Fans of the “Godfather” series of books and movies now have a new reason to get a passport: Naples has repossessed the properties of  mafia leaders and is turning them into retreats for tourists, according to the New York Times. For example, a 17th-century farmhouse owned by Bernardo Brusca, former capo of one of Sicily’s more notorious crime families, is now a luxurious bed and breakfast.  In the Times article, Emiliano Rocchi, the head chef of the bed and breakfast, explains:

“All the municipalities in the area were part of a long, violent mafioso history that they wanted to leave behind. Turning these Mafia properties into socially beneficial projects is a way of doing that.”

One such bed and breakfast is even located in the town of Corleone, made famous as the ancestral home of the Corleone family in “The Godfather.” Agriturismo Terre Di Corleone was once owned by Salvatore Riina, the leader of the entire Sicilian Mafia.  Nowadays, the gorgeous, peaceful scenery and local, organic food makes it a great base for exploring Sicily.

Visitors to one of these bed and breakfasts may be attracted in part by their histories, but the program is actually helping local Sicilians shake free from mafia domination. The New York Times interviewed Francesco Galante of Libera Terra, who explained that with the bed and breakfasts and increases in tourism, people now have other options:

“The people from the surrounding towns now get to choose where they work,” said Mr. Galante. “They no longer depend on the favor of Mafia firms, or Mafia-connected businessmen. They feel the difference.”

To visit Sicily, you will need to get a passport, of course.  Make sure to apply early- it can take 6 weeks or longer to get a passport if you apply with normal processing.  If you pay an extra $60 to order expedited service from the Department of State,  you can cut the waiting time in half, down to 3 weeks.

However, if you need to get a passport more quickly, the quickest and easiest way is to use a private passport expediting company, like RushMyPassport.com. With an expediting company, you can get a passport in as little as 24 hours with no need to make an appointment or travel to a passport agency office.

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