Sicily is a world unto itself. The Sicilians consider themselves first Sicilian then Italian. The dialect is different from anywhere in Italy and the food is unique to this beautiful Island. You can reach Sicily through regular flights from Rome to Palermo or less frequent flights to Catania. You can also combine a trip to the deep South of Basilicata and Calabria and take the car ferry from Calabria. I have gone both ways but there is something cool about taking the ferry. The ferry will take you to Messina which is a quick 50 minute drive to The beautiful resort of Taormina and about a two hour trip to Siracusa.
Palermo
A frenetic city that somehow manages to win you over. In some ways I think about it like the Naples of Sicily. It's crazy to try to get around here and do not even think of coming in driving a car unless you have nerves of steel. You will see some Arab influences in some of the architecture. This is a walking city but it is kind of sprawling. Be prepared to put on some miles wandering around town.
Things to Do
Quattro Canti
This is a busy intersection but the beautiful Palazzi on each corner still maintains a beautiful appearance. You will most likely have to cross through this intersection. If not, try to make a visit.
Palazzo Norman dei Normanni (Palazzo Reale)
This is a beautiful building and I consider it a must see. Parts of the Palace date to the 10th Century with some additions in the 17th Century. Part of the complex is the Cappella Palatina dates to the 12th Century. It is most known for its beautiful mosaics that adorn the Place. I think the mosaics alone make it worth a visit.
Palermo Duomo (Cattedrale di Palermo)
This Cathedrale is a mix of Norman, Spanish, and Baroque influences. If you don't mind heights you can visit the rooftop for fantastic views of the city.
Fontana Pretoria
This is the centerpiece of Piazza Pretoria. A beautiful fountain with hundreds of pieces included in the fountain is worth a visit. The fountain dates from 1575 an was known as the Fountain of Shame because of all the nude figures. That was then and this is now.
Vucciria Market
I am a sucker for markets in Italy. This is one of the most visited in the Country. There are Fishmongers, Vegetable Vendors and all other sorts of food. I would save getting something to eat until after the market. Maybe it is just me but I had an Octopus there and was sick for days (Yuck). However, it is a fun place to visit with vendors shouting out their wares.
Monreale
The main attraction here is the Cathedral that was constructed during the 12th Century. It is one of the most visited sites in Sicily. This is a good place to grab a picnic lunch to eat before you go into the Cathedral. There is a bus that leaves from Piazza Indepenza. We were impressed with the beautiful cloisters and mosaics that are just stunning.
Accomodations
Eurostars Centrale Palace
Very centrally located 4 star hotel. There are some rooms available with a terrace. I know our room was #418 and it had a terrace. The rooms are clean and the staff is very helpful. We got in late around lunchtime and they called up a local pizzeria to stay open for us. It is not a good choice if you are arriving by car but I would not recommend coming into Palermo by car anyway.
Butera 28
If you prefer a B&B or apartment then this is a good choice. The owner, Dutchess Nicoletta is very kind and offers suggestions for everything from shopping, restaurants and whatever you may want. She also has cooking lessons which we did not partake in but everything I see is that they are worth the price. The apartments are in a 17th century Palazzo with plenty of character in a central location.
Eats
Pizzeria Venezia
We had a nice meal here and they were so kind to stay open for us even though we were late for lunch. They also make some dishes in addition to the pizza. I enjoyed their Seafood Salad and the pizzas were delicious.
Vecchia Trattoria da Toto
Located about 5 minutes from The Quattro Canti. Excellent mixed Appetizers that included Fresh Fava Beans, Eggplant with Ham, Moussaka and Baby Artichokes. Main courses lean toward grilled fish and the Mixed Grill and Merluza were very good.
Siracusa
The Island of Ortigia has beautiful old buildings and it is right on the sea. The mainland is more modern and devoid of the charm of this island section of Siracusa. It is a perfect place to base yourself during your visit. It is a pleasant stroll around town here and you can walk around to see the sites rather easily. A walk along the seaside promenade is lovely. There are also some day trips that you can take from Siracusa. This is an ancient city dating back to the Greeks and later conquered by the Romans with some ancient ruins in the Parco Archeologico.
Ortigia
Piazza Del Duomo
This offers a large space that obviously hosts the Duomo and multiple beautiful buildings. This is a good place to stop for drink or coffee and watch time go by,
Duomo
The Baroque facade was added in the 18th century. There was a Greek temple located on this site. This cathedral was built in the 7th century. They incorporated the original ancient columns into the walls of the church and they can still be seen on the inside and outside of the building. It is particularly beautiful at night when it is lit up.
Parco Acheologico
You may want to take a taxi unless you like to walk. It is a 30 minute walk from the island of Ortigia. This is a pleasant place to take a stroll and take in multiple sites. There is a treasure trove of sites to see including a Greek Amphitheatre, Roman Theatre, Ear of Dionysis and an Archeological Museum. You can make a morning of it and on your way back stop in the more modern town to get anything you might need.
Hotel
Grand Hotel Ortigia
This is a lovely hotel strategically located on the Island of Ortigia. Ortigia is really the place to stay here because of it’s waterfront position and the beautiful old buildings located here. Try to swing a room on the waterfront if you can. The place offers old world charm with comfy beds. They provide an excellent breakfast on the hotel terrace.
Eats
Locanda del Collegio
Excellent choice on the island. They offer a good selection of pasta dishes here. The place advertises itself as having typical Sicilian Cuisine and Pizza and that is just what is offered here. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was lovely with features like vaulted ceilings in the restaurant.
Dioniso
Excellent dishes in this lovely restaurant. The food is expertly prepared and they offer a variety of dishes. Although the menu focuses on fish, they also offer up some meat dishes including delicious meatballs and we also noted a salad that was the best of our last trip to Sicily. We also enjoyed delicious desserts here.
Gran Caffe del Duomo
Stop by for expertly prepared Canolis and other pastries. Sicily is famous for the quality of their Cannolis and this place will let you know why. Grab a seat and while away some time enjoying these tasty treats.
Cefalu
I just had to visit this place because it was the setting for Cinema Paradiso which is one of my all time favorite movies. It is in a good location if you want to break up your trip from Palermo to Milazzo where you can catch the Hydrofoil to the Aeolian Islands. However, the town has something to offer for a one or two day stop. There is a lovely beach here and medieval streets to explore. There is also a Cathedral that is worth a visit. All in all a pretty little town with lots of charm.
Eats
Ristorante Kentia al Trappitu
Nice restaurant located overlooking the sea. There is a beautiful panoramic seating area where you can enjoy the view. They offer up a seafood menu but also have some meat dishes that can be enjoyed. When I was there I enjoyed a Smoked Fish Appetizer, Pasta with Porcini Mushrooms and Vitello Tonnato. A great location with delicious food.
Ristorante La Brace
This restaurant gives you a break from Fish if you need one, they offer up a good selection of meats. The place gets packed so be sure to make a reservation. The dishes we had were all delicious.
Noto
An easy 35 minute drive from Ortigia, this is a great day trip. You can also take a train that takes about the same time but you then have to walk into the town. Noto is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is filled with fantastic Baroque buildings with gargoyles, heads and other statues carved into them. It is a quiet place with lots of people hanging out on the streets taking in the day and chatting away while, of course, waving their arms and gesturing with their hands. Another place to visit that is generally off the radar.
Cattedrale di San Nicolò
Over the top Baroque splendor with the stone typical of Noto. The exterior is a do not miss while in Noto.
Restaurant
Try Limoneto on the ride home from Noto to Siracusa for a great outdoor dining experience. Much of the vegetables that they serve are produced on site. They serve typical Sicilian cuisine as well as Pizzas. It is a lovely setting for a relaxed lunch just check their times because when we were there lunch did not start until 1:30. This is also a B&B if you are looking for something outside a city.
Taormina
Located in the shadow of Mount Etna this is a lovely, if expensive, resort. This town is in a picturesque setting on a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea, with wisps of smoke coming out of the top of the volcano. It's a supremely walkable town that you can cover it in a day if you want to but I would not rush it here. Like so many places, the beauty is in the early morning and later in the day into the evening when the daytrippers have left. Take a passeggiata through town like the locals and take in the sights. There is a great, if strenuous walk up the mountain but more on that later.
Things to Do and See
Castelmola
This hilltop town is worth the hike if you like strenuous exercise. It is totally uphill and it will take you about an hour to take the trek. Then you have to come back down or you could take a Taxi but really, why would you want to do that. Once you get to the top you are greeted with a Piazza with Restaurants and a PIzzeria to have lunch and relax. The views along the way and from the top are spectacular.
I have done this hike a couple of times. The last time I was 61 years old and overweight. I asked the Concierge at the Hotel about where the walk started and he said it is a very difficult walk and I could just see what was going through his head “there is no way this fat geezer is making it up that mountain”. Well we made it! The next day I just had to ask if there were any more hikes like that around and watch the look of dismay in his eyes. It is the little things in life!
Teatro Greco
A very well preserved Greek Theatre where they still hold concerts. When you visit during the day you can see the Aeonian Sea beyond the columns of the theatre. If you can see a concert here then please try. It is a magical experience to watch and listen to music in an Amphitheatre from the 3rd Century BC. We saw Il Volo here who are a trio of tenors that sing Opera Arias and Italian Classics and it was a very memorable experience.
Hotels
San Domenico Palace (Now a Four Seasons Property)
We love this place. It dates back to the 13th century and was once a Monastery. The place oozes history and luxury with a beautiful cloister and manicured gardens with a view of Etna. They serve an opulent breakfast Try to snag a seaview room with a balcony if you can swing it. Since the last time we stayed here it has become a Four Seasons Resort and the princes have increased significantly. If you can afford it then go for it. This ws the setting for many scenes in the second season of the White Lotus. There Is also a 2 star Michelin restaurant here but I hav not eaten at it and I cannot comment.
Eats
‘A Zammara
In the center and an easy walk from the sites. This place advertises Fish and Typical Sicilian Cuisine and that is what it delivers. Try the Caponata, Eggplant Parmigiano or other pasta dishes. The one dish that we really loved was Le Popette alle Foglie di Limone which translates into meatballs cooked in Lemon Leaves. It was delicious and very different.
Nero d’Avola
I feel like a broken record BUT you can sit at outside seating here which I would take advantage of. The owner is gregarious and fun to talk to. He made us feel right at home. The food was excellent and we really enjoyed the Meatballs cooked in Lemon Leaves that are a tyoical dish of the region. I also had an excellent Octopus Saad.
Agrigento
This must-see city is about a 2.5 hour drive from Siracusa. The main reason for coming here is to see the Valley of the Temples. One of the temples dates back all the way to the 6th Century BC. If you are not into this type of history then perhaps you could miss this city.
Things to See
Valley of the Temples
There are a number of well preserved Greek Temples in this area but the most prominent and best preserved is the Tempio della Concordia. This temple is remarkably intact and is considered to be one of the most well preserved Greek buildings in the world. I would highly recommend taking a guided tour of the park. We hired a tour guide and got so much more out of the visit than we would have if we did it on our own. Allot a couple of hours for the visit to take your time and really take in the splendor of these ancient structures. From our notes, it appears that the Valley of the Temples is the #1 tourist attraction in Sicily - about 600,000 visitors per year. .
Road Trip!
If you are in the mood to spread your wings then there are a couple of towns that are good for a datpy trip. Headto Naro which is about 30 minutes away by car from Agrigento. This is a good place to check out some Baroque architecture. You will more than likely be on of the few tourists there but that is part of the beauty of it. I remember that we stopped in for an espresso at a Cafe and realized we were the only non locals there. The locals were very welcoming and chatted us up and made us feel very much at ease. Next is Favana. This is about a twenty minute ride from Naro and then it is only a 15 minute trip back to Agrigento. Favana is an ancient old town and has a beautiful Baroque center. Both of these places are not chock full of attractions but offer a true glimpse of day to day life in a non touristy area.
Hotel
Hotel Athena
Really THE place to stay. This is a well run 5 star hotel with rooms that give you a view of the Valley of the Temples. Try to get one that specifically states that it has a view of the temples and better yet try to grab one with a balcony. If not, you can easily enjoy the pool and balcony with a view of the temples. This is a charming place to stay with excellent staff and wonderful rooms. They also maintain a lovely garden here for you to enjoy. This is one of our all time favorite hotels.
One note if you do stay here is that they offer a nighttime tour of the temples from a distance via a coach. We thought this was a little corny but we did it anyway. It turned out to be fantastic. They take you to multiple locations to view the temples while they are floodlit and it was spectacular.
Eats
Trattoria dei Templi
This Is a nice place to stop that is only about 3-5 minutes walking distance from the temples and Hotel Athena. Depending on your reference, yo may consider this a little pricey but not terrible. We enjoyed Smoked Swordfish, Eggplant Parmigiana and my favorite, Zuppa di Pesce. All were very good.
Kalos Ristorante
This is located in town and is a very good choice for dinner. We had a seafood sampler, Pasta with Guanciae (kind of like bacon but not smoked) and a pork dish. The dishes are artfully presented. For desert I would recommend the Conolo which is really a “deconstructed” conolo. It is delicious. The place gets very crowded so I would make a reservation to come here.
Naif
Wonderful restaurant in the center of Agrigento. They have a nice outdoor seating area which is where we dined. They have both Seafood and some meat dishes. We had a very good lamb dish here.
Il Pescatore
This place is located on the sea in San Leone only about a 10 minute ride from Agrigento. Come here to have lunch overlooking the sea and then enjoy a stroll on the seafront. The food is good but the main attraction is the location and a break from the inland.
Aeolian Islands
The Aeolian Islands contain 6 islands - Lipari, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi, Vulcano and Salina. They are all connected by Hydrofoil. When we traveled there the first time there was a Hydrofoil from Panarea to Naples but that route does not appear to be operational. There is still a Ferry that takes about 8 ½ hours. I recommend not bringing your car as you will not need it and you will not be able to take advantage of the Hydrofoils fast speed. The Islands are all special in their own way. We love these Islands and it brings you way off of the usual tourist grid. Take a trip and go out of your comfort zone.
Lipari
Lipari is the largest and most populated of the Aeolian Islands. You can reach it by hydrofoil from Milazzo in about an hour. Milazzo is about 1 hour by car from Taormina and about 1 hour and 35 minutes from Cefalu. There are rental car agencies at the Ferry/Hydrofoil terminal. The other option is to leave your car in Taormina and hire a car to drive you to Milazzo.
When we arrived here at Marina Corte the first time, it reminded us of Capri and that is not a bad thing. There is a chill vibe here even if it is the largest and most populous island in the Archipelago. This is a good stepping off point for the other Islands via Hydrofoil. The main activity here is to relax and enjoy the shops and restaurants in Lipari town. I would recommend staying at a hotel within walking distance of the town, preferable with a swimming pool. The Spiaggia Valle i Muria Beach is in an impressive location but it is about 60 minutes away from Lipari Porto. You can take a quick 10 minute cab ride if you wish.
Hotel
Hotel Mea Aeolian Charme
This hotel is about an 8 minute walk from the Centro Storico and the Hydrofoils. It has lovely rooms, a pool and it is a great location. The white washed building also looks like it belongs. This is a great choice for a stay in Lipari.
Eats
Ristorante Filippino
We stopped by this restaurant for lunch without realizing it was on the fancy side. We were sweaty and dressed in shorts and t-shirts. We were greeted with a warm welcome and they gave us a great table outside. They specialize in fish and all the dishes we had were expertly prepared. Do not miss the Conolo that Sicily is justly famous for.
Panarea
Panarea is reached from Lipari in about 1 hour. Pay close attention to the schedule because we misread it once and ended up stopping off and waiting over two hours in Salina for our trip to Panara. There is a hydrofoil on SNAV that takes about 5.5 hours from Panarea to Naples. There is still an overnight Ferry that you can take with a travel time of 8.5 hours. Panarea offers beautiful views of Stromboli and you can see the clouds of smoke exiting the volcano at any time of day. At night you are treated to a light show from the volcano as you can see the eruptions.
Eats
Trattoria Paolino
Very nice trattoria with fresh fish and good pasta dishes. We had some lobster here and they brought them out live for us to examine before we ordered them.
Stromboli
Named after the active volcano, this is an interesting place to visit. It is known as “The Lighthouse of the Mediterranean'', it is constantly active with some more significant eruptions from time to time. Most of the time the eruptions are mild to moderate. Eruptions can be seen from Panarea in the Aeolian Islands and from Tropea in Calabria. You can also take a boat ride to see the Sciara del Fuoco. It is a river of fire that flows down the volcano and into the sea. Sometimes it is very active and sometimes less so. The best time to see this is at night when the red lava flow lights up. If you're the adventurous and fit type then you can take a hike to the top to see it up close and personal. More on that later.
Things to Do
The Climb - Our Story
The most popular thing to do here is climb the volcano. We had been to the Aeolians before and promised ourselves that if we came back we would do the climb. We came back and so we did.
This is an adventure that cannot be missed but only if you are in shape to do it. Do not minimize the effort that goes into this climb. It takes 2 ½ to 3 hours up and 1 ½ to 2 hours down. You are allowed about 45 minutes at the top. We found the climb down more difficult on the knees. You will also need to bring various things with you. The tour operators will instruct you on all that is needed. We used Magmatrek as our guide and the woman there again told us how hard the climb is to the top when we went there to gather equipment. We rented poles and a backpack from them. As the day wore on we got more and more nervous.
When the time came we put on our boots, grabbed our poles and backpack and got our helmet on for falling volcanic ash and pebbles. Up, up, up we went. The path is sometimes about 12 inches wide and you have to walk on Volcanic ash and rocks. Reading from our diary I noted that this was the most spectacular natural event I have ever seen and that holds true to this day. We saw three cauldrons of constantly bubbling red lava with sparks emitting every couple of seconds. This was accompanied by the whoosh sound of a jet engine, the thud of scattered chunks of molten red rock. Then 10-15 seconds later we were showered with small volcanic pebbles. This is hard to explain and unforgettable to see.
The summary is that this is a serious climb BUT if you pull it off, you will have a memory to treasure for the rest of your life.
Hotel
La Sirenetta
They will pick you up at the pier and whisk you away to the hotel. Make sure you let them know when you are coming in. This is a very nice hotel on a black volcanic sand beach. They also have the luxury of a pool to relax around.
Restaurants
Ristorante Punta Lena
When we visited we were seated at a nice table overlooking the sea. Try the Tonno Carpaccio, Mixed Appetizer plate with various fishes, Octopus, Eggplant Parmigiana or mixed Fish Grill.
Trattoria ai Geki
We enjoyed a really excellent dinner here. Try the interesting Pasta with Zucchini and Cheese or Pasta with Calamari. Nice place, nice owner, and very good food.
Comments