Sampling Some of Sicily and Bits of Italy Beyond
Nov 15th, 2017, 06:28 AM
#61
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I agree, Dayle, that Piazza San Marco is stunning, and it really makes no sense to describe any one place, be it a piazza or a hill town, as the most beautiful in Italy. Italy has so many amazingly lovely places that it is impossible, I think, to pronounce one more beautiful than another.
Adelaidean, I am beginning to think you are right about the driving. My husband does an amazing job but there always seems to be stress involved, whether from roadblocks, tight corners, missed turns or parking issues. We are not as young as we used to be and I don't do stress that well anymore.
Adelaidean, I am beginning to think you are right about the driving. My husband does an amazing job but there always seems to be stress involved, whether from roadblocks, tight corners, missed turns or parking issues. We are not as young as we used to be and I don't do stress that well anymore.
Nov 15th, 2017, 01:53 PM
#62
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Five Nights in Ortigia.
Rather than describe our stay in Ortigia day by day, I thought I would just describe some of the highlights of our visit to this special island.
The Piazza Duomo:
Having already described this wondrous place, I just want to say that its beauty will stay with me for the rest of my life. The duomo itself was first a Greek temple and the huge columns in the interior are a lasting reminder of that era. Over time, the temple was also used as a mosque and eventually turned into a cathedral by the Normans. The layers of cultures , one built on another, are symbolic of the multicultural history of Sicily.
The Archeological Museum of Siracusa:
Having decided to walk to the museum from Ortigia, we somehow managed to get lost after we left the island, but eventually we made it to the rather scruffy building housing the museum. After reading several reports, we knew to first head downstairs to the coin and jewelry exhibition. To gain entry, it was necessary to ring a buzzer. Once inside, we were met by a truly enthusiastic greeter with lots of red hair who, it seems, wanted us to love the exhibits as much as she obviously does. The first display in the exhibit was a grouping of iron tools which, she explained, was used as currency before the introduction of coins. From there we moved through centuries of coinage. Magnifying glasses attached to each display case brought the beautiful detail of each coin to light. I was fascinated by the various "hoards" of coins buried in gardens or hidden in walls by desperate people, centuries before, in order to protect their precious coins during times of war and disruption. Never to be reclaimed by the original owner, these hoards would eventually be dug up or discovered centuries later. Imagine the undiscovered hoards that still must be hidden in the fields, rocky crevices, and ancient ruins of Sicily. Then there was the jewelry. The details seen through the magnifying glass were fascinating. And some of that jewelry was just so darn pretty.
We spent awhile enjoying this part of the museum, so when it was time to move on, we took the red haired lady's advice on the important exhibits not to be missed on the higher floors: the Sarcophagus of Adelphia and the Venus Landolina. But first we paused to study the displays describing the geographic formation of Sicily, which was interesting. Bits and pieces of several islands gradually squeezed together to form the one grand island that became Sicily. Some of the creatures that inhabited Paleolithic Sicily, such as pigmy elephants and giant rats, were represented in the museum by recreated skeletal remains. Very cool, my grandson would think.
The Archeological Park:
Like the outside of the museum, the archeological park seemed run down. In order to gain entry, it was necessary to take a long and irritating walk past stalls selling t shirts and similar souvenirs in order to access the ticket booth. As we proceeded through the site, we couldn't really see the quarry area because that path was closed. Walking on, a group of school kids preceded us into the cave known as Dionysius' Ear and energetically started testing the acoustics. Temporary seating for summer performances was being constructed at the Greek theater when we climbed up through it . The mechanics of that construction, and how the wood framing was cut to fit around the uneven rocks, was interesting to Steve and he watched the workmen for awhile. The necropolis above and behind the theater was interesting too. Several rooms, hewn out of the rocks, were big enough to live in, being at least the size of small cottages. In the center of the necropolis, a little pool now fed by a tiny waterfall was once filled by an aqueduct and was originally used to supply the needs of the theater.
The Street Market and the Food.
Open everyday but Sunday, the street market was full of fresh fruits and vegetables, all kinds of seafood, spices, olives, and various other Sicilian treats. It was also full of so much color and energy, with loud talk back and forth between vendors competing for customers. We loved it and visited it almost every morning to buy our fruits and vegetables for the day and our fish for dinner. Strawberries, artichokes and asparagus, all in season, were heaped up in tempting displays on many vendors' tables. With such wonderful fresh ingredients we created some great meals in our little kitchen. Swordfish, simply prepared with lemon, salt and pepper. Sides of asparagus steamed with lemon, and pasta with olive oil, garlic and parmesan. Or zucchini sautéed with red onion and fresh tomatoes accompanied by steamed artichokes with caper mayonnaise. One night, instead of fish, we had skewered spiced chicken and served it with tiny new potatoes and fresh parsley from the market. Dessert was big bowls of strawberries with some of the cookies from a local bakery Stephano had left for us. And then we discovered the bakery down the street where, when we ordered a cannoli, the baker took a shell and filled it on the spot with sweet ricotta. We had never tasted a cannoli like it. It was beyond words for good. One day the fish guy at the market threw in an extra piece of swordfish at no charge, so for lunch we created a fish chowder with leftover potatoes, parsley, and some crisped up pancetta. Wow, that was good. Because we were so happy with our own cooking we never did have dinner in a restaurant the whole time we spent on Ortigia.
Rather than describe our stay in Ortigia day by day, I thought I would just describe some of the highlights of our visit to this special island.
The Piazza Duomo:
Having already described this wondrous place, I just want to say that its beauty will stay with me for the rest of my life. The duomo itself was first a Greek temple and the huge columns in the interior are a lasting reminder of that era. Over time, the temple was also used as a mosque and eventually turned into a cathedral by the Normans. The layers of cultures , one built on another, are symbolic of the multicultural history of Sicily.
The Archeological Museum of Siracusa:
Having decided to walk to the museum from Ortigia, we somehow managed to get lost after we left the island, but eventually we made it to the rather scruffy building housing the museum. After reading several reports, we knew to first head downstairs to the coin and jewelry exhibition. To gain entry, it was necessary to ring a buzzer. Once inside, we were met by a truly enthusiastic greeter with lots of red hair who, it seems, wanted us to love the exhibits as much as she obviously does. The first display in the exhibit was a grouping of iron tools which, she explained, was used as currency before the introduction of coins. From there we moved through centuries of coinage. Magnifying glasses attached to each display case brought the beautiful detail of each coin to light. I was fascinated by the various "hoards" of coins buried in gardens or hidden in walls by desperate people, centuries before, in order to protect their precious coins during times of war and disruption. Never to be reclaimed by the original owner, these hoards would eventually be dug up or discovered centuries later. Imagine the undiscovered hoards that still must be hidden in the fields, rocky crevices, and ancient ruins of Sicily. Then there was the jewelry. The details seen through the magnifying glass were fascinating. And some of that jewelry was just so darn pretty.
We spent awhile enjoying this part of the museum, so when it was time to move on, we took the red haired lady's advice on the important exhibits not to be missed on the higher floors: the Sarcophagus of Adelphia and the Venus Landolina. But first we paused to study the displays describing the geographic formation of Sicily, which was interesting. Bits and pieces of several islands gradually squeezed together to form the one grand island that became Sicily. Some of the creatures that inhabited Paleolithic Sicily, such as pigmy elephants and giant rats, were represented in the museum by recreated skeletal remains. Very cool, my grandson would think.
The Archeological Park:
Like the outside of the museum, the archeological park seemed run down. In order to gain entry, it was necessary to take a long and irritating walk past stalls selling t shirts and similar souvenirs in order to access the ticket booth. As we proceeded through the site, we couldn't really see the quarry area because that path was closed. Walking on, a group of school kids preceded us into the cave known as Dionysius' Ear and energetically started testing the acoustics. Temporary seating for summer performances was being constructed at the Greek theater when we climbed up through it . The mechanics of that construction, and how the wood framing was cut to fit around the uneven rocks, was interesting to Steve and he watched the workmen for awhile. The necropolis above and behind the theater was interesting too. Several rooms, hewn out of the rocks, were big enough to live in, being at least the size of small cottages. In the center of the necropolis, a little pool now fed by a tiny waterfall was once filled by an aqueduct and was originally used to supply the needs of the theater.
The Street Market and the Food.
Open everyday but Sunday, the street market was full of fresh fruits and vegetables, all kinds of seafood, spices, olives, and various other Sicilian treats. It was also full of so much color and energy, with loud talk back and forth between vendors competing for customers. We loved it and visited it almost every morning to buy our fruits and vegetables for the day and our fish for dinner. Strawberries, artichokes and asparagus, all in season, were heaped up in tempting displays on many vendors' tables. With such wonderful fresh ingredients we created some great meals in our little kitchen. Swordfish, simply prepared with lemon, salt and pepper. Sides of asparagus steamed with lemon, and pasta with olive oil, garlic and parmesan. Or zucchini sautéed with red onion and fresh tomatoes accompanied by steamed artichokes with caper mayonnaise. One night, instead of fish, we had skewered spiced chicken and served it with tiny new potatoes and fresh parsley from the market. Dessert was big bowls of strawberries with some of the cookies from a local bakery Stephano had left for us. And then we discovered the bakery down the street where, when we ordered a cannoli, the baker took a shell and filled it on the spot with sweet ricotta. We had never tasted a cannoli like it. It was beyond words for good. One day the fish guy at the market threw in an extra piece of swordfish at no charge, so for lunch we created a fish chowder with leftover potatoes, parsley, and some crisped up pancetta. Wow, that was good. Because we were so happy with our own cooking we never did have dinner in a restaurant the whole time we spent on Ortigia.
Nov 17th, 2017, 05:31 AM
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HappyTrvlr, I found it on TripAdvisor. If you search on apartment duomo Ortigia it pops up. The site has 47 pictures and will give you a really good idea of what the apartment is like. We loved the apartment and Stefano was great.
Nov 17th, 2017, 07:18 AM
#67
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.>>
yet they did tumble down [in the towns in the east during the earthquake at the end of the 17th Century] and they rebuilt them just the same way! What were they thinking of?
Candace I am a late arrival here and have greatly enjoyed your descriptions of Palermo and environs [where I have never been] and Ortygia, where we spent a lovely few days last September, before we did a tour of Ragusa, Piazza Armerina, and Taormina. How I identified with your descriptions of the roads and the driving conditions - I swear that we were on the same roads as you! Ragusa was a particular trial, both driving up and driving down but worst, by far, was the drive up to Castelmola above Taormina. Once we had got there and parked our hire car at our hotel, there was no way that we were going to move it again until it was time to leave. [BTW, I think that we must have been very lucky - we were given the car we had booked which was a Fiat Punto; what it would have been like with a larger one on some of those narrow streets I cannot imagine - but then again I don't need to now as you've told me!]
I understand why you ate at home - the markets were wonderful - but we didn't have that option and I have to say that we had some great meals in Ortigya, so if you go again, do try to eat out at least one night.
yet they did tumble down [in the towns in the east during the earthquake at the end of the 17th Century] and they rebuilt them just the same way! What were they thinking of?
Candace I am a late arrival here and have greatly enjoyed your descriptions of Palermo and environs [where I have never been] and Ortygia, where we spent a lovely few days last September, before we did a tour of Ragusa, Piazza Armerina, and Taormina. How I identified with your descriptions of the roads and the driving conditions - I swear that we were on the same roads as you! Ragusa was a particular trial, both driving up and driving down but worst, by far, was the drive up to Castelmola above Taormina. Once we had got there and parked our hire car at our hotel, there was no way that we were going to move it again until it was time to leave. [BTW, I think that we must have been very lucky - we were given the car we had booked which was a Fiat Punto; what it would have been like with a larger one on some of those narrow streets I cannot imagine - but then again I don't need to now as you've told me!]
I understand why you ate at home - the markets were wonderful - but we didn't have that option and I have to say that we had some great meals in Ortigya, so if you go again, do try to eat out at least one night.
Nov 17th, 2017, 11:38 AM
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You are right, annhig, stone walls and towers, built so painstakingly and with such heavy lifting, can tumble down in minutes if the earth starts to quake. It must have taken huge amounts of optimism on the part of those who decided, after an earthquake, to build it all back up again.
I can't imagine driving a rental car up to Taormina and then beyond. The road to Erice was steep enough but at least there was no traffic. Traffic was heavy when we took a taxi from the train station up to Taormina. The taxi was a big black Mercedes, and the driver flew around the curves in spite of the traffic. The ride was both breathtaking and nerve wracking.
I would like to try a few more restaurants next time. We do save quite a bit cooking for ourselves but I like to be waited on now and then.
I can't imagine driving a rental car up to Taormina and then beyond. The road to Erice was steep enough but at least there was no traffic. Traffic was heavy when we took a taxi from the train station up to Taormina. The taxi was a big black Mercedes, and the driver flew around the curves in spite of the traffic. The ride was both breathtaking and nerve wracking.
I would like to try a few more restaurants next time. We do save quite a bit cooking for ourselves but I like to be waited on now and then.
Nov 17th, 2017, 12:27 PM
#69
That sounds like heaven. A wonderful apartment, a street market, walking the alleys, a few sites. I'd like to cook my own meals, too, still carrying the extra kilo's from the half board in Switzerland recently 
Nov 17th, 2017, 01:53 PM
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Highlights of Ortigia Continued.
The Caravaggio Painting at the Church of Santa Lucia all Badia:
Although we are far from knowledgeable in art history, we generally enjoy viewing the wealth of paintings and sculptures we encounter in Europe. This painting, The Burial of St. Lucy, is located in a church at one end of the Piazza Duomo. One afternoon, we noticed that the door to the church was opened, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to see the inside of the church and the famous painting. This beautiful work by Caravaggio really struck us and we took a while studying it. The simplicity of the play of light and dark was perfect when combined with the strength and the sadness displayed by the painting's subjects. I don't know if I am saying it right but the whole effect was really forceful. We resolved then to see more of Caravaggio's works when we got to Rome.
The Puppet Museum:
Our brief glimpse of the puppets in Palermo intrigued us, but we never got a chance to see them close up. The puppet museum in Ortigia had limited hours and again we weren't able to see a performance, but we did manage to visit the puppet exhibits one afternoon. We enjoyed this little museum, with its colorful displays of intricate handmade puppets along with the history of the family that revived the art of puppetry in Ortigia. We bought little replicas of two puppets, Orlando and Angelica, as gifts for our grandson and granddaughter. Our grandson loves knights in shining armor and our granddaughter was a pirate princess for Halloween, so these gifts should be perfect.
Museum Leonardo da Vinci and Archimedes:
Another small museum we enjoyed in Ortigia was devoted to the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci and Archimedes. Here, Leonardo's drawings were transformed into actual machines and devices. Some of them we could actually operate, but others, which were really intricate, we weren't allowed to touch but could only study from different angles. The hands on stuff was interesting and there was a section for kids that looked like fun. Steve and I actually built a replica of Leonardo's "instant" bridge with the Lincoln Log type materials provided. The puzzles and displays related to Archimedes were also interesting. A very unique individual, Archimedes was born in Siracusa. It was said that he would become so involved in his theories that he would often forget to eat and sleep. Ultimately, he was slain by a Roman soldier because he had no idea that there was a war raging outside his study. All this was very intriguing stuff and we spent awhile here.
Just Wandering the Streets:
Often, we would follow the little streets beyond the main thoroughfares, on our way here or there. These little alleyways were often colorful, lined with potted greenery, bits of statuary, and clever flower arrangements artfully displayed around doorways. The little shop windows were endlessly intriguing and of course all the hanging laundry strung out above added lots more color. On the side of the island opposite the harbor, the wind blew hard and waves crashed on the bits of rocky beach here and there. On the harbor side, locals and tourists alike strolled the lungomare as vessels of all sizes and shapes bobbed on moorings.
Opera From Our Balcony:
Steve always brings his iPod and some little speakers with us on vacation and on this trip we often enjoyed opera in the evenings after dinner. One night just after sunset, the balcony doors were opened with the music playing softly in the background. Watching couples walk by below, Steve suddenly had an inspiration. As Pavarotti began his amazing rendition of Nessun Dorma, Steve turned the volume up. Down on the street, one couple stopped dead in their tracks, then looked up to see where the music was coming from. Another couple began a graceful dance on the pavement, while a woman passing by just stood still and swayed to the music. How magical beautiful music can be. It was magical that night for us.
The Caravaggio Painting at the Church of Santa Lucia all Badia:
Although we are far from knowledgeable in art history, we generally enjoy viewing the wealth of paintings and sculptures we encounter in Europe. This painting, The Burial of St. Lucy, is located in a church at one end of the Piazza Duomo. One afternoon, we noticed that the door to the church was opened, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to see the inside of the church and the famous painting. This beautiful work by Caravaggio really struck us and we took a while studying it. The simplicity of the play of light and dark was perfect when combined with the strength and the sadness displayed by the painting's subjects. I don't know if I am saying it right but the whole effect was really forceful. We resolved then to see more of Caravaggio's works when we got to Rome.
The Puppet Museum:
Our brief glimpse of the puppets in Palermo intrigued us, but we never got a chance to see them close up. The puppet museum in Ortigia had limited hours and again we weren't able to see a performance, but we did manage to visit the puppet exhibits one afternoon. We enjoyed this little museum, with its colorful displays of intricate handmade puppets along with the history of the family that revived the art of puppetry in Ortigia. We bought little replicas of two puppets, Orlando and Angelica, as gifts for our grandson and granddaughter. Our grandson loves knights in shining armor and our granddaughter was a pirate princess for Halloween, so these gifts should be perfect.
Museum Leonardo da Vinci and Archimedes:
Another small museum we enjoyed in Ortigia was devoted to the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci and Archimedes. Here, Leonardo's drawings were transformed into actual machines and devices. Some of them we could actually operate, but others, which were really intricate, we weren't allowed to touch but could only study from different angles. The hands on stuff was interesting and there was a section for kids that looked like fun. Steve and I actually built a replica of Leonardo's "instant" bridge with the Lincoln Log type materials provided. The puzzles and displays related to Archimedes were also interesting. A very unique individual, Archimedes was born in Siracusa. It was said that he would become so involved in his theories that he would often forget to eat and sleep. Ultimately, he was slain by a Roman soldier because he had no idea that there was a war raging outside his study. All this was very intriguing stuff and we spent awhile here.
Just Wandering the Streets:
Often, we would follow the little streets beyond the main thoroughfares, on our way here or there. These little alleyways were often colorful, lined with potted greenery, bits of statuary, and clever flower arrangements artfully displayed around doorways. The little shop windows were endlessly intriguing and of course all the hanging laundry strung out above added lots more color. On the side of the island opposite the harbor, the wind blew hard and waves crashed on the bits of rocky beach here and there. On the harbor side, locals and tourists alike strolled the lungomare as vessels of all sizes and shapes bobbed on moorings.
Opera From Our Balcony:
Steve always brings his iPod and some little speakers with us on vacation and on this trip we often enjoyed opera in the evenings after dinner. One night just after sunset, the balcony doors were opened with the music playing softly in the background. Watching couples walk by below, Steve suddenly had an inspiration. As Pavarotti began his amazing rendition of Nessun Dorma, Steve turned the volume up. Down on the street, one couple stopped dead in their tracks, then looked up to see where the music was coming from. Another couple began a graceful dance on the pavement, while a woman passing by just stood still and swayed to the music. How magical beautiful music can be. It was magical that night for us.
Nov 17th, 2017, 03:06 PM
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Hi Candace,
I am thoroughly enjoying your trip report! You are an excellent travel writer! I haven't been to Italy since the 1970's when my husband and I visited Rome and Florence. I would love to return because there are so many beautiful places we have not seen yet in Italy. I admit Sicily was not on my radar, but now it is after reading your report. It looks like you were gone about 3 weeks, right?
Karen
I am thoroughly enjoying your trip report! You are an excellent travel writer! I haven't been to Italy since the 1970's when my husband and I visited Rome and Florence. I would love to return because there are so many beautiful places we have not seen yet in Italy. I admit Sicily was not on my radar, but now it is after reading your report. It looks like you were gone about 3 weeks, right?
Karen
Nov 18th, 2017, 06:23 AM
#72
The puppet museum in Ortigia had limited hours and again we weren't able to see a performance, but we did manage to visit the puppet exhibits one afternoon.>>
I think that we were very lucky, Candace, because on our first afternoon we asked in the Tourist office about when and how we could buy tickets for the puppet theatre but they didn't really seem to know. However later on we went past the puppet theatre and found the door open and tickets on sale, so we bought them for the following night. All in italian [and Sicilian italian at that I think] but still reasonably easy to follow and very funny. Highly recommended to anyone who manages to crack the code about when the tickets go on sale.
I love the story about the opera - what a wonderful idea.
I think that we were very lucky, Candace, because on our first afternoon we asked in the Tourist office about when and how we could buy tickets for the puppet theatre but they didn't really seem to know. However later on we went past the puppet theatre and found the door open and tickets on sale, so we bought them for the following night. All in italian [and Sicilian italian at that I think] but still reasonably easy to follow and very funny. Highly recommended to anyone who manages to crack the code about when the tickets go on sale.
I love the story about the opera - what a wonderful idea.
Nov 18th, 2017, 09:34 AM
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Karen, it's nice to hear from you. After reading your report about your travels in Spain, I was inspired to finally get started on my own report.
We spent two weeks in Sicily and then an additional ten days making our way up through the Amalfi Coast, Naples, and on to Rome. We loved Sicily. It is not as polished and poised as some of the more famous destinations in Italy but it sure feels authentic. It's well worth keeping on your radar, I think.
Annhig, I'm glad to hear that you saw a puppet show and enjoyed it. I've read other reviews, too, that say these shows are so much fun. Sorry we missed out. But I'm glad you enjoyed the story about how we shared our opera music with passersby. It was a fun moment for us.
We spent two weeks in Sicily and then an additional ten days making our way up through the Amalfi Coast, Naples, and on to Rome. We loved Sicily. It is not as polished and poised as some of the more famous destinations in Italy but it sure feels authentic. It's well worth keeping on your radar, I think.
Annhig, I'm glad to hear that you saw a puppet show and enjoyed it. I've read other reviews, too, that say these shows are so much fun. Sorry we missed out. But I'm glad you enjoyed the story about how we shared our opera music with passersby. It was a fun moment for us.
Nov 18th, 2017, 01:50 PM
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Taormina for One Night.
When we decided to travel by train to Sorrento from Siracusa, Taormina seemed like the ideal place to stop and spend a night on the way. Taormina gets mixed reviews on this forum. Some people rave about its beauty while others deride it as super touristy and are totally turned off by the masses of visitors crowding its streets. If we hadn't been traveling right by, we might not have included it in our itinerary for that reason. Ultimately, however, we were glad we did spend a night there. The mobs of tourists were sometimes overwhelming, but I would have been sorry to miss seeing such a gorgeous place.
Our train from Siracusa to Taormina left at 8:42 in the morning. Stefano kindly offered to pick us up at the rental and drive us to the train station. He arrived at the apartment right on time and refused any payment for the ride. He is a great guy and we highly recommend his apartment.
The train ride to Taormina took about 2.5 hours. When we exited the station, we easily found a taxi to take us up the mountain to Taormina. Although the driver couldn't take us down the pedestrian street to our hotel he pointed us in the right direction and we easily made our way to it. Hotel Taodomus is a little boutique style place on the main thoroughfare and for us it was the perfect oasis in the chaos that was Taormina on the Sunday of a long holiday weekend. The holiday was Liberation Day, which would be celebrated on that Tuesday. As I mentioned earlier, I didn't pay much attention to Liberation Day when I was making our plans. I should have, because it seemed as if all of Italy was flocking to Taormina and to the Amalfi Coast for that holiday. Both were crammed full of holiday revelers.
Our room at the Hotel Taodomus was not ready yet, but the young woman at the reception desk gave us a good recommendation for a nearby street food place for lunch, Da Cristina. A favorite with locals, it was located on a narrow side street and it was packed. Somehow I found a tiny unoccupied table and Steve battled the crowd to place our order. I had arancini with peas and ragu and he had pizza. No knives or forks came with the food, so I looked around to see how other people were eating rice balls with no utensils. Okay, start at the top (pointed end) and work down. Messy, but don't worry, everyone else is eating it the same way. Delicious.
Our room was ready when we got back to the hotel and it was a lovely little room. It had a balcony overlooking a side street with a restaurant right below and a small church tower at the end. Peaceful and quiet, it seemed far from the hoards in the streets.
When we ventured back out, the street in front of our hotel was jammed packed. It was almost impossible to see the beautiful town of Taormina through such crowds but we tried hard to do it as we made our way up to the amphitheater and its spectacular views to Mt. Etna and the sea. We had gotten our first view of Mt. Etna when we were driving from Piazza Armerina to Siracusa. Suddenly it had appeared on the horizon way off in front of us and we found it stunning, with whiffs of smoke trailing from it across the blue sky. On this day in Taormina, the smoke streaked in a long line from the crater to the coast and the sky was again a brilliant blue. That view alone was worth navigating the crowds.
We walked back down from the amphitheater, and after awhile, meandered through the Giardini di Villa Communale which was pleasantly uncrowded. The garden paths wound past rose bushes and flowering shrubs and offered occasional views of the sea far below. We enjoyed this tree shaded bit of peace and quiet but soon were jostling our way back through the mob to our hotel.
Because we were tired and happened to have some wine and crackers, we decided to have our own private aperitivo time on our pretty balcony. It was wonderful to relax, sip some wine, and look out toward the church tower at the end of the street while we contemplated dinner plans. Deciding that a restaurant dinner would be too much, we settled on a little bar at the end of the street for a spinach calzone and a simple ham panini. Then we headed off to bed. We needed to catch the train for Salerno at 9:19 the next morning, and then we would be on our way to the Amalfi Coast.
Goodbye to Sicily.
We loved Sicily. I know we missed seeing many of its lovely towns and special places but we were so happy with what we did see. We felt we experienced Sicily the best way we could, and we are thankful for that opportunity. I keep trying to put into words what makes Sicily different from the rest of Italy (which, of course, we love too) and I really can't. As I have already said, it is less polished and less poised than some of Italy's glamorous regions like Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast. It feels a touch exotic, maybe because of the endless stream of invaders and explorers that came and left their mark through the centuries. The people of Sicily, even though they talk fast and drive even faster, seem to be patient people and more inclined to take their time with strangers. Whatever it is about Sicily that makes it special, we loved it, and recommend it to anyone who would like to experience a different part of Italy.
When we decided to travel by train to Sorrento from Siracusa, Taormina seemed like the ideal place to stop and spend a night on the way. Taormina gets mixed reviews on this forum. Some people rave about its beauty while others deride it as super touristy and are totally turned off by the masses of visitors crowding its streets. If we hadn't been traveling right by, we might not have included it in our itinerary for that reason. Ultimately, however, we were glad we did spend a night there. The mobs of tourists were sometimes overwhelming, but I would have been sorry to miss seeing such a gorgeous place.
Our train from Siracusa to Taormina left at 8:42 in the morning. Stefano kindly offered to pick us up at the rental and drive us to the train station. He arrived at the apartment right on time and refused any payment for the ride. He is a great guy and we highly recommend his apartment.
The train ride to Taormina took about 2.5 hours. When we exited the station, we easily found a taxi to take us up the mountain to Taormina. Although the driver couldn't take us down the pedestrian street to our hotel he pointed us in the right direction and we easily made our way to it. Hotel Taodomus is a little boutique style place on the main thoroughfare and for us it was the perfect oasis in the chaos that was Taormina on the Sunday of a long holiday weekend. The holiday was Liberation Day, which would be celebrated on that Tuesday. As I mentioned earlier, I didn't pay much attention to Liberation Day when I was making our plans. I should have, because it seemed as if all of Italy was flocking to Taormina and to the Amalfi Coast for that holiday. Both were crammed full of holiday revelers.
Our room at the Hotel Taodomus was not ready yet, but the young woman at the reception desk gave us a good recommendation for a nearby street food place for lunch, Da Cristina. A favorite with locals, it was located on a narrow side street and it was packed. Somehow I found a tiny unoccupied table and Steve battled the crowd to place our order. I had arancini with peas and ragu and he had pizza. No knives or forks came with the food, so I looked around to see how other people were eating rice balls with no utensils. Okay, start at the top (pointed end) and work down. Messy, but don't worry, everyone else is eating it the same way. Delicious.
Our room was ready when we got back to the hotel and it was a lovely little room. It had a balcony overlooking a side street with a restaurant right below and a small church tower at the end. Peaceful and quiet, it seemed far from the hoards in the streets.
When we ventured back out, the street in front of our hotel was jammed packed. It was almost impossible to see the beautiful town of Taormina through such crowds but we tried hard to do it as we made our way up to the amphitheater and its spectacular views to Mt. Etna and the sea. We had gotten our first view of Mt. Etna when we were driving from Piazza Armerina to Siracusa. Suddenly it had appeared on the horizon way off in front of us and we found it stunning, with whiffs of smoke trailing from it across the blue sky. On this day in Taormina, the smoke streaked in a long line from the crater to the coast and the sky was again a brilliant blue. That view alone was worth navigating the crowds.
We walked back down from the amphitheater, and after awhile, meandered through the Giardini di Villa Communale which was pleasantly uncrowded. The garden paths wound past rose bushes and flowering shrubs and offered occasional views of the sea far below. We enjoyed this tree shaded bit of peace and quiet but soon were jostling our way back through the mob to our hotel.
Because we were tired and happened to have some wine and crackers, we decided to have our own private aperitivo time on our pretty balcony. It was wonderful to relax, sip some wine, and look out toward the church tower at the end of the street while we contemplated dinner plans. Deciding that a restaurant dinner would be too much, we settled on a little bar at the end of the street for a spinach calzone and a simple ham panini. Then we headed off to bed. We needed to catch the train for Salerno at 9:19 the next morning, and then we would be on our way to the Amalfi Coast.
Goodbye to Sicily.
We loved Sicily. I know we missed seeing many of its lovely towns and special places but we were so happy with what we did see. We felt we experienced Sicily the best way we could, and we are thankful for that opportunity. I keep trying to put into words what makes Sicily different from the rest of Italy (which, of course, we love too) and I really can't. As I have already said, it is less polished and less poised than some of Italy's glamorous regions like Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast. It feels a touch exotic, maybe because of the endless stream of invaders and explorers that came and left their mark through the centuries. The people of Sicily, even though they talk fast and drive even faster, seem to be patient people and more inclined to take their time with strangers. Whatever it is about Sicily that makes it special, we loved it, and recommend it to anyone who would like to experience a different part of Italy.
Nov 18th, 2017, 11:59 PM
#75
What a fantastic report, Candace, I will keep it to show hubby when the time comes for me to start convincing him Sicily should be on our radar 
I have only visited north Italy, and we loved it. Our first venture last year, our (probably) last with the kids, so it was a special trip. It did whet my appetite for more, so have occasionally been stalking this forum, LOL.
I have only visited north Italy, and we loved it. Our first venture last year, our (probably) last with the kids, so it was a special trip. It did whet my appetite for more, so have occasionally been stalking this forum, LOL.
Nov 19th, 2017, 07:34 AM
#77
The south is very different than the north>>
that applies to lots of places, bilbo. The UK, US, Germany, France, Spain, even NZ and Australia!
what is difficult to define is perhaps why it's different - it's not just the topography but also, as you say, the atmosphere. And the food - some of the best I have ever had.
that applies to lots of places, bilbo. The UK, US, Germany, France, Spain, even NZ and Australia!
what is difficult to define is perhaps why it's different - it's not just the topography but also, as you say, the atmosphere. And the food - some of the best I have ever had.
Nov 19th, 2017, 07:59 AM
#78
I find the people more childlike (by which I mean no disrepect, I actually enjoy the happiness and the lack of focus on the bottom line), the reduction in a meat focus and move to more vegetarian is a delight, while the wines, especially Puglian are undersung to a great extent. Even the move away from Basil, though minor is actually a pleasure when eating with the locals.
The Chiantis and SuperTuscans are all very well in the their place but that place is no longer in my cellar, they are slowly being replaced by Aglianico di V and Negromaro,
The Chiantis and SuperTuscans are all very well in the their place but that place is no longer in my cellar, they are slowly being replaced by Aglianico di V and Negromaro,
Nov 19th, 2017, 11:18 AM
#79
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Candace,
Thanks again for your wonderful trip report. So glad you enjoyed Sicily! For me the biggest impression was the Sicilian people. I was amazed that in general they were even more welcoming and friendly that mainland Italians, and that's saying something!
Your opera moment on Ortigia was special and reminded me of my own musical moment. I was walking down one of the narrow streets and someone was whistling an entire complicated song so beautifully. It was echoing off the building walls. I looked around and up to see a man on his balcony. I smiled, waved and gave him a thumbs up when he finished. He smiled and waved right back. Nice little memory!
Thanks again for your wonderful trip report. So glad you enjoyed Sicily! For me the biggest impression was the Sicilian people. I was amazed that in general they were even more welcoming and friendly that mainland Italians, and that's saying something!
Your opera moment on Ortigia was special and reminded me of my own musical moment. I was walking down one of the narrow streets and someone was whistling an entire complicated song so beautifully. It was echoing off the building walls. I looked around and up to see a man on his balcony. I smiled, waved and gave him a thumbs up when he finished. He smiled and waved right back. Nice little memory!
Nov 19th, 2017, 11:34 AM
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Thanks, everyone, for your imput. Adelaidean, I hope you do have the opportunity to visit Sicily someday. My husband wasn't really enthusiastic at first about traveling to Sicily but now he is definitely happy we went there. Bilboburgler, Puglia and Basilicata will certainly be part of our future travel plans. I did some research into both areas when I was planning this trip and they both seemed interesting and quite beautiful in a different sort of way. And Annhig, good point about how northern and southern regions are so very different in so many parts of the world. I'm sure there are plenty of scientific studies which try to figure out the reason why.
