Our (Somewhat) Laid Back Tour of Old Fave Stops in Italy
Jan 29th, 2017, 02:52 AM
#22
Annhig LOL not a good memory! Good thing we had smooth sailing, as I get seasick very easily...>>
So do I sundried. I'd already been seasick the day before when I got off the boat from Sorrento to Capri - my stomach was so upset that I threw up on the quayside. DH still mentions it! [and not in a good way].
So do I sundried. I'd already been seasick the day before when I got off the boat from Sorrento to Capri - my stomach was so upset that I threw up on the quayside. DH still mentions it! [and not in a good way].
Jan 29th, 2017, 02:01 PM
#24
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Thank you Hazel1, thank you Pawleys
Annhig, but he still married you!
On to Amalfi town
It’s not too far to walk to town, especially through those fragrant orange groves, so we went down to pick up our rental car, a Fiat 500 XL, like a small SUV. A fun car! Drove back to the hotel, picked up our cases, and started on our way.
I’m fortunate to have a husband who will stop anywhere (safely) when I say I NEED a photo of that view! And there are so many spots on that stretch of highway that are worthy of ooohh’s and ahhh’s.
From the roadside fruit and veggie cart, with its colorful lemons, oranges, and peppers and garlic, tucked into a little pull-off with the blue sea below, and the cliffs coming down to meet the road behind as a backdrop; the green velvet and rock mountains and turquoise sea crashing against the cliffs; the impossibly engineered highway curving round to reveal the first glimpse of a little town; and finally Positano, with the most recognizable little beach in Italy, and it’s winding stairways, colorful houses, bougainvillea, and the majolica tiled dome of Santa Maria Assunta; it’s all infinitely photogenic.
About 2 kilometers’ drive past Positano, we finally found a parking spot. It’s a good hike back, then down the hill, and up the hill, and down the steps, and we’re finally on the beach, along with a crowd of other English speaking people…Had a nice enough lunch at La Cambusa, where we talked to another couple, lively people who told us all about their holiday in Positano, and how quantum medicine had saved the gentleman’s life.
I was a bit intrigued by that, had never heard of it before. But upon doing a google search later, yikes, not my cup of tea.
Thank goodness for air con because we were pretty overheated by the time we hiked up the hill and back to our car. Onward to our destination the Luna Convento in Amalfi.
http://www.lunahotel.it/
I love this old place. It has such character, with its stairways, woodwork, nooks and crannies, majolica tiled bathrooms (with shuttered windows that open to a view on the Amalfi coast, no better view from a toilet that I’ve ever seen! Ha!)
The rooms are classically decorated, even if in need of a little refurbishment. Some of the floor tiles were loose, the shower was jimmied into a little round corner with glass doors that wouldn’t close properly, and one window overlooked the storage graveyard of the hotel. I was a little miffed that I had paid for a superior room, and got this. But the view is again incredible.
Luna Convento has a pool which is across the street and down stairs to a rock platform, a most unusual setting for a pool, and with a view over the sea and nearby Atrani. Very nice! Another reason I chose this hotel a second time.
We spent our time in Amalfi again just enjoying the place, and wandering around to see what the back corners of Amalfi town held. Atrani is also worth a wander. There are far fewer tourists there, but it’s just a bit too quiet for my likes.
We had two really good meals, one at our old favorite, Marina Grande, right on the beach in Amalfi. Food here is fresh and good, with a contemporary flair.
http://www.ristorantemarinagrande.com/Food.php
And another old favorite is in Atrani, a very pleasant 15 minute walk from Amalfi, A Paranza, a traditional choice with very good fresh seafood.
http://www.ristoranteparanza.com/
After our meal, we walked back to Amalfi town to take pictures of the Cathedral lit up at night with one lone tourist sitting on the steps.
Annhig, but he still married you!
On to Amalfi town
It’s not too far to walk to town, especially through those fragrant orange groves, so we went down to pick up our rental car, a Fiat 500 XL, like a small SUV. A fun car! Drove back to the hotel, picked up our cases, and started on our way.
I’m fortunate to have a husband who will stop anywhere (safely) when I say I NEED a photo of that view! And there are so many spots on that stretch of highway that are worthy of ooohh’s and ahhh’s.
From the roadside fruit and veggie cart, with its colorful lemons, oranges, and peppers and garlic, tucked into a little pull-off with the blue sea below, and the cliffs coming down to meet the road behind as a backdrop; the green velvet and rock mountains and turquoise sea crashing against the cliffs; the impossibly engineered highway curving round to reveal the first glimpse of a little town; and finally Positano, with the most recognizable little beach in Italy, and it’s winding stairways, colorful houses, bougainvillea, and the majolica tiled dome of Santa Maria Assunta; it’s all infinitely photogenic.
About 2 kilometers’ drive past Positano, we finally found a parking spot. It’s a good hike back, then down the hill, and up the hill, and down the steps, and we’re finally on the beach, along with a crowd of other English speaking people…Had a nice enough lunch at La Cambusa, where we talked to another couple, lively people who told us all about their holiday in Positano, and how quantum medicine had saved the gentleman’s life.
I was a bit intrigued by that, had never heard of it before. But upon doing a google search later, yikes, not my cup of tea.
Thank goodness for air con because we were pretty overheated by the time we hiked up the hill and back to our car. Onward to our destination the Luna Convento in Amalfi.
http://www.lunahotel.it/
I love this old place. It has such character, with its stairways, woodwork, nooks and crannies, majolica tiled bathrooms (with shuttered windows that open to a view on the Amalfi coast, no better view from a toilet that I’ve ever seen! Ha!)
The rooms are classically decorated, even if in need of a little refurbishment. Some of the floor tiles were loose, the shower was jimmied into a little round corner with glass doors that wouldn’t close properly, and one window overlooked the storage graveyard of the hotel. I was a little miffed that I had paid for a superior room, and got this. But the view is again incredible.
Luna Convento has a pool which is across the street and down stairs to a rock platform, a most unusual setting for a pool, and with a view over the sea and nearby Atrani. Very nice! Another reason I chose this hotel a second time.
We spent our time in Amalfi again just enjoying the place, and wandering around to see what the back corners of Amalfi town held. Atrani is also worth a wander. There are far fewer tourists there, but it’s just a bit too quiet for my likes.
We had two really good meals, one at our old favorite, Marina Grande, right on the beach in Amalfi. Food here is fresh and good, with a contemporary flair.
http://www.ristorantemarinagrande.com/Food.php
And another old favorite is in Atrani, a very pleasant 15 minute walk from Amalfi, A Paranza, a traditional choice with very good fresh seafood.
http://www.ristoranteparanza.com/
After our meal, we walked back to Amalfi town to take pictures of the Cathedral lit up at night with one lone tourist sitting on the steps.
Jan 29th, 2017, 11:45 PM
#25
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Our next destination was actually Sicily, but we were driving, so we took the slow route down the coast, stopping at Maratea and Tropea.
First is the drive out to Salerno, admiring the terraced hills of vines and lemon trees, more impossibly blue water, and a stop at the little town of Cetara. It’s a quaint little fishing town complete with old men sitting outside watching everything that happens within their realm.
The thought was to have lunch at San Pietro before continuing to Paestum. We were uncharacteristically early, though, and didn’t want to wait around until it opened. We had a little walk around to see the town close up, the way you don’t see it when driving by quickly.
Past Salerno, the road to Paestum is quite unattractive. We saw scantily clad African girls standing along the highway, and thought of what a hard life they must have in Italy.
The map showed we were driving along the water’s edge, so we ventured down one of the long pot-holed roads that leads to a beach. The wind was whipping up the waves and making the water look dirty, and the beach was not clean, and didn’t look like it was used, so we had a quick look and drove off, leaving the few shady looking characters behind that were hanging about there.
We have seen the Greek temples in Sicily, but wanted to do a quick comparison with the temples in Paestum. If you can’t make it to Sicily, then I would say that it is certainly worth a stop.
And of course, we stopped to have a Caprese salad with 3 different mozzarella cheeses and sweet fresh tomatoes.
Everywhere we went we had Caprese salad and the mozzarella was different every time. It was amazing, but I still love burrata better, with its creamy center.
Google maps took us on SS18 high up above Paestum, and into the Cilento. The drive at first was a bit hairy, as we climbed up and drove along the edge of a ridge on what seemed to be a very minor road. The view down into the valley with its vineyards was worth the drive, though, and soon we were down the other side, and joining up with SR430. This is a very good highway that arrives at Policastro, along the edge of the sea, and again becomes SS18.
After reading a few trip reports about the Cilento, I really wanted to see a bit of the coast on our journey down the peninsula to Sicily. From Policastro to Maratea is actually in Basilicata, but is a really beautiful drive; the mountains are not quite as rugged, but the roads are just as narrow and windy, and with far less traffic. Again, we took our time and pulled over for photos quite often.
Finally the turn-off for Maratea appeared. The road winds up the side of the mountain, and becomes steeper and steeper. And just when you think you can’t go any farther, you must go farther. Finally google takes us to the door of La Locanda delle Donne Monache, where we will stay overnight.
I was totally charmed by the little town of Maratea. It’s quite different than anyplace we have been before, because it’s built on the mountainside, not the top. It was a bit chilly up there, but we put on our jackets, and went to explore the steep streets and alleyways. There’s a real sense of history in the old town, with crumbling buildings and overgrown lanes where the smartening-up process hasn't yet reached.
Some of the stairs oddly had two tracks of concrete running vertically up the hill, and it didn’t occur to us what that was for until suddenly a motorbike zoomed up the hill balanced on that 12 inch wide concrete runner. How resourceful one must become when living on the side of a mountain!
At a little enoteca that is open, the owner serves us some really good red wine and a couple of plates of cheese and very tasty local Lucanica sausage, for euro 5. This sausage is worth searching out, especially the spicy version.
There’s not much time for us to discover the area of Maratea, which also includes a seaside section. Our stay at the Locanda is very nice, and includes supper and breakfast, and a lovely location overlooking the rooftops and the mountainside, complete with birdsong in the evening and the morning.
We are off down the coast again. Another stretch of gorgeous coastline and azure water, all the way to Vibo Marina, where we break for lunch in this pleasant little seaside town. We are seated by a good looking family of mom and dad, and 2 children. I love the interaction and conversation that is taking place. No-one is looking at their phone or device, they are really enjoying each other’s company. The mom asks us where we are from, and turns out her sister lives in Vancouver!
http://www.lapprodo.com/
Our destination is Tropea. I am eager to see this town, because it looks so cool in pictures in the guidebooks. Turns out, though, that it’s quite a little tourist town for beach goers/party people.
The old town could be charming, but instead is dirty, full of bad tourist restaurants, tacky tourist shops, and not nearly as breathtaking as indicated in photos.
We stayed overnight at Residenza Roma in Tropea, a short walk out of the center. This bed and breakfast was very good, clean, modern, and the girls were so helpful and kind, and they employ a pastry chef to do the breakfast, which included more items than I have ever seen at a b and b breakfast table. I would recommend this place:
http://www.residenzaroma-tropea.it/
It is not on the beach, even though some of the photos on the website give that impression.
WE never made it to Capo Vaticano, though, where there is a great spot to watch the sunset over the cliffs, and this hotel, which I would choose if we ever return:
http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-...on-description
My curiosity about Calabria has been satisfied. The beaches could be beautiful, and the drive along most of the coast was pretty.
In general, though, we found that it seems like a big depression is hanging over that instep and toe of Italy. There is so much garbage dumped everywhere, buildings are abandoned or half-built then abandoned, graffiti is everywhere, and people seem to lack any joy in life. It’s not that we were looking for that, but it kind of hit us in the face.
As we climbed up the hill and away from Tropea, we noted that it looks beautiful from afar and I got some very nice shots of the coastline.
We found our way through the country roads to the A3 highway, and decided it was time to quit doddling and just get to Taormina.
First is the drive out to Salerno, admiring the terraced hills of vines and lemon trees, more impossibly blue water, and a stop at the little town of Cetara. It’s a quaint little fishing town complete with old men sitting outside watching everything that happens within their realm.
The thought was to have lunch at San Pietro before continuing to Paestum. We were uncharacteristically early, though, and didn’t want to wait around until it opened. We had a little walk around to see the town close up, the way you don’t see it when driving by quickly.
Past Salerno, the road to Paestum is quite unattractive. We saw scantily clad African girls standing along the highway, and thought of what a hard life they must have in Italy.
The map showed we were driving along the water’s edge, so we ventured down one of the long pot-holed roads that leads to a beach. The wind was whipping up the waves and making the water look dirty, and the beach was not clean, and didn’t look like it was used, so we had a quick look and drove off, leaving the few shady looking characters behind that were hanging about there.
We have seen the Greek temples in Sicily, but wanted to do a quick comparison with the temples in Paestum. If you can’t make it to Sicily, then I would say that it is certainly worth a stop.
And of course, we stopped to have a Caprese salad with 3 different mozzarella cheeses and sweet fresh tomatoes.
Everywhere we went we had Caprese salad and the mozzarella was different every time. It was amazing, but I still love burrata better, with its creamy center.
Google maps took us on SS18 high up above Paestum, and into the Cilento. The drive at first was a bit hairy, as we climbed up and drove along the edge of a ridge on what seemed to be a very minor road. The view down into the valley with its vineyards was worth the drive, though, and soon we were down the other side, and joining up with SR430. This is a very good highway that arrives at Policastro, along the edge of the sea, and again becomes SS18.
After reading a few trip reports about the Cilento, I really wanted to see a bit of the coast on our journey down the peninsula to Sicily. From Policastro to Maratea is actually in Basilicata, but is a really beautiful drive; the mountains are not quite as rugged, but the roads are just as narrow and windy, and with far less traffic. Again, we took our time and pulled over for photos quite often.
Finally the turn-off for Maratea appeared. The road winds up the side of the mountain, and becomes steeper and steeper. And just when you think you can’t go any farther, you must go farther. Finally google takes us to the door of La Locanda delle Donne Monache, where we will stay overnight.
I was totally charmed by the little town of Maratea. It’s quite different than anyplace we have been before, because it’s built on the mountainside, not the top. It was a bit chilly up there, but we put on our jackets, and went to explore the steep streets and alleyways. There’s a real sense of history in the old town, with crumbling buildings and overgrown lanes where the smartening-up process hasn't yet reached.
Some of the stairs oddly had two tracks of concrete running vertically up the hill, and it didn’t occur to us what that was for until suddenly a motorbike zoomed up the hill balanced on that 12 inch wide concrete runner. How resourceful one must become when living on the side of a mountain!
At a little enoteca that is open, the owner serves us some really good red wine and a couple of plates of cheese and very tasty local Lucanica sausage, for euro 5. This sausage is worth searching out, especially the spicy version.
There’s not much time for us to discover the area of Maratea, which also includes a seaside section. Our stay at the Locanda is very nice, and includes supper and breakfast, and a lovely location overlooking the rooftops and the mountainside, complete with birdsong in the evening and the morning.
We are off down the coast again. Another stretch of gorgeous coastline and azure water, all the way to Vibo Marina, where we break for lunch in this pleasant little seaside town. We are seated by a good looking family of mom and dad, and 2 children. I love the interaction and conversation that is taking place. No-one is looking at their phone or device, they are really enjoying each other’s company. The mom asks us where we are from, and turns out her sister lives in Vancouver!
http://www.lapprodo.com/
Our destination is Tropea. I am eager to see this town, because it looks so cool in pictures in the guidebooks. Turns out, though, that it’s quite a little tourist town for beach goers/party people.
The old town could be charming, but instead is dirty, full of bad tourist restaurants, tacky tourist shops, and not nearly as breathtaking as indicated in photos.
We stayed overnight at Residenza Roma in Tropea, a short walk out of the center. This bed and breakfast was very good, clean, modern, and the girls were so helpful and kind, and they employ a pastry chef to do the breakfast, which included more items than I have ever seen at a b and b breakfast table. I would recommend this place:
http://www.residenzaroma-tropea.it/
It is not on the beach, even though some of the photos on the website give that impression.
WE never made it to Capo Vaticano, though, where there is a great spot to watch the sunset over the cliffs, and this hotel, which I would choose if we ever return:
http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-...on-description
My curiosity about Calabria has been satisfied. The beaches could be beautiful, and the drive along most of the coast was pretty.
In general, though, we found that it seems like a big depression is hanging over that instep and toe of Italy. There is so much garbage dumped everywhere, buildings are abandoned or half-built then abandoned, graffiti is everywhere, and people seem to lack any joy in life. It’s not that we were looking for that, but it kind of hit us in the face.
As we climbed up the hill and away from Tropea, we noted that it looks beautiful from afar and I got some very nice shots of the coastline.
We found our way through the country roads to the A3 highway, and decided it was time to quit doddling and just get to Taormina.
Jan 30th, 2017, 10:34 AM
#27
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annhig, I would go back to see the Cilento, and Maratea area. But further south, the story is that the Ndrangheta, the Calabrian Mafia, is what keeps any progress from happening.
We are back roads kind of travellers, but sometimes you can understand why no-one goes to these places
It is beautiful though. I am going to post some photos when I get organized here.
On to Sicily!
We are back roads kind of travellers, but sometimes you can understand why no-one goes to these places
It is beautiful though. I am going to post some photos when I get organized here.
On to Sicily!
Jan 30th, 2017, 12:10 PM
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Jan 31st, 2017, 03:44 AM
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Looking forward to your upcoming trip report in Sicily. Isn't this a return trip to Sicily as I think I have read some of your suggestions on other threads?
Our first trip to Sicily will be in September 2017 and trying to read as much as possible although much less info on Sicily compared to many other sites in Italy.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with lots of useful info included in your trip report!
Our first trip to Sicily will be in September 2017 and trying to read as much as possible although much less info on Sicily compared to many other sites in Italy.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with lots of useful info included in your trip report!
Jan 31st, 2017, 09:51 AM
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Thanks plufmud for the encouragement. This was our second trip to Sicily. We actually got around the island more on the first trip, but I will start posting some more soon about our recent trip.
I really love Sicily! Our experience down the Calabrian coast was not as good as hoped, but I posted it just in case anyone else is looking to do the same.
With regard to Paestum, friends stayed around Castellabate just south of Paestum, and really liked it a lot.
I really love Sicily! Our experience down the Calabrian coast was not as good as hoped, but I posted it just in case anyone else is looking to do the same.
With regard to Paestum, friends stayed around Castellabate just south of Paestum, and really liked it a lot.
Feb 1st, 2017, 10:26 AM
#31
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Sicily!!
http://www.visitsicily.info/en/10cos...rtfolioID=3287
http://www.bestofsicily.com/index.htm
Sicily is a treasure box of delights.
Although a large island, you can still get around Sicily easily in a short amount of time. To see all her delights, though, one could spend a month and still feel there was much more to see.
Surrounded on all sides by sea, in transparent shades of turquoise, azure, and aquamarine, she delights with her natural beauty. Within that island are varying landscapes, mountains, volcanoes, rolling Tuscany like landscapes, beautiful beaches, and near desert in the south. From thick forests to rugged rock outcroppings to vineyards and fruit trees, to palm trees and cacti, there’s a little of everything on Sicily.
On this trip we concentrated on the east side of the island. We have been before to Palermo, Cefalu, Erice, Selinunte, as well as Taormina, Siracusa, Agrigento, and the Baroque towns, but this was to be slower travel to see more of what we enjoyed before.
The big bright yellow Telepass ferry took us across from Reggio Calabria to Messina. It’s a short trip, about 20 minutes, but is a lovely vantage point from which to see both sides of the land.
In May, the hills were a soft velvety green, which is supplanted by end of summer by a golden hue. Both colors are beautiful surrounded by the rich blue water.
The scenic drive to Taormina is an easy highway drive, and thankfully Villa Schuler had sent an email with explicit instructions on how to arrive at the hotel. We took it slowly, looked for the landmarks, wove around the narrow lanes, and arrived at the 2 car parking in front of the hotel. From there, our cases were carried in, and our car was valet parked in Villa Schuler’s own parking garage just around the corner.
Our very large and comfortable corner room was on the top floor with sea view. French style doors on both sides of the room opened to a small balcony, overlooking the turquoise water far below, and Mt Etna to the right. This is really the paradise side of the island.
If you only visit Taormina in the daytime, and trek along the main street, Corso Umberto, the beauty of the place will be obscured by the store fronts and hordes of tourists from the buses. But in the early morning and evenings, it’s peaceful, and you can enjoy its beautiful piazzas calmly.
Besides its beautiful physical setting, Taormina has a rich history, going back even beyond the first 6th C BC Greek settlement.
Peruse this website if you’re interested in the history, and want to research before you go.
http://www.parconaxostaormina.it/en/...na-tauromenion
Get up early to see the Greek Theater. If you get there when it opens at 9 am you will arrive before the tour buses, and will be able to enjoy the view unhindered. It is not the most intact theater, but I believe it may have the best vantage point, high on a hill overlooking the bay and Etna. You will never forget this view.
Taormina has some beautiful old hotels and palazzi. After your visit to the theater, drop in to the Grand Hotel Timeo, and have a coffee or a refreshing drink on their patio. Expensive, but worth it…
To get to the beach, take the Funivia, cable car, down to the lower road, turn to the right, down steps, and find the beach, and strip of land to go over to Isola Bella. There is a small museum on the island, and photo ops from the trails, but be sure you take a towel to enjoy the beach for a bit.
We enjoyed a leisurely and very tasty, and reasonably priced lunch at Il Barcaiolo. There’s a small outside deck. The house wine was good, and my favorite item was the herb stuffed sardines. Euro 42 with wine.
http://www.barcaiolo.altervista.org/index.html
Restaurants here tend to be on the expensive side, but the food is very good if you choose well:
Osteria Nero D’Avola, where the owner surprised us with a sample of Sicilian lemon salad. We ordered Caprese Salad with Burrata, and two fish main courses, with 2 glasses of white wine and that was Euro 72. Although my fish was a little overcooked and dry, but overall flavor was good.
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Rest...a-252746-41102
We had two great meals at very elegant Vicolo Stretto (try for a table with view)
One was a blow out lobster dinner, and the other fish secondi. With both we had a bowl of delicious soup as an amuse bouche, and a to-die-for fennel and blood orange salad. The fish meal was Euro 84 but the lobster din with a bottle of good wine was around Euro 200.
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Rest...o-284608-41102
Taormina is great for people watching, but if the crowds are hemming you in, take a stroll through the Villa Communale, the gardens. It’s very peaceful, the plantings are gorgeous (interesting trees and cacti plus some beautiful blooming shrubs and of course bougainvillea), and there are some garden structures, very different architecturally. It’s cool and has great views, nice spot to relax for an hour or two.
Located on the north slopes of Mount Etna is the Alcantara Gorge. The locals know this place well, as it is a great spot to cool off during the long, hot, Sicilian summers. We still haven’t made it here, nor have we visited Mt. Etna. I would rather see that from afar, but I wouldn’t mind visiting the wineries on its slopes.
We loved it here so much we stayed an extra day just to relax and enjoy our beautiful hotel and views.
Highly, highly recommend Hotel Villa Schuler, not just for the beautiful rooms, but for the excellent service and caring attitude.
http://www.hotelvillaschuler.com/
http://www.visitsicily.info/en/10cos...rtfolioID=3287
http://www.bestofsicily.com/index.htm
Sicily is a treasure box of delights.
Although a large island, you can still get around Sicily easily in a short amount of time. To see all her delights, though, one could spend a month and still feel there was much more to see.
Surrounded on all sides by sea, in transparent shades of turquoise, azure, and aquamarine, she delights with her natural beauty. Within that island are varying landscapes, mountains, volcanoes, rolling Tuscany like landscapes, beautiful beaches, and near desert in the south. From thick forests to rugged rock outcroppings to vineyards and fruit trees, to palm trees and cacti, there’s a little of everything on Sicily.
On this trip we concentrated on the east side of the island. We have been before to Palermo, Cefalu, Erice, Selinunte, as well as Taormina, Siracusa, Agrigento, and the Baroque towns, but this was to be slower travel to see more of what we enjoyed before.
The big bright yellow Telepass ferry took us across from Reggio Calabria to Messina. It’s a short trip, about 20 minutes, but is a lovely vantage point from which to see both sides of the land.
In May, the hills were a soft velvety green, which is supplanted by end of summer by a golden hue. Both colors are beautiful surrounded by the rich blue water.
The scenic drive to Taormina is an easy highway drive, and thankfully Villa Schuler had sent an email with explicit instructions on how to arrive at the hotel. We took it slowly, looked for the landmarks, wove around the narrow lanes, and arrived at the 2 car parking in front of the hotel. From there, our cases were carried in, and our car was valet parked in Villa Schuler’s own parking garage just around the corner.
Our very large and comfortable corner room was on the top floor with sea view. French style doors on both sides of the room opened to a small balcony, overlooking the turquoise water far below, and Mt Etna to the right. This is really the paradise side of the island.
If you only visit Taormina in the daytime, and trek along the main street, Corso Umberto, the beauty of the place will be obscured by the store fronts and hordes of tourists from the buses. But in the early morning and evenings, it’s peaceful, and you can enjoy its beautiful piazzas calmly.
Besides its beautiful physical setting, Taormina has a rich history, going back even beyond the first 6th C BC Greek settlement.
Peruse this website if you’re interested in the history, and want to research before you go.
http://www.parconaxostaormina.it/en/...na-tauromenion
Get up early to see the Greek Theater. If you get there when it opens at 9 am you will arrive before the tour buses, and will be able to enjoy the view unhindered. It is not the most intact theater, but I believe it may have the best vantage point, high on a hill overlooking the bay and Etna. You will never forget this view.
Taormina has some beautiful old hotels and palazzi. After your visit to the theater, drop in to the Grand Hotel Timeo, and have a coffee or a refreshing drink on their patio. Expensive, but worth it…
To get to the beach, take the Funivia, cable car, down to the lower road, turn to the right, down steps, and find the beach, and strip of land to go over to Isola Bella. There is a small museum on the island, and photo ops from the trails, but be sure you take a towel to enjoy the beach for a bit.
We enjoyed a leisurely and very tasty, and reasonably priced lunch at Il Barcaiolo. There’s a small outside deck. The house wine was good, and my favorite item was the herb stuffed sardines. Euro 42 with wine.
http://www.barcaiolo.altervista.org/index.html
Restaurants here tend to be on the expensive side, but the food is very good if you choose well:
Osteria Nero D’Avola, where the owner surprised us with a sample of Sicilian lemon salad. We ordered Caprese Salad with Burrata, and two fish main courses, with 2 glasses of white wine and that was Euro 72. Although my fish was a little overcooked and dry, but overall flavor was good.
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Rest...a-252746-41102
We had two great meals at very elegant Vicolo Stretto (try for a table with view)
One was a blow out lobster dinner, and the other fish secondi. With both we had a bowl of delicious soup as an amuse bouche, and a to-die-for fennel and blood orange salad. The fish meal was Euro 84 but the lobster din with a bottle of good wine was around Euro 200.
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Rest...o-284608-41102
Taormina is great for people watching, but if the crowds are hemming you in, take a stroll through the Villa Communale, the gardens. It’s very peaceful, the plantings are gorgeous (interesting trees and cacti plus some beautiful blooming shrubs and of course bougainvillea), and there are some garden structures, very different architecturally. It’s cool and has great views, nice spot to relax for an hour or two.
Located on the north slopes of Mount Etna is the Alcantara Gorge. The locals know this place well, as it is a great spot to cool off during the long, hot, Sicilian summers. We still haven’t made it here, nor have we visited Mt. Etna. I would rather see that from afar, but I wouldn’t mind visiting the wineries on its slopes.
We loved it here so much we stayed an extra day just to relax and enjoy our beautiful hotel and views.
Highly, highly recommend Hotel Villa Schuler, not just for the beautiful rooms, but for the excellent service and caring attitude.
http://www.hotelvillaschuler.com/
Feb 1st, 2017, 11:56 AM
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Feb 1st, 2017, 01:03 PM
#33
thanks, sundried, for those lovely descriptions of your time in Sicily. you really make me want to go back in the spring as by September it's really quite parched, and Taormina was heaving, though of course we stayed up above it so the only time we saw it was when it was full of people. in retrospect not the best choice we made but we did at least have stunning views of Etna from our room. Definitely one of those occasions when spending a bit extra money is well worth it.
Feb 2nd, 2017, 10:26 AM
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Annhig, it's all good though, isn't it? The first time we went we missed out on the Villa Romana because it was being renovated. You don't know what you've missed until you've actually got to see it! If we saw everything the first time, there would be no reason to go back
plufmud thanks!
Next up is the Villa Romana del Casale and Agrigento.
plufmud thanks!
Next up is the Villa Romana del Casale and Agrigento.
Feb 3rd, 2017, 03:32 PM
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Thanks Marigross
AGRIGENTO
Since we stayed an extra day in Taormina, we had to forfeit our night in Piazza Armerina, and make a daytime stop at the Villa Romana del Casale.
It was a very pleasant drive to Piazza Armerina, through rolling hills with fields of grain, olive trees lined up in a grid, orange and lemon groves, big round bales of hay, sheep in the fields, and some odd things too.
It’s not unusual as you drive through the countryside in Sicily to see what looks like a highway being built that just ends in the middle of nowhere. I’m not sure what the story is with that…We drove along one road where there was a row of street lamps in the middle of nowhere, but they were facing the ditch and not the road…
Just outside of Piazza Armerina you will find the restaurant, Al Fogher, where we had our lunch. Very nice ‘country restaurant’ feel.
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Rest...r-160034-41102
The city looks very cool from below, but we never had time to explore it.
Just follow the signs to the Villa Romana. Google was getting thoroughly confused, but we found our way there by about 2 pm. I was hoping since it was mid-week that it wouldn’t be too busy. Wrong!!
The ticket line wasn’t too long, but once we got inside, we had to compete with several busloads of school kids and another couple of busloads of tour groups. The raised walkways were so crowded that we could barely squeeze by, and in some places, I had to reach my arm up over the heads and take pictures so I could have a look later at the mosaics.
I could have stayed much longer to admire the mosaics and try for some decent photos, but it was just too crowded, and we had to get out.
The villa is really quite amazing. I like that it is so well preserved that you can see the rooms, and what they were used for. The mosaics tell a story too, and I loved the images of the ships going to Africa and bringing back various animals, the slaves, and the oxen laboring to pull the crates with the captured animals in them. Although it’s not great to think they brought these animals for hunting, this is history in art, and not a moral lesson.
I think I was more inspired by the Villa Romana in the countryside of Sicily than I was by seeing Pompeii.
It’s too bad they can’t figure out some system to limit the number of people that can go inside the structure at one time because the walkways are only about 3 feet wide. I think I would try for early morning timing if we were to visit again.
Our next history lesson is in Agrigento, where the Greek city of Akragas was established in the 6th Century BC, preceding the Romans by a few centuries.
The parking lot at the top end is another Sicilian anomaly. It looks like it was probably a field with olive trees which is now being used to park cars. As you drive in you notice there is no real road, the bumps are huge, and the cars are parked willy nilly, that is, under the trees, wherever and however. It kind of looked like a scene from the movie Cars, like those little European vehicles had minds of their own and headed for the shade. So, we did the same of course.
Standing on terraced levels at the top of a plateau overlooking the water, Akragas was one of the largest and most culturally advanced Greek cities on the Mediterranean Sea.
The site is extensive, covering about 1300 hectares, and includes five temples, the oldest of which is that of Heracles or Hercules, while the best-preserved is that of the Concordia, probably the most impressive Greek Doric temple still surviving to our day, after Athens’s Parthenon.
The temple of Zeus is incomplete and the only part remaining is the base and principle altar.
Interesting too, is that this was also the battle theatre during the fight between the Romans and Carthaginians over control of the Mediterranean.
We have been here before, but the sight of those huge temples, and the altars and long walk between them makes one feel somewhat dwarfed.
And it made me wonder time and again, how could this land at one time have been the object of so much desire, and so rich in its economy, but now it looks so barren and almost third world, so poor in some areas?
Time for some respite from the heat.
Our hosts at the Colleverde Park Hotel welcomed us with typical warm Sicilian hospitality. I love to garden, but I am now a gardener without a garden, (condo dweller) so I found the extensive grounds at the hotel a real respite.
While hubby caught up on email messages, I wandered through the garden and found some nice peaceful and private niches where one can relax. It’s so tropical here, again palm trees and huge flowering cacti, big pottery planters overflowing, a large covered area which looks like it could be used for weddings, paving stone pathways and stairs down to a another more private spot with tables and chairs. From here you can see the temples below and the Mediterranean beyond that. Wow!
The public spaces of the hotel are decorated in traditional Sicilian style. (The rooms not so much). The huge breakfast room was almost empty when we went down for breakfast, but had a very nice spread. Not sure if they have tours at this place, but they certainly have the space, so it wouldn’t surprise me.
My hubby wanted to walk down to the Archaeological Museum, but it was hot already, so I talked him into taking the car.
I was really taken with the museum here. I think it’s well laid out; to me the progression of it was logical and easy to follow.
It’s pretty impressive to see the size of the telemons, the pillars carved to look like men, which held up the temple of Zeus. The telemons were 25 feet high, but the entire height of the pillars was 55 feet and they were 13 feet thick at the base. Gives some idea of the size of this temple, which was never completed, thanks to the siege of Hannibal and the Carthaginians.
Make time for this museum if at all possible. It’s got some terrific finds, and has that advantage that you are standing on the very site where it all happened.
After the museum, we wanted to head out to the beach at La Scala dei Turchi. Stopped and had a plate of pasta and seafood and a beer on the beach. Good distraction from ruins and museums.
If you go, park at the bottom of the hill before you drive to the top, you will see a sign for parking. Then you can walk along the beach instead of climbing down 300 stairs or so…
It’s a nice approach, also, as you can see the stairs (scala) from a distance and then as you get closer. Like nothing I’ve ever seen…so gorgeous. Gleaming white like polished marble fluid steps from the water to the top of the hill.
I’m afraid of heights, but forced myself to go to the top, and it was worth it. From the top you can see the other side as well. Take a blanket or towel if you want to soak up some rays with the rest of the pleasure seekers.
Mealtime! I had researched and found La Posata di Federico II, which was also recommended by our hotel.
What a sweet place! You step back in time entering this little brightly painted room. La Signora soon makes you feel right at home, despite her lack of English (and our few words of Italian) . She buzzes around making sure everyone is happy and well fed.
My husband asks for extra olive oil for his bread (he loves olive oil, purportedly for its heart healthy properties!) and she returns with a soup bowl half full of oil. Haha!
The food is excellent at this place. I had swordfish involtini, which I have been wanting to make from Mario Batali’s cookbook forever. I’m sure this was better though. Hub had nero d’avola spaghetti with clams. Yum! It was so good, classic but just slightly inventive.
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restauran...to_Sicily.html
Sweet little old guy appears to be the money keeper. He has an old fashioned desk in the corner, everything is hand written, but you can pay with Visa. It was so good we had to return the following night.
Well, the road trip is back on! Next day we are taking the southern road to Modica!!
AGRIGENTO
Since we stayed an extra day in Taormina, we had to forfeit our night in Piazza Armerina, and make a daytime stop at the Villa Romana del Casale.
It was a very pleasant drive to Piazza Armerina, through rolling hills with fields of grain, olive trees lined up in a grid, orange and lemon groves, big round bales of hay, sheep in the fields, and some odd things too.
It’s not unusual as you drive through the countryside in Sicily to see what looks like a highway being built that just ends in the middle of nowhere. I’m not sure what the story is with that…We drove along one road where there was a row of street lamps in the middle of nowhere, but they were facing the ditch and not the road…
Just outside of Piazza Armerina you will find the restaurant, Al Fogher, where we had our lunch. Very nice ‘country restaurant’ feel.
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Rest...r-160034-41102
The city looks very cool from below, but we never had time to explore it.
Just follow the signs to the Villa Romana. Google was getting thoroughly confused, but we found our way there by about 2 pm. I was hoping since it was mid-week that it wouldn’t be too busy. Wrong!!
The ticket line wasn’t too long, but once we got inside, we had to compete with several busloads of school kids and another couple of busloads of tour groups. The raised walkways were so crowded that we could barely squeeze by, and in some places, I had to reach my arm up over the heads and take pictures so I could have a look later at the mosaics.
I could have stayed much longer to admire the mosaics and try for some decent photos, but it was just too crowded, and we had to get out.
The villa is really quite amazing. I like that it is so well preserved that you can see the rooms, and what they were used for. The mosaics tell a story too, and I loved the images of the ships going to Africa and bringing back various animals, the slaves, and the oxen laboring to pull the crates with the captured animals in them. Although it’s not great to think they brought these animals for hunting, this is history in art, and not a moral lesson.
I think I was more inspired by the Villa Romana in the countryside of Sicily than I was by seeing Pompeii.
It’s too bad they can’t figure out some system to limit the number of people that can go inside the structure at one time because the walkways are only about 3 feet wide. I think I would try for early morning timing if we were to visit again.
Our next history lesson is in Agrigento, where the Greek city of Akragas was established in the 6th Century BC, preceding the Romans by a few centuries.
The parking lot at the top end is another Sicilian anomaly. It looks like it was probably a field with olive trees which is now being used to park cars. As you drive in you notice there is no real road, the bumps are huge, and the cars are parked willy nilly, that is, under the trees, wherever and however. It kind of looked like a scene from the movie Cars, like those little European vehicles had minds of their own and headed for the shade. So, we did the same of course.
Standing on terraced levels at the top of a plateau overlooking the water, Akragas was one of the largest and most culturally advanced Greek cities on the Mediterranean Sea.
The site is extensive, covering about 1300 hectares, and includes five temples, the oldest of which is that of Heracles or Hercules, while the best-preserved is that of the Concordia, probably the most impressive Greek Doric temple still surviving to our day, after Athens’s Parthenon.
The temple of Zeus is incomplete and the only part remaining is the base and principle altar.
Interesting too, is that this was also the battle theatre during the fight between the Romans and Carthaginians over control of the Mediterranean.
We have been here before, but the sight of those huge temples, and the altars and long walk between them makes one feel somewhat dwarfed.
And it made me wonder time and again, how could this land at one time have been the object of so much desire, and so rich in its economy, but now it looks so barren and almost third world, so poor in some areas?
Time for some respite from the heat.
Our hosts at the Colleverde Park Hotel welcomed us with typical warm Sicilian hospitality. I love to garden, but I am now a gardener without a garden, (condo dweller) so I found the extensive grounds at the hotel a real respite.
While hubby caught up on email messages, I wandered through the garden and found some nice peaceful and private niches where one can relax. It’s so tropical here, again palm trees and huge flowering cacti, big pottery planters overflowing, a large covered area which looks like it could be used for weddings, paving stone pathways and stairs down to a another more private spot with tables and chairs. From here you can see the temples below and the Mediterranean beyond that. Wow!
The public spaces of the hotel are decorated in traditional Sicilian style. (The rooms not so much). The huge breakfast room was almost empty when we went down for breakfast, but had a very nice spread. Not sure if they have tours at this place, but they certainly have the space, so it wouldn’t surprise me.
My hubby wanted to walk down to the Archaeological Museum, but it was hot already, so I talked him into taking the car.
I was really taken with the museum here. I think it’s well laid out; to me the progression of it was logical and easy to follow.
It’s pretty impressive to see the size of the telemons, the pillars carved to look like men, which held up the temple of Zeus. The telemons were 25 feet high, but the entire height of the pillars was 55 feet and they were 13 feet thick at the base. Gives some idea of the size of this temple, which was never completed, thanks to the siege of Hannibal and the Carthaginians.
Make time for this museum if at all possible. It’s got some terrific finds, and has that advantage that you are standing on the very site where it all happened.
After the museum, we wanted to head out to the beach at La Scala dei Turchi. Stopped and had a plate of pasta and seafood and a beer on the beach. Good distraction from ruins and museums.
If you go, park at the bottom of the hill before you drive to the top, you will see a sign for parking. Then you can walk along the beach instead of climbing down 300 stairs or so…
It’s a nice approach, also, as you can see the stairs (scala) from a distance and then as you get closer. Like nothing I’ve ever seen…so gorgeous. Gleaming white like polished marble fluid steps from the water to the top of the hill.
I’m afraid of heights, but forced myself to go to the top, and it was worth it. From the top you can see the other side as well. Take a blanket or towel if you want to soak up some rays with the rest of the pleasure seekers.
Mealtime! I had researched and found La Posata di Federico II, which was also recommended by our hotel.
What a sweet place! You step back in time entering this little brightly painted room. La Signora soon makes you feel right at home, despite her lack of English (and our few words of Italian) . She buzzes around making sure everyone is happy and well fed.
My husband asks for extra olive oil for his bread (he loves olive oil, purportedly for its heart healthy properties!) and she returns with a soup bowl half full of oil. Haha!
The food is excellent at this place. I had swordfish involtini, which I have been wanting to make from Mario Batali’s cookbook forever. I’m sure this was better though. Hub had nero d’avola spaghetti with clams. Yum! It was so good, classic but just slightly inventive.
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restauran...to_Sicily.html
Sweet little old guy appears to be the money keeper. He has an old fashioned desk in the corner, everything is hand written, but you can pay with Visa. It was so good we had to return the following night.
Well, the road trip is back on! Next day we are taking the southern road to Modica!!
Feb 3rd, 2017, 03:56 PM
#39
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Your photos are beautiful. We have always travelled to Italy in September/October. But thinking a trip in May looks lovely.
You say that Sicily was very hot, so maybe late April early May would be a good time to travel there?
You say that Sicily was very hot, so maybe late April early May would be a good time to travel there?
Feb 3rd, 2017, 04:57 PM
#40
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Photos of Villa Romana and Agrigento
https://flic.kr/s/aHskNgggZW
aussie_10 The weather was about perfect when we went. Agrigento was about the only place where we felt the heat, maybe because it's so far south, gets the wind from Africa, and the temple site is quite exposed.
I'm pretty heat sensitive, though. If it's too early in the year the air conditioning is not turned on in the hotels yet. We only had that in Sorrento, but we had big windows and a nice cooling breeze, so I survived, lol.
https://flic.kr/s/aHskNgggZW
aussie_10 The weather was about perfect when we went. Agrigento was about the only place where we felt the heat, maybe because it's so far south, gets the wind from Africa, and the temple site is quite exposed.
I'm pretty heat sensitive, though. If it's too early in the year the air conditioning is not turned on in the hotels yet. We only had that in Sorrento, but we had big windows and a nice cooling breeze, so I survived, lol.
