Sicily Trip Report February 2014
Mar 2nd, 2014, 08:10 AM
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Sicily Trip Report February 2014
February 2014 Sicily Trip Report
We found February an excellent time to travel to Sicily. The weather ranged from 58 – 73 degrees and sunny most days. Wild flowers were in bloom and there were no crowds. In fact, at several hotels we were the only guests, but were warmly welcomed. Car rental and hotel rates were low. All sites were open. We did have one very unfortunate theft along our way, just one part of our story which follows.
Flight on Turkish Airlines from Chicago to Istanbul, then onto Milan. Low winter prices were the reason we choose this airline. We are so happy with the service and comfort on Turkish Airlines, I'm sure we'll fly them again.
Milan: Saturday night arrival: took Malpensa Express from airport to Milano Cadorna R.R. station. Train left from Platform 1 at the airport. We didn’t see any signs stating this. Took taxi from R.R. station to Hotel Antica Locanda Leonardo. Excellent small hotel and a 10 minute walk to Cadorna Train Station. Located on Corso Magenta, the same road as Santa Maria delle Grazie where Leonard’s Last Supper painting is hanging. Tram line No.16 runs along this road, which goes to San Siro Soccer stadium where we saw Inter Milan play a match.
Sunday morning – We took the tram to Piazza Del Duomo where the sun was shining brightly. We needed to buy tickets to the Inter Soccor match which is this evening. The team store in located almost inside of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Once inside, turn right towards the McDonalds, and on the left side, the Inter Team store is located. Match tickets are sold upstairs. We needed to show our passports for identification when buying our tickets. Women’s tickets cost less than men’s. Prices are on the team website. Inter won their match, for the first time this year. We must be good luck!
We walked a great deal around Milan on Sunday visiting Castello Sforzesco and 2 of the museums here. The beautiful park behind the castle was filled with families walking their dogs. The sun was bright after many rainy days before our arrival. We also toured the Opera House and were able to enjoy opera practice.
Monday – Flight on Easy Jet to Palermo from Milan Terminal 2. The flight was smooth until we approached Sicily. High winds made for an interesting landing. We rented at Fiat 500, 2 door with sunroof from Europcar. The price was low, but demand is also low in February. There is a shuttle bus from the small Palermo airport to adjacent rental car lot. Before we left home we discovered the app, Co-Pilot. For $50 we downloaded all European maps onto our iphone. This is voice and map directions which I found easy to use and 99% accurate. No data use required. We could not have driven through the towns we did without this app. Driving west from the airport is SO beautiful. The rolling green hills are delightful, especially coming from the very harsh winter we’re having in the Midwest United States this year. The highway is large, smooth and a joy to drive. Distances aren’t far.
I had wanted to visit the Museo del Carretto Siciliano in Terrasini before driving to our hotel for the evening, but the hotel I had booked in Castellammare del Golfo had problems with their kitchen facilities so we changed our booking to a hotel in Trapani, La Gancia.
La Gancia http://www.lagancia.com/en/ is in all ways excellent. Tomorrow will be my husband’s 60th birthday and this was a beautiful hotel to spend our first night in Sicily. Parking is right next to the old fish market. It’s arches are easy to identify. Park only in blue lined spaces. The hotel entrance is along the sea wall, not accessed from the inside streets of the old town. Views from our room were of the sea and the point. We spent 2 hours walking around old Trapani admiring the many churches lit beautifully for the evening. This is a beautiful old town. The new section wasn’t interesting for us, but we drove through the area with ease. Just stay alert for cars merging in at any angle. Skilled driving is a must.
Dinner tonight was at Osteria La Bettolaccia, Via Gen. E. Fardella 25. The owner is so friendly and generous. We ordered one anti pasta, one pasta and one fish, swordfish, and he split each plate for us. My notes on our meal were stolen when our luggage was stolen in Catania, so I don’t have the exact details of our meals. This was one of the best meals of our trip. Prices are not expensive.
Tuesday - We began the day driving to Erice. The GPS guided us a bit out of the way, but we saw everyone trying to park for their day at work. This is an art in itself. We began by driving to the parking lot by the castle. The castle was closed, but the views were marvelous. We walked through Erice from this location, but repeatedly got lot. Wandering is fun though. Next we drove to the lower lot, the wandered more to the areas we missed from the top. Some shops were open, but we’re not shoppers. Few people were here. We were happy the sun was shining so the slick stone wasn’t a problem. It was best to stay in Trapani last night instead of in Erice.
Next we drove south to the Trapani Salt Flats, on the road to Marsala. I used Google Earth before we left to find the exact spot of the windmills. They are located right across from the island of Mozia. Find Mozia off the western coast of Sicily, and this is where the windmills and salt flats are located on the mainland. South of the Trapani airport. Being winter the museum was closed, but a woman was inside since a group tour was about to return from their boat trip. She allowed us inside to use the bathrooms and buy some salt. The museum looked very tiny, not worth a visit. There are good photo opportunities here though of the salt piles. Next we drove south along the same road finding the row of windmills and salt flats. I was able to photograph them before the rains hit.
Segesta was easily reached by the main highway. I’m amazed how far we can go so quickly on this half of the island. We used the Michelin map #365 of Sicily for planning. By the time we arrived at Segesta, which is well signed, it was pouring rain. There is a small café here with toliets and a gift shop. We bought tickets to the temple and for the shuttle bus to the theater. The walk to the theater would have been way too far and steep for us even if the sun was shining. Time is a consideration also. The parking lot is large, but had few cars. Easy parking here. The visit here is not to be missed. Wildflowers were blooming all around this Doric temple. We loved the silence of the area. The temple is located just up the hill from the ticket office. The shuttle to the theater is back by the ticket office. Our driver dropped us off and said he’d be back in 10 minutes. That didn’t make me happy, we needed far more than 10 minutes to see this site. We took our time, the views from the theater amazing, despite the rain. When finished the driver wasn’t there so we started walking back down, getting drenched in the process. Part of the way down the hill, the shuttle showed back up and we returned to the main parking area.
Villa Sogno Agriturismo in Castelvetrano is our evening stay. There are not many choices in this area to stay and this was highly recommended. I had emailed Cinzia several times before our arrival about finding somewhere for dinner since this was my husbands birthday. Nothing seemed open. When we arrived at Villa Sogno the gate was locked and ringing the buzzer didn’t get any response. We called their phone and the housekeeper answered. She only spoke Italian, but we communicated our arrival. She buzzed us in. We used Google translate to communicate on the computer. Cinzia and her husband were away. The housekeeper was very kind and did her best. She gave us a card of a restaurant in Mazera del Vallo, about a 20 minute drive southwest. We thought this a much better choice than the McDonalds which was 5 minutes from Villa Sogno.
Café’ Garibaldi in Mazera del Vallo proved delightful. The two women who run the restaurant are the highlight. They are so pleasant and happy, and truly wonderful. Dinner wasn’t excellent as it was last night, but still very good. I was surprised that tuna was never on the menu while we were in Sicily. I asked one person and they said the farming of tuna here is no longer allowed. Swordfish was on every menu. We were the only diners here this evening. Our evening stroll through town was again just beautiful with the main plaza lit for the evening. There is one ATM in this town, if you need one, ask for directions.
Wednesday - The next morning breakfast at Villa Sogno was adequate. We walked the grounds. I can see how this can be pleasant in the summer, but we don’t recommend it for a winter stay.
Rain was off and on this day, but somehow it was mainly dry when we toured Selinunte. No map was available here so it’s good we had our touring books with us. Again, we were the only tourists here. I loved this area and took many photos. One temple is standing and two are in ruins. More wildflowers covered the site and the views to the sea marvelous.
We drove to the second section. Walking would take far too long. This site is more spread out and marvelous. It’s not bad being the only tourists on the grounds. The beach here looks nice and sandy. I’m sure it’s very busy during the summer.
The road to Agrigento was good, but the drive takes some time. We had hoped to stop at Scala dei Turchi, but wisely skipped it so we’d have enough time to visit the Valley of the Temples. Along the road were several small trucks selling fresh oranges. We stopped at a small market and bought lunch supplies, fresh prosciutto ham, cheese and snacks. Very affordable, very fresh. Arriving at Agrigento you realize how spread apart the temples are. Parking at the center is very limited, and not possible. Buses occupy most of the spots.
At the small traffic circle, one exit leads to public parking. It seems far from the temples. We parked, then took a taxi to the top, where Temple Juno is located. A second ticket booth is located here, but no bathrooms. There is also more parking up here, but after our visit we realized we did this site exactly correctly. By parking below and taking the taxi up, you only need to walk down. No wasted time backtracking. This site is very well organized. The sites spectacular and walkway excellent and wide. All along the area the almond trees were in bloom. The views to the current town of Agrigento framed in flowering trees. Amazingly beautiful in February. The weather had cleared. Below in the valley we saw a large group of sheep and their shepherd. There is a shepherd with each group of sheep we saw on Sicily, and there are many.
The tour groups seemed to be leaving as we toured this site, so again, not many others were here. We took our time, explored all the site, working our way down. The bottom section is ruins and doesn’t take as long to explore. Don’t miss the view of the cliffs at the end of the site. When finished there is a small lane off to the right if you turn to walk back. This road leads down to the parking lot. We just guessed, and chose this route correctly. You’ll pass under a road underpass to reach the parking area. The visit could also start here, but then you’d be walking uphill all the way.
We drove to the museum after our visit. It is truly an excellent museum. Parking was a bit hard to find, but it’s by the gas station next door. We spent over an hour here, but more time is needed. It’s so varied and full of antiquities. Time to drive to Argritourismo Gigliotto http://www.gigliotto.com/ near Piazza Armerina for our next stay.
As before, we are the only guests at Argritourismo Gigliotto. The location is great for visiting Villa Romana mosaics. We’re so happy we could stay here in winter, but I’m sure it’s much nicer in the summer. Our room was cool, but we finally decided when we could find no heater, that the heat came from underfloor heating. Our room was comfortable, but the dinner they really wanted us to order was poor. They serve a 6 or 7 course dinner with a bottle of wine included for €30 each. It would be a great deal if the meal was good, but ours was very mediocre. Probably the poorest meal of our trip besides pizza in Taormina. The owner and his son were also eating, but no others were. The TV was loud during dinner in the dining room.
In the morning we’ll visit the Villa Romana mosaics which were a highlight of our trip. All sections are open and the site is wonderful.
We found February an excellent time to travel to Sicily. The weather ranged from 58 – 73 degrees and sunny most days. Wild flowers were in bloom and there were no crowds. In fact, at several hotels we were the only guests, but were warmly welcomed. Car rental and hotel rates were low. All sites were open. We did have one very unfortunate theft along our way, just one part of our story which follows.
Flight on Turkish Airlines from Chicago to Istanbul, then onto Milan. Low winter prices were the reason we choose this airline. We are so happy with the service and comfort on Turkish Airlines, I'm sure we'll fly them again.
Milan: Saturday night arrival: took Malpensa Express from airport to Milano Cadorna R.R. station. Train left from Platform 1 at the airport. We didn’t see any signs stating this. Took taxi from R.R. station to Hotel Antica Locanda Leonardo. Excellent small hotel and a 10 minute walk to Cadorna Train Station. Located on Corso Magenta, the same road as Santa Maria delle Grazie where Leonard’s Last Supper painting is hanging. Tram line No.16 runs along this road, which goes to San Siro Soccer stadium where we saw Inter Milan play a match.
Sunday morning – We took the tram to Piazza Del Duomo where the sun was shining brightly. We needed to buy tickets to the Inter Soccor match which is this evening. The team store in located almost inside of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Once inside, turn right towards the McDonalds, and on the left side, the Inter Team store is located. Match tickets are sold upstairs. We needed to show our passports for identification when buying our tickets. Women’s tickets cost less than men’s. Prices are on the team website. Inter won their match, for the first time this year. We must be good luck!
We walked a great deal around Milan on Sunday visiting Castello Sforzesco and 2 of the museums here. The beautiful park behind the castle was filled with families walking their dogs. The sun was bright after many rainy days before our arrival. We also toured the Opera House and were able to enjoy opera practice.
Monday – Flight on Easy Jet to Palermo from Milan Terminal 2. The flight was smooth until we approached Sicily. High winds made for an interesting landing. We rented at Fiat 500, 2 door with sunroof from Europcar. The price was low, but demand is also low in February. There is a shuttle bus from the small Palermo airport to adjacent rental car lot. Before we left home we discovered the app, Co-Pilot. For $50 we downloaded all European maps onto our iphone. This is voice and map directions which I found easy to use and 99% accurate. No data use required. We could not have driven through the towns we did without this app. Driving west from the airport is SO beautiful. The rolling green hills are delightful, especially coming from the very harsh winter we’re having in the Midwest United States this year. The highway is large, smooth and a joy to drive. Distances aren’t far.
I had wanted to visit the Museo del Carretto Siciliano in Terrasini before driving to our hotel for the evening, but the hotel I had booked in Castellammare del Golfo had problems with their kitchen facilities so we changed our booking to a hotel in Trapani, La Gancia.
La Gancia http://www.lagancia.com/en/ is in all ways excellent. Tomorrow will be my husband’s 60th birthday and this was a beautiful hotel to spend our first night in Sicily. Parking is right next to the old fish market. It’s arches are easy to identify. Park only in blue lined spaces. The hotel entrance is along the sea wall, not accessed from the inside streets of the old town. Views from our room were of the sea and the point. We spent 2 hours walking around old Trapani admiring the many churches lit beautifully for the evening. This is a beautiful old town. The new section wasn’t interesting for us, but we drove through the area with ease. Just stay alert for cars merging in at any angle. Skilled driving is a must.
Dinner tonight was at Osteria La Bettolaccia, Via Gen. E. Fardella 25. The owner is so friendly and generous. We ordered one anti pasta, one pasta and one fish, swordfish, and he split each plate for us. My notes on our meal were stolen when our luggage was stolen in Catania, so I don’t have the exact details of our meals. This was one of the best meals of our trip. Prices are not expensive.
Tuesday - We began the day driving to Erice. The GPS guided us a bit out of the way, but we saw everyone trying to park for their day at work. This is an art in itself. We began by driving to the parking lot by the castle. The castle was closed, but the views were marvelous. We walked through Erice from this location, but repeatedly got lot. Wandering is fun though. Next we drove to the lower lot, the wandered more to the areas we missed from the top. Some shops were open, but we’re not shoppers. Few people were here. We were happy the sun was shining so the slick stone wasn’t a problem. It was best to stay in Trapani last night instead of in Erice.
Next we drove south to the Trapani Salt Flats, on the road to Marsala. I used Google Earth before we left to find the exact spot of the windmills. They are located right across from the island of Mozia. Find Mozia off the western coast of Sicily, and this is where the windmills and salt flats are located on the mainland. South of the Trapani airport. Being winter the museum was closed, but a woman was inside since a group tour was about to return from their boat trip. She allowed us inside to use the bathrooms and buy some salt. The museum looked very tiny, not worth a visit. There are good photo opportunities here though of the salt piles. Next we drove south along the same road finding the row of windmills and salt flats. I was able to photograph them before the rains hit.
Segesta was easily reached by the main highway. I’m amazed how far we can go so quickly on this half of the island. We used the Michelin map #365 of Sicily for planning. By the time we arrived at Segesta, which is well signed, it was pouring rain. There is a small café here with toliets and a gift shop. We bought tickets to the temple and for the shuttle bus to the theater. The walk to the theater would have been way too far and steep for us even if the sun was shining. Time is a consideration also. The parking lot is large, but had few cars. Easy parking here. The visit here is not to be missed. Wildflowers were blooming all around this Doric temple. We loved the silence of the area. The temple is located just up the hill from the ticket office. The shuttle to the theater is back by the ticket office. Our driver dropped us off and said he’d be back in 10 minutes. That didn’t make me happy, we needed far more than 10 minutes to see this site. We took our time, the views from the theater amazing, despite the rain. When finished the driver wasn’t there so we started walking back down, getting drenched in the process. Part of the way down the hill, the shuttle showed back up and we returned to the main parking area.
Villa Sogno Agriturismo in Castelvetrano is our evening stay. There are not many choices in this area to stay and this was highly recommended. I had emailed Cinzia several times before our arrival about finding somewhere for dinner since this was my husbands birthday. Nothing seemed open. When we arrived at Villa Sogno the gate was locked and ringing the buzzer didn’t get any response. We called their phone and the housekeeper answered. She only spoke Italian, but we communicated our arrival. She buzzed us in. We used Google translate to communicate on the computer. Cinzia and her husband were away. The housekeeper was very kind and did her best. She gave us a card of a restaurant in Mazera del Vallo, about a 20 minute drive southwest. We thought this a much better choice than the McDonalds which was 5 minutes from Villa Sogno.
Café’ Garibaldi in Mazera del Vallo proved delightful. The two women who run the restaurant are the highlight. They are so pleasant and happy, and truly wonderful. Dinner wasn’t excellent as it was last night, but still very good. I was surprised that tuna was never on the menu while we were in Sicily. I asked one person and they said the farming of tuna here is no longer allowed. Swordfish was on every menu. We were the only diners here this evening. Our evening stroll through town was again just beautiful with the main plaza lit for the evening. There is one ATM in this town, if you need one, ask for directions.
Wednesday - The next morning breakfast at Villa Sogno was adequate. We walked the grounds. I can see how this can be pleasant in the summer, but we don’t recommend it for a winter stay.
Rain was off and on this day, but somehow it was mainly dry when we toured Selinunte. No map was available here so it’s good we had our touring books with us. Again, we were the only tourists here. I loved this area and took many photos. One temple is standing and two are in ruins. More wildflowers covered the site and the views to the sea marvelous.
We drove to the second section. Walking would take far too long. This site is more spread out and marvelous. It’s not bad being the only tourists on the grounds. The beach here looks nice and sandy. I’m sure it’s very busy during the summer.
The road to Agrigento was good, but the drive takes some time. We had hoped to stop at Scala dei Turchi, but wisely skipped it so we’d have enough time to visit the Valley of the Temples. Along the road were several small trucks selling fresh oranges. We stopped at a small market and bought lunch supplies, fresh prosciutto ham, cheese and snacks. Very affordable, very fresh. Arriving at Agrigento you realize how spread apart the temples are. Parking at the center is very limited, and not possible. Buses occupy most of the spots.
At the small traffic circle, one exit leads to public parking. It seems far from the temples. We parked, then took a taxi to the top, where Temple Juno is located. A second ticket booth is located here, but no bathrooms. There is also more parking up here, but after our visit we realized we did this site exactly correctly. By parking below and taking the taxi up, you only need to walk down. No wasted time backtracking. This site is very well organized. The sites spectacular and walkway excellent and wide. All along the area the almond trees were in bloom. The views to the current town of Agrigento framed in flowering trees. Amazingly beautiful in February. The weather had cleared. Below in the valley we saw a large group of sheep and their shepherd. There is a shepherd with each group of sheep we saw on Sicily, and there are many.
The tour groups seemed to be leaving as we toured this site, so again, not many others were here. We took our time, explored all the site, working our way down. The bottom section is ruins and doesn’t take as long to explore. Don’t miss the view of the cliffs at the end of the site. When finished there is a small lane off to the right if you turn to walk back. This road leads down to the parking lot. We just guessed, and chose this route correctly. You’ll pass under a road underpass to reach the parking area. The visit could also start here, but then you’d be walking uphill all the way.
We drove to the museum after our visit. It is truly an excellent museum. Parking was a bit hard to find, but it’s by the gas station next door. We spent over an hour here, but more time is needed. It’s so varied and full of antiquities. Time to drive to Argritourismo Gigliotto http://www.gigliotto.com/ near Piazza Armerina for our next stay.
As before, we are the only guests at Argritourismo Gigliotto. The location is great for visiting Villa Romana mosaics. We’re so happy we could stay here in winter, but I’m sure it’s much nicer in the summer. Our room was cool, but we finally decided when we could find no heater, that the heat came from underfloor heating. Our room was comfortable, but the dinner they really wanted us to order was poor. They serve a 6 or 7 course dinner with a bottle of wine included for €30 each. It would be a great deal if the meal was good, but ours was very mediocre. Probably the poorest meal of our trip besides pizza in Taormina. The owner and his son were also eating, but no others were. The TV was loud during dinner in the dining room.
In the morning we’ll visit the Villa Romana mosaics which were a highlight of our trip. All sections are open and the site is wonderful.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 09:32 AM
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Thanks, I haven't done a trip report for awhile, but thought it was time to contribute a bit again! Last year we traveled to Australia and Israel and Jordan. All were quite amazing.
Thanks for all the contributions you make. It helps all of us so much.
Thanks for all the contributions you make. It helps all of us so much.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 11:11 AM
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Thursday we’ll have another very full day. I’m sure this is only possible because there are no crowds and no waiting. Along the road here are large farms of cactus. I found it beautiful. Driving from Argritourismo Gigliotto to Villa Romana Del Casale required us to drive through Piazza Armerina. I really thought this would not be necessary, but it was. Without co-pilot or another GPS it would have been impossible. Yes, traffic is challenging, but the sharp left hairpin turn which we missed made it more challenging. All through the small streets we ventured, crazy traffic. My husband was a fantastic driver through all of this. He rose to the occasion and it was good practice for later in the day.
Finally we arrived, the first visitors of the day. The outdoor parking lot is large, and no one was taking parking money yet, but did as we left. You need a ticket to exit the parking lot. Walking from the parking to the site are many souvenir booths. Thankfully they were all closed. Tickets to the site are €14 each, so very high cost. This includes 2 other sites, but we had no time to visit them. Almost all of the mosaics are under roof, but open air, with walkways above and signs explaining what mosaics you’re seeing. The walkways are well built but narrow, so with many visitors it would be crowded. We were able to take pictures with no problem, but only 4 others arrived while we were there. There are several buildings on this site, don’t miss any. We spent 2 hours here as there are so many mosaics to see, in wonderful condition.
Driving on to Caltagirone was beautiful. Almond trees blooming, cactus fields, wildflowers and our first view of Mt. Etna! How exciting. We drove by a pretty field full of sheep with their shepherd and dog, and Mt. Etna in the background. Great photo opportunity! Along roadsides small trucks were parked selling fruit and vegetables. Rural Sicily is awesome and easy to drive.
Park around Caltagirones perimeter. Don’t drive into the city. There are so many tiny lanes and driving would be impossible. This is a large city. We found a large parking garage and used it. It was very inexpensive, less than €2 for our couple of hours here and close to the sites. Again, not many cars inside though. A local person told us which way to walk and we wound our way through the tiny lanes to La Scala and the duomo. The staircase has 142 steps, each decorated with different hand-painted ceramics. It’s very steep. Take your time climbing it. I took pictures all along the way. Ceramic shops line the edges. Also off to the right is a small road which leads to Chiesa del Carmine, the church with the wonderful nativity. We found the church easily, but it was closed.
At the top of La Scala - Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, is a small church which we went into, but to go to the top for views a guide wanted a fee. We skipped it. On our way back down we shopped in one ceramic shop. I bought a small piece for €15 and the shop keeper tried to scam us on not having the right bills for change, wanting different bills, on and on. In the end she tried to keep our first bill as we gave her more exact change. Watch out for giving and getting the correct bills. This is the only experience of this kind we had in Sicily with money. I looked her in the eye, she knew that we knew what was going on.
Walking to the public gardens we crossed a bridge full of ceramics. The old buildings in this area are quite wonderful. I’m sure this town deserves more time than we had to visit. The gardens were full of pots decorated with devilish faces, but not as fascinating as I expected.
Onto Ragusa we drove, with more views of Mt. Etna and stone fences covering the hillsides. This area of the island is very different from the western side. The hills weren’t the deep green of the west, and it seemed much dryer. First we drove through the modern city of Ragusa, coming from the west. We didn’t put an address into our Co-pilot so we were a bit lost. Then I remembered a restaurant I had noted in the old town, so we put that address into our phone and it lead us right to the parking area below the village. The views of Ragusa Ibla as we approached were stunning, not in any way like those of our first view of new Ragusa, which looked like Orange County, Calif. Parking here is excellent, in a large lot.
Walking up we found Ragusa deserted. They day was getting late, but we found not much of interest here. Yes, the wonderful, carved supports of the balconies were great. The Duomo one of the prettiest we saw, but the village seemed to have no life. No real personality. I expected more. I’m sure it’s because of the season, but we had almost stayed just outside of town, and now I’m very happy we changed our location for this evening.
We drove through Modica at “rush hour”. Oh my, was it a mess of tangled cars. Now this is real traffic in Sicily. What a rush of sights also. I think it’d be fascinating to stay here. The food stuffs being sold from the back of trucks, the fish, the meat, the traffic. We inched along. This seemed to be the real Sicily. Finally we made it through, yes, made a mistake along the way and it only added to our experience. No, we didn’t stop to buy chocolate. I hear it is a bit bitter, is that so? One hour latter we arrived at the beach of Noto.
Baglio Siciliamo http://www.siciliamo.eu/?lang=en just near the Beach of Noto is probably the friendliest place we stayed. The family who owns it is genuinely kind and welcoming. The woman running it is special and friendly, despite our language barrier. She showed us three rooms so we could decide which to choose. They were all very nice. This property is very near the beach, but not on the beach. Our GPS lead us through tiny alleys to arrive here, but we left down a larger road. Might be good to consult the map before arriving. We enjoyed dinner here. The menu was limited because again, we were the only guests, but still excellent. If staying along the coast here, this would be an excellent choice, they have a large pool and the beach is so near.
Friday, Valentines Day - After an ample breakfast we drove to the Vendicari Nature Reserve which is only 5 miles south. The walk along a boardwalk to the beach is quite peaceful and enjoys lizards and birds in the grasses. The beach sand wasn’t great here, but the sandy pathway was good. There was a bird hide to the right, but we saw few birds besides the large flock flying away. An old tuna factory is to the left. The parking area here was closed and overgrown, but we just parked along the small road, as did one other car. A few local men were visiting and showed us where the boardwalk started which is straight ahead on the road in. At this time of year this stop is unnecessary.
Noto is nearby and has a UNESCO heritage designation. Parking was along the street, near the large French type plaza. The parking meters were broken, but the lady patrolling the area told us where another was located. Noto is mainly one long street of outstanding beautiful churches and buildings, plus a small side street with the marvelous balcony supports, the best in Sicily I believe, and Nicolaci Palace. It’s populated, but not crowded, has shops open and deserves it’s recognition. The interior of the churches are ornate. Only problem we had was in ordering granite and being told, no, it’s too cold for granite! It was in the 70’s, not the below freezing temps at our home all winter! Noto is small, but our favorite hill town.
Just up the road (not the highway, but the coastal road) is Avola where we stumbled upon a cemetery. This is the first Sicilian cemetery we stopped at, but it was amazing. Each family group was large and full of fresh flowers. Very, very large family groups are buried all in the same “block”. Generations, all together. I’ve never seen this at such a large scale. Across the road from the cemetery was a flower market. Later, just outside of Siracusa on a Sunday morning, another cemetery lined the road leaving town. It was crowded with cars and people, and another flower market. On Sunday morning family members must go to the cemetery to place flowers on their family’s graves. Quite remarkable.
It was a good decision taking this road into Ortygia. We didn’t drive through Siracusa itself, and the views were pretty as we approached. Driving onto the island was open, but in summer it’s regulated. We quickly found the small lane our B&B was located on, but couldn’t drive onto it. We found a handicapped parking spot right there and pulled in since no other spots were available. I waited in the car as my husband walked to B&B La Via della Guidecca http://www.laviadellagiudecca.it. No one was there. He phoned their number and the woman answering said it was the wrong number. He walked back. We waited, still no one was coming. Finally we found another number on a window and called it (this is different from the number provided by Booking.com) and someone answered. He said he’d arrive soon. The car in front of us left, so we moved forward one spot into a legal parking spot. Then a woman who lived in the building came up to us and was very upset we had parked in “her” spot. It was free for anyone, so we stayed, but she was very upset with us. Thankfully we didn’t need to move our car the two nights we were here. Parking is very limited on the island. This wasn’t a great welcome, but the Boutique hotel is quite nice. We’re in the more tourist side of Sicily now so others were staying in the hotels.
Ortygia is the prettiest town we visited on Sicily. It’s special. We walked much of the island this afternoon and visited the Duomo. Inside the columns of the Apollo Temple are visible along the side walls. The WWII Bomb Shelter was closed. It’s only open in the morning, maybe just Friday mornings in the winter. This is next door to the Duomo, with gardens growing above it. On the Duomos plaza are several cafes, a good place to sit and enjoy the magnificent views.
Even better is Ristorante Regina Lucia at Piazza Duomo, 6 phone: 0931 22509. We had reserved dinner here, then found they were doing a special Valentines dinner. The cost was $50 each for the most excellent multi course meal of our trip. This included unlimited wine and aperitifs. Each course was heavenly, then they offered 2nd helpings. We were the only tourists here this evening, but it was fully booked. If you visit Ortygia, you must dine at Regina Lucia. We slept very well this evening.
Finally we arrived, the first visitors of the day. The outdoor parking lot is large, and no one was taking parking money yet, but did as we left. You need a ticket to exit the parking lot. Walking from the parking to the site are many souvenir booths. Thankfully they were all closed. Tickets to the site are €14 each, so very high cost. This includes 2 other sites, but we had no time to visit them. Almost all of the mosaics are under roof, but open air, with walkways above and signs explaining what mosaics you’re seeing. The walkways are well built but narrow, so with many visitors it would be crowded. We were able to take pictures with no problem, but only 4 others arrived while we were there. There are several buildings on this site, don’t miss any. We spent 2 hours here as there are so many mosaics to see, in wonderful condition.
Driving on to Caltagirone was beautiful. Almond trees blooming, cactus fields, wildflowers and our first view of Mt. Etna! How exciting. We drove by a pretty field full of sheep with their shepherd and dog, and Mt. Etna in the background. Great photo opportunity! Along roadsides small trucks were parked selling fruit and vegetables. Rural Sicily is awesome and easy to drive.
Park around Caltagirones perimeter. Don’t drive into the city. There are so many tiny lanes and driving would be impossible. This is a large city. We found a large parking garage and used it. It was very inexpensive, less than €2 for our couple of hours here and close to the sites. Again, not many cars inside though. A local person told us which way to walk and we wound our way through the tiny lanes to La Scala and the duomo. The staircase has 142 steps, each decorated with different hand-painted ceramics. It’s very steep. Take your time climbing it. I took pictures all along the way. Ceramic shops line the edges. Also off to the right is a small road which leads to Chiesa del Carmine, the church with the wonderful nativity. We found the church easily, but it was closed.
At the top of La Scala - Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, is a small church which we went into, but to go to the top for views a guide wanted a fee. We skipped it. On our way back down we shopped in one ceramic shop. I bought a small piece for €15 and the shop keeper tried to scam us on not having the right bills for change, wanting different bills, on and on. In the end she tried to keep our first bill as we gave her more exact change. Watch out for giving and getting the correct bills. This is the only experience of this kind we had in Sicily with money. I looked her in the eye, she knew that we knew what was going on.
Walking to the public gardens we crossed a bridge full of ceramics. The old buildings in this area are quite wonderful. I’m sure this town deserves more time than we had to visit. The gardens were full of pots decorated with devilish faces, but not as fascinating as I expected.
Onto Ragusa we drove, with more views of Mt. Etna and stone fences covering the hillsides. This area of the island is very different from the western side. The hills weren’t the deep green of the west, and it seemed much dryer. First we drove through the modern city of Ragusa, coming from the west. We didn’t put an address into our Co-pilot so we were a bit lost. Then I remembered a restaurant I had noted in the old town, so we put that address into our phone and it lead us right to the parking area below the village. The views of Ragusa Ibla as we approached were stunning, not in any way like those of our first view of new Ragusa, which looked like Orange County, Calif. Parking here is excellent, in a large lot.
Walking up we found Ragusa deserted. They day was getting late, but we found not much of interest here. Yes, the wonderful, carved supports of the balconies were great. The Duomo one of the prettiest we saw, but the village seemed to have no life. No real personality. I expected more. I’m sure it’s because of the season, but we had almost stayed just outside of town, and now I’m very happy we changed our location for this evening.
We drove through Modica at “rush hour”. Oh my, was it a mess of tangled cars. Now this is real traffic in Sicily. What a rush of sights also. I think it’d be fascinating to stay here. The food stuffs being sold from the back of trucks, the fish, the meat, the traffic. We inched along. This seemed to be the real Sicily. Finally we made it through, yes, made a mistake along the way and it only added to our experience. No, we didn’t stop to buy chocolate. I hear it is a bit bitter, is that so? One hour latter we arrived at the beach of Noto.
Baglio Siciliamo http://www.siciliamo.eu/?lang=en just near the Beach of Noto is probably the friendliest place we stayed. The family who owns it is genuinely kind and welcoming. The woman running it is special and friendly, despite our language barrier. She showed us three rooms so we could decide which to choose. They were all very nice. This property is very near the beach, but not on the beach. Our GPS lead us through tiny alleys to arrive here, but we left down a larger road. Might be good to consult the map before arriving. We enjoyed dinner here. The menu was limited because again, we were the only guests, but still excellent. If staying along the coast here, this would be an excellent choice, they have a large pool and the beach is so near.
Friday, Valentines Day - After an ample breakfast we drove to the Vendicari Nature Reserve which is only 5 miles south. The walk along a boardwalk to the beach is quite peaceful and enjoys lizards and birds in the grasses. The beach sand wasn’t great here, but the sandy pathway was good. There was a bird hide to the right, but we saw few birds besides the large flock flying away. An old tuna factory is to the left. The parking area here was closed and overgrown, but we just parked along the small road, as did one other car. A few local men were visiting and showed us where the boardwalk started which is straight ahead on the road in. At this time of year this stop is unnecessary.
Noto is nearby and has a UNESCO heritage designation. Parking was along the street, near the large French type plaza. The parking meters were broken, but the lady patrolling the area told us where another was located. Noto is mainly one long street of outstanding beautiful churches and buildings, plus a small side street with the marvelous balcony supports, the best in Sicily I believe, and Nicolaci Palace. It’s populated, but not crowded, has shops open and deserves it’s recognition. The interior of the churches are ornate. Only problem we had was in ordering granite and being told, no, it’s too cold for granite! It was in the 70’s, not the below freezing temps at our home all winter! Noto is small, but our favorite hill town.
Just up the road (not the highway, but the coastal road) is Avola where we stumbled upon a cemetery. This is the first Sicilian cemetery we stopped at, but it was amazing. Each family group was large and full of fresh flowers. Very, very large family groups are buried all in the same “block”. Generations, all together. I’ve never seen this at such a large scale. Across the road from the cemetery was a flower market. Later, just outside of Siracusa on a Sunday morning, another cemetery lined the road leaving town. It was crowded with cars and people, and another flower market. On Sunday morning family members must go to the cemetery to place flowers on their family’s graves. Quite remarkable.
It was a good decision taking this road into Ortygia. We didn’t drive through Siracusa itself, and the views were pretty as we approached. Driving onto the island was open, but in summer it’s regulated. We quickly found the small lane our B&B was located on, but couldn’t drive onto it. We found a handicapped parking spot right there and pulled in since no other spots were available. I waited in the car as my husband walked to B&B La Via della Guidecca http://www.laviadellagiudecca.it. No one was there. He phoned their number and the woman answering said it was the wrong number. He walked back. We waited, still no one was coming. Finally we found another number on a window and called it (this is different from the number provided by Booking.com) and someone answered. He said he’d arrive soon. The car in front of us left, so we moved forward one spot into a legal parking spot. Then a woman who lived in the building came up to us and was very upset we had parked in “her” spot. It was free for anyone, so we stayed, but she was very upset with us. Thankfully we didn’t need to move our car the two nights we were here. Parking is very limited on the island. This wasn’t a great welcome, but the Boutique hotel is quite nice. We’re in the more tourist side of Sicily now so others were staying in the hotels.
Ortygia is the prettiest town we visited on Sicily. It’s special. We walked much of the island this afternoon and visited the Duomo. Inside the columns of the Apollo Temple are visible along the side walls. The WWII Bomb Shelter was closed. It’s only open in the morning, maybe just Friday mornings in the winter. This is next door to the Duomo, with gardens growing above it. On the Duomos plaza are several cafes, a good place to sit and enjoy the magnificent views.
Even better is Ristorante Regina Lucia at Piazza Duomo, 6 phone: 0931 22509. We had reserved dinner here, then found they were doing a special Valentines dinner. The cost was $50 each for the most excellent multi course meal of our trip. This included unlimited wine and aperitifs. Each course was heavenly, then they offered 2nd helpings. We were the only tourists here this evening, but it was fully booked. If you visit Ortygia, you must dine at Regina Lucia. We slept very well this evening.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 12:49 PM
#14
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We spent 10 nights in Sicily, planned on 11 but Easy Jet changed their schedule so we spent one less night in Palermo at the end. We still had 1 1/2 days there though before our late flight out. We actually liked the time we spent in Palermo and loved the Monreale Cathedral which we drove to.
Our misfortune in Catania is coming up next.
Our misfortune in Catania is coming up next.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 12:50 PM
#15
I loved Sicily and your report is helping me relive my time there. Thanks so much, images2, and glad you had a good time.
One thing to note for anyone staying in Modica (which is a great town, by the way): it is pretty much all stairs, so be prepared climb.
One thing to note for anyone staying in Modica (which is a great town, by the way): it is pretty much all stairs, so be prepared climb.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 12:58 PM
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Hi thursdaysd, Your trip report was a great help to us. I reread it several times. I'm surprised more people don't go to Trapani, it's lovely and a great place to begin a trip in Sicily.
Have a wonderful time theatrelover. Are you traveling on your own, or as part of a group? Be aware, the Catania area was very unkind to us. I don't recommend you going there, or if so, with a group.
Have a wonderful time theatrelover. Are you traveling on your own, or as part of a group? Be aware, the Catania area was very unkind to us. I don't recommend you going there, or if so, with a group.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 01:33 PM
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theatrelover,
If you have time you might consider a boat trip we took. Here are the details:
Capitano Antonio
Escursioni in barca
Taormina-Giardini Naxos
Partita IVA: IT01737620839
Tel. 0039 338 3591014
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.taorminaescursioni.it
Departure will be from Giardini Naxos port, in the morning at 10am, or in the afternoon at 2.30pm, and it lasts about two hours.
Spets are:
Cape of Naxos (Capo di Naxos),
Naxos Bay (Baia di Naxos),
Cave of the Day (Grotta del Giorno),
Cape of Taormina (Capo Taormina),
Beautiful Island (Isola Bella),
Blue Cave (Grotta Azzurra),
Mazzarò Bay (Baia di Mazzarò)
St. Nicola Bay (Baia di S. Nicola)
Spisone Bay (Baia di Spisone)
During the excursion, we wil stop, about twenty minutes, if you "have a brave", for a dip in the crystal see water, in one of the most beautiful bays of Taormina, Isola Bella, the pearl of the Mediterranean.
In this magical atmosphere, you will taste a good typical Sicilian liqueur. In addition, for who want to take a lok at the bottom of the sea, with coral and starfish, it is possible to go snorkeling.
Boat excursion cost is euro 25,00 per person.
We found Captain Antonio a great guy. His English is very good, and self taught. He called it Beach English. He's a local captain who has always lived here and has never flown in an airplane. He has all he needs here, and plenty of business in the summer.
He was kind enough to take us out for 2 hours all along the coast of Taormina.
If you have time you might consider a boat trip we took. Here are the details:
Capitano Antonio
Escursioni in barca
Taormina-Giardini Naxos
Partita IVA: IT01737620839
Tel. 0039 338 3591014
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.taorminaescursioni.it
Departure will be from Giardini Naxos port, in the morning at 10am, or in the afternoon at 2.30pm, and it lasts about two hours.
Spets are:
Cape of Naxos (Capo di Naxos),
Naxos Bay (Baia di Naxos),
Cave of the Day (Grotta del Giorno),
Cape of Taormina (Capo Taormina),
Beautiful Island (Isola Bella),
Blue Cave (Grotta Azzurra),
Mazzarò Bay (Baia di Mazzarò)
St. Nicola Bay (Baia di S. Nicola)
Spisone Bay (Baia di Spisone)
During the excursion, we wil stop, about twenty minutes, if you "have a brave", for a dip in the crystal see water, in one of the most beautiful bays of Taormina, Isola Bella, the pearl of the Mediterranean.
In this magical atmosphere, you will taste a good typical Sicilian liqueur. In addition, for who want to take a lok at the bottom of the sea, with coral and starfish, it is possible to go snorkeling.
Boat excursion cost is euro 25,00 per person.
We found Captain Antonio a great guy. His English is very good, and self taught. He called it Beach English. He's a local captain who has always lived here and has never flown in an airplane. He has all he needs here, and plenty of business in the summer.
He was kind enough to take us out for 2 hours all along the coast of Taormina.
