Trip report to Sicily in September, 2014
Oct 2nd, 2014, 02:12 PM
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Trip report to Sicily in September, 2014
Trip Report to Sicily: September 12 - 27
Whenever you plan for a trip or a special event to celebrate it seems to take over your life!
All of the planning including where and when to go; how long should you stay; which hotels to choose; should I rent a car, take busses, trains, arrange for taxis, which restaurants and what sights to see? It can become all consuming, however, when you have forums such as Fodors and Tripadvisor all you need to do is to take a deep breath and read everything you can before making decisions. Helpful comments and shared experiences by travelers who have already been there certainly is a wonderful starting point in planning your first trip to Sicily!
So I begin by thanking you all for your help in planning my itinerary.
This TR will not be about the food (it will include restaurants) and not about the sights in detail ( you can do the research). I want to share with you some of our experiences, the choices we made in our itinerary, the people we met along the way and helpful hints for those who are considering going to Sicily for the first time. I also want to relate some stories of our adventure because when it comes down to it, for me, it is the stories and experiences that stand out long after the return back home.
So here goes:
The itinerary : 9/12 JFK to Rome ( Delta/Alitalia) and Rome to Catania ( Ryan Air)
9/13 Pickup by car in Catania arranged by Villa Schuler in Taormina
9/13-15 Taormina
9/16 Pickup rental car through AutoEurope in Giardini Naxos
9/16-18 Hotel Palazzo Del Sale in Ortigia. Day trip to Noto.
9/19-9/20 Drive to Modica and stay at Casa Talia. Day trip to Villa Romana and Caltagirone
9/21- 22 Drive to Selinunte and stay at the Villa Sogno
9/23 Drive to Trapani and stay at I Colori Del Vento. Visit Erice.
9/24 Drive to Palermo airport and drop off rental car
9/24-26 Taxi from airport to Palermo and stay at the Hotel Principe Di VillaFranca. Day trip to Cefalu.
9/27 Flight from Palermo to Rome ( Alitalia) and Rome to JFK ( Alitalia)
** We signed up for Global Entry which ended up giving us both TSA status and quick entry back into the USA .
** We chose to start in Taormina rather than Palermo as we felt it would be more relaxing to begin in a smaller setting and easier to deal with jet lag.
** There is no need to have a car in Taormina as it is easy to walk to sights, has excellent transportation options and parking is too difficult.
Day 1 The overnight to Rome was uneventful. We had a 3 hour wait before our Ryan airlines flight to Catania and ended up being delayed for an hour. Upon arrival we were met by a driver ( arranged by the Villa Schuler) and off we went to Taormina! The fare was 75 Euros and well worth it!
We loved the Villa Schuler! Our room overlooked the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Etna . The grounds have a beautiful garden, wonderful breakfast and is in such a lovely setting. The staff were attentive, polite and offered many suggestions and the location to the Corson Umberto ( the main street) was quick and easy. After checking in we went
for a walk on the Corso Umberto. We felt relaxed and not rushed and just enjoyed the fact that we were in Sicily! After doing a great deal of people watching and becoming familiar with the area we returned to the hotel , unpacked and went for an excellent dinner at Trattoria Da Vino, Via Luigi Pirandello , 37 ( which had been recommended by our driver). By the way: since we arrived on a Saturday there were several Brides and Grooms parading up and down Corso Umberto with their photographers and posing on fancy cars. What a fun way to begin our trip!
Day 2. Our day started with a lovely breakfast in a most magnificent setting. We had our first Granitas ( delicious), walked to the the Teatro Greco ( Greek Amphitheater) with no Senior rates where we went on our own tour. After leaving the Teatro Greco we took a short cut to the Publico Gardens ( beautiful) and ended up having lunch at Gambero Rosso, Via Naumachia, 11. A quick story:
when we left our hotel in the morning we ended up walking and found ourselves in the back of Gambero Rosso, a restaurant which wasn't opened yet ( way too early). An older woman came up to us and began talking in Italian and with my limited Italian we discovered that she was the owner of Gambero Rosso. She opened up the restaurant just for us and took us for a tour. We felt we had to give back and so ended up having lunch there several hours later. It was a good meal on a busy street with wonderful people watching. Later on in the day we took a taxi up to Castelmola, explored the area and walked up to the highest point overlooking Taormina. It was breathtaking! Since we had dinner reservations at Al Saraceno in Castelmola we quickly looked for a bus or a taxi that would take us there. Unfortunately, due to the time there were no taxis in sight and the bus would arrive after our reservations. I was hesitant to walk down and so my wife decided to do something that was rather daring. She walked up to a total stranger about to get into his car and asked if he could drive us to the restaurant! Fortunately he was a good soul and told us to get in and proceeded to drive us directly to Al Saraceno! Absolutely loved the restaurant: very romantic, the view was awesome, the sunset magnificent and the food was delicious. We ended up walking down to Taormina from there.
*** Tip: Carry a small flashlight with you. It helped walking down unlit stairs and helped at other times in various locations. It was so nice to walk after such a huge meal and we headed back to our hotel.
Day 3. After another wonderful breakfast we were picked up by Eddie who would be our guide for the day via Legendary Sicily, Salita De Luna, 10 which I had arranged before leaving home. What I thought would be just a visit to Mount Etna turned out to be something much more. This full day excursion included going up the East and North side of Mount Etna visiting sites such as the lava flow of 1971/1979 eruptions; walking inside a lava tunnel with helmets and flashlights and walking down the Alcantara gorges! We were picked up at 8:30 in the morning and came back close to 6 PM. It was both exhilarating and exhausting! There were two other couples…much younger, however, despite my limitations regarding stamina we were able to do the entire trek! Our time at lunch at the Rifugio Ragabo was lots of fun filled with stories from our Irish and British friends. The food was okay. Our dinner that night was at Ristorante al Giardino, Via Bagnoli Croce, 84 ( recommended by our hotel) and directly across from the Public Gardens.
It was a perfect end to a spectacular day!
Day 4. After breakfast we arranged for a taxi to the rental car agency ( Europcar) in Giardini Naxos). It cost us 30 Euros and once again worth it! Although it was easy enough picking up the car ( although we did have some difficulty locating the lot where it was parked) we initially had a problem. This is the second time I have ordered a car that is automatic and small and received a huge car. We ended up with a Peugeot PG 508 SW 16 or ONE HUGE VEHICLE!! It hadn't been cleaned, however, it did come with a GPS and although we didn't figure how to use until we left Ortigia , it was a huge blessing to have and we weren't charged extra for it! It just bugs me that AutoEurope and Europcar do not tell you in advance that they actually don't have small automatics to rent out.
Part 2 will continue with our " Interesting arrival into Ortigia"!
Whenever you plan for a trip or a special event to celebrate it seems to take over your life!
All of the planning including where and when to go; how long should you stay; which hotels to choose; should I rent a car, take busses, trains, arrange for taxis, which restaurants and what sights to see? It can become all consuming, however, when you have forums such as Fodors and Tripadvisor all you need to do is to take a deep breath and read everything you can before making decisions. Helpful comments and shared experiences by travelers who have already been there certainly is a wonderful starting point in planning your first trip to Sicily!
So I begin by thanking you all for your help in planning my itinerary.
This TR will not be about the food (it will include restaurants) and not about the sights in detail ( you can do the research). I want to share with you some of our experiences, the choices we made in our itinerary, the people we met along the way and helpful hints for those who are considering going to Sicily for the first time. I also want to relate some stories of our adventure because when it comes down to it, for me, it is the stories and experiences that stand out long after the return back home.
So here goes:
The itinerary : 9/12 JFK to Rome ( Delta/Alitalia) and Rome to Catania ( Ryan Air)
9/13 Pickup by car in Catania arranged by Villa Schuler in Taormina
9/13-15 Taormina
9/16 Pickup rental car through AutoEurope in Giardini Naxos
9/16-18 Hotel Palazzo Del Sale in Ortigia. Day trip to Noto.
9/19-9/20 Drive to Modica and stay at Casa Talia. Day trip to Villa Romana and Caltagirone
9/21- 22 Drive to Selinunte and stay at the Villa Sogno
9/23 Drive to Trapani and stay at I Colori Del Vento. Visit Erice.
9/24 Drive to Palermo airport and drop off rental car
9/24-26 Taxi from airport to Palermo and stay at the Hotel Principe Di VillaFranca. Day trip to Cefalu.
9/27 Flight from Palermo to Rome ( Alitalia) and Rome to JFK ( Alitalia)
** We signed up for Global Entry which ended up giving us both TSA status and quick entry back into the USA .
** We chose to start in Taormina rather than Palermo as we felt it would be more relaxing to begin in a smaller setting and easier to deal with jet lag.
** There is no need to have a car in Taormina as it is easy to walk to sights, has excellent transportation options and parking is too difficult.
Day 1 The overnight to Rome was uneventful. We had a 3 hour wait before our Ryan airlines flight to Catania and ended up being delayed for an hour. Upon arrival we were met by a driver ( arranged by the Villa Schuler) and off we went to Taormina! The fare was 75 Euros and well worth it!
We loved the Villa Schuler! Our room overlooked the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Etna . The grounds have a beautiful garden, wonderful breakfast and is in such a lovely setting. The staff were attentive, polite and offered many suggestions and the location to the Corson Umberto ( the main street) was quick and easy. After checking in we went
for a walk on the Corso Umberto. We felt relaxed and not rushed and just enjoyed the fact that we were in Sicily! After doing a great deal of people watching and becoming familiar with the area we returned to the hotel , unpacked and went for an excellent dinner at Trattoria Da Vino, Via Luigi Pirandello , 37 ( which had been recommended by our driver). By the way: since we arrived on a Saturday there were several Brides and Grooms parading up and down Corso Umberto with their photographers and posing on fancy cars. What a fun way to begin our trip!
Day 2. Our day started with a lovely breakfast in a most magnificent setting. We had our first Granitas ( delicious), walked to the the Teatro Greco ( Greek Amphitheater) with no Senior rates where we went on our own tour. After leaving the Teatro Greco we took a short cut to the Publico Gardens ( beautiful) and ended up having lunch at Gambero Rosso, Via Naumachia, 11. A quick story:
when we left our hotel in the morning we ended up walking and found ourselves in the back of Gambero Rosso, a restaurant which wasn't opened yet ( way too early). An older woman came up to us and began talking in Italian and with my limited Italian we discovered that she was the owner of Gambero Rosso. She opened up the restaurant just for us and took us for a tour. We felt we had to give back and so ended up having lunch there several hours later. It was a good meal on a busy street with wonderful people watching. Later on in the day we took a taxi up to Castelmola, explored the area and walked up to the highest point overlooking Taormina. It was breathtaking! Since we had dinner reservations at Al Saraceno in Castelmola we quickly looked for a bus or a taxi that would take us there. Unfortunately, due to the time there were no taxis in sight and the bus would arrive after our reservations. I was hesitant to walk down and so my wife decided to do something that was rather daring. She walked up to a total stranger about to get into his car and asked if he could drive us to the restaurant! Fortunately he was a good soul and told us to get in and proceeded to drive us directly to Al Saraceno! Absolutely loved the restaurant: very romantic, the view was awesome, the sunset magnificent and the food was delicious. We ended up walking down to Taormina from there.
*** Tip: Carry a small flashlight with you. It helped walking down unlit stairs and helped at other times in various locations. It was so nice to walk after such a huge meal and we headed back to our hotel.
Day 3. After another wonderful breakfast we were picked up by Eddie who would be our guide for the day via Legendary Sicily, Salita De Luna, 10 which I had arranged before leaving home. What I thought would be just a visit to Mount Etna turned out to be something much more. This full day excursion included going up the East and North side of Mount Etna visiting sites such as the lava flow of 1971/1979 eruptions; walking inside a lava tunnel with helmets and flashlights and walking down the Alcantara gorges! We were picked up at 8:30 in the morning and came back close to 6 PM. It was both exhilarating and exhausting! There were two other couples…much younger, however, despite my limitations regarding stamina we were able to do the entire trek! Our time at lunch at the Rifugio Ragabo was lots of fun filled with stories from our Irish and British friends. The food was okay. Our dinner that night was at Ristorante al Giardino, Via Bagnoli Croce, 84 ( recommended by our hotel) and directly across from the Public Gardens.
It was a perfect end to a spectacular day!
Day 4. After breakfast we arranged for a taxi to the rental car agency ( Europcar) in Giardini Naxos). It cost us 30 Euros and once again worth it! Although it was easy enough picking up the car ( although we did have some difficulty locating the lot where it was parked) we initially had a problem. This is the second time I have ordered a car that is automatic and small and received a huge car. We ended up with a Peugeot PG 508 SW 16 or ONE HUGE VEHICLE!! It hadn't been cleaned, however, it did come with a GPS and although we didn't figure how to use until we left Ortigia , it was a huge blessing to have and we weren't charged extra for it! It just bugs me that AutoEurope and Europcar do not tell you in advance that they actually don't have small automatics to rent out.
Part 2 will continue with our " Interesting arrival into Ortigia"!
Oct 2nd, 2014, 03:24 PM
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Thanks for TR. Yes Taormina is a lovely spot isn't it. It's great to see posts on southern Italy. It seems more and more people are visiting the "undiscovered" part of Italy. Looking forward to reading about the rest of your Sicilian sojourn...
Oct 3rd, 2014, 06:18 AM
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Enjoying your trip report and looking forward to more. We followed much the same itinerary on our trip 4 years ago and stayed at the Villa Schuler and the Hotel Principe di VF both of which we loved. Breakfast on the terrace of the Villa Schuler can't be beat, both for the food and the view!
Oct 3rd, 2014, 11:55 AM
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Part 2 will continue with our " Interesting arrival into Ortigia"!
Before I begin "Our interesting arrival into Ortigia" a little backstory is necessary. As I was planning the itinerary I was on the ropes regarding when and if we should visit Villa Romana del Casale and Caltagirone and if so whether to visit from Ortigia or Modica. I was also conflicted where and when to rent a car: as we were leaving Taormina or Ortigia? Now with that in mind here begins "Our arrival"!
Our GPS was not set and so we relied on the directions sent by the hotel. We followed the directions until we found ourselves lost in Piazza Archimede. With map in hand and surrounded by 5 policemen ( all of whom spoke no English), I was told that I would be unable to find our hotel and park! So I returned to the car and followed what I thought was the right street around the island and found myself back where I entered. Once again I attempted to follow the original directions and once again found ourselves circling the island for the second time. On our third attempt I pulled the car over and offered a taxi driver money to " lead us to our hotel", which he did! The story is not over. Our lovely receptionist Luisa at the Palazzo Del Sale realizing that with the size of our car and the frustration on our faces quickly made several decisions. We unloaded our baggage and with Luisa now in the car with us proceeded to drive around the island once again looking for a parking space. We went around the island for the fourth time and finally pulled over and Luisa hopped out to get her car. The plan was to follow her to the parking lot near the entrance into the island and after we parked she would drive us back. So now we are two cars and sure enough we found not one but two parking spaces almost immediately and not too far from our hotel. As a result of the difficulty in finding parking we left our car in the space for all three days we were there! There was no way we would drive to Villa Romana from Ortigia nor to Noto. Tip: If you can avoid having a car in Ortigia do so! If not make sure your car is small and have one helluva good GPS! You should also be acquainted with where you are allowed to park. We were so grateful for what Luisa did for us that we overlooked some of the issues we had staying at Palazzo Del Sale.
Our room was good and we even had our own private terrace. The issues we did have regarded very poor Wifi reception; a 3 floor walkup ( no elevator) and noone on duty after 6 pm. The breakfast was good and the staff very helpful including the owner ( who came to our room at 11 PM on the first night to help us with several room issues. While I would recommend this hotel you do need to be aware of the issues that we were presented with.
Ortigia is a walking city and it is beautiful! We walked everywhere and found ourselves always gravitating back to Piazza Archimede. Our evening consisted of tickets to the puppet show Teatro Dei Pupi ( which we loved although it was completely in Italian). Our dinner was at a french restaurant Le Vin de L"Assassin and it was wonderful!
Our next day included walking to a wonderful outdoor market , a visit to the Archeological Park and Museum, lunch at a sandwich shop Castelficio Borderi and a visit to an old Mikvah underneath the Alla Giudeca Hotel. Tips: You have to pick up the bus over the bridge into Siracusa and make sure you have exact change. Hire a guide before you enter the Park. It cost us 15 Euros and was well worth it. We made the mistake of then walking to the Museum and didn't have the patience to spending much time there as we were just too tired. The visit to the Mikvah while interesting is only a 15 minute visit and cost 5 Euros each.
The last day in Ortigia was more walking that included the Duomo, another visit to the Market and a long walk to the bus to Noto. The bus ride took 45 minutes and leaves you off immediately outside the historical area of Noto. It is a beautiful city to visit and try to go to the top of the Church of Santa Chiara ( 4 Euros) to view Baroque Noto from the rooftop. It is a magnificent view of the city. Walking up and down Corso Vittorio Emanuele visiting the various historic buildings like the Palazzo Nicolaci ( there is a charge) and a very nice lunch at Trattoria del Carmine and gelato at Gelati Corrado Costanzo. Tips on traveling to Noto: We took the 11:30 bus to Noto, however, the last bus back to Siracusa from Noto was at 2:45 and so we decided to travel back by train. While the bus leaves you right outside the historical district the train is approximately a mile away. The good news is that walking back to the train is downhill. The bad news is that the station has nowhere to sit!! I mean no chairs or benches. We ended up sitting across the street in front of a gym. Our last dinner was at Taberna Sueva down the street from our hotel and it was really good! We leave in the morning for Modica and very happy that our stay in Ortigia was so wonderful. By the way we also visited the Castello Maniace which was an old fortress. It was a very interesting sight to visit and may only be open in the morning.
Before I begin "Our interesting arrival into Ortigia" a little backstory is necessary. As I was planning the itinerary I was on the ropes regarding when and if we should visit Villa Romana del Casale and Caltagirone and if so whether to visit from Ortigia or Modica. I was also conflicted where and when to rent a car: as we were leaving Taormina or Ortigia? Now with that in mind here begins "Our arrival"!
Our GPS was not set and so we relied on the directions sent by the hotel. We followed the directions until we found ourselves lost in Piazza Archimede. With map in hand and surrounded by 5 policemen ( all of whom spoke no English), I was told that I would be unable to find our hotel and park! So I returned to the car and followed what I thought was the right street around the island and found myself back where I entered. Once again I attempted to follow the original directions and once again found ourselves circling the island for the second time. On our third attempt I pulled the car over and offered a taxi driver money to " lead us to our hotel", which he did! The story is not over. Our lovely receptionist Luisa at the Palazzo Del Sale realizing that with the size of our car and the frustration on our faces quickly made several decisions. We unloaded our baggage and with Luisa now in the car with us proceeded to drive around the island once again looking for a parking space. We went around the island for the fourth time and finally pulled over and Luisa hopped out to get her car. The plan was to follow her to the parking lot near the entrance into the island and after we parked she would drive us back. So now we are two cars and sure enough we found not one but two parking spaces almost immediately and not too far from our hotel. As a result of the difficulty in finding parking we left our car in the space for all three days we were there! There was no way we would drive to Villa Romana from Ortigia nor to Noto. Tip: If you can avoid having a car in Ortigia do so! If not make sure your car is small and have one helluva good GPS! You should also be acquainted with where you are allowed to park. We were so grateful for what Luisa did for us that we overlooked some of the issues we had staying at Palazzo Del Sale.
Our room was good and we even had our own private terrace. The issues we did have regarded very poor Wifi reception; a 3 floor walkup ( no elevator) and noone on duty after 6 pm. The breakfast was good and the staff very helpful including the owner ( who came to our room at 11 PM on the first night to help us with several room issues. While I would recommend this hotel you do need to be aware of the issues that we were presented with.
Ortigia is a walking city and it is beautiful! We walked everywhere and found ourselves always gravitating back to Piazza Archimede. Our evening consisted of tickets to the puppet show Teatro Dei Pupi ( which we loved although it was completely in Italian). Our dinner was at a french restaurant Le Vin de L"Assassin and it was wonderful!
Our next day included walking to a wonderful outdoor market , a visit to the Archeological Park and Museum, lunch at a sandwich shop Castelficio Borderi and a visit to an old Mikvah underneath the Alla Giudeca Hotel. Tips: You have to pick up the bus over the bridge into Siracusa and make sure you have exact change. Hire a guide before you enter the Park. It cost us 15 Euros and was well worth it. We made the mistake of then walking to the Museum and didn't have the patience to spending much time there as we were just too tired. The visit to the Mikvah while interesting is only a 15 minute visit and cost 5 Euros each.
The last day in Ortigia was more walking that included the Duomo, another visit to the Market and a long walk to the bus to Noto. The bus ride took 45 minutes and leaves you off immediately outside the historical area of Noto. It is a beautiful city to visit and try to go to the top of the Church of Santa Chiara ( 4 Euros) to view Baroque Noto from the rooftop. It is a magnificent view of the city. Walking up and down Corso Vittorio Emanuele visiting the various historic buildings like the Palazzo Nicolaci ( there is a charge) and a very nice lunch at Trattoria del Carmine and gelato at Gelati Corrado Costanzo. Tips on traveling to Noto: We took the 11:30 bus to Noto, however, the last bus back to Siracusa from Noto was at 2:45 and so we decided to travel back by train. While the bus leaves you right outside the historical district the train is approximately a mile away. The good news is that walking back to the train is downhill. The bad news is that the station has nowhere to sit!! I mean no chairs or benches. We ended up sitting across the street in front of a gym. Our last dinner was at Taberna Sueva down the street from our hotel and it was really good! We leave in the morning for Modica and very happy that our stay in Ortigia was so wonderful. By the way we also visited the Castello Maniace which was an old fortress. It was a very interesting sight to visit and may only be open in the morning.
Oct 4th, 2014, 07:33 AM
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Modica
After a leisurely breakfast , hugs and kisses with Luisa we wheeled our luggage to our car and set off for Modica. This time we figured out how to use the GPS only to discover once in Modica that a road was closed and the GPS suffered a meltdown! We did what we do best: ask someone to help us…please! Our hero this time was the owner of a Yamaha business who led the way with his truck as we followed him down and up and around the city for an alternate route to Casa Talia. With the assistance of one more individual we eventually found our B & B and I must say that our room at Casa Talia was the nicest room we had and with the most spectacular view of our trip! In order to get down and back up again to the B & B you have to walk down many steps. We walked all around the city and had lunch at Trattoria Rusticana ( great food and lovely owner) and then bought chocolate at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto. Since we were not ready to have dinner before heading back up the stairs we decided to buy some sandwiches and a bottle of wine and ended up on our terrace watching the sunset, having dinner and the chocolates for dessert. It was a beautiful evening to just sit and relax and enjoy the absolute splendor of Modica lit up at night.
If you recall I had mentioned our desire to visit Villa Romana and Caltagirone from Ortigia. At breakfast on our second day in Modica we decided not to go since we would be spending so much time in the car and made the decision to visit Ragusa for the day. As fate would have it the Australian couple sitting at the next table during breakfast invited us to join them on their trip to Villa Romana/ Caltagirone for the day. They had arranged through the tourist office in town for a driver and would be leaving in thirty minutes. We quickly changed our plans, walked down to the tourist office and signed up for the trip. Our driver Giorgio (while getting us there in an hour and a half), really wasn't a guide--just a driver. We spent two hours at Villa Romana and thoroughly enjoyed the visit, stopped for lunch at Ristorante Mosaici which was nearby. It was okay--nothing special. Then we were off to Caltagirone and even more steps than in Modica. While it is certainly beautiful to see the Mosaics on each and every step ( all 221) it is a very steep walk all uphill. The question we had at the end of the day was whether or not it was worth the time and energy to visit both Villa Romana and Caltagirone and to be quite honest…we still haven't decided! There's no question that the mosaics at the Villa Romana are spectacular, however, it was extremely hot and with so many tourists it was very slow moving. Tip: If you do decide to go I would suggest you hire a guide either beforehand or upon arrival to make your experience much more meaningful. Regarding Caltagirone: unless you are up to climbing so many steps and walking in and out of many tourist ceramic shops I would pass on it. Once again we were so tired from the day that we decided to shop at a supermarket and ended up having dinner on the terrace. Who can argue with another sunset, wine, food and dessert and a view that looks like it was on a postcard!
Selinunte.
After breakfast and a brief discussion with the owner/architect of Casa Talia we were on our way to the Villa Sogno which was very close to the ruins of Selinunte. We knew that it was a 4 hour drive and had already made the decision not to stop at Agrigento. We did see just one of the ruins of Agrigento as we passed it on the road, however, we were anxious to just kick back at Villa Sogno and enjoy some much needed down time by their pool! We arrived this time without any problems and were welcomed with a drink and the warmest of greetings by the owners Cinzia and Lorenzo. The B & B is simply outstanding in every way! The rooms and pool and gardens are just wonderful. There are so many different places to sit and lounge by the pool. You can also catch some sleep in a well placed hammock or workout in their enclosed gym. Cinzia is not just a great cook and baker but also has many suggestions for dinner and sightseeing in the area. We took her advice and drove to the village a short distance away and had dinner at the seaside restaurant Lido di Zabbara. We met the owner Yoyo who explained that all of his fish were fresh and cooked to order right there in the courtyard. My wife photographed the man who cooked our fish and the entire atmosphere is warm and family oriented. My wife took a photo of Yoyo and his son as we left.
Our breakfast was the best one we had in Sicily. There was homemade yogurt, granola, muffins and cakes ( all baked by Cinzia), cappuccinos, teas and juices and breads. Whatever you didn't eat was wrapped up for you to take with you during the day. Our plan was to go to the Archeological Park of Selinunte which was nearby and have lunch in the village also suggested by Cinzia. The ruins of Selinunte were quite something to see. You literally walk up, around and through them all and walk many miles while doing so. It wasn't crowded and we had a truly great experience here especially because of what happened to us here. We were admiring these huge rocks that almost looked like wheels since they had these holes in the center and were meant to interlock with some type of rod. While we were commenting to one another an elderly gentlemen spoke to us very animately in French. It was one of those moments that while we cannot speak French and he couldn't speak English- we just understood each other. We continued to walk and talk, using his fluent Italian, my limited Italian and my wife's very little French and found ourselves 3 hours later having covered the entire grounds. There was such a wonderful camaraderie that we invited him to join us for lunch at La Pineta, a seaside restaurant and enjoyed a nice meal with our newly acquired Frenchman! After returning back to Villa Sogno and another swim we met another couple who joined us for dinner at the Agriturismo Carbona and then joined by a third couple also staying at our B & B. It was an evening filled with laughter, good food and excellent wine. The two days here were just what the doctor prescribed. In the morning we leave for Trapani and Erice for the night.
After a leisurely breakfast , hugs and kisses with Luisa we wheeled our luggage to our car and set off for Modica. This time we figured out how to use the GPS only to discover once in Modica that a road was closed and the GPS suffered a meltdown! We did what we do best: ask someone to help us…please! Our hero this time was the owner of a Yamaha business who led the way with his truck as we followed him down and up and around the city for an alternate route to Casa Talia. With the assistance of one more individual we eventually found our B & B and I must say that our room at Casa Talia was the nicest room we had and with the most spectacular view of our trip! In order to get down and back up again to the B & B you have to walk down many steps. We walked all around the city and had lunch at Trattoria Rusticana ( great food and lovely owner) and then bought chocolate at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto. Since we were not ready to have dinner before heading back up the stairs we decided to buy some sandwiches and a bottle of wine and ended up on our terrace watching the sunset, having dinner and the chocolates for dessert. It was a beautiful evening to just sit and relax and enjoy the absolute splendor of Modica lit up at night.
If you recall I had mentioned our desire to visit Villa Romana and Caltagirone from Ortigia. At breakfast on our second day in Modica we decided not to go since we would be spending so much time in the car and made the decision to visit Ragusa for the day. As fate would have it the Australian couple sitting at the next table during breakfast invited us to join them on their trip to Villa Romana/ Caltagirone for the day. They had arranged through the tourist office in town for a driver and would be leaving in thirty minutes. We quickly changed our plans, walked down to the tourist office and signed up for the trip. Our driver Giorgio (while getting us there in an hour and a half), really wasn't a guide--just a driver. We spent two hours at Villa Romana and thoroughly enjoyed the visit, stopped for lunch at Ristorante Mosaici which was nearby. It was okay--nothing special. Then we were off to Caltagirone and even more steps than in Modica. While it is certainly beautiful to see the Mosaics on each and every step ( all 221) it is a very steep walk all uphill. The question we had at the end of the day was whether or not it was worth the time and energy to visit both Villa Romana and Caltagirone and to be quite honest…we still haven't decided! There's no question that the mosaics at the Villa Romana are spectacular, however, it was extremely hot and with so many tourists it was very slow moving. Tip: If you do decide to go I would suggest you hire a guide either beforehand or upon arrival to make your experience much more meaningful. Regarding Caltagirone: unless you are up to climbing so many steps and walking in and out of many tourist ceramic shops I would pass on it. Once again we were so tired from the day that we decided to shop at a supermarket and ended up having dinner on the terrace. Who can argue with another sunset, wine, food and dessert and a view that looks like it was on a postcard!
Selinunte.
After breakfast and a brief discussion with the owner/architect of Casa Talia we were on our way to the Villa Sogno which was very close to the ruins of Selinunte. We knew that it was a 4 hour drive and had already made the decision not to stop at Agrigento. We did see just one of the ruins of Agrigento as we passed it on the road, however, we were anxious to just kick back at Villa Sogno and enjoy some much needed down time by their pool! We arrived this time without any problems and were welcomed with a drink and the warmest of greetings by the owners Cinzia and Lorenzo. The B & B is simply outstanding in every way! The rooms and pool and gardens are just wonderful. There are so many different places to sit and lounge by the pool. You can also catch some sleep in a well placed hammock or workout in their enclosed gym. Cinzia is not just a great cook and baker but also has many suggestions for dinner and sightseeing in the area. We took her advice and drove to the village a short distance away and had dinner at the seaside restaurant Lido di Zabbara. We met the owner Yoyo who explained that all of his fish were fresh and cooked to order right there in the courtyard. My wife photographed the man who cooked our fish and the entire atmosphere is warm and family oriented. My wife took a photo of Yoyo and his son as we left.
Our breakfast was the best one we had in Sicily. There was homemade yogurt, granola, muffins and cakes ( all baked by Cinzia), cappuccinos, teas and juices and breads. Whatever you didn't eat was wrapped up for you to take with you during the day. Our plan was to go to the Archeological Park of Selinunte which was nearby and have lunch in the village also suggested by Cinzia. The ruins of Selinunte were quite something to see. You literally walk up, around and through them all and walk many miles while doing so. It wasn't crowded and we had a truly great experience here especially because of what happened to us here. We were admiring these huge rocks that almost looked like wheels since they had these holes in the center and were meant to interlock with some type of rod. While we were commenting to one another an elderly gentlemen spoke to us very animately in French. It was one of those moments that while we cannot speak French and he couldn't speak English- we just understood each other. We continued to walk and talk, using his fluent Italian, my limited Italian and my wife's very little French and found ourselves 3 hours later having covered the entire grounds. There was such a wonderful camaraderie that we invited him to join us for lunch at La Pineta, a seaside restaurant and enjoyed a nice meal with our newly acquired Frenchman! After returning back to Villa Sogno and another swim we met another couple who joined us for dinner at the Agriturismo Carbona and then joined by a third couple also staying at our B & B. It was an evening filled with laughter, good food and excellent wine. The two days here were just what the doctor prescribed. In the morning we leave for Trapani and Erice for the night.
Oct 5th, 2014, 07:10 AM
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Trapani and Erice
One more incredible breakfast prepared by Cinzia and we were on our way to Trapani and our B & B I Colori del Vento, 62 Viale Regina Elena. It was a very easy trip and the GPS dropped us off in front of the B & B. I forgot to call in advance and unfortunately ( for us) when we arrived noone was there. I banged on the door; rang several buzzers/bells and even asked some strangers to call I Colori for me. In 20 minutes someone showed up and led us to our room …up several flights. While we were treated very nicely ( once someone was actually there), I would not recommend this B & B for several reasons: (1). Parking is a bit difficult as you either have to feed the meter or drive about 6 minutes away and look for a parking spot on the street. (2) There is no elevator and a very steep staircase leading up several flights up, (3) There is noone in charge in the evening. The B & B is in a nice location directly across from the Port and just a few blocks from their historic district with lots of restaurants, stores etc.
After checking in we left to find the funicular that would take us up to Erice ( which was the primary reason for visiting Trapani). We fell for a scam meaning that we allowed this guy to direct us to a " free parking spot" down the street from the funicular and paid him a few euros for his troubles. All of the parking spaces were free. So if you are driving to the funicular don't allow this to happen to you. The ride up to Erice took about 15 minutes and wasn't too scary as you get a chance to look behind you and see the entire city of Trapani below you.
Erice is magical! We loved walking up and down the streets and bought a pass for 5 Euros to explore 5 different sites. The views from Erice are spectacular and we ended up eating at one of many restaurants in the area : Pasticceria II Tulipano, Via Vittorio Emanuele 10/12. There are many wild dogs roaming around here and we were both fascinated and a just a bit cautious as we walked around. After several hours we took the funicular back down, found our car and took a drive to the Salt Flats of Trapani. This is a very interesting site to visit located about 15 minutes outside of Trapani and my wife especially loved taking photographs here. There are windmills, water and if you arrive late in the afternoon you can see a very beautiful sunset. Dinner was at Osteria Vineria A Casa Mia and we absolutely loved eating here! Trapani's historic district is lit up at night and makes for very interesting people watching. We walked off our dinner and headed back to our room.
Palermo
After breakfast and another walk around the historic district of Trapani we headed for the Palermo Airport to drop off our car. It is a very easy ride and the drop off was excellent. So quick and without any problems we decided to take a taxi into Palermo and to our hotel Principe Di Villafranca. Our taxi driver was a maniac!! His driving method included weaving in and out of traffic; honking his horn at everyone and not being very communicative. Although we live in a suburb of NYC and travel into Manhattan several times a week I must say that arriving in Palermo was a bit of culture shock after visiting all the previous towns and villages in Sicily! There were people everywhere and many cars and taxis and busses and motorcycles all seeming to move at the same time. We ended up liking our hotel even though once again the Wifi in our room was hit or miss. There was an elevator and the breakfast and breakfast room was excellent. It is a modern hotel with lots of modern paintings, a reading room with a computer for your use and the most wonderful and attentive staff. The only issue is that it not in the historic district and is a bit of a walk anytime you want to go towards the sights. Lunch was suggested at Spinatos Caffe across the street from Piazza Castenuovo. I had printed up a walking tour of Palermo and we were on our way including a tour of the Teatro Massimo ( Opera House). Over the next few days we would visit San Giovanni deli Eremiti, Palazzo die Normanni ( Palatina Chapel), Villa Bonanno, Duomo, Chiesa San Giuseppe die Teatini, Quattro Canti ( Four Corners), Chiesa San Cataldo, Chiesa della Martorana. We ended up having some gelato at an outdoor caffe where both the gelato was great and the wifi signal strong! Dinner that night was once again directly in back of Piazza Castenuovo at Fratelli La Loufala. The next morning we took a taxi from the hotel to Monreale ( 30 Euros). There is no charge to visit Monreale , however, I suggest you rent headsets for explanations and historical significance to the mosaics and beauty that you will see here. That day was the only time in two weeks that it rained and lucky for us we did have our little umbrella with us.
We took the bus back to Palermo ( you have to purchase tickets before boarding) and you can do this at a tobacco shop directly across the church. Our walk today led us down Vittorio Emanuele to the waterfront area. This is a worthwhile destination to visit. There are restaurants , boats, great people watching, nearby ruins and some benches by the sea to just sit and relax. We ended our day by having dinner at our hotel which was okay. Our last day was spent in Cefalu which we absolutely loved! We took a very long walk to the Central station and took the 1 hour trip to Cefalu. It is really a very charming town with lots of side streets, uphill walking, beachfront, restaurants and shops. We had a very nice lunch on the water at Kentia, Via C.O di Bordonaro. We spent the afternoon here and soon we were back in Palermo walking through the Ballaro market ( we did not enjoy this market). A stop at Ceramiche De Simone, Via Cavour, 38 for some gifts and then some shopping at a local supermarket for dinner and we headed back to our hotel.
We never felt unsafe in Palermo and were happy that we chose to start in Taormina and end here. It has been a wonderful trip and we are definitely ready to head home in the morning.
Heading home
Travel days are always difficult. Early morning breakfast and then a taxi to the airport. A quick flight to Rome and a 3 hour wait followed by an 8 1/2 hour flight and a car service to our house. Advice : print out your boarding passes before heading out to the Palermo airport due to huge long lines. Also our Global Entry allowed us to skip the line at Customs and Immigration at JFK and we were through in five minutes!
So all of the planning and anxiety is now over. My health issues were not a factor ( having had a heart attack seven weeks before) and all of the walking, hiking, eating Pasta, drinking wine and enjoying some gelato did not seem to affect my condition in a negative way. We loved Sicily and we are now going through the more than 2000 photos that my wife had taken . I loved writing this TR as it kept reminding me of just how wonderful our experience was and I hope that it will help others in planning their first visit to Sicily.
Ciao!
One more incredible breakfast prepared by Cinzia and we were on our way to Trapani and our B & B I Colori del Vento, 62 Viale Regina Elena. It was a very easy trip and the GPS dropped us off in front of the B & B. I forgot to call in advance and unfortunately ( for us) when we arrived noone was there. I banged on the door; rang several buzzers/bells and even asked some strangers to call I Colori for me. In 20 minutes someone showed up and led us to our room …up several flights. While we were treated very nicely ( once someone was actually there), I would not recommend this B & B for several reasons: (1). Parking is a bit difficult as you either have to feed the meter or drive about 6 minutes away and look for a parking spot on the street. (2) There is no elevator and a very steep staircase leading up several flights up, (3) There is noone in charge in the evening. The B & B is in a nice location directly across from the Port and just a few blocks from their historic district with lots of restaurants, stores etc.
After checking in we left to find the funicular that would take us up to Erice ( which was the primary reason for visiting Trapani). We fell for a scam meaning that we allowed this guy to direct us to a " free parking spot" down the street from the funicular and paid him a few euros for his troubles. All of the parking spaces were free. So if you are driving to the funicular don't allow this to happen to you. The ride up to Erice took about 15 minutes and wasn't too scary as you get a chance to look behind you and see the entire city of Trapani below you.
Erice is magical! We loved walking up and down the streets and bought a pass for 5 Euros to explore 5 different sites. The views from Erice are spectacular and we ended up eating at one of many restaurants in the area : Pasticceria II Tulipano, Via Vittorio Emanuele 10/12. There are many wild dogs roaming around here and we were both fascinated and a just a bit cautious as we walked around. After several hours we took the funicular back down, found our car and took a drive to the Salt Flats of Trapani. This is a very interesting site to visit located about 15 minutes outside of Trapani and my wife especially loved taking photographs here. There are windmills, water and if you arrive late in the afternoon you can see a very beautiful sunset. Dinner was at Osteria Vineria A Casa Mia and we absolutely loved eating here! Trapani's historic district is lit up at night and makes for very interesting people watching. We walked off our dinner and headed back to our room.
Palermo
After breakfast and another walk around the historic district of Trapani we headed for the Palermo Airport to drop off our car. It is a very easy ride and the drop off was excellent. So quick and without any problems we decided to take a taxi into Palermo and to our hotel Principe Di Villafranca. Our taxi driver was a maniac!! His driving method included weaving in and out of traffic; honking his horn at everyone and not being very communicative. Although we live in a suburb of NYC and travel into Manhattan several times a week I must say that arriving in Palermo was a bit of culture shock after visiting all the previous towns and villages in Sicily! There were people everywhere and many cars and taxis and busses and motorcycles all seeming to move at the same time. We ended up liking our hotel even though once again the Wifi in our room was hit or miss. There was an elevator and the breakfast and breakfast room was excellent. It is a modern hotel with lots of modern paintings, a reading room with a computer for your use and the most wonderful and attentive staff. The only issue is that it not in the historic district and is a bit of a walk anytime you want to go towards the sights. Lunch was suggested at Spinatos Caffe across the street from Piazza Castenuovo. I had printed up a walking tour of Palermo and we were on our way including a tour of the Teatro Massimo ( Opera House). Over the next few days we would visit San Giovanni deli Eremiti, Palazzo die Normanni ( Palatina Chapel), Villa Bonanno, Duomo, Chiesa San Giuseppe die Teatini, Quattro Canti ( Four Corners), Chiesa San Cataldo, Chiesa della Martorana. We ended up having some gelato at an outdoor caffe where both the gelato was great and the wifi signal strong! Dinner that night was once again directly in back of Piazza Castenuovo at Fratelli La Loufala. The next morning we took a taxi from the hotel to Monreale ( 30 Euros). There is no charge to visit Monreale , however, I suggest you rent headsets for explanations and historical significance to the mosaics and beauty that you will see here. That day was the only time in two weeks that it rained and lucky for us we did have our little umbrella with us.
We took the bus back to Palermo ( you have to purchase tickets before boarding) and you can do this at a tobacco shop directly across the church. Our walk today led us down Vittorio Emanuele to the waterfront area. This is a worthwhile destination to visit. There are restaurants , boats, great people watching, nearby ruins and some benches by the sea to just sit and relax. We ended our day by having dinner at our hotel which was okay. Our last day was spent in Cefalu which we absolutely loved! We took a very long walk to the Central station and took the 1 hour trip to Cefalu. It is really a very charming town with lots of side streets, uphill walking, beachfront, restaurants and shops. We had a very nice lunch on the water at Kentia, Via C.O di Bordonaro. We spent the afternoon here and soon we were back in Palermo walking through the Ballaro market ( we did not enjoy this market). A stop at Ceramiche De Simone, Via Cavour, 38 for some gifts and then some shopping at a local supermarket for dinner and we headed back to our hotel.
We never felt unsafe in Palermo and were happy that we chose to start in Taormina and end here. It has been a wonderful trip and we are definitely ready to head home in the morning.
Heading home
Travel days are always difficult. Early morning breakfast and then a taxi to the airport. A quick flight to Rome and a 3 hour wait followed by an 8 1/2 hour flight and a car service to our house. Advice : print out your boarding passes before heading out to the Palermo airport due to huge long lines. Also our Global Entry allowed us to skip the line at Customs and Immigration at JFK and we were through in five minutes!
So all of the planning and anxiety is now over. My health issues were not a factor ( having had a heart attack seven weeks before) and all of the walking, hiking, eating Pasta, drinking wine and enjoying some gelato did not seem to affect my condition in a negative way. We loved Sicily and we are now going through the more than 2000 photos that my wife had taken . I loved writing this TR as it kept reminding me of just how wonderful our experience was and I hope that it will help others in planning their first visit to Sicily.
Ciao!
Oct 5th, 2014, 07:36 AM
#16
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Brava to your wife, allyboy! Enjoying your TR very much. Your Mt. Etna tour sounded amazing. My late DH and I never did rent a car—it was a sacrifice to flexibility that we were glad to make whenever reading about parking woes! Villa Sogno looks amazing and I agree with jmct714—you guys sound like great fun. DH and I were "Wow'd" by Monreale mosaics--best we ever saw. And isn’t it wonderful to walk through customs with only the plane’s pilot! Wonderful report and great tips.
Oct 5th, 2014, 10:20 AM
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allyboy,
I'm so glad you had a great trip! Sounds like you enjoyed most everything. Good for you to be determined to go in spite of your health scare. Thanks for the TR with all the detail and your impressions.
Ciao
I'm so glad you had a great trip! Sounds like you enjoyed most everything. Good for you to be determined to go in spite of your health scare. Thanks for the TR with all the detail and your impressions.
Ciao
Oct 5th, 2014, 01:20 PM
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thank you so much for your excellent trip report. we are in the midst of planning our 3+ weeks in sicily - next may. toward the end of our trip we have booked an apartment in siracusa and also plan to park our car and leave it for 3 days. then we can drive to taormina and then to milazzo for our 5 days in the islands. once again thank you so much.
