bilboburgler

larger car, let's guess you got stuck in an alley been there...

Candace

Yes, Dayle, good luck was on our side when Jackie Alio got on that bus. That she took the time and effort to help out two hapless senior citizens trying to negotiate unfamiliar territory was wonderful, as was her willingness to engage in conversation with us. She was so interesting and easy to talk with. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your tour with her. Our chance encounter certainly led us to believe she must be a very special tour guide.

Thanks, Sassafrass, for following along.

Absolutely correct, bilboburgler. A wrong turn trying to exit Erice and we were stuck. The car was too big and the alleyways were too small. Don't know how Steve ever got us out of there.

thursdaysd

Wow, I would be reluctant to drive in Erice even in a small car. I seem to remember car parks at the entrances? Certainly the bus I used dropped everyone off outside the walls (fortunately my hotel wasn't far).

Candace

We did park in a car park, thursdaysd, right at the entrance to the village. We found an open spot immediately upon arrival, parked, and thought "Wow, that was easy". But somehow when we were leaving we missed the Exit sign. That was all it took for us to end up in a very tight situation. For a while we felt like rats in a maze. I still don't know how my husband maneuvered us out of there but eventually he did.

thursdaysd

Congratulations to your husband! Must indeed have been nerve-racking.

Candace

Five Nights at the Villa Azziza High Above Scopello.

Scopello might not be the ideal base for those looking for a place with lots of nearby sites and plenty of available activities to keep them busy. But when I was looking for someplace to base ourselves for five nights on the western side of Sicily, this town kept popping up as a possibility. A small town in a beautiful location by the sea, not really touristy but with plenty of rental options, located within reasonable driving distance to some interesting places, Scopello filled the bill. And when I started reviewing the actual rental properties available, I was captivated by the spectacular locations of some of these properties and the amazing views they offered. The view from the Villa Azziza, when we finally got there, turned out to be breathtaking.

The owner of the Villa Azziza, Guglielmo, arranged for his father to meet us at the Zingaro Nature Preserve parking lot, which he did, right on time. From there we followed his car as he led us up to the house, which we never would have found on our own. After many steep twists and turns on a few very narrow bumpy roads we arrived and pulled into the driveway. The view in front of us was truly gorgeous. From the veranda, we looked out over the Tyrrhenian Sea, spreading turquoise and azure blue before us, with the town of Scopello and its watchtower off to the right and the Zingara reserve to the left. Mountainous ridges rose up from the sea in every direction. Absolutely breathtaking, and for five days we enjoyed that lovely view every morning and every evening, and sometimes all afternoon.

Guglielmo's father was very welcoming and friendly and although he didn't speak much English he managed to show us the workings of the house with the help of the translator app on his smartphone (there we go again, Adelaidean). Only once did he have to call his son, who was working, I think, in Switzerland. Anyway, the only thing we didn't quite comprehend was his advice that we must keep the sliding door to the veranda closed at all times because of the "bugs". We never saw any bugs, but soon after we settled in we were visited by four or five neighborhood cats who seemed quite willing to swarm into the house if we'd let them. We like cats, but we didn't want to share our rental with them. None of the cats looked to be underfed. I think they were just looking for handouts and had found that visitors to the villa would often accommodate them. We tried to discourage their frequent visits at first but eventually they wore us down as they happily greeted us every morning and evening.

The Villa Azziza had everything we look for in a rental: a comfortable place to lounge around and relax, a dining table with good chairs, a comfortable bed and a decent shower, plus of course a great view. Settling into this pleasant little villa didn't take us long, although the first thing we did was to retrace on foot our route back down the hill. We wanted to make sure that when we ventured back out with the car we could avoid a wrong turn on those narrow impossibly tight roads. Assured that we wouldn't get lost, we were soon on our way to the nearest food market which we had seen on the road into Scopello. The market was good sized with an appealing deli counter (can't think what you call them in Italy) with cheeses, lunchmeats, and lots of prepared foods, a bakery and fresh meats section, a good selection of wine, and plenty of other groceries. Everything we needed except fresh produce, which we couldn't find anywhere. It turns out a produce truck sets up operation in the parking lot on certain days of the week and today wasn't one of them. Oh well, we made do with some marinated artichokes and eggplant parmesan from the deli. Often when we cook our own meals in rental kitchens, we try out local regional recipes we print out at home and bring with us. But on this night we kept things simple. Along with our deli choices, we had a sautéed chicken breast with lemon and some cookies picked up from the bakery. Everything was delicious.

After dinner, we laid out our plans for the four full days we would be staying in the Villa Azziza. Our last day here would be Easter Sunday, so we needed to plan accordingly. We knew that Erice, which was a definite must-see, has a famous procession of 18th century wooden figures, the Processione dei Misteri, on Good Friday. The procession draws big crowds and the crowds spill over into Saturday. Much as we would love to see such a traditional religious observance , there was no way we could handle the traffic, the parking, and all the hustle and bustle, that it would create. So if we wanted to see Erice, we should plan it for the next day, Thursday. Then we could do a Zingaro Reserve hike on Friday, visit Segesta on Saturday, and spend Easter Sunday quietly in Scopello. Plans made, we went to bed and slept soundly until morning.

Candace

Mountain Town to Beach Town - From Erice to San Vita lo Capo.

The drive from Scopello to Erice was pretty straight forward. We had read that the road up to Erice from the town of Valderiche had the fewest switchbacks, although, as we worked our way up it, there still seemed to be plenty of those. When we dared to look, there were magnificent views. The day was beautiful and after we parked, we set out to follow the Michelin walking tour of Erice, more or less. We find mountain towns, wherever they are, to be special places. Within their high stone walls and narrow passageways, time stands still. What we are seeing in the stones, the alleys, the ancient buildings, and the incredible views, are the same sights seen through the eyes of those who lived there long ago. And we can't help but be amazed by the sheer grit and raw power it must have taken to build these villages on top of mountains. What medieval minds figured out how to drag tons of rocks up cliffs and set them in such perfect order that they never tumbled down, once stacked into towers and turrets and steep stone walls. We never tire of visiting these places and being amazed.

Walking around Erice was pleasant. There were a few other people enjoying the sites, but it was not at all crowded. We passed by some shops with pretty displays on the street, colorful pottery and rugs stacked in pleasing patterns, and then typical tourist goods. We stopped for lunch at a place that had tables set out in a little piazza in front of a small church. Steve had a sandwich and I had my first arancine di rise (rice ball), which I really liked.

Erice, like most mountain towns, was memorable, but more memorable was our exit from town, which I've described in part above. How we took a wrong turn leaving the parking lot, I have no idea. But soon we were driving in ever tightening circles until we couldn't squeeze through anyplace anymore. I remember the look of horror on the faces of two ladies who rounded the corner of an alley and saw our predicament. Our car was wedged at an almost perpendicular angle in the passageway. The ladies quickly backed away, shaking their heads.

Needless to say, Steve somehow powered through the situation and finally got us out of there. Our relief was enormous as we headed down the road out of town. Again the switchbacks came on one after another and the views when we dared look were gorgeous. But we were very happy to finally reach the flat roads at the bottom.

Feeling a second wind after our adventure, we decided not to head directly back to Scopello but to follow the road we were currently on to the beach town of San Vito lo Capo. It was an interesting drive past marble quarries and one or two good sized towns before we approached the resort town of S. Vito lo Capo and its rather forlorn stretch, this time of year, of hotels and various tourist venues on the outskirts. But when we finally parked at the beach, which spread out in front of it all, everything burst out in color. The gorgeous turquoise and cobalt blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea served as a brilliant backdrop to the long stretch of yellow sand with some looming dark green cliffs beyond. Multicolored flags snapped in the breeze, brightly striped deck chairs lined the beach, and vendors were selling hats and shirts in vivid tones of pink, orange and purple from little carts along the street. A few hearty souls were swimming in the gentle surf, but paddle boats and beach chairs seemed to be the venues of choice on this pre Easter holiday.

The sun was actually hot, and we didn't stay long. Looking forward to relaxing on our shaded veranda, with its gorgeous view of the sea, we turned the car around and headed for home.

thursdaysd

Beautiful description of Erice, a true gem.

Adelaidean

Scopello looks amazing. And Erice, .... (We recently walked up a very steep hill to the medieval town of Trezzone, above Lake Como, tiny, tangled alleys and stone buildings clinging to the hillside, a real step back in time and it felt surreal and untouched; I love those experiences too). Really enjoying your descriptive account.

bilboburgler

I find that upgrades are not always better value than trying to stick with what you ordered, especially in Italy where old cities or steep land is concerned

Candace

Yes, thursdaysd, Erice is truly a gem. So glad we got to see it. And Adelaidean, Trezzone sounds beautiful too. We visited Lake Como years ago but didn't get to Trezzone.

bilboburgler, we didn't seem to have a choice when it came to obtaining a smaller car. We were told none were available. I wonder if that was true?

bilboburgler

Candace, often you do not have a choice, it's tough, this year my sister only just got us out a similar position in a massive Volvo the guys had foisted on us. No choice.

Candace

Yikes! I can't imagine trying to maneuver a massive Volvo around Europe.

Candace

Walking Zingaro Nature Reserve - Above the Sea and Among the Flowers.

Again, a lovely day of blue skies and bright sun dawned. I hardly dared say it but the weather on this trip had been amazing so far. This would be a perfect day for a hike into the Zingaro Nature Preserve. From our veranda, we could look over to the parking lot of the reserve far to the left. It was empty this early but we had the feeling, because it was a holiday, that it might fill up quickly. The little public beach we could see far below us already had a few sun seekers securing their space on the sand.

Our first order of the day was to drive into Scopello to pick up sandwiches to pack for our hike. A little bakery in Scopello, Panificio di Stabile e Anselmo, is famous for its pane cunzato sandwiches and we wanted to try one. The small, dimly lit bakery was bustling when we walked in the door. Obviously a family affair, we were served by a jolly, motherly woman while her son hauled in tall carts loaded with freshly baked sfincione, thick crust Sicilian style pizza. As planned, we ordered two pane cunzato sandwiches, which consisted of sliced peasant bread seasoned with olive oil and herbs and filled with fresh tomato and slices of cheese. Anchovies were optional and we passed. We also ordered an arancini to add to our dinner menu later.

With our special picnic procured, we stopped back at our house for water and oranges then made our way to Zingaro's parking lot. We paid the entrance fee, obtained a little map, and headed out. Following the trail, we were rewarded by gorgeous views in every direction. Before long, we came to the small visitors' center with some pictorial displays providing information on the flora and fauna of the reserve and some glass cases holding artifacts of the region. There was even a small area of handcrafted items for sale. A few nice and rather unusual things tempted me but we continued on. After a while, the path became rougher, stoney and boney in spots. Steve, who has some balance issues due to spinal stenosis, began to wish he had hiking poles. After hiking about an hour and a half, we decided to turn around, not willing to risk a fall. We wished we could have gone further, but we were glad we got as far as we did. Peering down over cliffs and ledges at the pure blue green sea and the little beaches below, enjoying the various and beautiful wildflowers at every turn, and the birds wheeling overhead, we took our time on the trail back. We remembered a picnic area which spread out below the trail not far from the parking lot and decided to have our lunch there. We were the only people taking advantage of the tables shaded by thatched cabanas. Gazing out at the sea, we watched a lone fisherman working his territory, and ate our sandwiches. The sandwiches were good but that rustic peasant bread was somewhat tough to chew. We took one whole sandwich home to deconstruct and cook in the oven like pizza. It turned out to be fantastic, crunchy, very unusual pizza! Loved it.

Candace

Off to Segesta. Our First of Many Temples.

After breakfast the next morning we set out for the Segesta archeological park. It was an easy drive from Scopello and we arrived midmorning. We could see the beautiful Doric temple in the distance as we approached on the roadway. As we walked up toward it after parking, it was so lovely in its lonely setting on a hill among yellow, blue and purple wildflowers and scattered red poppies. On one side a glen of evergreens was shaded and cool. On the other side on a slope beyond the valley, a single tractor worked a field near a vineyard and a small olive grove, creating a perfect pastoral picture. How long, I wondered, had a farm occupied this spot, alone in the landscape except for a exceptional Greek temple sharing the neighborhood in solitary splendor?

After awhile, watching the deep buff colored stone of the numerous pillars and pediments of the temple become a soft golden tone in the sun, we walked down to the entrance and took a bus up the steep hill to the amphitheater. Here, the wildflowers outdid themselves and formed banks and heaping mounds of color, again yellow, blue and purple, providing a vivid border for the spectacular views toward the distant sea. We walked all around the site of the ancient amphitheater, and sat for awhile on one of the stone seats, enjoying the view. We watched preparations being made for performances that would take place throughout the summer. What fun it would be to see one of those.

That afternoon, after having a late lunch at Villa Azziza, we drove into Scopello. Except for the bakery and the little supermarket outside town, we hadn't really explored the village. Exploring it didn't take long. It is very small, with only a few streets, a small piazza, a few hotels, and the courtyard bagnio, or fortified farmstead, which now houses a few cafe/restaurants and little shops around the perimeter. We enjoyed a glass of wine at an outdoor table at one of the cafes and enjoyed the holiday atmosphere of the Easter weekend. When we stopped at the grocery on the main road outside of town for a few supplies, it was very busy with people stocking up for their Easter feast the next day. Tomorrow would be our last day in Scopello and we planned to just relax and enjoy it.

Candace

Easter Sunday in Scopello.

Determined to just hang out and enjoy our great little rental house on our last day there, we took our time over breakfast and hung out on the veranda looking out at the sea. Everyday we were there, it had been interesting to watch the beach activity below us. The beach was never very busy but there were always a few cars parked while people took advantage of the sparkling agate blue and turquoise water. The color of that water was so striking from up high. At water level it was even more brilliant, we discovered, as we decided to drive down and finally see it first hand. On this Easter Sunday morning, the wind was chilly and it was too cold to swim, but I could only imagine what a beautiful spot this would be on a warm summer day.

Another spot we had noticed everyday as we passed by but had never stopped to check out was the old tuna factory on the main road in front of the town. After paying a small entry fee, it was possible to walk around the property with its pretty and picturesque old buildings, many old tuna boats and heavy iron anchors, and of course that gemstone water surging against the rock shore. It is possible to rent an apartment in one of the building right on the water. The location would be wonderful, I think, but not very private.

We probably spent less than an hour enjoying the scenery at the old Tuna Factory before heading back to our house where we put together a dinner using up the delicious red sauce Steve had made from scratch plus other bits and pieces of leftovers. Not a traditional Easter dinner but good.

Candace

From Scopello to Selinunte and onto the Valley of the Temples.

The next morning Guglielmo's father and mother arrived promptly at the appointed time to retrieve the keys and say goodbye. Even though neither father nor mother spoke much English, all sorts of expressions of good will and good wishes passed between the four of us and we left feeling like valued friends. Soon we were backing out of the driveway and winding down the hill to the main road, on our way to Selinunte and then Agrigento. On our way, that is, until we got the phone call a half hour later from Guglielmo letting us know we had left some clothing behind. Steve had left a sweater and shirt, folded neatly, in a dresser drawer. Needing every piece of clothing we had so carefully packed in our carryons for this trip, we turned around and went back, adding at least an hour to our drive to Selinunte. We had packed a sandwich for lunch and to save time we ate it when we arrived at the Selinunte parking lot. Again, we had a beautiful day for temple touring but we now also had a timing issue due to our late start. Because of that, we didn't do much more at Selinunte but clamor over the inside of the biggest, most complete temple. We admired the other ruins with the sea beyond from a distance. Back in the car, we headed toward Agrigento, a few hours away, hoping to have time, after checking into our hotel, to visit the Valley of the Temples.

The Hotel Foresteria Baglio della Luna was originally a baglio, or fortified farmstead, with a watch tower added a few century later. Transformed into a small hotel with a wide courtyard, bubbling fountains, and adjoining gardens, it was quite lovely. Check in was smooth and professional, and even before being shown to our room, we were given a map of the Temples and good instructions about how to proceed through the site. Our corner room (#206) had a little balcony and a distant view of the temples.

Having heard that viewing the temples is special in the late afternoon when the slanting sun hits them at an angle, we followed the road map provided by the hotel and were soon pulling into the parking lot at the top of the site. Beginning with the temple at the top, we worked our way down the hill. Honestly, we didn't spend a lot of time studying the ruins but we did enjoy the beauty of it all. Reaching the bottom of the site, we turned around and walked back up, enjoying that beauty all over again.

The Hotel Foresteria Baglio della Luna serves dinner and we had made reservations for 7:30. The attractive dining room had windows on three sides and a view of the temples. For my first course, I had green pea soup with pasta and Steve had little seafood raviolis in a fluorescent red sauce. Both dishes were tasty. My next course was tuna with marinated vegetables. Steve ordered amberjack, which is a fish we were both unfamiliar with. Because it was highly recommended by the waitress, he decided to try it. When she served this course, she mentioned something about meat, but neither of us understood what she was actually telling us. As he was eating, Steve said his meal was good but he questioned the taste and texture, saying it was unlike any fish he had ever had before. When the waitress was clearing the table, he asked her about the fish he had just dined on. She laughed and laughed. Not fish - meat, she said. We concluded the chef had no amberjack that night and so had substituted a meat dish. We have no idea what Steve had eaten but at least it was good. Deciding to order a dessert plate, we shared a little bitty cannoli, a delicious scoop of gelato, and a nice piece of nut brittle, between us. Very yummy. All and all, we had a good dinner, but with a little mystery meat thrown in.

At checkout the next morning, we were given a pretty little package of cookies, and were soon off to the Villa Romana del Casale at Piazza Armerina. After visiting the famous mosaics there, we would head down to Syracuse, drop off our car, and check into our next rental on the island of Ortigia.

Candace

Onto the Villa Romana del Casale.

We checked via Michelin for the drive time to Villa Romana and given our early start, it seemed like we would have plenty of time to visit the villa and then drop the car off in Siracusa by 4:00. The roads were good and traffic was light. We sailed along, happy with our progress. And then, suddenly, we were stopped without warning by a construction roadblock. Not a temporary roadblock, but a series of boulders set in a row across the blacktop. There were no signs directing us toward a detour, so we backed up, veered off in a different direction and hoped the GPS would reroute us, which it finally did. The new route, however, was comprised of tiny, twisting roads, barely one lane wide, which took us off through the countryside. It was a very pretty drive with lots of hills and wildflower strewn fields, but it was, we knew, time consuming. So, for the second day in a row, we arrived at our interim destination very pressed for time.

Luckily, the Villa Romana was not crowded so we could easily view the mosaics from the catwalks above them. We enjoyed the hunting scene with its depiction of various animals, the young women with their roses, and of course, the bikini girls were fun. Amazing that these treasures, with colors like crayons in a coloring book, had been buried in mud and forgotten for centuries. We wandered the villa complex for awhile and found it interesting, but felt pressure to continue onto Siracusa in order to return our car rental on time. We grabbed a sandwich in the cafeteria by the parking lot for our lunch and ate it on our way.


Rental Car Return in Siracusa.

Leaving the Villa Romana, we checked our GPS and saw that we were on a tight schedule. We were supposed to drop the rental car off at the Europcar office in Siracusa at 4:00 We knew the office was on a busy city street a few blocks from the bridge to Ortigia. At 4:00 almost exactly, after a few wrong turns and frustrating and misleading road signs, we found the office and, low and behold, a parking spot right in front. With all the traffic filling those streets, that was like a miracle. So there we were, right on time, with our totally unscratched and dent-free rental car parked on the street with all sorts of crazy traffic whizzing by, and the door to the Europcar office was locked up tight. A little hand lettered sign indicated "Back Soon" or something similar in Italian. Okay, we could do nothing much but wait and hope that none of those speeding cars, or scooters flying by, did any damage to our (so far anyway) pristine rental vehicle. Finally, the Europcar service representative sauntered up to the office door and unlocked it. Soon, we were headed up the street, suitcases in tow, to the place where we were scheduled to meet up with Stephano, the owner of our rental apartment.


Our Rental Apartment in Ortigia.

Stephano was wonderful! After a few miscommunications, he finally found us on the street, and somehow managed to cram us and our gear into his very small car. Off we went, over the bridge and onto the island of Ortigia. After a wave to a policeman guarding the way, he drove right into the traffic-free Piazza Duomo and parked in front of a building set in a passageway. It was some sort of municipal building, we found out later. He led us through the passageway, into a courtyard shaded by trees, and up to the heavy wooden door of the apartment. Stephano's English was not too extensive, but he showed us the apartment with great pride. And as soon as he opened the big window to the little balcony overlooking the harbor, we were in love with the place too. Out the window, we could see boats making their way in and out of the harbor. Sailboats, fishing boats, yachts and cruise ships came and went. A few large and luxurious yachts were moored right in front of us, humming with activity as crew members worked hard to keep their decks and brasses spit shined and polished. The harbor side promenade was right under our window too, and a constant stream of pedestrians strolled back and forth, providing us with plenty of people watching opportunities day and night.

With a comfortable little bedroom, a decent bathroom with a shower, and a good sized lounge area that included some sofas, a spacious dining table, and a nice little kitchen along one wall, the apartment was perfect for our needs. It didn't take us long to unpack and make our way back out, through the courtyard and the passageway, on our way to begin our exploration of the little island of Ortigia.

And there, right in front of us, was the magnificent Piazza Duomo of Ortigia in all its glory. Some say it is the most beautiful piazza in all of Italy and I wouldn't argue. In the sunlight, the facade of the duomo glows pure and white, like fondant icing on an expensive wedding cake. The piazza itself, which is paved in stones that look like marble, is large and made irregular by the other impressive baroque buildings that surround it, some tinted pink and some tinted pale yellow. Magnificent in the sunlight, the piazza is drop dead gorgeous at night when it is floodlit and the duomo gleams golden against the blackened sky. I couldn't get enough of the sight of it all, day or night. Every time we left our apartment or returned to it, we encountered that stunning view of the duomo and its piazza. How lucky we were!

Dayle

Sigh...yes the Piazza Duomo is definitely one of the most beautiful. It would be hard to choose between it and Piazza San Marco. Beautiful in different ways....both magic at night.

Adelaidean

It all sounds so lovely (well, except for the driving, no intention of doing that!).