Sampling Some of Sicily and Bits of Italy Beyond
 

Trip Planning:

Where to go and where to stay? What to see and what to do? When to go and how to get there? And why? Planning a trip involves answering all those questions and more. But the reward when, through all our research, we get the answers to those questions right, is a memorable trip what we can return to, in our hearts and minds, again and again.

Where to go? This would be our fourth trip to Italy. On our three previous visits, my husband and I had never traveled south of Rome, so we figured it was time for us to sample Italy from a different angle, starting in Sicily, then visiting the Amalfi Coast, plus Capri, Naples and Pompeii, before ending up in Rome.

Where to stay? We wanted to devote at least two weeks to Sicily, basing ourselves first in the western part of the island with at least 5 nights in a rental house before traveling to an eastern base for another 5 nights in an apartment. We had heard from several sources that Sicily does not lend itself to spoke-like travel from a base, so it was a challenge to figure out where we should locate ourselves for 5 nights at a time. However, we decided that it was worth it for us to try to do this. Our style of travel has changed over the years and as we get older we no longer feel it necessary to visit every site there is to see wherever we are going. For us now it is more satisfying to settle into an area, hit nearby highlights, but also spend time just wandering here and there, getting to know the village streets and country roads, visiting the markets and watching the people and just relaxing. Plus, we enjoy renting little houses or apartments where we can do some of our own cooking. We love creating meals using local ingredients purchased from markets and neighborhood shops. And we have discovered that we can save both money and calories by not relying on cafes and restaurants for every meal.

What to see and do? Because of our travel-style preferences, we knew we would have to eliminate some famous attractions and work out an itinerary that felt right for us not only in Sicily but in the week we had allowed for traveling north to Rome. The process of elimination was of course not an easy one. Pompeii must be included. We really wanted to see that special place. Also, Capri and Ravello. What about Naples? Some people seem to love it, but others not so much. Should we skip it?

When to go and how to get there? When it came down to it, the answers to the question "How to get there?" had a lot to do with how our itinerary developed. We wanted to keep the logistics of moving from place to place as simple as possible. And it turned out that the question "When to go?" should have carried more weight in our planning. Traveling in April, we carefully factored the Easter Holiday into our plans, but it turned out that Liberation Day (Italian Independence Day), which we unfortunately didn't pay much attention to, had a greater impact on us.

And why? Why do we travel? Because we love it. Simply love it. For so many reasons I won't go into here because I think if you are reading this, you probably love traveling too and know most of the reasons why.

OUR ITINERARY:

April 09 - Flight via Kennedy Airport to Palermo, Sicily

2 nights - Palermo

5 nights - Scopello

1 night - Agrigento

5 nights - Ortigia

1 night - Taormina

4 nights - Atrani on the Amalfi Coast

2 nights - Naples

3 nights - Rome

May 3rd - Flight home

climbing aboard

Great itinerary. Looking forward to reading more.

Lucky you :)

I like your writing and traveling style and can’t wait for more. Thank you for taking the time to share!

Our Adventure Begins with a Few Mis-Adventures:
Our Flights to Palermo

At 9:00 am on a beautiful sunny morning, my sister and brother-in-law picked us up right on time and drove us to the airport. This morning was a huge contrast to the morning a year ago, when we left for the airport from our home in upstate New York on our way to Lisbon, Portugal. That morning the roads were covered with ice and slush and definitely hazardous, due to a late season snow event. This morning the sun even spread some warmth on us as we loaded up our suitcases and we had clear sailing as we started on our way.

Security at our small regional airport was a breeze with barely a line and we soon settled down at our gate with plenty of time before boarding our flight. Soon our flight was delayed, but only for 30 minutes, so no big deal. Then after boarding, we were delayed on the tarmac for maintenance issues, so it was another half hour before takeoff. Still, we thought we had plenty of time for our connection in New York. But then, we landed at JFK and things definitely began to get a little dicier.

We hadn't flown through JFK in a while. Usually, because we used American Airline miles, we would connect through Chicago O'Hare to Europe. It seemed to us like we were going backwards to go ahead but it always worked out pretty well. Soon we were missing the familiarity of O'Hare and feeling definitely out of our comfort zone at JFK.

When we deplaned from our Delta flight at JFK, we had to find our way from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1 so we could board our Alitalia flight to Rome. Asking for help, we were told to take the bus to Terminal 2 and walk to Terminal 1 and were pointed in the right direction, we thought. Anxiously heading that way, we looked for signs for buses or signs for Term 2 but we never saw any. Ultimately, we asked again and were directed down a pair of unmarked stairs to catch the bus, which let us off in front of Terminal 2, a crowded area teeming with activity. We found someone there who then pointed us in the direction of Terminal 1. Again, no signs that we could see. Soon it seemed to us as if the sidewalk disappeared into the road. Sure we were not on the right path, we almost turned around. It was then when we spied a British couple we had noticed earlier asking for similar directions. They forged ahead so we did too. A narrow cinder path led us by some dumpsters and finally onto a real sidewalk. Ahead was the entrance portal (one of two) to Terminal 1. We let out sighs of relief as we made our way through the doorway.

The relief we felt was premature. The departure area was swarming with travelers milling every which way. We had boarding passes and seat assignments for Palermo via Rome. We pulled them out as we got in line for security, which was obviously needed as we had exited the secure zone in the airport in order to find our way to Terminal 1. But for some reason, our boarding passes were not sufficient for security. We were directed to the Alitalia counter to have them reissued. The line at the Alitalia check in was huge and when we joined it, we were stunned to realize that it never seemed to move. Very disconcerting. But finally, someone in charge decided to open more counters and we eventually received new boarding passes (with the same seat assignments, etc.) and headed again to the lines making their way through security screening . Hope against hope, maybe our TSA precheck status would help us here and it did a little bit as we didn't have to remove shoes and iPads. The whole process was still chaotic as it almost seemed like prechecked passengers were intermingled with those without TSA clearance. Who knows? Finally, security behind us, we continued the trek to our gate. Because we were famished, we stopped briefly for a shared ham and cheese wrap and a bottle of water from a food-to-go place and when at last we arrived at the gate, airline personnel were getting ready to orchestrate boarding. But we had made it and were soon settled into our seats on the plane headed to Rome, where we landed just 15 minutes behind schedule.

We can only fault ourselves for our next misadventure. And we have to thank our guardian angels (travel version) for helping us through it. After deplaning, we saw the sign for passport control, then another one for connecting flights. Jet lagged and not thinking straight we headed for passport control. The line was not too bad and moved swiftly. Fortunately, Steve thought to ask the passport control agent where we should go to access our flight to Palermo. With an expression that said "You are kidding me, right?", he gave us a long look but then took control of our situation. Writing something on both our passports, he called someone to take us back in the right direction. Feeling stupid, we nonetheless felt like we were breezing through on the way to our gate on time. Wrong. The security check roadblock wasn't too bad and we were soon winding our way through the aromatic aisles of the duty free shops, making good speed toward our gate. And then, dead stop. Ahead of us, a long and seemingly snail paced line wound along the corridor on the way to the gates. Passport control. Okay. Our passports had been stamped and verified by the kind agent who figured out we were not where we should be. But what now? If we stood in this line to be reverified we would certainly miss our flight. Another angel came to our rescue when we got the attention of a very busy young customs official who was shepherding the lines. We explained our situation and after an eye roll that clearly said "How could you be so stupid?" she took us in hand, lead us to another official and outlined our plight. That agent led us upfront to another person in charge who again examined our stamped passports and let us through to the gates. I want to say here how much we appreciated the each of the officials at the airport who treated us so kindly and so patiently. They truly were angels.

Our particular gate was at the very end of the terminal and by the time we got there, passengers were in line to board. Completely stressed, we joined the line, headed down a stairway to board a bus on our way to the plane. This was the point where we encountered our next misadventure.

As we were boarding the bus, the wheel on my roller carryon jammed. Not realizing right away what was wrong with my bag and pretty frazzled, I jerked it off the bus and it landed full force on my foot. Big ouch! "Have I broken my foot?" I thought. I could still walk, so maybe not. A steep set of narrow metal stairs provided access to the plane and I hobbled up them, not wanting Steve to know my predicament. It was tricky, but I gratefully made it to my seat.

The flight to Palermo was smooth and even landed a few minutes early. As we neared the airport, I saw beautiful tan and buff mountains edging a brilliant blue sea. After a few misadventures, we had finally arrived in Sicily, so ready to begin our travels through Italy.

Ah yes. The joys of modern travel.....
Cant wait for the rest!

Thanks, all, for your kind and encouraging words. I know my reports are sometimes way too wordy, but I love our travel experiences so much it is hard to cut much out. And Dayle, I enjoyed your trip report on Sicily and referenced it often.

Probably the longest trip report I've ever read that focused on the confusion that I normally feel on International flights (the sort I used to take most months when I worked). Fantastic!

Nice, Candace, looking forward to more.

A question: when we land at FCO on our way to Palermo, should we proceed to connecting flights? Will there be another passport control there? Any help appreciated.

Tuscanlifeedit, we totally screwed up when we followed the signs to "Passport Control" instead of "Connecting Flights" after we landed in Rome. If we had proceeded to "Connecting Flights", we would have encountered the correct passport control line. Then those very kind officials we appealed to for help would not have had to personally escort us through the line on our way to our gate.

That being said, the passport control line on the way to connecting flights was really long the morning we arrived in Rome, so be sure you allow plenty of time to navigate your way to your gate.

Enjoy Palermo. We loved it.

On for the duration!

Andiamo!

We loved Palermo - A Stay of Two Nights There Was Not Long Enough!

Outside our balcony window at the Massimo Plaza Hotel, the square gray paving stones of the piazza reached across to the imposing Teatro Massimo, the opera house. With its domes, columns and broad sweeping stairway, shining blond and beautiful in the sun or lit up dramatically at night, the Teatro provided the perfect backdrop for the passage of daily life in Palermo. Waking up on our first morning, we looked out the window to see a full moon, pale in the early light, hung next to the Opera House like an ornament in the sky. After breakfast, as the sun warmed the piazza, a few big dogs took up residence against the iron balustrade and were soon greeted by passersby with pats on the head and scratches to the ears in what seemed to be a morning ritual. Businessmen and stylish women hurried past and soon the street right in front of the hotel was closed to traffic for the day, becoming pedestrian-only as students with backpacks, mothers with strollers, and a varied array of bicyclists took the place of cars and small trucks. Occasionally, a police car would roll up and briefly survey the scene. Once or twice, for reasons we couldn't guess, two or three young soldiers would arrive to stand guard on the corner or in the street in front of us. Kitty corner from the hotel a few cafes would begin setting up tables and chairs in the morning. By late afternoon, the chairs would all be taken. Evenings brought strolling couples and lots of dog walkers. That first morning after breakfast, I opened the balcony door to the sweet haunting music of an accordion, played by a man in the street below. Enjoying the music, a group of elders lounged under a tree. One grandpa among them was happily entertaining a small boy. The boy was having a fine time being the center of all that attention. Another child, practicing on a scooter, received enthusiastic encouragement from the elderly onlookers, as did the accordion player as he paused between tunes. I sat close to the opened window and watched it all. And I have to say that Palermo captured my heart from that balcony.

The afternoon we arrived at the hotel from the airport (via a taxi arranged for us by the hotel) the piazza was full of activity as an elaborate ceremony was underway celebrating the achievements of various police agencies in the city. As we made our way from the taxis stop to the hotel, bands were playing martial music while policemen and women in full dress uniform, some on horseback, others in tight formation, filled the square. Different speakers took turns at a microphone and a huge tv screen was set up on scaffolding so everyone could see and hear the speakers. Overhead a helicopter circled. Lots of pomp and circumstance, but fun to watch as we scurried past.

Because our room was not quite ready, we found our way around the corner to a little bakery for a puffy little pizza type snack and some bottled water before finally checking in. Opening the balcony door in our room, we could see all the activity was still underway on the piazza below us.

As we always do after an overseas flight, we pulled the drapes and settled down for a nap. The noise outside was at full volume but we slept through it for an hour or two of needed rest. Then, after a shower, we set out, relaxed and eager, to explore Palermo. Right outside our hotel's entry door, we turned left on the Via Maqueda, a pedestrian street that ran straight to the Quattro Canti, Palermo's four corners. It is there that the Via Maqueda crosses the Via Vittorio and that important spot is impressive, with four angled Baroque buildings on each corner, decorated with dramatic statuary and elaborate fountains. At this point, looking up at the those elegant buildings displaying all that finely carved stone ornamentation, we knew we were once again far from home, somewhere old, enticing, and beautiful in Europe.

After turning right onto the Via Vittorio Emanuele, we made our way down to the Cathedral and strolled around the Piazza Cattedrale for some good pictures of the impressive edifice. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and we didn't go inside the Cathedral but instead took advantage of the beautiful day and walked around the right side, thinking to find a different way back to the hotel. Tucked around this relatively lonely corner, we stumbled across some traditional painted carts, very colorful but sadly worn out and broken down. Great photo-op however.

We got a bit lost on our way back to the hotel, but we enjoyed our ramble. On one street corner, we were stopped short. One car was trying to turn around in the tight space, disrupting the progress of two or three other vehicles whose drivers were all yelling and gesturing out the windows or laying on their horns. At the back of the line was a motor scooter, the father driving, the mother on the back and a small boy standing in between - a family unit ready to roll. Eventually, after a lot of noise from all involved, the traffic tangle untangled and all went on their way. But we have to say we were fascinated by the traffic patterns in this city. There seemed to be unwritten rules about how to merge, how to pass, etc. At the airport when we were renting our car after our stay in Palermo, we met a woman from Atlanta, gray haired like me, who was driving with her husband as a passenger into Palermo to a hotel. I hope they made it okay. I can't imagine the stress involved in that drive.

We wandered by chance through a street market (Il Capo, I think). Vendors were just starting to tear down their stalls for the day, but plenty of colorful tables of fruits and vegetables remained. Again, an opportunity for some colorful pictures.

The young man on duty at our hotel gave us a good recommendation for dinner, Trattoria Del Massimo, which was just a short walk across the piazza. And although we were the first diners seated that evening, we were warmly welcomed. Steve chose pasta with baby clams and I had rolled swordfish with prawns. Starters were marinated artichokes and eggplant carbonate. All delicious, but too much food for us and we hated to waste it. Anyway, we passed up dessert and didn't even think about a gelato on the way back to our room.

Tomorrow, our first first and only full day in Palermo with a trip to Monreale.

Thanks Candace. Looking forward to more.

Loving my return to Sicily through your eyes.

So enjoying your TR Candace! Im glad my TR was helpful to you. The greatest thing I have liked about Fodors all these years are the Fodorites who take the time to do long and detailed TRs complete with opinions. Those TR help me determine what I would or would not enjoy and are so helpful in planning.

Looking forward to the rest.

It sounds so magical. I am really enjoying your report.

I think I would like Palermo, too, it sounds fascinating.

Thanks, everyone, for the encouragement. This will be, I guess, a fairly long trip report and it is good to be cheered along the way. Trip reports complete with opinions, as Dayle put it so well, can be really helpful for others in the planning process. They certainly have been for me and I hope to return the favor.

Yes, Adelaidean, Palermo is fascinating because it feels so authentic. There are many beautiful and historic sites to attract tourists, of course, but maybe because outsiders, conquerors, and others from someplace else, have ebbed and flowed through this place for a few thousand years, tourism is part of the fabric of the city and just taken for granted, not overly emphasized as it sometimes is elsewhere. Not that the people of Palermo weren't welcoming. They were, and their welcome felt genuine, as if they were happy to have us there and hoped we enjoyed ourselves. We did enjoy ourselves and found that watching the everyday street life of Palermo, people's interactions, the comings and goings throughout the day, was definitely a highlight of our visit there.

Really enjoying your report. We were in Sicily last April/May and we liked Palermo a lot. Actually a lot more than we thought we would. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Is there any chance you will post some pictures to go along with your wonderful report?

John, I would love to post some pictures but I'm not real sure how to go about doing that. I'll research it and see what I can do. Thanks for the suggestion.

Our First, and Last, Full Day in Palermo!

We woke to another bright and sunny day. Breakfast at the Massimo Plaza Hotel was served in our room each morning, an elegant touch. We requested a "savory" breakfast at 8:00 am. On the dot of 8:00, a tray arrived and was set on the small breakfast table in the corner of the room. A pot of coffee, a platter of meats and cheeses, assorted jams, breads and rolls, plus juice, made for a lovely way to start the day.

The young people at the hotel desk helped us arrange for a driver to take us up to Monreale at 11:00 am to visit the Duomo and see the mosaics. In the meantime, we decided to walk in the direction of the port. A huge car ferry, which must have been the overnight ferry from Naples, was docked at one end, and a gigantic 5 story cruise ship was backing into a dock at the other end. The mammoth, top heavy bulk of the cruise ship loomed large as it maneuvered itself into position at the pier, but soon it was safely docked and unloading its cargo of tourists, eager to see the town.

Leaving the port, we wandered back through little side streets, which grew more picturesque the closer we go to our hotel. There was a puppet theater tucked into one side of a narrow alley, advertising performances, although we couldn't figure out the schedule. The puppets we glimpsed through the doorway were large, over 3 feet high I think, and quite beautifully detailed. But when we tried to photograph them, a woman inside told us pictures were not allowed and shooed us away. We never did find out about show times. Too bad! It probably would have been fun, but then our time was so limited we might not be able to fit it in anyway.

Our driver picked us up as planned across the piazza from the hotel. The drive to Monreale took maybe a half hour through the crazy Palermo traffic and cost 30 euros. We planned to take the bus back because we wanted to stop in at the Norman Palace to see the Chapel and the mosaics there.

As so many have said, the mosaics of Monreale are truly special, filling almost every space and covering almost every surface in the Duomo. The golden bits glimmer like jewelry on the walls and ceilings. Tiny squares of glass in multi colors create depth and shading and illustrate bible stories in great detail. The pictures formed by the mosaics glow like the pages of illuminated medieval manuscripts. We sat awhile in the nave, trying to take it all in, before we found our way to the ascent to the terraces, where we could look out first at the cloisters below and then at the city of Palermo from the top.

Back down from the heights, we took some time to enjoy the mosaics again, then exited into the bright sunlight filling the pretty town square. Rounding a corner, we found a pizza place for lunch where we could relax at an outdoor table and enjoy a view of the square. Vendor stalls were overflowing with souvenirs and a few customers fingered over the trinkets. One or two street performers entertained a little group of onlookers. The lack of any crowds made it seem rather sleepy and quite peaceful there in the sun. But with our pizza eaten and our water drunk up, it was time to find the bus stop and head back down to town. We had asked a policeman before entering the Duomo about where we could catch the bus to Palermo and he had gestured vaguely in a downhill direction. After lunch, we walked that way but saw nothing that resembled a bus stop. Walking back to the main square, I remembered reading that bus tickets can be purchased at tobacco shops. Sure enough, the tobacco shop nearby had bus tickets for sale and the friendly lady who sold them to us kindly took us outside in order to point us in the direction of the bus pickup zone. When we still couldn't understand where we needed to go, she took my hands in hers and lined them up in front of my face as a guide, pointing down the hill. She was a sweetheart and I think we finally got it, as we did eventually make it to the bus stop and finally boarded the bus back to Palermo.

What a nice day :)

The main reason Sicily is lower on my wishlist is that we would use public transport. I note most people recommend a car.

Candace, re: photos....I use flickr for photosharing, I take an ipad and load my photos every day, anyway, just in case my camera is lost/ broken/ storage card is corrupted - then I have at least 'saved' my photos up until then, and it takes no time to just select a few and add them to whichever photoshare site you register with. So, for example, I can link anyone (family at home, Fodors) to my last trip like this https://flic.kr/s/aHsm7WHJHM (which was Switzerland). Zenfolio is another option, if you look at isabel's photos, for example, you can see how the display compares, and that site allows for text as well.

Thank you so much Adelaidean. That doesn't seem so complicated. I'll give it a try as soon as I can. I need to make the effort to upgrade my computer skills, that's for sure. My kids are always shaking their heads at my ineptitude.

On Our First, and Last, Day in Palermo - a Moment of Travel Serendipity!

Knowing that bus tickets needed to be validated after boarding, we tried to figure out where and how to do that. No one else seemed to be bothering. The bus stopped frequently to pick up new passengers as it headed down to Palermo and it was starting to fill up with people. At one point, an attractive lady boarded and we did see her stamping her ticket at a little machine a few seats away from us. Taking a seat kitty corner to us, she must have noticed our struggle to figure out the ticket stamping process because, with a small gesture indicating she could help, she took the tickets from us and stamped them herself. We thanked her, of course, and started, between the two of us, pondering our next dilemma. Because there was no route map on the bus and no stops were announced, we had no idea how we would recognize our stop at the Piazza Indipendenza, where we would need to get off in order to make our way to the Norman Palace. Again, this lovely lady came to our rescue, asking us in American-accented English if she could help. Turned out, she was a certified tour guide for the city of Palermo who grew up in Los Angeles and was on her way to meet a client.

For the next 15 minutes of the bus ride we chatted with her and enjoyed every minute of the conversation which covered a variety of topics from Sicilian dialects to the diversity of the Sicilian people. She highly recommended that we visit the archeological museum not far from our hotel where there was a temporary exhibit of a beautiful greek bowl made of gold originally discovered in Sicily. The bowl had disappeared for years and it had only recently been returned to Italy. She was happy it had come back to Palermo, if only temporarily and we promised to visit the museum to see the exhibit.

We all got off together when the bus stopped at the Piazza Indipendenza and she walked part way with us so she could point out the entry to the Norman Palace across the piazza. That lovely lady, whose name was Jacqueline Alio, gave us her card, and it was only when we got back to our hotel and looked her up online did we realize that she has been called one of Sicily's leading historians. She has published several books and has four available right now on Amazon. One of those, Women of Sicily, Saints, Queens and Rebels, I purchased for my history loving daughter for Christmas.


We can only imagine what a wonder tour guide Jacqueline Alio would be in Palermo. Her passion for the history and the people of Sicily was so apparent and she taught us a lot in only 15 minutes. Sharing that crowded bus ride with her was truly a treat and an honor and we'd like to thank her again for her kindness and generosity to us.

Signing on and enjoying your writing. Sicily is one of my favorite places.

BTW, a maps app on a smart phone makes traveling by bus very much easier - but then you might have missed the serendipitous encounter with Jacqueline Alio.

Also, if you go through JFK again, you might find the AirTrain (free) a better way to reach T1. http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk-airtrain.html

Thanks, thursdaysd. Those sound like two good suggestions. I should have spent more time researching ways to get around JFK. Lesson learned. And smartphones are wonderful, aren't they. Never thought to use it on the bus but we certainly will next time.

If you ask Google maps how to get from A to B by public transport it will tell you when the bus will arrive, what number it is, how many stops, and how much it will cost. Then it shows you where to find the bus stop, and you can follow the route once you are on the bus. So much less stressful - but less contact with locals.

Our First, and Last, Full Day in Palermo Continued.

After leaving Jacqueline Alio, we visited the Capella Palatine in the Norman Palace. Again, almost every surface of the chapel was covered with mosaics like Monreale, but in a more intimate space with even more brilliant colors, it seemed. The smaller spaces worked to magnify the intensity of it all, I think, and the effect was amazing. Lovely!

A visit to the Museo Archeological, as recommended by Jacqueline, seemed like a good way to end our day of sightseeing in Palermo. We figured we had plenty of time, as a check of the museum's website stated that it would be opened until 6:30. That should be sufficient, we thought, to see the golden bowl and other highlights. But oh-oh. We had heard about the capriciousness of business hours in Sicily. We arrived at the entrance at about 4:50, only to find the gate shut. Thinking we might be at the wrong entrance, we wandered around the block but saw no other way in. When we got back to the front gate, it was still closed but slightly ajar. Steve pushed the gate open and went up the steps where a guard stopped him (very pleasantly) and showed him a piece of copy paper taped to the door. Hours: Open til 5:30 today and obviously no entry after 4:30. Oh well. We had a few hours in the morning before we had to head to the airport to pick up our rental car. So we could come back in the morning and to see what we could see.

For dinner that night we went to the same restaurant as the night before, Trattoria del Massimo because we could be accommodated there at 7:30 and other recommended spots didn't open til 8:00. We both had good meals again. For me, salad with veal, tomatoes and cheese. Steve had veal scallopini. The bill, with a glass of wine each and a bottle of sparkling water came to about 40 euros.

After dinner, we walked back by the Teatro Massimo to our hotel and settled down for the night after a wonderful day. Tomorrow we would leave Palermo after a visit to the Archeological Museum, pick up our rental car, and head to our 5 night stay in Scopello.

Like you, I had a short but sweet visit to Palermo. I really enjoyed my time in the city, and am glad to read you did too.

Looking forward to your impressions of Scopello.

Signing on to your wonderful trip report.

Hi Candace!

What a nice report! More please! We are Italy lvers, but have yet to visit Sicily, and being well into our 60s we share this style of travelling.

Thanks for your report!

Wonderful trip report and informative comments. Thanks

Candace we only just used a smartphone this last holiday and it is a lifesaver! We left our teens at home and had to use the technology ourselves, sometimes I just forgot that I could check things like bus stops. But people are so kind, and as you found, it often leads to lovely interactions, we even had a waiter drive us home after dinner!
I'll be saving your report if I ever get to plan a Sicily trip.

Leely 2, "short & sweet" is the perfect description of our visit to Palermo too.

You are right, Adelaidean, people are so kind. Traveling to different countries and cultures always reinforces for me the notion that we are all so much more alike than we are different. It is so obvious that people everywhere very much love their children, are proud of their hometowns, like to share traditional foods, and are willing to extend their hand to someone who needs help. I am so thankful for the opportunities I have had to travel. Wherever we go we always seem to have the good fortune to meet kind, generous, and friendly people.

Thank you, everyone, for your encouragement.

From Palermo to Scopello, Eventually.

From Palermo to Scopello, Eventually.

Another sunny morning dawned, and after a good breakfast in our room at the Hotel Massimo Plaza, we set out for Palermo's archeological museum, the Museo Archeologico Regionale Salinas. With only a few hours available before we had to leave for the airport to pick up our rental car, we could only hit the museum's highlights.

Immediately upon entering the museum, we turned to the right and came upon the special exhibit area displaying the famous golden bowl, "La Phiale Aurea". suspended in a clear case in the center of the room. The amazing gold sphere, intricately carved on one side with acorns and bees, and inscribed with a Greek inscription around the edge, dazzled like a small sun. Jacqueline Alio had told us the story of its loss and recovery and how wonderful it was to have it back in Palermo so Sicilians could have the opportunity to see it. We loved having that opportunity also.

After taking some time to view the bowl from every side, we returned to the main entrance and proceeded to the sunlit area straight ahead. The museum was housed in a former monastery founded in the 17th century, and this area contained a lovely fountain surrounded by a set of cloisters. The fountain and its pool were bathed in natural light and turtles swan lazily in circles. Artfully placed artifacts around the pool set the scene for the statuary, jewelry, bronzes and pottery displayed further along the museum's corridors in interesting, and uncluttered, order. Finally we entered a series of rooms with friezes and other artifacts recovered from the temple sites at Selinunte. Very imposing and a big incentive to visit the site where these treasures were originally situated. It was time to go, but we wished we had more time to spend in this lovely museum. Reluctantly we made our way back to the hotel to checkout and meet the taxi which would take us to the airport to pick up our rental car. The taxi arranged by the hotel was waiting for us across the piazza and we were soon on our way toward our next destination, Scopello.

A final word about the Hotel Massimo Plaza, which turned out to be a really good place for us to stay in Palermo. the location was great, within easy walking distance of many sites. The staff was helpful and genuinely friendly. Upon arrival, as a welcome, we were served glasses of procecco and a dish of snacks in our room. The room with its little balcony and the ever changing view below was perfect for us. We loved being served breakfast in our room each morning. We think almost anyone visiting Palermo would like this hotel. The only problem might be accessibility for guests with mobility issues. Once you pass though the entry doors from the street below, the reception desk is up a long flight of stairs. There is no elevator but plenty of help with luggage is available.

Our car rental at the airport though Europcar went fairly smoothly, although we did end up with a larger car than we originally reserved. We had heard that this was a common occurrence in Sicily, although we aren't sure why the rental company would want to do this to customers, as the charge for the larger car is the same as the smaller one originally chosen. Having a larger car did turn out to have consequences for us at one point along the way. However, before long we were pulling out of the parking lot, on our way to Scopello. Or so we hoped.

We had arranged for a gps to be part of our rental package. On our last trips in Portugal and France, the rental gps worked out great. Not this time. We had trouble with it almost right away and were soon taking wrong turns one after another. Eventually, with frayed nerves, we gave up on it altogether and (shout out to Adelaidean) programmed our smartphone. The smartphone proved to be lots smarter than the gps and we soon found our way to our destination in Scopello.

Candace,

What a lucky thing to run into Jackie Alio on the bus! Amazing timing. I did a half day walking tour with her on my first day in Palermo and just loved it. Her knowledge was impressive and we had some fun talking about southern CA since I was born there. Highly recommend her services to anyone reading, but she is very busy so plan far ahead.

Cant wait to hear about Scopello.

Loving your TR. Thank you for sharing and for so much information!