Savoring Sicily---Sights and Sites, sun and rain
 

Am sitting at the Paris airport now on my way back from my 6+ months in Bologna which ended with a couple of days in Venice and then a week in Sicily. I'll post final thoughts on Bologna, surrounding areas, Florence, Venice in a separate post----this is all about my week in Sicily. A big thanks to a number of Fodorites, particularly thursdayd and eckscrunchy and Vagabonda over at Trip Advisor. The help was appreciated.

I had done a chunk of advance thinking and planning for this trip but did not get as absorbed in real planning and restaurants as I might have other times. I just wanted to experience Sicily as much as I could within this time period, without rushing around seeing everything in a short period of time. I decided to focus on Siracusa, staying 4 nights and Palermo staying 3 nights and taking day trips to Taormina, Noto and Monreale. I bought DK Sicily 10 best and thought it was a good little guide---I had purchased for Venice, Rome and Tuscany on other trips.

I only used public transportation---and thanks to those of you who encouraged that. The buses in Sicily are great---clean, on time, pleasant. I took a train, the 724 IC from Siracusa to Taormina but otherwise took buses---to Noto, from Taormina to Palermo via the Catania airport (a pleasure to use as a waiting place). Because my flight from Venice to Catania did not work well with the airport bus to Siracusa, I had my B&B hire a taxi which I paid 60euro for and it was worth it at that point.

Living in Bologna had certainly made me a northerner and I had forgotten how different southern Italy is from the north! In general, except for touristy and tended to Taormina, I found Sicily often dirtier, yes, "crumbling palazzos", trah on streets, clothes hanging outside everywhere--- terrace balconies, street fronts, anywhere--- men hanging out in groups all hours of the day. But that in no way made me dislike Sicily---I liked it a lot and love this trip. I just found I had to adjust a bit and was happy I had started in Siracusa rather than Palermo which might have been even more challenging. I felt like Taormina is an entirely different place---hardly feels like Sicily to me and if I didn't know better, I would think I was on the Amalfi Coast.

I was pleased with all the hotels I stayed at. I had planned on staying for 4 nights in Ortigia (Siracusa) but decided it might be one night too long. Also, I was always ambivalent about doing Taormina as a day trip. The whole Ortigia-Taormina thing---well, I fall on the Ortigia side since I think it is more interesting than Taormina. I booked the cheapest room at Villa Paradiso in Ortigia since many of the other options were still closed. It was a wonderful surprise. They upgraded me to the 5th floor where I had a breathtaking view of the sea below and Mt Etna. I got up at 6am just to start looking----and kept the blinds open to keep looking in the evening! Breakfast was fine, staff was nice---and the woman at the desk there suggested I take the inland bus route rather than coast one so I feel indeted to her for that (more on that excursion later).

Continuing with hotels, I stayed at Palazzo del Sale in Ortigia. Absolutely beautiful rooms, nice owners, but it take me a bit of time to get oriented to getting around Ortigia and Siracusa. Also, when I arrived on Saturday, it was pouring and it rained a chunk of my time there---so the rain and dark may have made it more difficult. No arguments with the place, only that for some reason I think I thought it was right on the water and it is not so if you are looking for water view, there are a couple of other choices in the same price range.

In Palermo I stayed at the Hotel Garibaldi and was happily surprised with both how nice it was and how wonderful its location was too. Some complaints on TripAdvisor that they charge for wifi but I really don't think 48 hours for 10 euros is high. I also got a stellar price booking online via booking.com. Being solo in Palermo I wanted to make certain of being in a location where I would feel safe. Bingo. Nice large rooms that loooked fairly recently redone---but for the life of me I can't figure out how the room can be so lovely and they have a window with paint that is chipping off all over it in the bath/shower area. Very good breakfast although it seems some groups attack it like vultures and the staff at times is unable to keep up with the demands!

Siracuse/Ortiga

I really enjoyed walking around Ortigia and the more walking I did there, the more it got to me. Winding old streets, some things redone, some not, interesting vistas. Of course the major sites in Siracusa were wonderful to see and are well known. The surprise for me was how much I loved the museum in SIracusa. Beautifully displayed pottery coins, statues. Almost overwhelming. To me it is a don't miss.

Had lunch the first day at La Foglia which is in many of the books. Nice place, kitsch sort of decor, pretty over the top with lace, colors, paintings....but fun too. The owner/host was friendly----I was the only person left eating there around 2pm and kept asking me, "Is everything alright lady?" I felt like I was in a Jerry Lewis movie with the lady part......pasta con sarde which I tried in 4 different places in Sicily and still like Teresina in Bologna the best!!

A Palzzo del Sale recommendation was one of the two best meals I had on the trip---Dionisus in Ortigia (I only went to places I could walk to so passed on places in Siracusa and Palermo that were harder for me to get to solo). I had their raw fish appetizer to start---chunks of tuna tartare with some balsamic, scallop with thin slices of pineapple in olive oil, prawns and 2 skewers of thin slices--one of tuna, one of salmon. For my secondi I had a primi---their pasta with clams in a pistachio sauce. As I am writng this, the flavors of both of these course is coming back, yet again, and I want it now!

From Siracusa I took the bus to Noto, walking directly to the bus station---well bus stop since there is no station. There is a bus that goes around Ortigia every 30 minutes but connecting with it correctly is something I just never seemed to be able to do. The walk to the bus station was interesting and colorful,, giving me a good sense of the area. The bus ride was fine, uneventful, cheapo and easy. Unfortunately it rained again in Noto and Caffe Sicila, a place I wanted to go to, was closed. But, the town is quite magnificent in a Baroque way---all spiffed up buildings, the opposite of much of what I saw in Palermo. Definitely worth seeing. The carvings on the buildings are magnificent.

In Noto, I had my favorite lunch meal (Dionisus was dinner). Up from the main street, on Via Cavour, Trattoria Mannarazzi, which is in Lonely Planet. I started with a blood orange salad, with some onion, rock salt, olive oil. Cost 3,50euro and was pure bliss. Then my bargain of the trip foodwise----a gigantic 10 euro seafood risotto, embarassing in what was on it for the price---clams, mussels, prawns, little red shrimp, in a piquante tomato sauce with cherry tomatoes. Again, I was the only person eating but the female cook seemed most appreciative and also spoke English.

Have to get my Paris-DC flight so more from home-------

Hi Kathryn

I remember your original post. I am pleased you enjoyed your trip as Sicily in our experience was very culturally different to the rest of Italy. We became worn down with the driving, the dirt, the lack of planning put into new development and the volatility of the locals.

Ortigia certainly stands out for me as one of Europe's great small cities.

I think we must have had the same risotto in Noto. Did you make it to the little puppet theatre in Ortigia?

We will give Sicily another chance in the near future.

Great beginning! The blood orange salad I had in Taormina is one of my best food memories also.

Italians have told me that Sicily is like going back in time, it has not changed at the pace of the rest of the country. Judging from old films shot in Rome in the '50s and '60s, this is true.

"I booked the cheapest room at Villa Paradiso in Ortigia..."

Don't you mean in Taormina?

Have a safe flight home, Kathryn. Looking forward to more of your report. We will arrive first in Palermo--so not a soft introduction to Sicily, I suppose. Ah well!

Leely2--I really recommend the hop on/hop off bus to get an orientation to the city. I also found the male English speaking person at the tourist office very helpful. Turns out his wife lived in Manhattan, he is very vibrant and willing to help. Be very careful of you take the bus to Monreale (more later--pickpocket, not more than that)......maybe day trips out for a breath of fresh air---that said, I did like Palermo.

Hazel1--Yes, I sure did mean Taormina, not Ortigia--there may be more errors when I write in a jet lagged state tomorrow....

Tarquin--Exactly. Feels like the 50's.

Humptynumpty--no sorry but did not make it to the puppet show. Yes, Ortigia is a wonderful place to wander and get to know.

bon_voyage--I am just back from Trader Joe's. Depressed. I want the blood orange salad now. I want my vegetables from my fruit and vegetable stands. Readjusting stinks!

Hi Kathy - thanks for another informative and interesting report. I'm looking forward to your final Bologna thoughts, but also (selfishly) sad there won't be any more!

Hope your re-acclimation goes smoothly :)

Very enjoyable reading. Can't wait to read more. DH and I also had that orange salad. Our taxi driver said he likes it with lemons-says they are sweeter in Sicily than any other place in the world...

Ah, glad to have caught your Sicily trip report, kathrynj! I look forward to reading more. It's so bittersweet, isn't it, reliving your experiences in writing them down once you're back stateside? I had such a difficult time readjusting to food here - and that was after only 2 weeks in Italy last year! Somehow even the organic produce isn't as vibrant here as it is there... Anyway, welcome back! And keep it coming! :)

"little puppet theatre in Ortigia"
I didn't get to this one, but to another in Cefalú. I'm going back after Easter, and the puppet shows are high on my list - everybody should go, no matter how childish they feel - it is a wonderful art that should be preserved at all costs.

Kathryn,

I am so looking forward to reading the rest. This is very helpful to me for my Sicily trip - which I will probably be doing solo too.

Grazie!

Thanks all. Am trying to settle back in but promise to complete the Sicily trip report really soon and also complete the Bologna parts!

Dayle, I found Sicily relatively easy to navigate solo and was very impressed with the bus options there--the vistas across the center were surprisingly beautiful and the ease of traveling to the small towns in this manner was great. What people say about the bus vs train to Taormina is true. I walked to the bus station but took a cab from the train station up the winding roads.

Glad to see this - and glad to hear that my TR helped!

I suppose Sicily is grittier than the rest of Italy (except Naples, lol) but I loved it anyway. For those with more time I would recommend Trapani and Erice either as day trips from Palermo or overnights.

Dayle - do hope you get to Sicily soon.

Thanks for the post. Am in the middle of trying to decide if Sicily is worth the time and affort (we've been to Greece and enjoyed that and I have this funnyfeeling some parts of Sicily might "suffer" by comparison). All the insights and the comments have been very helpful.

Hi K~
Welcome Home ... enjoying your TR.
A~

Dukey1 - I've been to both Greece and Sicily, and I don't think you should worry. Of course, Sicily is much smaller, think Crete rather than Greek mainland, but it packs a lot in.

Greedily hoping for a little more info before we depart (esp. re: bus to Monreale and how Palermo went)--but of course understand if you are too busy getting back to normal life!

Sorry for the delay in adding more. Leely2--not sure when you are departing but hope you see this before or while you are there, especially regarding the bus to Monreale. I'm realizing now that is is a lot easier to write it all in one sitting--hope I don't repeat anything now!

I decided not to stay in Ortigia 4 nights as originally planned but instead decided to do Taormina as an overnight rather than day trip. Great decision. I took the train from Siracusa to Taormina since it was shorter than the bus would have been. A very pretty ride past so many orange and lemon groves, something that was pretty consistent throughout Sicily. Due to the times of the bus from the train station up the hill to Taormina, I got a cab. Some people have said it is hard to find a cab at the station but there was one there so no problem and right to the hotel, Villa Paradiso.

Villa Paradiso was paradise, really, since they upgraded me to a top floor room with a drop dead view of the coast and Mt Etna. The next morning I got up with the sunrise just to sit and watch. So beautiful. I had booked the lowest rate on Expedia and I think one of the advantages of traveling so off season is that things like this happen (the upgrade, not the sunrise!. Many things in the the town were closed so there was no vibe at all, just a tourist town in off season with very few people around. Even the restaurant I had wanted to eat at was closed for a few days of renovation work.

I did the standard tourist stuff---Greek theatre, the lovely church, the beautiful gardens, the spectacular vistas. Had dinner at La Grotta Azzurra which was good and fine but not memorable. I was the only person there (not due to the restaurant but the dearth of tourists). I was glad to have stayed in Ortigia the amount of time I stayed there but also happy to have had a full day and night in Taormina (which for me was enough time). Taormina really is beautiful.

I had planned on taking the train to Palermo via the coastal road (via Messina) but the woman at the desk at the hotel suggested taking the bus to Catania and then the inland bus route. I thank her enormously because it was a gorgeous route past rollings hills like in southern Tuscany, snow capped mountains, vineyards (the portion from Catania to Palermo). Enna was up on a hillside and another time that would make a great stop. The bus was great and it was an easy trip to the Catania airport. Actually the bus fare from Taormina to Catania airport was less than the taxi from the Taormina train station into town. Also, I was able to walk right to the bus area in Taormina and took the bus down a different route along the very scenic coastline.

Changed buses a Catania airport, a good place for a pit stop and snack----oh those arancinis! I didn't realize the bus drop was different from where I would be taking the bus to Palermo but fortunately an airport security guard realized where I was trying to go and walked me to the correct stop area. Sorry but I described the Catania to Palermo part in the last paragraph. Bottom line, I found the buses in Sicily an excellent way to get around the country and would do it the same way next time I visit there.

Palermo. What a very interesting town. Hectic, rough in sections, dirty parts, beautiful public garden areas, fascinating markets, wonderful architecture. I liked Palermo. BUT. I had met a couple from MN while wandering around the Palazzo Reale and we were going to split a taxi to go to Monreale then decided to take the public bus. It ended up with the husband getting pick pocketed trying to get on the bus. A group had blocked the rear entrance so we all had to get on in the very crowded front section and that was when/when his wallet was lifted. Once he and his wife realized that, they shouted and the wallet was dropped and retrieved----with all the money gone (but all the credit cards, etc. intact). In Lonely Planet they do note that the bus is known for pick pockets but this was even more than that. Leely2---you asked about the bus. I am no wuss but honestly, I would not take it again.

We did not spend as much time in Monreale as planned, not because of what had happened, but our timing was off so we only had about 15 minutes before the cathedral closed for almost 3 hours (and it was a rainy cool day, not a good one for sitting outside or walking around). What we saw was magnificent though and much lighter in colors than the mosaics at Palazzo Reale which are very heavy (much more gold with fewer other colors---Monreale had more blues and greens).

Got a taxi back into town and then we met later for a delicious dinner at Cucina Papoff which was near both of our hotels. Given the unevenness of the neighborhoods in Palermo, I wasn't comfortable wandering the streets at night or venturing too far away solo.

Couple of other Palermo things: I really enjoyed the hop on hop off bus and did both routes. It gave an excellent overview of the city and captured all the different styles of architecture on the ride. The Garibaldi Hotel was reasonable and wonderfully located with a nice staff as noted earlier. The best cannoli I had in all of Sicily was at the Palermo airport at the Palazzolo location there. The pottery in Sicily really is beautiful and I did succumb to purchasing a vase before departing Palermo. The Ballaro market was wonderful and wandering the streets around it offers non stop photo ops.

I do think ending in Palermo is better than starting out there since it can be a challenging town. That said, I really liked Palermo and would gladly return---as I would happily revisit Sicily.

Next for me is to complete my Bologna report!

Wow, how unfortunate about the pickpocketing on the bus to Monreale. I suppose that it's good the credit cards were still in the wallet. What a bummer. Okay, I'm only 30% wuss but my traveling companions are 100% wuss so we will definitely take a taxi.

Thank you for finishing. A very enjoyable and helpful report.