Program 653: Ærø Island Denmark; Emilia-Romagna; Italian View of Sicily

Find out what makes the small Danish island of Aero a perfectly charming and cozy getaway.

Or why the large island of Sicily is such a favorite with visitors from Italy and abroad.

And Italophile Fred Plotkin reveals which region of Italy he considers the pinnacle of its culinary and cultural achievements.

It's all on the next Travel with Rick Steves.

• Travel with Rick Steves fundraiser #2021-2 is ready for you to broadcast, and earn money from Rick's fundraising pitches. Using the thank you gifts in the Rick Steves premium package is optional, but recommended. The fundraiser includes a rundown to help you time out your local pitches, to keep within one hour. 

• Danish-born tour guide Nina Seffusatti
• Italian food and culture expert Fred Plotkin
• Italian tour guides Susanna Perrucchini from Rome and Alfredo Vitale from Naples

• Fred Plotkin hosts live arts and culture interviews on the Idagio platform on Fridays.  
• Fred is also the author of "Italy for the Gourmet Traveler" and "Opera 101."
• The historic porticoes of Bologna have now been awarded UNESCO world heritage status.
• The Rick Steves online guides to the island of Sicily, and the city of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region in the north of Italy.
• Afredo Cafasso Vitale offers tours in Naples and the Campania region of southern Italy.

• "My wife and I stayed four nights on Ærø. Don't be like the day trippers who just come in and out. The island deserves more than just an afternoon. We particularly liked the Nightwatchman of Ærøskøbing who gave a great guided tour." (Steven in Cudahy, Wisconsin)
• Caller just returned from two months in Italy "with the last 3 weeks in Sicily. Was totally awed by Sicily: the beauty, the history, the ruins, the people, and the best food I had in Italy! It was my first time in Sicily, but won’t be my last. I fell in love with it!" (Jeanne in Damariscotta, Maine)
• "Taormina looks like a beautiful place to visit, but I have read so much about how overly crowded it is with tourists, even in the off-season. What is the best time to visit Taormina? Also, what time of year is Sicily the most green? We watched some videos on Sicily and we loved the lush look of the countryside, but I'm guessing that doesn't last long each spring." (Courtenay in Portland, Oregon)

• Cincinnati Pops, Erich Kunzel, cond., "Quando m'en vo' (from 'La Boheme') (Puccini)," Bella Tuscany (collection) / Telarc
• Cincinnati Pops, Erich Kunzel, cond., "Theme from 'The Dove'," Sailing (various artists)  / Telarc
• Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jukka-Pekka Saraste cond, "Symphony No. 4, op. 29 'The Inextinguishable' II: poco allegretto (Carl Neilsen)," The Nordic Experience, disc 2 (collection) / Warner Classics
• Gunnar Madsen, Preben Schiodt, "Danmarkvalsen," Drommen der blev til virkelighed / (self-released - Denmark) 
• Eliane Elias, "September," Kissed By Nature / Bluebird-BMG
• * Dave Brubeck, "Wonderful Copenhagen," I Like Jazz:  The Essence of Dave Brubeck / Sony
• I Musici, "String Concerto in G Minor, RV 319 - Andanta molto (Vivaldi)," Vivaldi for Valentines (collection) / Philips
• Empire Brass, "Sonate XIII, from Canzone e Sonate (Gabrielli)," Bella Tuscany (collection) / Telarc
• I Solisti Dell'Orchestra Filarmonica Della Scala, featuring Giulio Franzetti, Riccardo Muti, conductor, "'1. Allegro' from 'The Four Seasons: Autumn' (Vivaldi)," Vivaldi: The Four Seasons / EMI Classics
• Nino Rota, "La Dolce Vita (Finale)," La Dolce Vita (soundtrack)  / Creazioni Artistiche Musicali (Italy)
• Instrumental intro to Tino Rossi's 1934 recording, "Vieni, Vieni," Paris by Night (collection) / EMI
• * Michelle Sell, "Eclipse," Secret Harbor / Sugo Music
• Banda Ionica, "Come L'Aria," Off the Beaten Track / Music Rough Guides
• Salvatore Macheda, "A'mbasciata," Il Canto di Malavita (collection) / Play It Again Sam
• I Giullari di Piazza, "Fischiettando (trad. Sicilian tarantella)," Earth Sun & Moon / Lyrichord
• Sarabanda, "Ballo Della Cordella," Sarabanda / Ethnoworld

• Rick mentions that today's interviews were recorded pre-pandemic at 6:55 and in segment C at 55:24.
• At 46:26, Alfredo explains how tolerance of organized crime has waned in Sicily in recent years.
• Rick notes that there are few tourist crowds in Sicily, and is about half the price of the rest of Italy, starting at 51:52.  He adds that Palermo has developed a nightlife lately as it has cleaned up the city and added pedestrian zones.  Susanna and Alfredo add that Palermo and Siracusa have undergone a small renaissance in recent years. 
• At 57:32, Alfredo recommends visiting in early Spring, or in late September-October, to avoid the hottest weather in Sicily.  Rick and the guides agree to avoid Sicily in July and August.