jacquie

* One of the most enjoyable days came after we endured an almost two hour wait for a bus which wasn’t packed from Positano on the Amalfi coast to our hotel in Sorrento. After that experience and our mild disappointment with Positano (while pretty, we thought it lacked the character of Cinque Terre that we visited last year-too many tourist-oriented shops) we hired a Vespa to explore the rest of the Amalfi coast. As there was very little traffic, it was exhilarating to cruise along the 50km stretch of winding coastline dropping into clear blue waters. Our first stop was Amalfi which had the typical narrow cobbled streets, even narrower pastel houses and cute little shops. We wandered the streets, sampling gelati, before deciding to get some picnic supplies from the fruit and vegetable market, the alimentari (delicatessen) and panineria (bread shop). We sat on some rocks overlooking the beach to demolish our lunch and observe the goings-on on the beach while cursing ourselves for not bringing our swimming costumes. Ravello, further up the cliffs, was our next stop and a very worthwhile one at that. This beautiful place had a real sense of stillness and quiet-perfect for the classical music concerts held during summer. We enjoyed some coffee in the piazza, where we just admired the view and soaked up the atmosphere, before wandering around the shaded cobbled streets. <BR> <BR>* Waking early during our overnight boat ride from Napoli to the Aeolian Islands (Sicily) was a refreshing introduction to the rugged beauty of the Aeolian Islands. I watched the sun come up, highlighting the wonders of this volcanic archipelago, as I sat down to watch the islands go by in the morning breeze, crisp off the water. Lipari, the most developed of the islands and a centre for mining pumice, was our base for exploring the archipelago over the next five days. As it was off-season, we got a great bargain on our apartment, which had a few rooms, fully equipped kitchen and large outdoor terrace. We met some young Aussies staying downstairs and spent the day with them, swimming at Porticello, exploring the island by scooter and then cooking up a storm with local produce and plenty of the local alcohol. The next four days were spent in much the same way-we explored three of the seven islands by scooter, admired the volcanoes and fantastic panoramic views, and had more than our fair share of the very tasty local produce. (Some may find it interesting that Australia is known as the eighth Aeolian Island, as during the 1930s to 50s many inhabitants migrated to Australia.) <BR> <BR>* We felt obliged to head over to mainland Sicily (as we were flying out of Palermo to Milano and it was only an hour or so by hydrofoil), but were hoping our last five days wouldn’t pale in comparison to the perfect five we spent exploring the islands. Taormina, which is reputed to be the most picturesque town in Sicily, initially disappointed because of the masses of people, but once we headed out of town on a Vespa, we were rewarded with scenes which appeared as if out of old Italian films. Our favourite was a town, the centre of which was dominated by huddles of old weathered men wearing rustic clothing (wool caps, coats and all) discussing who-knows-what amongst the dimly lit ancient streets. <BR> <BR>

jacquie

a little bit more... <BR> <BR>* When the visibility proved too poor for visiting the craters of Mt Etna, we reconsidered our options and decided to rent a car for our last four days. It turned out to be a wise decision, as it enabled us to see so much more than we could have using the bus network. On our way to Siracusa we stopped at Catania which, despite its reputation as a major crime centre, had areas worth exploring. The depth of Italian art and history became evident, as even though Catania was hardly on a top 10 attractions list, (it is actually singled out as one of the 10 things Lonely Planet writers could do without a second dose of) there was more art and history in the streets than I have seen anywhere outside Italy. <BR>

nancy

Fun to read. <BR>Bringing this to top. <BR>nancy

deb

topping...

Terry

I spent one night in Catania in September and, while it's not the most beautiful place in Italy due to the gloominess of the dark stone used in all the architecture, I remember it as being the liveliest of all the places in Sicily to visit. At night all the small streets near the University at Via Etna are closed off and everyone congregates there to wander from bar to bar to meet their friends. Don't make the mistake we did and go out too early - by the time midnight came the place was just starting to take off, and we were too tired to last the pace! Catania is reputed to be a centre of crime, but we saw none and felt very safe. There's a wonderful restaurant on Via Etna near the Cathedral piazza that does the most amazing buffet lunches and dinners that you've ever seen! It looks a bit like a pastry shop when you go in, but out the back they have tables and chairs. While we were there a coachload of elderly Italian-American tourists came in to be fed and raved about everything. They were such a charming group - so enthusiastic and lively. I hope I'm like that when I'm their age. I'm so sorry that I can't remember the name of the place, but if you go there, be sure and try some canoli - our American friends thought that it was wonderful - one gentleman said that it was even better than his grandmother's recipe.

jacquie

topping for bobbi. <BR> <BR>glad you enjoyed part 3.