dodi66

SIRACUSA/ORTYGIA...It was a short drive to Siracusa where we were to drop off the car. The traffic was horrific coming into Siracusa and the sign for Europcar was miniscule, but after several frustrating turns around the area, we were successful in locating it and parking the car. At this point, depositing the car was rather a relief!! A taxi took us all to our B&B in Ortygia, right on the water, a perfect location for us. Simone recommended a restaurant on the water....Lungolanoute, I think it was called. Excellent meal and a nice view. We explored a bit of Ortygia around the waterfront, then took a boat tour with Roberto around the island and to the caves. Roberto was a charmer and full of information about the area (in very broken English and a lot of hand waving!!). The bay is beautiful, and we saw the Castle/Fort on the hill, many rock formations in the sea, and the beautiful caves with their amazing colors. Seeing Ortygia from the water gave a new different to this lovely place. Tour was about a 1 1/2 hours and a fun addition to our time in Ortygia. Back on shore, we went over to the Piazza Duomo for a glass of wine and to see the Duomo. It was closed but the Piazza is very nice, with the Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco and its beautiful facade and interesting interior. The facade of the Duomo is magnificent, heavily Baroque, and beautiful at night when it is lighted. Next day, after the best breakfast we had on our entire trip, we went to visit the interior of the Duomo. Spectacular, built over a 6th century site dedicated to Athena, with glorious Sicilian Baroque architecture and lovely mosaics. A room in the Duomo is dedicated to St Lucia, the patron saint of Ortygia, with a film showing the annual procession in her honor. Across from Duomo is a building dedicated to St Lucia with an exhibit of the famous Caravaggio painting of her death. A very solemn and beautiful place. Simone had recommended that we go to the local market. A wonderful, typical Sicilian market, loud, crowded, fun, and selling everything from produce to fish to bras to spices to toys! We love those markets!! We went from there to the ancient Mikveh, discovered under the Hotel Alla Giudecca. Really interesting and worthwhile...the oldest one in Europe. The tour takes about 20 minutes and costs 5 euros. The Giudecca (Jewish District) is quite ancient and felt almost ghostly, even though it is inhabited. We wandered over to Via Roma, one of the main shopping streets to locate the shop of Helene, who creates handpainted silk scarves. Spent a bit of time, choosing scarves and talking with Helene, who is delightful. A great souvenir from fabulous Sicily!! Lunch on the Piazza and then a walk to the Greek theater in Syracusa. It was a long way and we should have probably taken the bus, but Simone had said it "wasn't far". Impressive site at the Greek Theater, in quite good condition and easy to imagine the plays performed here from 5th century! The stone quarries, (also used as prisons), the Orecchio di Dioniso, (amazing sound effects), the waterfalls in the Grotta, the Roman amphitheatre...all impressive, very interesting, and worth the long walk! A lot to see here and we spent about 3 hours exploring. By this time the museum had closed so we had to forgo a visit. Took a taxi back to Ortygia, Simone recommended Schiticclio on Via Cavour for dinner, said it was frequented by locals. We got there and were seated right away.
Fifteen minutes later there was a long line outside the door...once again American habit of eating before 8pm paid off!! (It was 7:45pm when we were seated!!) Wonderful pizza (our first pizza in Sicily!!) We found that true in many restaurants in Sicily...a lot don't open until 7:30, but if you arrive just then, you can be seated because they don't get busy until after 8 or 9. Next day, my husband and Jim took an early bus to Catania to visit the Museum of the Allied Landing. My husband has a huge interest in WWII history and we had read of this museum, but information in guide books was sketchy, if it was mentioned at all. Simone checked into it and provided them with directions for a visit. It was an easy trip (1 hour) and they thought the museum was small, but very well presented, with a lot of little known information and history of Sicily during WWII. They spent about 4 hours there at the museum, explored a bit of Catania, then took the bus back to Ortygia. Kathy and I spent the day shopping and enjoying the ambiance of Ortygia! Lots of fun shops with Italian made items. Also many shops with items made in China, so buyer beware!! lso many lovely pastry shops with beautiful displays and tasty treats!! It was a fun day for all of us.

panecott

Dodi, I think you're right about Dayle, and I think thursdaysd might have said the same as well. I'll check their posts again.

Loved your installment on Siracusa/Ortygia. It's been many years since I was there and I only recall visiting the archeological sites but little else, so your info is very helpful.

I'm also dropping my car off there and am taking an Italian course for a week. Classes in the morning and free afternoons. I'm hoping to take a couple of cooking classes as well while there, and in Taormina (pizza making) and Cefalu as well.

I will arrive in Siracusa on a Sunday afternoon so I hope traffic won't be too bad. annhig also said it was a hassle getting into and out of the city.

Such a shame that Italy sells stuff made in China, but I know it's been that way for a while.

dodi66

Panecott..thank you! Glad this is helping you. An Italian class in Ortygia sounds wonderful...what a great place to base for a week! And, even though Taormina is touristy and crowded in the day, we loved it in the evening, so a cooking class there would be grand!
Unfortunately, we didn't make it to Cefalu...we have a lot more to see on our return trip, for sure!! We have found that stuff from China everywhere we travel! One of the reasons that I love to scour the local markets (craft ones) for locally made treasures! Found some gorgeous tiles handmade in Ferrara this trip, sold at market by wife and daughter of tile maker!! While in Ortygia, look for handpainted scarf store and for store (can't remember name, but was on Via Roma) with handpainted clothes. I have a beautiful blouse from there, and, of course, a few scarves from Helene!! So envious of your time in Sicily this fall....how lovely to spend a month or so, just absorbing it all!!!

sundriedtopepo

Thanks Dodi! And thanks for coming back to write this, I love hearing what people liked or disliked about their trip, plus it's a bit like being there all over again.

dodi66

You're very welcome, sundriedtopepo! I feel the same way...love to read other's reports (yours inspired me for our trip!), both before a trip for planning purposes, and afterwards for reliving and comparing. This is the first report I've written because I usually get caught up in creating photobooks right after a trip. This trip was so dependent on informative trip reports (even more so than our other trips) that I wanted to return the favor and perhaps help someone else. Photobooks will come AFTER this, for this time anyway!!

TexasAggie

Thank you so much!
We will have 4 weeks in Italy next year - 1st week of June through 1st week of July. Much of the trip is spoken-for between DH's work and the couple weeks we wish to spend in our favorite haunt in Tuscany, but we appear to have about 10 days to play with. Sicily has been on our wish list for more than a decade. I know it'll be hot - we couldn't get there before the last week of June - but we are rather used to that, living in TX. Anyway, I know we can't see even half of all Sicily has to offer with only 10 days but I'm hopeful we can get a nice overview. Really appreciate your report as I plan!

Leely2

I thought I had seen most of the major sights in Ortigia/Siracusa, but reading your report, dodi, I now realize I have much to keep me busy when I finally manage a return. And of course Ortigia itself is very pretty. Thanks again for writing this!

dodi66

TAORMINA...I had pre purchased and printed train tickets for us to Taormina, on the direct train, with arrival at 1pm. No preassigned seats on local trains but no issues at all with that..train was mostly empty until Catania and we were already seated! Tickets were cheap...about 8 euro each and I used the Loco2 website since the trenitalia and italiarail sites seemed rather fiddly. I had used that site for a previous trip to Spain (also fiddly website!) and it works very well, much easier! Arrived in Taormina at the height of the cruise and tour crowds..midafternoon..but we took a taxi from station to B&B, up long, narrow, very twisty streets, admiring the view of the sea over the side and the lovely houses perched on the hill. I had chosen for us to stay at Villa Sara, based on recommendations from Dayle, I believe, and reviews on TA and Booking.com. NONE of those came close to truly describing the magnificent view from our terrace!! Simply stunning!! Mt Etna and the glorious sea, spread out in front of us!!! A perfect place for afternoon wine!! It was a long walk down to town and the crowds were still thick, but we found a lovely restaurant, with a fabulous view..Trattoria Siciliana..set up above the town, covered with flowers. Great food and a very friendly staff. By the time we were finished, the crowds had thinned out, and we walked down Corso Umberto to the Duomo which seemed very austere, compared to all the Baroque churches we had visited. Lots of little alleyways and lanes with interesting sights. The Roman brick wall, with its arched niches was a find. Wandered the streets (crowds were quite diminished by now..about 4:30) and visited a few of the shops, bought gelato ("the best in Sicily" so the sign said! Good, but maybe not the BEST!!) and headed for the Greek Theatre. The setting of this theatre is spectacular and the theatre itself is massive and interesting. Originally the theatre had a seating capacity of 5,000 people. Some of the Corinthian columns are still standing and the double portico, surrounding the upper part is unique. There was a lot of scaffolding and wiring around..not sure if it was reconstruction or preparing for an event, but it rather diminished the antiquity feel of the monument. For the next day I had arranged a Mt Etna/Winery all day tour with Sicily Life. Our driver, Antonio, was wonderful, full of historical, geological, and local information, a font of knowledge, and very personable. We stopped in Zafferana, a small picturesque village, on the eastern slope of Mt Etna, which is one of the towns most often affected by Etna's recent lava flows. In 1992 the lava reached the edge of the town. The beautiful Baroque Chiesa Madre, in the center of the piazza, has door panels depicting the lava flow coming into the town and being held back by Mary's intervention. Zafferana is famous for its honey, and rightly so. A stop at a honey farm, which produced many different flavors of honey, also lotions and soaps made from honey, in addition to Etna wines, many types of olive oil, olives, and liquor was fun. Driving up the road through the areas of old lava flow to the Silvestri craters and the latest lava flows and craters was amazing...very moonscape-ish. Antonio pointed out many of the lava caves that could be explored and we walked to the top of one of the Silvestri craters. Drove a most scenic route with a wonderful view over the volcano out to the dark blue Ionian sea, very forest-like in places, to the Gambino winery. The winery is a stunning setting, very picturesque with vines as as you can see, surrounding a garden and a beautiful villa on a hill. We were treated royally, served a beautiful Sicilian lunch, and many tastes (we were told that the bottles would stay on the table and we were to help ourselves if we wanted more...by end of meal, there were 5 bottles on the table..not empty, though!!), and the owner came to the table to chat and to explain how their wine was grown and harvested. Dessert was then served. This was one of the highlights of our Sicily trip...such warmth and friendliness found here is rare, and the entire experience was amazing. We have done wine tasting tours in Napa and Cambria, California, in Oregon, in Australia and in France, and never have we enjoyed one as much!! We continued our tour of the slopes of Mt Etna with a visit to Castiglione di Sicilia, a charming village on the crag dominating the Alcantara Valley. We walked up to view the Alcantara Gorges, and admired the lava canyon. A lovely day, all together. Back in Taormina, our friends, Jim and Kathy, took a transfer (prearranged) to Catania for their early morning flight back to the States. My husband and I walked one more time down the twisting, narrow alleys and lanes to town. It was uncrowded and lovely and charming (without the mobs of people!!). We sadly noted our last night in amazing, charming, incredible Sicily, which proved to be so much more than we expected!! Next morning we took a prearranged transfer to the Catania airport and flew out to Bergamo (Milan) to begin our "other Italy" holiday. Sicily and its beautiful people had won our hearts and we will return!!
A few random thoughts...nowhere did I see it mentioned in any trip report that there may be a lack of toilet paper!! Not in B&Bs, but in public restrooms attached to restaurants, for instance. Luckily I had a roll of travel toilet paper in my purse (because that had been an issue when we had been in Turkey, and now I always travel with it!!). Am I the only one who noticed that, or has it just not been mentioned??
The Sicilians are the most welcoming, friendly group of people we've met. They want you to love their country!! In every restaurant the waiter would stop by several times to ask if we liked the food or needed anything. Our B&B owners were very solicitous of our needs, asking if all was right. Such a delight to be treated so kindly.
Many areas had very few English speaking people, even in the tourist places. I thought it was charming and refreshing (I'm in their country, I am the one who should be speaking their language!!). It was never an issue...hand motions, pointing, smiles, a few phrases in Italian, go a long way and we never had any problem making our desires known.

Hope this report will help somebody with decisions or planning an itinerary or whatever. Sicily is a jewel, but please don't tell anyone. We don't want it to become too overrun!!!

dodi66

Texasaggie, Glad I could help!! Just curious..what is your favorite haunt in Tuscany? Spent a lot of time in Tuscany a few years ago. This trip we ended in Volterra, which we loved. If you plan for end of June, Erice would be probably be perfect, also Taormina and Ortygia...not too hot, I mean. The hotter areas would be Palermo, and the southern part, I think. Not any hotter than Texas, I wouldn't think, anyway.

sundriedtopepo

Dodi re the TP issue; I've found it an issue in all of Europe where we've visited. I pack half a dozen pocket packs of tissue so I have one in my purse at all times.

Thanks for writing this, I found it very enjoyable. Just a hint for next time, should have mentioned it earlier, that your report will be much easier to read if you separate the text into more paragraphs.

TexasAggie

Hi dodi,
We spend time in Montepulciano every year and have rented the same little place for 5 years now, since our oldest was an infant. We love the area, love the people we've gotten to know over the years, and it's just turned into our "spot". We just got back from 2 weeks there and will be returning for another couple weeks over Christmas and New Year's. We spend less time at big sights these days with young kiddos and more time doing family-friendly things. The Val d'Orcia and the Lago Trasimeno areas are perfect. Plenty of historical/gastronomic sights for my husband and I and plenty that the kids enjoy too. We try for 1 grown-up sight a day (museum, tomb, or the like) and 1 geared-to-kids activity . They love visiting the pecorino farms, love the thermal baths (Bagni San Filippo is a huge hit), love the "beach" at Castiglione del Lago, and so much more.
Thank you for the tips on Sicily in June!

panecott

Fabulous report, dodi. THank you for sharing your experiences.

Just a question - was your tour to Etna a private one, or was it with a group? I have been to Etna but was thinking of maybe going back - maybe.

And I will definitely look for the hand painted scarves in Siracusa - sounds like a perfect souvenir!

plufmud

Dodi,

What a wonderful adventure you had in Sicily and your trip report is absolutely amazing!
We will be in Sicily in September and our itinerary is very similar to yours except for Piazza Amerina which I know we are going to regret. There just isn't enough time as we only have 17 days. There are so many different opinions on staying in Noto and Taormina that I am constantly rethinking my decision. We have 2 nights in Noto and 3 nights in Ortigia.

I definitely get the wine tasting/tour but I have difficulty understanding why so many like visiting Mt. Etna. Could you elaborate?

I can sense your excitement and positive attitude in writing as you describe each site! You must be wonderful travel companions!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience and offer such good advice!

dodi66

Thank you all for the kind words. I enjoyed writing this report as it helped me relive such a wonderful trip and some favorite moments.
Sundriedtopepo...You are absolutely right and my English teacher would have been appalled!! As an English major in college, I know better, too....paragraphs are important!! My only excuse is that I was trying to get this finished and say everything that I wanted to and I got sloppy!! Will remember for next report...thanks for the suggestion!! Re toilet paper...Are you aware that there is actually "travel toilet paper" available on Amazon and at Target, and perhaps other locations. It's a very condensed, compact roll, easily fits in my very small purse, and has a lot of paper on the roll, is also biodegradable. Several choices of brands available on Amazon. I saw it mentioned somewhere years ago, and after my experience in Turkey, I bought some (should have bought it BEFORE Turkey!!!) and now never leave for Europe without at least 2 rolls!! You are right about it being an issue all over Europe.
I have found the same lack in France, as well as in Greece, among other places. As I said, I NEVER leave home without it now!!!

TexasAggie..We love Montepulciano too! We haven't seen much of the places you mentioned, need to spend more time there, I know. We rented a house in Casole d'Elsa a few years ago and loved that, too. One of our problems is deciding where we love the most!!
This year we spent just a day and 1/2 in Montepulciano and 4 days in Volterra, doing some day trips.....where is your spot in Montepulciano? Sounds like I should add it to my list!! Hope you make it to Sicily and love it as much as we did!!

Panecott...The tour to Etna was a private one for the 4 of us, arranged with Sicily Life....excellent to work with, wonderful guide (I think I said that already!!) We don't enjoy group tours, much prefer small tours,if any, (and small hotels and villages!!) The van Antonio drove would have only held 8 at the most, and I don't think they do large group tours. I think it was about 80 euros per person for the 4 of us for all day, including the wine tasting.

Plufmud...You must be from So Carolina with a name like that?!! One of the problems that I had with deciding on itinerary for Sicily was all the choices so I get what you are saying! No way can you do it all in 17 days...we missed a lot in 21 days!! Were you going to use Noto as a base for other Baroque villages? Three days in Ortygia is what we did and it worked well for us. What are you rethinking about those 2 areas? Are you going to the west coast area?

I think people like to visit Mt Etna because it is such a famous volcano, many people have never been close to a volcano before. I found it interesting in that it is so important in both a destructive and a constructive way. The eruptions and lava flow have caused much damage and havoc to the lives of the people around it, yet it is a major agricultural area because of the fertility of volcanic soil. And then there are the amateur geologists and the hikers, who enjoy the volcano for pure "volcano interest". We have spent a lot of time in Hawaii on the Big Island (the one with the active volcano), and there is something awesome about Mother Nature and her power. Or Pele as they say in Hawaii!! That was a nice compliment about my excitement and positive attitude and that we must be wonderful travel companions...thank you!! And I thought that people wanted to travel with us because I do all the planning and arranging and make it easy for them!! I'll go with "excitement and positive attitude"!!" Good luck with your plans...if I can help further, do send me a question. Would be happy to help.

panecott

Thanks, dodi.

Personally, I'm not too fond of tours, period, private or otherwise! I much prefer to just wander around by myself with a guidebook and just absorb what I do. I don't need to know every detail, and at my age I'll forget them anyway, lol! But some places are just easier to get to with tours.

I'm thinking of going back to Etna more to visit Bronte, which is at the foot of the volcano and is my paternal grandparents' home town. I was there only briefly once and didn't really have the chance to just wander around, which I'd like to do. I'll see....

And like you, I also prefer small towns and hotels, B&B's, etc., and I love discovering little places.

Plufmud, FWIW, Piazza Armerina was one of the few places in Sicily that I didn't love. I went there on my second trip to Sicily in my early 20's and was unmoved. Years later I decided to try it again, from a more "mature" perspective, and I had the same reaction. It's okay but I just wasn't blown away.

I know I'm in a tiny minority and that most people love it, but I just thought I'd throw that out there - maybe to mitigate your regrets about missing it. Besides, missing something that you'd like to see is a great reason for going back!

As for visiting Etna, I think dodi expressed it very well. The awesomeness (in the true sense of the word) of nature and the dominant presence of the mountain on the landscape are so impressive. I can still recall peering down into the crater and hearing and feeling the rumbling. It's a special and unique experience.

dodi66

Panecott...I get your "tour opinion" and also feel that way for the most part. Some places just seem to be enriched by a tour (but we ONLY do very small private ones, ever!!). It was Vagabonda, (from TA) who advised a private tour in Agrigento and Piazza Armerina, and she was spot o for those. We much prefer wandering on our own and absorbing what we can or want to. And I agree, I forget a good part of it all anyway!! We did the private Mt Etna tour for ease of getting there, and also the interaction with the guide, which was splendid...he had such a fun personality. And we do enjoy private (again, that word!!) food tours of different places...not for gourmet food, but for ethnic or cultural food experience and the background. We have done food tours in Prague, Budapest, Seville and San Sebastian, now Palermo...and each one was unique to the area and great fun. But a group tour, no way every, and limited any kind of tours, for sure!! I understand your "not blown away" by Piazza Armerina, I liked it a lot, but it wasn't a major highlight. Glad I saw it, but a return trip to Sicily would not take me there! Have you been to Ravenna in the "other Italy"? The mosaics there DID blow me away!! Sounds like Bronte is a wonderful place, and that is your focus for the next trip...and it sounds like it might be the perfect place to wander!!!

panecott

Hi, dodi,
I have not yet been to Ravenna but I will put it on my list. I'm already thinking that for my next trip to Italy I should visit some new places. I tend to like to return to places I love. I get a sense of feeling at home.

Those food tours sound interesting. I've never done one but the cooking classes I've been looking into have you shopping at the local markets, then preparing the food, then, of course, eating it, which should be fun.

I've really enjoyed this thread and chatting with you.

plufmud

Dodi,

You are correct~Charleston SC.
We are visiting Palermo with a private guide to Monreale for 1/2 day and cancelled the afternoon to Celafu after learning the interior of duomo scaffolding is covering the mosaics so we continue with guide in Palermo.

After our several days in Palermo, we are staying in Erice at Pietre Antiche for 3 nights, 2 nights at La Foresteria Menfi with a cooking class and driving to
Agrigento with a tour guide. We have 2 nights in Noto and 3 nights in Ortyiga.

panecott,
We are with you on the tour guides. We have used Context tours in Rome several times and honestly, we remember very little when we return, I mean very little. Great as the tour is taking place but....

As far as cooking/wineclasses, this is always at the top of our reason to visit. If you are ever in Parma region, try to stay at Antica Corte Pallavicina Relais and take a cooking class. Driving to Dal Pescatore and having dinner there is a great experience. Visiting the balsamic and parmesan farms were excellent!

I sighed a breath of relief about missing Piazza Armerina.

Okay, Dodi and panecott, you have convinced me to take a tour of Mt. Etna and now in process of trying to find a tour guide. I will definitely report back.

Thank you both so much for your input and anticipating our trip even more!!

panecott

plufmud, sounds like you have a great trip mapped out - I will be visiting several of the same places. I don't think you will regret visiting Etna. It is a special experience.

Most places in the west will be new to me and I'm looking forward to exploring the olive groves and wineries and doing some leisurely drives through the countryside. I'm taking along my mini watercolor kit and will indulge that hobby as well as photography.

I will look for your trip report in the fall.

HappyTrvlr

Did you see the hotel at the Planeta Winery and wonder if you would have liked to have stayed there?