Visit Sicily in autumn is an opportunity to discover the many ancient traditions of this island. Such as these three Halloween traditions.
- Il cannistru dei morti. The first is a gastronomic tradition. You surely know the Frutta Martorana, marzipan sweets in the form of fruits and vegetables. It is the “main protagonist” of cannistru dei morti, a basket full of sweets of all kinds. The basket was given as a gift to children.
- Le fiere dei morti. In the “fairs of the dead”, on the colourful stalls you can find everything, from toys to clothing. The fairs of the dead, usually, take place from October 28th to November 2nd. Today, the most popular is the fiera dei morti in Palermo (for further information, visit the Palermo municipality official website, Comune.palermo.it).
- Le processioni dei fantasmi. According to tradition, during the night of All Saints, the souls of the dead walk on the earth again to bring sweets and gifts to their families. In some small villages in Sicily, the locals, dressed as ghosts, bring gifts to the children.
Image source: Flickr.com/photos/meimanrensheng
