Sicily Part 2
Apr 27th, 2018, 07:33 AM
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Sicily Part 2
Our first trip to Sicily was exactly 2 years ago - April 2016. We had such a nice time that we repeated our trip this year, again one week in April (my spring vacation as a teacher - so always limited to one week 
) Although two weeks was not enough, and there are still places I would like to see, we had another lovely week revisiting some places and discovering others.
First time: Taormina, Greek theatre, went up Etna, Ortigia, Archeological Park & 1/2 day tour Syracuse/Ortigia, Villa Romana, Caltagirone, Agrigento, Palermo - 1/2 day tour of Palermo.
This time: Taormina, Benanti winery, Puppet museum in Acireale, Gole di Alcantara, Ortigia, Ragusa and Noto, Erice, Castellammare del Golfo. Read on if you are interested in any of these places!
Three nights in Taormina
Last time we only stayed two, but we loved the Hotel Villa Schuler and felt we didn't see too much of Taormina itself, having done a day trip to Etna, so we opted for 3 nights. We flew into Catania, picked up our car at the airport, and then made the roughly 45 minute drive to Taormina. It was a bit windy getting onto the autostrada, but we managed fine using the Maps navigation on the iphone. Then it is a straight shot up to the exit for Taormina. Getting into Taormina involves another windy road, but following the written instructions provided by the hotel, it was fine. It definitely helps having a driver and a navigator. Also, we had done it before.
We arrived at the Villa Schuler and gave them the car keys. Along with the hotel reservation we got free parking, which was helpful. They bring the car out for you whenever you need it. Last time we had a double with a sea view, which was a great advantage in Taormina. There was a mini balcony with two chairs. The room last time was tight but adequate. This time we had a larger room with a third single bed, also with a sea view. It was much bigger, despite having been the same style of room I had booked before. I think they may have upgraded since I wrote them and told them how much we were looking forward to going back. We love the hotel for the views - of the water, and also of Mt Etna from the breakfast terrace. However this trip there were scirocco winds blowing and we were a bit disappointed to find we could not even see Mt Etna!! The first trip it had been clear and we'd had beautiful views every day. On this trip we only saw it the last morning. I'm glad we had a different stay to compare. The breakfast at the Villa Schuler is not buffet style - they give you a menu and you can order anything you like. This is a nice way to do it, avoiding waste and everything cooked to order. They frequently encouraged us to order more. They do bring you the bread basket straightaway, but then do things like eggs, fresh fruit, tomatoes & mozzarella, or meats as requested. The first day was a Sunday and they were bringing everyone a kind of vanilla cream parfait with strawberries on the top. We felt spoiled. I almost forgot to mention the garden, which makes the Villa Schuler special too. They have a lush garden behind the hotel that is a very peaceful spot. there are several tables and chairs scattered around and a fountain with turtles and fish. You pass through the garden to get up to Corso Umberto. So in my opinion the hotel is close to the activity but also buffered a bit and so you can escape the crowds if you need to. On this trip the town did not seem as crowded as last year. However one caveat - the hotel is on different levels and might be difficult if you have trouble with stairs.
We ate our first dinner on the night of arrival at Gourmet 32. It is slightly more expensive than some of the other restaurants, but got good reviews. We went ahead and ordered two of their fixed menus - a vegetarian for 30 euros and a meat menu for 40 euros and had a bottle of Etna red. The food was definitely a level above some of the places we have eaten. It was well prepared and presented. The vegetarian was caponata, pasta alla Norma, and something for a main dish I can't remember. For the meat it was a carpaccio of beef with parmesan and arugula, pasta with a ragu sauce, and then a beef filet with nero d'avola sauce. The meat came with roast potatoes and vegetables. They also provided a bread basket with three types of homemade breads, rustic grissini, and local olive oil. The server was jovial, and the food was delicious. Along with the menu they offered the dessert of the day. When we asked to switch in one of the desserts from the menu there was no problem. So we had a pistachio sformata with ice cream and a millefoglia thing with cream. All in all a very pleasant experience - and nice to have the covered terrace. The restaurant was not crowded the night we went. It seems to be a little harder to find than the ones off Corso Umberto and the side streets. But in my opinion, worth finding.
Sunday morning I wanted to go see Isola Bella. On the previous visit we had not seen the beach area of Taormina. So we walked through the public gardens, which were a lovely surprise with nice views, and then proceeded to wind our way down. We only got lost once. The way is not clearly marked. It was quite a descent and a bit of a workout. We did get to see the other side of town where some of the bigger, 4 star hotels are. It made me glad we were staying close to the main town, since it seemed like it might be a trek to get to Corso Umberto from the hotels on that side.
Isola Bella was pretty. The surf from two sides meets there and the walkway over was covered, so we did not walk out to the island. If it was summer, maybe we would have. There were some cafes open at the beach and some Thai women offering massages. There were a few other tourists - mostly French. I wonder if the surf is so rough in the summer, but then there are plenty of beaches in both directions. It would be fun at another time of year to take a boat ride to the grottos. But for now we were just checking things out. We then walked over and caught the funivia up to town for 3 euros.
Once on top, we found our way back to Corso Umberto and Licchio's Bar for an almond granita and some people watching.
There were mostly Italians on this Sunday morning. Licchio's is a great spot to hang out for an hour. Soon we were back off for a stroll the length of the town. Sunday midday was a very lively hour with people coming out of church and filling the piazzas. There was a band playing in the first piazza. Then we went all the way to the end of town and out the big stone wall door, and discovered a small church on the left that had a beautiful presepe or nativity scene.
We then had an arancino for lunch at Da Cristina. It is a great place to go for an arancino. There are two separate parts. One just sells the arancini, and the other part is like a tavola calda with all sorts of different dishes to choose from. You order them at the counter and then seat yourself. There is a small outdoor terrace that quickly fills up, so we sat in the tavola calda side, which was quieter.
We spent the rest of Sunday just wandering round Taormina, which was very relaxing. We could have hiked up to Castelmola, which we did last trip, but opted just to take things easy the first day. We went to dinner at Trattoria-Pizzeria Santa Lucia. It was fine for pizza & salads. The salads were very fresh. After dinner we stopped by the Bam Bar for another almond granita. I would have preferred to have granita # 2 the next day, but the Bam Bar was closed Mondays, and it definitely was the place to go for a granita. It had been packed in the afternoon when we walked by, but was quieter at 8 pm.
Next up: Monday in Acireale, Etna wines, honey and a nature walk in the Gole di Alcantara.
) Although two weeks was not enough, and there are still places I would like to see, we had another lovely week revisiting some places and discovering others.First time: Taormina, Greek theatre, went up Etna, Ortigia, Archeological Park & 1/2 day tour Syracuse/Ortigia, Villa Romana, Caltagirone, Agrigento, Palermo - 1/2 day tour of Palermo.
This time: Taormina, Benanti winery, Puppet museum in Acireale, Gole di Alcantara, Ortigia, Ragusa and Noto, Erice, Castellammare del Golfo. Read on if you are interested in any of these places!
Three nights in Taormina
Last time we only stayed two, but we loved the Hotel Villa Schuler and felt we didn't see too much of Taormina itself, having done a day trip to Etna, so we opted for 3 nights. We flew into Catania, picked up our car at the airport, and then made the roughly 45 minute drive to Taormina. It was a bit windy getting onto the autostrada, but we managed fine using the Maps navigation on the iphone. Then it is a straight shot up to the exit for Taormina. Getting into Taormina involves another windy road, but following the written instructions provided by the hotel, it was fine. It definitely helps having a driver and a navigator. Also, we had done it before.
We arrived at the Villa Schuler and gave them the car keys. Along with the hotel reservation we got free parking, which was helpful. They bring the car out for you whenever you need it. Last time we had a double with a sea view, which was a great advantage in Taormina. There was a mini balcony with two chairs. The room last time was tight but adequate. This time we had a larger room with a third single bed, also with a sea view. It was much bigger, despite having been the same style of room I had booked before. I think they may have upgraded since I wrote them and told them how much we were looking forward to going back. We love the hotel for the views - of the water, and also of Mt Etna from the breakfast terrace. However this trip there were scirocco winds blowing and we were a bit disappointed to find we could not even see Mt Etna!! The first trip it had been clear and we'd had beautiful views every day. On this trip we only saw it the last morning. I'm glad we had a different stay to compare. The breakfast at the Villa Schuler is not buffet style - they give you a menu and you can order anything you like. This is a nice way to do it, avoiding waste and everything cooked to order. They frequently encouraged us to order more. They do bring you the bread basket straightaway, but then do things like eggs, fresh fruit, tomatoes & mozzarella, or meats as requested. The first day was a Sunday and they were bringing everyone a kind of vanilla cream parfait with strawberries on the top. We felt spoiled. I almost forgot to mention the garden, which makes the Villa Schuler special too. They have a lush garden behind the hotel that is a very peaceful spot. there are several tables and chairs scattered around and a fountain with turtles and fish. You pass through the garden to get up to Corso Umberto. So in my opinion the hotel is close to the activity but also buffered a bit and so you can escape the crowds if you need to. On this trip the town did not seem as crowded as last year. However one caveat - the hotel is on different levels and might be difficult if you have trouble with stairs.
We ate our first dinner on the night of arrival at Gourmet 32. It is slightly more expensive than some of the other restaurants, but got good reviews. We went ahead and ordered two of their fixed menus - a vegetarian for 30 euros and a meat menu for 40 euros and had a bottle of Etna red. The food was definitely a level above some of the places we have eaten. It was well prepared and presented. The vegetarian was caponata, pasta alla Norma, and something for a main dish I can't remember. For the meat it was a carpaccio of beef with parmesan and arugula, pasta with a ragu sauce, and then a beef filet with nero d'avola sauce. The meat came with roast potatoes and vegetables. They also provided a bread basket with three types of homemade breads, rustic grissini, and local olive oil. The server was jovial, and the food was delicious. Along with the menu they offered the dessert of the day. When we asked to switch in one of the desserts from the menu there was no problem. So we had a pistachio sformata with ice cream and a millefoglia thing with cream. All in all a very pleasant experience - and nice to have the covered terrace. The restaurant was not crowded the night we went. It seems to be a little harder to find than the ones off Corso Umberto and the side streets. But in my opinion, worth finding.
Sunday morning I wanted to go see Isola Bella. On the previous visit we had not seen the beach area of Taormina. So we walked through the public gardens, which were a lovely surprise with nice views, and then proceeded to wind our way down. We only got lost once. The way is not clearly marked. It was quite a descent and a bit of a workout. We did get to see the other side of town where some of the bigger, 4 star hotels are. It made me glad we were staying close to the main town, since it seemed like it might be a trek to get to Corso Umberto from the hotels on that side.
Isola Bella was pretty. The surf from two sides meets there and the walkway over was covered, so we did not walk out to the island. If it was summer, maybe we would have. There were some cafes open at the beach and some Thai women offering massages. There were a few other tourists - mostly French. I wonder if the surf is so rough in the summer, but then there are plenty of beaches in both directions. It would be fun at another time of year to take a boat ride to the grottos. But for now we were just checking things out. We then walked over and caught the funivia up to town for 3 euros.
Once on top, we found our way back to Corso Umberto and Licchio's Bar for an almond granita and some people watching.
There were mostly Italians on this Sunday morning. Licchio's is a great spot to hang out for an hour. Soon we were back off for a stroll the length of the town. Sunday midday was a very lively hour with people coming out of church and filling the piazzas. There was a band playing in the first piazza. Then we went all the way to the end of town and out the big stone wall door, and discovered a small church on the left that had a beautiful presepe or nativity scene.
We then had an arancino for lunch at Da Cristina. It is a great place to go for an arancino. There are two separate parts. One just sells the arancini, and the other part is like a tavola calda with all sorts of different dishes to choose from. You order them at the counter and then seat yourself. There is a small outdoor terrace that quickly fills up, so we sat in the tavola calda side, which was quieter.
We spent the rest of Sunday just wandering round Taormina, which was very relaxing. We could have hiked up to Castelmola, which we did last trip, but opted just to take things easy the first day. We went to dinner at Trattoria-Pizzeria Santa Lucia. It was fine for pizza & salads. The salads were very fresh. After dinner we stopped by the Bam Bar for another almond granita. I would have preferred to have granita # 2 the next day, but the Bam Bar was closed Mondays, and it definitely was the place to go for a granita. It had been packed in the afternoon when we walked by, but was quieter at 8 pm.
Next up: Monday in Acireale, Etna wines, honey and a nature walk in the Gole di Alcantara.
Apr 27th, 2018, 10:40 AM
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We loved Villa Schuler too. The views are gorgeous, it's very relaxing there, and the staff is just so friendly and helpful. The only thing I missed was a pool, as it was very warm when we visited. Looking forward to the rest of your report.
Apr 27th, 2018, 11:09 AM
#4
oh lovely. Another Sicily TR. Though I feel that we made a mistake actually staying up at Castelmola on our trip a couple of years ago, you certainly couldn't beat the views of Etna that we had from our room. Shame you missed out this time but at least you got to see it on the last day.
looking forward to reading more of your adventures.
looking forward to reading more of your adventures.
Apr 27th, 2018, 04:26 PM
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On our second full day in Taormina, we headed out for a day trip. We had reservations at the Benanti winery in Viagrande, near Acireale, at noon. I had first inquired to see if we could visit Tenuta delle Terre Nere, since we buy their wine at home, but they were off at Vinitaly in Verona, with all the other wine producers in the country. Benanti's owners were there as well, but we still had a knowledgeable tour guide in Salvatore. But first - morning in Acireale.
We thought we would have a look at Acireale. It's not really on the tourist circuit, but it was close to Benanti, and I also discovered that they have a puppet museum. I had read about people enjoying the puppet shows in Ortigia, and I was never sure whether I wanted to go to one or not. However, the week before our trip I pulled out some puppets in my classroom. And then I decided to look into the topic. Being a teacher, I realized I could capitalize on the fact that the puppet shows are episodes in the stories about knights. So maybe I could cross reference Italian class with Social Studies. Anyway, so I booked tickets for the puppet show in Ortigia Tuesday afternoon, and on Monday we went off in search of the puppet museum in Acireale. We found the address with no problem and there were two signs on the door. I can't remember now, but there is a puppet museum and also some other thing related to the puppets. And we had not been quite sure if it was open because of course, the signs on the door completely contradicted themselves. So I buzzed, and when they answered I said we were there to see the museum. The lady said that the museum wasn't open. So I started saying, well the information is a little confusing and she told us to wait a minute, then she said to come on up. Typically Italian!
So we went through the door, up the stairs, and there was the museum and a little man who looked like a Toulouse Lautrec painting greeted us. The museum was delightful and impressive. There are just four or five rooms. First he showed us the puppets that are made of wood and about three feet high. They were almost all knights or Moors, and he showed us Orlando and Rinaldo and described their outfits. There were paintings on the walls that were like cinema posters - they would put them out when the puppet shows were on. And then we saw the theatre set up and the little bridge the puppeteers stood on. He explained that there are three puppet schools - Palermo, Catania and Siracusa and I think the Palermo puppets were smaller and the people operated them from the side. But in the Catania tradition they stood on the bridge. It was a very interesting place, and then at the end he said there was a video we could watch that was about 10 minutes long. At that point a whole load of elementary school children arrived and he started looking stressed. So he closed us in the room with the video, and we got to watch a scene from one of the shows. The puppeteer in the video was one of the last great puppeteers of the family that ran the theatre. The video was from the 1960's. It was the most riveting thing I have seen. In the puppet show, Orlando was dying. The puppeteer was acting this out in the most dramatic fashion with lots of sound effects. In the puppet show they even showed blood spurting from the wound. Then they would pan to the faces of the children in the audience. Meanwhile, the puppeteer himself was practically dying. It was quite a dramatic scene, and really showed you every dimension. What a treat!
When the video was over he was involved with all the school kids, so we signed the guest book and left. The museum is free too. I would have liked to thank him, but it wasn't a big place and he looked a bit overwhelmed and distracted. Anyway, definitely one of those surprising experiences that leaves a big impression.
Following the show we had a quick look in the two churches in Acireale that are in the main piazza. I don't remember the details but they were quite different from eachother and worth a peek. Then it was time for the 20 minute ride to Benanti.
Benanti is big in wine ecotourism. The visits are not cheap - 60 euros a person, but it was a pretty full experience and we were there for 3 1/2 hours! There is not a big sign outside, but if you have the address that is fine, and then you turn up a driveway and there is a pretty building and a sign that directs you to the parking lot. Once inside it is beautifully set up, and we were escorted into a room with two glasses and two different types of bruschetta. Salvatore greeted us and poured us a glass of spumante and proceeded to explain everything about Benanti. He had a 3D display of Etna, explained why they had four separate locations, and what their philosophy was. We then toured the vineyards, saw a room where they used to press the wine with their feet, saw the painting room where they get inspiration for the labels, and then finished in the tasting room, where two places were now set with five glasses, a salumi and cheese board, two types of olives and a fennel and orange salad. Then he started pouring the different wines and explaining them. At that point he left us alone a while and we had our little feast. As we finished, he offered us more and then brought out a little plate with tastings of Modica chocolate. Then we were given the price list in case we wanted to buy any. We did wind up buying three bottles to take away and got the name of a distributor near us in case we're interested. We enjoyed the visit and would happily recommend the place.
On the way back to Taormina, we made two more stops. First we stopped at Zafferano Etnea to buy honey. I had read they are well known for honey, and on the previous trip after our ascent of Etna we stopped there and they were actually having a little fair in the piazza with stalls and tastings. This time no luck in that respect, but it was quite easy to find the honey museum, which was a very small place but sold cooperative honey, and we also bought some at another shop. It's always a nice reminder of the trip when we can pull out our real Italian honey back home! They also have a kind called Balsamico forte which is great for medicinal purposes during cold season.
After the honey, one last stop. I had wanted to see the Alcantara Gorges. So we found it on the map and headed off. By now it was about 5 pm, and the sun had come out. The weather was a little overcast the first few days. It turned into a gorgeous evening, and it was perfect weather for a little stroll. I had read there were two entrances, a private one where you had to pay for parking, and a public one where you didn't have to pay but you had to take steps down, not the elevator. It wasn't clear where to park for the public part, but we just went ahead and parked in the pay lot (8 euros I believe) which also has a little shop, cafeteria, and toilets. They gave us a map and we went on the walk at the top of the gorges before descending to the river. There were some pretty views, but there were also some tacky signs that I hadn't expected saying "seguimi" or follow me. It wasn't a very big area - I think we did the little walk in 30 minutes. The rock formations were very impressive. I think there must be other parts of the gorges where they take the people who go on tours. Then we took the elevators down and sat around for a few minutes enjoying the peacefulness of the river. There were probably about six other people there when we were there - again mostly French tourists.
The whole stop was no more than an hour, and that was fine after a busy day.
Then back up to Taormina, and another dinner at Gourmet 32 since we enjoyed it so much. Next stop Ortigia!
We thought we would have a look at Acireale. It's not really on the tourist circuit, but it was close to Benanti, and I also discovered that they have a puppet museum. I had read about people enjoying the puppet shows in Ortigia, and I was never sure whether I wanted to go to one or not. However, the week before our trip I pulled out some puppets in my classroom. And then I decided to look into the topic. Being a teacher, I realized I could capitalize on the fact that the puppet shows are episodes in the stories about knights. So maybe I could cross reference Italian class with Social Studies. Anyway, so I booked tickets for the puppet show in Ortigia Tuesday afternoon, and on Monday we went off in search of the puppet museum in Acireale. We found the address with no problem and there were two signs on the door. I can't remember now, but there is a puppet museum and also some other thing related to the puppets. And we had not been quite sure if it was open because of course, the signs on the door completely contradicted themselves. So I buzzed, and when they answered I said we were there to see the museum. The lady said that the museum wasn't open. So I started saying, well the information is a little confusing and she told us to wait a minute, then she said to come on up. Typically Italian!
So we went through the door, up the stairs, and there was the museum and a little man who looked like a Toulouse Lautrec painting greeted us. The museum was delightful and impressive. There are just four or five rooms. First he showed us the puppets that are made of wood and about three feet high. They were almost all knights or Moors, and he showed us Orlando and Rinaldo and described their outfits. There were paintings on the walls that were like cinema posters - they would put them out when the puppet shows were on. And then we saw the theatre set up and the little bridge the puppeteers stood on. He explained that there are three puppet schools - Palermo, Catania and Siracusa and I think the Palermo puppets were smaller and the people operated them from the side. But in the Catania tradition they stood on the bridge. It was a very interesting place, and then at the end he said there was a video we could watch that was about 10 minutes long. At that point a whole load of elementary school children arrived and he started looking stressed. So he closed us in the room with the video, and we got to watch a scene from one of the shows. The puppeteer in the video was one of the last great puppeteers of the family that ran the theatre. The video was from the 1960's. It was the most riveting thing I have seen. In the puppet show, Orlando was dying. The puppeteer was acting this out in the most dramatic fashion with lots of sound effects. In the puppet show they even showed blood spurting from the wound. Then they would pan to the faces of the children in the audience. Meanwhile, the puppeteer himself was practically dying. It was quite a dramatic scene, and really showed you every dimension. What a treat!
When the video was over he was involved with all the school kids, so we signed the guest book and left. The museum is free too. I would have liked to thank him, but it wasn't a big place and he looked a bit overwhelmed and distracted. Anyway, definitely one of those surprising experiences that leaves a big impression.
Following the show we had a quick look in the two churches in Acireale that are in the main piazza. I don't remember the details but they were quite different from eachother and worth a peek. Then it was time for the 20 minute ride to Benanti.
Benanti is big in wine ecotourism. The visits are not cheap - 60 euros a person, but it was a pretty full experience and we were there for 3 1/2 hours! There is not a big sign outside, but if you have the address that is fine, and then you turn up a driveway and there is a pretty building and a sign that directs you to the parking lot. Once inside it is beautifully set up, and we were escorted into a room with two glasses and two different types of bruschetta. Salvatore greeted us and poured us a glass of spumante and proceeded to explain everything about Benanti. He had a 3D display of Etna, explained why they had four separate locations, and what their philosophy was. We then toured the vineyards, saw a room where they used to press the wine with their feet, saw the painting room where they get inspiration for the labels, and then finished in the tasting room, where two places were now set with five glasses, a salumi and cheese board, two types of olives and a fennel and orange salad. Then he started pouring the different wines and explaining them. At that point he left us alone a while and we had our little feast. As we finished, he offered us more and then brought out a little plate with tastings of Modica chocolate. Then we were given the price list in case we wanted to buy any. We did wind up buying three bottles to take away and got the name of a distributor near us in case we're interested. We enjoyed the visit and would happily recommend the place.
On the way back to Taormina, we made two more stops. First we stopped at Zafferano Etnea to buy honey. I had read they are well known for honey, and on the previous trip after our ascent of Etna we stopped there and they were actually having a little fair in the piazza with stalls and tastings. This time no luck in that respect, but it was quite easy to find the honey museum, which was a very small place but sold cooperative honey, and we also bought some at another shop. It's always a nice reminder of the trip when we can pull out our real Italian honey back home! They also have a kind called Balsamico forte which is great for medicinal purposes during cold season.
After the honey, one last stop. I had wanted to see the Alcantara Gorges. So we found it on the map and headed off. By now it was about 5 pm, and the sun had come out. The weather was a little overcast the first few days. It turned into a gorgeous evening, and it was perfect weather for a little stroll. I had read there were two entrances, a private one where you had to pay for parking, and a public one where you didn't have to pay but you had to take steps down, not the elevator. It wasn't clear where to park for the public part, but we just went ahead and parked in the pay lot (8 euros I believe) which also has a little shop, cafeteria, and toilets. They gave us a map and we went on the walk at the top of the gorges before descending to the river. There were some pretty views, but there were also some tacky signs that I hadn't expected saying "seguimi" or follow me. It wasn't a very big area - I think we did the little walk in 30 minutes. The rock formations were very impressive. I think there must be other parts of the gorges where they take the people who go on tours. Then we took the elevators down and sat around for a few minutes enjoying the peacefulness of the river. There were probably about six other people there when we were there - again mostly French tourists.
The whole stop was no more than an hour, and that was fine after a busy day.
Then back up to Taormina, and another dinner at Gourmet 32 since we enjoyed it so much. Next stop Ortigia!
Apr 28th, 2018, 12:15 PM
#8
how interesting about the puppets! That was one of the things that we really wanted to see in Ortygia and we were very glad that we were able to get tickets while we were there as we loved it. We missed out on the museum there but the performance we saw was great. Thanks for filling in some of the gaps for me.
and thanks for taking me to the Gorge as we never got there.
and thanks for taking me to the Gorge as we never got there.
May 8th, 2018, 04:19 AM
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Sorry I got sidelined there, and then I wrote a big chunk and it disappeared!
Anyway, after a morning walk around Taormina - we discovered the public gardens this trip and stopped in every morning, as well as walking the length of the main street after breakfast and it was so nice and quiet, we set off for the 90 minute drive to Siracusa.
We pulled up to Approdo delle Sirene but no parking nearby, so we drove over to the Talete parking lot, which borders the water on I believe the east side of the island. After we parked we went to the machine to check about paying, and when we plugged in our license plate number it kept telling us we didn't owe anything. We finally figured out that when you enter, they take a photo of your license plate and then you pay on your way out - it has your data so it knows how long you have parked. The first hour is free, which is why it kept giving us that message.
It is only about a 10 minute walk from the parking garage to the B&B, on the other side of the island, although both are situated on the side nearest the main town.
Approdo delle Sirene, a favorite of people in the forum, was fine. We had an interior room which was comfortable with a decent sized bathroom. We had a window onto an interior courtyard. The building felt nice and secure. It was not warm enough for breakfast on the outside terrace, but there was a good view of the harbor from the enclosed breakfast room. Breakfast was very good, although not "the best in Sicily" as reported by some Tripadvisor posters. To be honest we had great breakfasts everywhere. I liked our last B&B - I Santi Coronati, a little more than Approdo delle Sirene. It did not have water views, but it offered two spacious rooms including a kitchenette. And there was a balcony onto an interior courtyard. In the evening, there was a cocktail bar outside, but it wasn't too distracting. I Santi Coronati did have private parking, which was a plus. It was booked this time. But Approdo was good. And they did have our room ready when we arrived, about 11:00.
After dropping our bags we headed to the market. We had an early lunch at Fratelli Burgios - a very fun salumeria at the end of the market near the garage. They do great tagliere - or platters of meats, cheeses, vegetables etc or fish. They are presented very attractively in little cups. It is a great little spot in the middle of the market bustle.
We spent the afternoon wandering around Ortigia until it was time for the puppet show. We went in the Cathedral again, and it is always so unique with the Greek columns visible in the walls of the church. We also paid to go underneath the Cathedral - the entry is out on the piazza, which was used as a bomb shelter during the war. I visited the Bourbon tunnels in Naples last summer and that was an amazing guided visit. The area under the main piazza in Ortigia was not very well designed. There were a few big signs with information, but it was way too detailed and not in any sort of order. There was opera music playing, but no real direction to the visit and no chronological guide, which might have helped. So I'd give that a miss in the future.
On the way to the puppet show we found the puppet museum of Ortigia, so we had a look around there. It was not as much fun as the one in Acireale. About the same size - 4-5 rooms. The Ortigia museum had a variety of puppets, not just the soldiers. I think the puppet show was really the highlight. We arrived at the puppet theatre shortly before it began, as we had pre-booked. They showed us to our seats. Because we jumped the line, we were not offered the paper synopsis of the show. Luckily I had found this online so I knew the storyline. The seats were all reserved, and we had places up front. It must fit about 40 people? It is not very big but a very pretty little theatre. The show lasted about 45 minutes and was a lot of fun. Afterwards the family of puppeteers came out for a bow. I am glad I took the time to learn about the puppets. I bought a great book in Ortigia as well that explains the traditions and the characters. It definitely is one aspect of Sicilian popular culture.
We had dinner that night at La Tavernetta on one of the pedestrian streets in Ortigia. Local pasta dishes and a delicious orange salad. We loved the oranges this trip. The trees were in bloom, and the scent of orange blossom in the air when we drove around Siracusa.
I am going to post this and start the next day on a new reply so it doesn't all get lost again!
Anyway, after a morning walk around Taormina - we discovered the public gardens this trip and stopped in every morning, as well as walking the length of the main street after breakfast and it was so nice and quiet, we set off for the 90 minute drive to Siracusa.
We pulled up to Approdo delle Sirene but no parking nearby, so we drove over to the Talete parking lot, which borders the water on I believe the east side of the island. After we parked we went to the machine to check about paying, and when we plugged in our license plate number it kept telling us we didn't owe anything. We finally figured out that when you enter, they take a photo of your license plate and then you pay on your way out - it has your data so it knows how long you have parked. The first hour is free, which is why it kept giving us that message.
It is only about a 10 minute walk from the parking garage to the B&B, on the other side of the island, although both are situated on the side nearest the main town.
Approdo delle Sirene, a favorite of people in the forum, was fine. We had an interior room which was comfortable with a decent sized bathroom. We had a window onto an interior courtyard. The building felt nice and secure. It was not warm enough for breakfast on the outside terrace, but there was a good view of the harbor from the enclosed breakfast room. Breakfast was very good, although not "the best in Sicily" as reported by some Tripadvisor posters. To be honest we had great breakfasts everywhere. I liked our last B&B - I Santi Coronati, a little more than Approdo delle Sirene. It did not have water views, but it offered two spacious rooms including a kitchenette. And there was a balcony onto an interior courtyard. In the evening, there was a cocktail bar outside, but it wasn't too distracting. I Santi Coronati did have private parking, which was a plus. It was booked this time. But Approdo was good. And they did have our room ready when we arrived, about 11:00.
After dropping our bags we headed to the market. We had an early lunch at Fratelli Burgios - a very fun salumeria at the end of the market near the garage. They do great tagliere - or platters of meats, cheeses, vegetables etc or fish. They are presented very attractively in little cups. It is a great little spot in the middle of the market bustle.
We spent the afternoon wandering around Ortigia until it was time for the puppet show. We went in the Cathedral again, and it is always so unique with the Greek columns visible in the walls of the church. We also paid to go underneath the Cathedral - the entry is out on the piazza, which was used as a bomb shelter during the war. I visited the Bourbon tunnels in Naples last summer and that was an amazing guided visit. The area under the main piazza in Ortigia was not very well designed. There were a few big signs with information, but it was way too detailed and not in any sort of order. There was opera music playing, but no real direction to the visit and no chronological guide, which might have helped. So I'd give that a miss in the future.
On the way to the puppet show we found the puppet museum of Ortigia, so we had a look around there. It was not as much fun as the one in Acireale. About the same size - 4-5 rooms. The Ortigia museum had a variety of puppets, not just the soldiers. I think the puppet show was really the highlight. We arrived at the puppet theatre shortly before it began, as we had pre-booked. They showed us to our seats. Because we jumped the line, we were not offered the paper synopsis of the show. Luckily I had found this online so I knew the storyline. The seats were all reserved, and we had places up front. It must fit about 40 people? It is not very big but a very pretty little theatre. The show lasted about 45 minutes and was a lot of fun. Afterwards the family of puppeteers came out for a bow. I am glad I took the time to learn about the puppets. I bought a great book in Ortigia as well that explains the traditions and the characters. It definitely is one aspect of Sicilian popular culture.
We had dinner that night at La Tavernetta on one of the pedestrian streets in Ortigia. Local pasta dishes and a delicious orange salad. We loved the oranges this trip. The trees were in bloom, and the scent of orange blossom in the air when we drove around Siracusa.
I am going to post this and start the next day on a new reply so it doesn't all get lost again!
May 8th, 2018, 04:37 AM
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Wednesday was our day trip to Ragusa and Noto. We had visited the archeological park in Siracusa before, although I would have returned if we had had more time. It was helpful to have a guide our first trip. She walked us around Ortigia and took us to the archeological park. But we missed the baroque cities last time. I opted to just do two, and skip Modica.
We drove to Ragusa - about 90 minutes across the pretty countryside with wildflowers in bloom. In Ragusa we parked in the upper modern town near the Cathedral of St John the Baptist. I was aiming for a car park I had read about, but we didn't find it. We managed to get street parking fine though. I believe we walked by the parking lot and it was on Corso Italia. Anyway, we walked to the information point near the Cathedral and a helpful lady gave us a map and recommended a lunch spot in Ragusa Ibla.
It was a straight shot down Corso Italia to the stairs that take you to Ragusa Ibla. I had read that it is nice to get the view from the upper town, and that was spot on. We spent a good few minutes getting some nice shots of the older town. Then we made our way down the steps and to the windy old streets of Ragusa Ibla. Lots of churches - we went in some and skipped others, and a few shops. It was a pretty quiet place. The weather was looking ominous by this point, so we scouted out the restaurant the tourist information office had recommended - "That's amoro" - just down a side street from the Cathedral of Ragusa. It looked great, but alas was not open. Not sure why. So we wandered back to "I Banchi", which we had passed and was open. It was a little pricier but it turned out to be an excellent culinary experience, with an amuse-bouche and a local wine. My husband had an artful pasta alle sarde and I had gnocchi with a lamb ragout and melted cheese, which was not as heavy as I had feared. We split a cassata for dessert and it was delicious and came with ice cream. And we also escaped the thunder shower!
When we went out the sun was shining. We made our way back to our car - an uphill walk! and headed off for Noto.
Noto was a nice little late afternoon stop. We hit it at the hour of the passeggiata. Again found street parking pretty easily. The lady at Approdo had said Noto is kind of a one street town, and it was much smaller than Ragusa. Lots of tourist groups, including school groups, all blending into the crowds on the main street in front of the Cathedral. It didn't feel too overwhelming, just hopping the way Italian towns get at that hour. We went in a few churches. Wish we'd taken pictures of the sculptures made from migrant boats in the Cathedral now. We climbed to the top of one tower for a view from on high. I found it hard to get good photos in Noto because the colors are so harmonious. But it was a pleasant stop for an hour, and we enjoyed the people watching with another almond granita.
It's just about a 45 minute drive back to Ortigia from Noto. We decided to try a pizza and salad place on the mainland, just a 10 minute walk from the B&B - Piano B. It was a great lively spot with excellent pizzas and artisinal salads, as well as craft beer.
Next: a cross island drive to Erice!
We drove to Ragusa - about 90 minutes across the pretty countryside with wildflowers in bloom. In Ragusa we parked in the upper modern town near the Cathedral of St John the Baptist. I was aiming for a car park I had read about, but we didn't find it. We managed to get street parking fine though. I believe we walked by the parking lot and it was on Corso Italia. Anyway, we walked to the information point near the Cathedral and a helpful lady gave us a map and recommended a lunch spot in Ragusa Ibla.
It was a straight shot down Corso Italia to the stairs that take you to Ragusa Ibla. I had read that it is nice to get the view from the upper town, and that was spot on. We spent a good few minutes getting some nice shots of the older town. Then we made our way down the steps and to the windy old streets of Ragusa Ibla. Lots of churches - we went in some and skipped others, and a few shops. It was a pretty quiet place. The weather was looking ominous by this point, so we scouted out the restaurant the tourist information office had recommended - "That's amoro" - just down a side street from the Cathedral of Ragusa. It looked great, but alas was not open. Not sure why. So we wandered back to "I Banchi", which we had passed and was open. It was a little pricier but it turned out to be an excellent culinary experience, with an amuse-bouche and a local wine. My husband had an artful pasta alle sarde and I had gnocchi with a lamb ragout and melted cheese, which was not as heavy as I had feared. We split a cassata for dessert and it was delicious and came with ice cream. And we also escaped the thunder shower!
When we went out the sun was shining. We made our way back to our car - an uphill walk! and headed off for Noto.
Noto was a nice little late afternoon stop. We hit it at the hour of the passeggiata. Again found street parking pretty easily. The lady at Approdo had said Noto is kind of a one street town, and it was much smaller than Ragusa. Lots of tourist groups, including school groups, all blending into the crowds on the main street in front of the Cathedral. It didn't feel too overwhelming, just hopping the way Italian towns get at that hour. We went in a few churches. Wish we'd taken pictures of the sculptures made from migrant boats in the Cathedral now. We climbed to the top of one tower for a view from on high. I found it hard to get good photos in Noto because the colors are so harmonious. But it was a pleasant stop for an hour, and we enjoyed the people watching with another almond granita.
It's just about a 45 minute drive back to Ortigia from Noto. We decided to try a pizza and salad place on the mainland, just a 10 minute walk from the B&B - Piano B. It was a great lively spot with excellent pizzas and artisinal salads, as well as craft beer.
Next: a cross island drive to Erice!
May 8th, 2018, 05:01 AM
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Before setting out for the 4-5 hour drive to Erice, we made a pre-planned stop at Caseficio Borderi - the small cheese shop in the market next to Fratelli Burgios. It gets high marks on Tripadvisor and usually there is an older man putting on a show and making up sandwiches outside, and there is often a line. On the last trip he had made us an amazing salad, and so we went back with the same plan for a picnic lunch on the road. We got there on the early side - must have been 9 - and the old man was not there yet, but we chatted up the guy working, and he knew exactly what we were looking for. He disappeared and came out with the mozzarella they had made that morning and gave us a taste. Then he put it all together with some fresh tomatoes, dried tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mint, capers, some olives, ricotta salata and a couple slices of orange. We got some bread in fratelli burgios and we were set for our lunch later.
We had done the drive two years earlier, when we drove to Palermo from Siracusa, so I remembered there was an autogrill just before Enna. We stopped there again and had our salad at a picnic table, and our espresso at the autogrill. Just past Enna there was a detour on the highway. Although all the cars seemed to be turning off and going south, I knew we needed to go north, so we headed that way on a smaller road and then we pulled over so I could get out my trusty old road atlas. I was able to find a way to rejoin the highway. Two days later when we saw a newspaper, it mentioned this "travel chaos" because there is work going on at one of the major junctions of the highway. Luckily it didn't have too much of an impact for us, but, true to Italian custom, there were not any real signs to explain things or indicate the detour, just a closed road!
Part of the drive to Erice was along the northern coast. We went around Palermo and then south towards Trapani, and found the road up from Val d'Erica, as had been suggested. The climb up to Erice was very special with gorgeous views. It really was exciting and the town itself was a gem. The host of our apartment, Massimo, met us outside one of the main doors of the town, showed us where we could park for free (pre-June), and then loaded our luggage in his car to drive us to the Pietre Antiche apartments. They were lovely and very characteristic of the old stone town (yes I know Pietre Antiche means old stones!).
Erice was very peaceful. As soon as we put down our bags we went out to wander. We looked in all the pastry shops and I insisted on sitting down for a coffee and a Genovese right away. I should have paid a little attention to the names of the many shops, because our first one was not the best one. I can't remember the name, but we saw it before Maria Grammatica.
We stopped at a church at bought the "passe-partout" which gives you entry to six churches. It was not expensive. We did not make it to all of them, because we just felt like wandering at our own pace. We soon wound up at the lovely park, with beautiful views of the castle. The castle was about to close, and it was not a place to feel rushed, so we settled for just wandering more. Erice reminded me a little of Assisi - a lot of daytrippers and tourist shops selling trinkets. But it wasn't overcrowded in April, and in the evenings it was fairly dead and extremely peaceful. We ate dinner that night at a restaurant recommended by the host, Gli Archi di San Carlo. It was a cozy friendly place with excellent food. We at there our second night too. It was a popular spot. We tried everything - the tagliere which came with some outstanding orange marmalade, the house antipasto, the busiati pasta, the meat dishes. It was all excellent but the veal chop was really special. Very nice atmosphere.
The mornings were sleepy too in Erice, but we found a nice little cafe - Caffe San Giuliano. They didn't have cornetti in view, but when we asked the lady brought out two enormous cornetti con crema. So we were happy to return the next day, and also once in the afternoon for a pistachio coffee.
We had done the drive two years earlier, when we drove to Palermo from Siracusa, so I remembered there was an autogrill just before Enna. We stopped there again and had our salad at a picnic table, and our espresso at the autogrill. Just past Enna there was a detour on the highway. Although all the cars seemed to be turning off and going south, I knew we needed to go north, so we headed that way on a smaller road and then we pulled over so I could get out my trusty old road atlas. I was able to find a way to rejoin the highway. Two days later when we saw a newspaper, it mentioned this "travel chaos" because there is work going on at one of the major junctions of the highway. Luckily it didn't have too much of an impact for us, but, true to Italian custom, there were not any real signs to explain things or indicate the detour, just a closed road!
Part of the drive to Erice was along the northern coast. We went around Palermo and then south towards Trapani, and found the road up from Val d'Erica, as had been suggested. The climb up to Erice was very special with gorgeous views. It really was exciting and the town itself was a gem. The host of our apartment, Massimo, met us outside one of the main doors of the town, showed us where we could park for free (pre-June), and then loaded our luggage in his car to drive us to the Pietre Antiche apartments. They were lovely and very characteristic of the old stone town (yes I know Pietre Antiche means old stones!).
Erice was very peaceful. As soon as we put down our bags we went out to wander. We looked in all the pastry shops and I insisted on sitting down for a coffee and a Genovese right away. I should have paid a little attention to the names of the many shops, because our first one was not the best one. I can't remember the name, but we saw it before Maria Grammatica.
We stopped at a church at bought the "passe-partout" which gives you entry to six churches. It was not expensive. We did not make it to all of them, because we just felt like wandering at our own pace. We soon wound up at the lovely park, with beautiful views of the castle. The castle was about to close, and it was not a place to feel rushed, so we settled for just wandering more. Erice reminded me a little of Assisi - a lot of daytrippers and tourist shops selling trinkets. But it wasn't overcrowded in April, and in the evenings it was fairly dead and extremely peaceful. We ate dinner that night at a restaurant recommended by the host, Gli Archi di San Carlo. It was a cozy friendly place with excellent food. We at there our second night too. It was a popular spot. We tried everything - the tagliere which came with some outstanding orange marmalade, the house antipasto, the busiati pasta, the meat dishes. It was all excellent but the veal chop was really special. Very nice atmosphere.
The mornings were sleepy too in Erice, but we found a nice little cafe - Caffe San Giuliano. They didn't have cornetti in view, but when we asked the lady brought out two enormous cornetti con crema. So we were happy to return the next day, and also once in the afternoon for a pistachio coffee.
May 8th, 2018, 05:22 AM
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I guess Erice is a day trip because it is a pretty small place. But it was a lovely place to stay. The town garden was especially peaceful. We even walked over after dinner one night for the views. We were very glad we had opted to spend two nights in Erice, and not visited as a day trip.
Still, it was good to have a plan to do something besides wander round town, and my husband is always happy to look for migrating birds, so we identified a hike on Monte Cofano - a short 30 minute drive away. We stopped at a Conad to stock up on fruit, nuts and water, and then stopped again in Custonaci, for a coffee and bathroom. Custonaci has a very pretty little church too. Then we arrived at one of the entrances we had found for the nature reserve.
It was signposted just well enough, but do take a phone with GPS! We planned to walk around the cape, which had a small mountain in the middle and was surrounded by water on three sides. This was a spectacular hike which took about 3 hours. We headed off to the right, descended for a while, then the path got flat and went alongside the water. I even saw two jellyfish. Some French tourists were braving the water, but we really saw very few people - maybe 8 people in the whole 3 hours.
We saw about 10 varieties of birds, which satisfied my husband, although not the elusive Bonellis eagle. We weren't really sure how long the hike would take. The last 45 minutes were uphill and a bit tiring. But the weather was perfect and it was a very satisfying hike.
On the way back to Erice we stopped for an arancino - 1 euro each and made to order. Then wandered around the town again, this time stopping at Maria Grammatico for our pastry. While we were ordering, a tour group came into the narrow shop, and the guide started yelling in my husband's ear, and this was very disruptive. Luckily the girl behind the counter told me there was a garden behind the shop where we could take the pastries, and that the tour group would not go outside. She was right, and it was a perfect, hidden spot. The genovese there was delicious, warm custard filling, crispy on the outside.
We visited a few more places around Erice in the afternoon. One of the more interesting stops, included on our passe partout ticket was the ruins of a monastery. There were a few sections to wander in, and it really gave the impression of life in the middle ages. (I think it was called "ruderi" of something or other - sorry I am not that person who documents everything! But Erice is not large - it's one of the places on the passe-partout ticket)
Another nice dinner at Gli Archi di San Carlo, and then our last overnight in Castellemmare.
Still, it was good to have a plan to do something besides wander round town, and my husband is always happy to look for migrating birds, so we identified a hike on Monte Cofano - a short 30 minute drive away. We stopped at a Conad to stock up on fruit, nuts and water, and then stopped again in Custonaci, for a coffee and bathroom. Custonaci has a very pretty little church too. Then we arrived at one of the entrances we had found for the nature reserve.
It was signposted just well enough, but do take a phone with GPS! We planned to walk around the cape, which had a small mountain in the middle and was surrounded by water on three sides. This was a spectacular hike which took about 3 hours. We headed off to the right, descended for a while, then the path got flat and went alongside the water. I even saw two jellyfish. Some French tourists were braving the water, but we really saw very few people - maybe 8 people in the whole 3 hours.
We saw about 10 varieties of birds, which satisfied my husband, although not the elusive Bonellis eagle. We weren't really sure how long the hike would take. The last 45 minutes were uphill and a bit tiring. But the weather was perfect and it was a very satisfying hike.
On the way back to Erice we stopped for an arancino - 1 euro each and made to order. Then wandered around the town again, this time stopping at Maria Grammatico for our pastry. While we were ordering, a tour group came into the narrow shop, and the guide started yelling in my husband's ear, and this was very disruptive. Luckily the girl behind the counter told me there was a garden behind the shop where we could take the pastries, and that the tour group would not go outside. She was right, and it was a perfect, hidden spot. The genovese there was delicious, warm custard filling, crispy on the outside.
We visited a few more places around Erice in the afternoon. One of the more interesting stops, included on our passe partout ticket was the ruins of a monastery. There were a few sections to wander in, and it really gave the impression of life in the middle ages. (I think it was called "ruderi" of something or other - sorry I am not that person who documents everything! But Erice is not large - it's one of the places on the passe-partout ticket)
Another nice dinner at Gli Archi di San Carlo, and then our last overnight in Castellemmare.
Last edited by palatino82; May 8th, 2018 at 05:39 AM.
May 8th, 2018, 05:35 AM
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We left Erice in the morning to take advantage of our one day in Castellemmare. I chose Castellemmare because it was closer to the airport - I hadn't wanted to drive all the way from Erice to the airport for a noon flight. Also because a local acquaintance comes from there, and I wanted to see the town.
It definitely helped to do my research. We stayed at the hotel Sopra le Mura and booked the Junior Suite. The room was amazing, with balconies on two sides and windows on 3. You could see the main street from the balcony, as well as a little harbor. The room was beautifully made up - even the minibar was at waist height in the wall. The breakfast the next morning was also excellent. Highly recommended!
We enjoyed as stroll around Casetellemmare, which is a working fishing town. It has a castle, which didn't look like much from the outside, but has some very interesting exhibits inside about the sea and a very special snail staircase. You can't go up, but it has an interesting story to it. Plus it is free. It was not easy to find a shopping area, but we didn't stray too far from the harbor, where there are plenty of restaurants and cafes. The main street was very lively at night. During the afternoon we headed over to the Greek site of Segesta, just a 20-30 minute drive. Segesta was lovely, and again, not overcrowded. There is a spectacular temple in the middle of a field, and then a theatre and some ruined dwellings. We opted to walk up to the theatre and not take the shuttle bus, since I had read it is nice to take photos along the way. That was true. It was also quite a walk up - not long but steep. Maybe took 20 minutes. We did enjoy getting the photos. We also thought that it would have been a tough place to visit in the summer heat. April really is a great month temperature wise and with fewer crowds.
We spent the last night in Castellemmare. Ate at La Cambusa in the port which was a great people watching place, although I was happy to be inside the glass walls since it was the passeggiata of the cars. There was also live music til almost midnight, which echoed off the stones of the town. I had forgotten my earplugs this trip, but it was fine.
All in all another lovely visit - very relaxing. It was nice to just do half day activities the second part of the week and relax and hang out in places. If I go back, I still feel like I need to see a little more of Palermo and I would love to see Cefalu and some of the islands. Hopefully the information is helpful!
It definitely helped to do my research. We stayed at the hotel Sopra le Mura and booked the Junior Suite. The room was amazing, with balconies on two sides and windows on 3. You could see the main street from the balcony, as well as a little harbor. The room was beautifully made up - even the minibar was at waist height in the wall. The breakfast the next morning was also excellent. Highly recommended!
We enjoyed as stroll around Casetellemmare, which is a working fishing town. It has a castle, which didn't look like much from the outside, but has some very interesting exhibits inside about the sea and a very special snail staircase. You can't go up, but it has an interesting story to it. Plus it is free. It was not easy to find a shopping area, but we didn't stray too far from the harbor, where there are plenty of restaurants and cafes. The main street was very lively at night. During the afternoon we headed over to the Greek site of Segesta, just a 20-30 minute drive. Segesta was lovely, and again, not overcrowded. There is a spectacular temple in the middle of a field, and then a theatre and some ruined dwellings. We opted to walk up to the theatre and not take the shuttle bus, since I had read it is nice to take photos along the way. That was true. It was also quite a walk up - not long but steep. Maybe took 20 minutes. We did enjoy getting the photos. We also thought that it would have been a tough place to visit in the summer heat. April really is a great month temperature wise and with fewer crowds.
We spent the last night in Castellemmare. Ate at La Cambusa in the port which was a great people watching place, although I was happy to be inside the glass walls since it was the passeggiata of the cars. There was also live music til almost midnight, which echoed off the stones of the town. I had forgotten my earplugs this trip, but it was fine.
All in all another lovely visit - very relaxing. It was nice to just do half day activities the second part of the week and relax and hang out in places. If I go back, I still feel like I need to see a little more of Palermo and I would love to see Cefalu and some of the islands. Hopefully the information is helpful!
May 8th, 2018, 11:32 AM
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Thanks for the trip report! I am glad you have obviously enjoyed Sicily as much as I did. Especially staying in beautiful Erice at Erice Pietre Antiche. Really a lovely little spot, isn't it? I stayed for 3 nights and found that there is quite a bit to see in Erice and April was definitely a great time to visit.
I do hope you get to return. There is SO much more to see.
I do hope you get to return. There is SO much more to see.
May 8th, 2018, 12:14 PM
#17
Yes, great report. I'm impressed that you managed to walk from the bottom of Ragusa Ibla back up to the top especially after lunch at I Banchi which is the second restaurant of Ragusa's 2 Michelin star chef so it should have been good! We stayed in Ragusa and one day walked down to the bus stop at the bottom ( a tip I picked up here) and got the bus all the way up to the top, walking back down again and that was hard enough with all those steps. The views were fab though. This was where we met the elderly French couple who were looking for the sea - I wonder if they ever found it.
We never made it to the west of the island - one day I'll go back perhaps.
We never made it to the west of the island - one day I'll go back perhaps.
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Jul 29th, 2016 10:52 AM
