and Stefania travels and works all over the world.

We are convinced and we are experiencing it, that networking in the city and in the area in which you live and work is important for all the people involved: tourists, operators in the sector, entrepreneurs, citizens. With the Ortigiano weekend we wanted to offer a taste of the experiences inside and outside Ortigia that you could choose to experience if you decide to stay in one of our apartments.
The Movimentocentrale bike café, by Chiara Pota and Alfonso Peralta, a crucial hub in the historic center not only for the quality of the food and for the services dedicated to cyclists, but also for being a promoter of culture, art and good living; the energetic cooking class full of knowledge and flavors of our culinary tradition held by Cristina Silvestro and hosted in the co-working space and social enterprise incubator of the international network Impact Hub Syracuse; the wonderful excursion of Wanderful Cloud, a project by Claudia Vettore: journeys and walks to nourish body and mind with beauty and goodness; the endless stories of knights and princesses, ancient and ever new in the Puppet Theater; the repeatable and indispensable experience of the #cannolotherapy of the Alfio Neri pastry shop thanks to which the cannoli with ricotta (but also chocolate or cream) is a good excuse to taste the story of the birth of Sicilian pastry, to know and understand the excellences of the territory such as ricotta and almond from Avola, have a great chat with Franco Neri who we can rightly call local storytelling.
And what about the always different and always engaging experience of a sandwich (and what a sandwich!) Prepared by Andrea Borderi of the homonymous dairy and enjoyed in the setting of the daily market in Ortigia? Layers of enveloping flavors and aromas like the large family that works daily in this historic shop that stretches out into the sun among the passing people and the market stalls. Last but not least, the quiet wandering through the paths of the Archaeological Park of Neapolis, where the ancient Greek Theater, the Latomie and the Ear of Dionysius forcefully pass on sensational stories and the echoes of the ancient inhabitants of Syracuse.
A special mention for Adele Giglio, travel consultant, blogger for Al Bar Etna with the aim of providing us with useful tips to better enjoy Sicily without being “casual tourists”; Adele followed us from a distance, but with her heart and great professionalism.

Thank you all!

The natural beauty of this island, together with a calendar full of events all year round, make Sicily always a fantastic place to visit.
What are you waiting for?