Sicily..three weeks in may with temporarily handicapped partner
 

This trip had been postponed, and cancelled, at least three times, due to medical and COVID glitches. We finally made it onto the flight (Delta/ITA) from JFK to Palermo with a connection (! hour 55 minutes) in FCO. I received repeated anxiety0making e-mails from Delta telling me that my connection time was too short and I should re-book. But when I had booked, the agent on the phone told me not to worry..five minutes short of the recommended 2 hours would be just fine.

And it was. Partner is using a wheelchair before a hip replacement scheduled for early June. We had discussed the idea of me going solo, but in the end, figured that being handicapped at home would not be as much fun as having to remain in a nice hotel room in Italy on some days. I made sure that I booked rooms with a view, or at least with access to outdoor space.

The flights went just fine! Partner was met and whisked through security and immigration at all points, ahead of the able-bodied. I benefitted from my association with a near-disabled person and also was whisked through with little delay.

Details: We booked with Carmel car service from our apartment in Manhattan to Terminal 4, Delta. We were met in Palermo by the driver recommended by our hotel in Trapani, who was on site, holding sign with our names. Price of transfer from PMO to our hotel in Trapani was 100 euro. I had checked a few other transfer services and this one offered the best price. I will give the exact info if anyone wants it...

We were deposited at our Trapani hotel before noon; we love this hotel, and the room we booked, the only one on the fourth floor, with two large terraces facing the sea:

The name is LA GANCIA, and right now I am unable to link it due to problems with WiFi in the hotel.

Will return when Wifi returns...

[QUOTE=ekscrunchy;17461100]This trip had been postponed, and cancelled, at least three times, due to medical and COVID glitches. We finally made it onto the flight (Delta/ITA) from JFK to Palermo with a connection (! hour 55 minutes) in FCO. I received repeated anxiety0making e-mails from Delta telling me that my connection time was too short and I should re-book. But when I had booked, the agent on the phone told me not to worry..five minutes short of the recommended 2 hours would be just fine.

And it was. Partner is using a wheelchair before a hip replacement scheduled for early June. We had discussed the idea of me going solo, but in the end, figured that being handicapped at home would not be as much fun as having to remain in a nice hotel room in Italy on some days. I made sure that I booked rooms with a view, or at least with access to outdoor space.

The flights went just fine! Partner was met and whisked through security and immigration at all points, ahead of the able-bodied. I benefitted from my association with a near-disabled person and also was whisked through with little delay.

Details: We booked with Carmel car service from our apartment in Manhattan to Terminal 4, Delta. We were met in Palermo by the driver recommended by our hotel in Trapani, who was on site, holding sign with our names. Price of transfer from PMO to our hotel in Trapani was 100 euro. I had checked a few other transfer services and this one offered the best price. I will give the exact info if anyone wants it...

We were deposited at our Trapani hotel before noon; we love this hotel, and the room we booked, the only one on the fourth floor, with two large terraces facing the sea:

The name is LA GANCIA, and right now I am unable to link it due to problems with WiFi in the hotel.

Will return when Wifi returns...[/

Hi EK! So sorry that somehow my attempt to reply to your beginning post did something strange!.
can’t wait to hear how your wonderful trip progresses!
off to a great start! :)
and yes,: what is name of car service you used from PMO to hotel in Trapani?
Enjoy your vacation!!

Hi!! Sent you the drivers name. But at last minute he was not available and we switched to his comrade, VITO [email protected].

Vito’s company is :

ERICE TRANSFERS

He transferred us from Palermo airport to our Trapani hotel (100 euro)

Today he drove us from Trapani hotel to lunch at a restaurant I selected in PORTO PALO DI MENFI; after a lunch of about 1.5 hours he drove us on to our B&B near PORTO EMPEDOCLE. BORGO DELLE PIETRE. Fantastic!!!!!! We have 2 nights here without a car.

Hi!! Sent you the drivers name. But at last minute he was not available and we switched to his comrade, VITO [email protected].

Vito’s company is :

ERICE TRANSFERS

He transferred us from Palermo airport to our Trapani hotel (100 euro)

Today he drove us from Trapani hotel to lunch at a restaurant I selected in PORTO PALO DI MENFI; after a lunch of about 1.5 hours he drove us on to our B&B near PORTO EMPEDOCLE. BORGO DELLE PIETRE. Fantastic!!!!!! We have 2 nights here without a car.

I wrote a very long recap on my phone, only to have it disappear.

We had booked with Michelangelo for airport transfer from Palermo to our Trapani hotel (100 euro), and from Trapani to our second stop, a B&B near Pto Empedocle, with a stop for lunch at Porto Palo di Menfi.

At the last minute, Michelangelo referred us to his colleague, [email protected]. Vito's company is ERICE TRANSFER (39-339-611-8200) You can e-mail him or connect via What's App.

Vito was excellent.. large and very roomy new van, careful driver. Limited English, but he is a driver, not a guide. He worked out very well..on time, polite, etc etc.

After 3 wonderful nights in Trapani (beautiful city, handsome architecture, on a peninsula edged on two sides by turquoise waters and clean, sandy beaches; we had 2 wonderful dinners in Trapani and one very good dinner just outside the city) we were picked up this (Sunday) morning at noon by Vito and driven to our lunch stop in PortoPalo near Menfi.

I highly recommend the restaurant we chose. DA VITTORIO. This being Sunday lunch, it was filled with Italian families, dressed to the nines, and a few young couples, also dressed (to the 10s??) Right on the beach, Vittorio's lair offers tables inside the glass-enclosed dining room, as well as tables outside. We chose an inside table.

Seafood here is stellar and, according to my partner, the Spaghetti alla Bolognese was also superb. (10 euro)

I began with glorious spaghetti with sea urchin..best I've had since my first sample, in Ortygia, about 18 years ago at Don Camillo. Unforgettable. (25 euro)

I followed with Gamberoni Rossi, large shrimp from Mazzaro del Valle, served heads on the way I prefer. (25 euro)

With the shrimp, I ordered the vegetable of the day, a pair of grilled artichokes, of which I ate every last bit from the tip of the slightly charred leaves to the tender hearts. (6 euro) With the driver waiting, we did not feel comfortable ordering dessert. The lunch, with a bottle of still mineral water and a half bottle of Planeta, La Segreta white wine from a reputable local producer, cost 90 euro and I felt it was worth the high price.

After lunch, Vito ferried us the final hour to our B&B, BORGO DELLE PIETRE. Mara and Domenico, a couple with roots in Pto Empedocle and Agrigento, restored this rambling stone assemblage from a near-ruin to a handsome, tasteful and very comfortable B&B with 8 guest rooms. They serve dinner--complete meal or lighter fare--and arrange sightseeing for those without transport. A lovely pool sits at the edge of the property, which itself is but a few miles from the beach. I will reserve final judgement, for so far, we are more than pleased!

I wrote a lot more about our stay so far; I can only hope that it will be posted soon enough....not sure what I am doing wrong to have this lag between writing and having it posted.

This morning we left, with regret, BORGO DELLE PIETRE. I recommend this upscale B&B to anyone with a car, or willing to hire a driver, as I do not think staying there is feasible without private transport. We hit a stretch of bad weather, intermittent rain and clouds (not cold, though) so could not enjoy the pretty pool area (pool just b ig enough to lap swim but likely too cold at this time of year). The place is just beautiful--Mara and Domenico, both from this area, purchased the property (2 hectares-plus, and the structure, which was in ruin) 14 years ago when it had been abandoned since WW2. Prior to that, it has been a travellers' inn since the 15th Century--imagine who laid their heads on those beds/pallets(!!)

This young couple did a masterful job in restoring the buildings, stone exteriors and lots of local stone inside, interspersed with terra cotta flooring and painted stucco walls to perfection.. There are 8 guest rooms; we were allotted CARRUBO; we had some steps to negotiate but all went well. (we were offered a choice of rooms, but chose this one due to its proxmity to the main public areas)

We spent the afternoon of the first day, and the whole of the second day, relaxing at the property, reading, with me doing my best to write a few notes for this forum and a food forum. If we had rented a car, we would have taken the opportunity to drive to view the Scala dei Turchii and explore the city of Agrigento, perhaps. The approach to the property has been decried in some reviews but I don't think it would present a problem during daylight.

Mara, the female half of the owners, is a masterful cook and together with her helpers, she prepared a salumi plate, with cheeses, for our first dinner (we had had what was probably the best meal of the trip, earlier that day of arrival, at DA VITTORIO.

Price of cheese and salumi plate at BORGO DELLE PIETRE, ample for two people and including one white wine and one Coca Zero: 38 euro.


Last night, our second night there, we opted for the on site dinner. We were given a choice (the day prior) of meat or fish; we chose fish, and very much enjoyed::

2 caponata, served cold....excellent, less sweet than the version (served hot) at LA BETTOLACCIA in Trapani but excelllent. Remind me why I do not make this more often back home..!!!! It's more complicated than it appears, for one thing, to prepare it correctly.

Mara sources all of the vegetables for her meals from her gardens. Domenico shops daily for fish at the dock in Porto Empedocle. I wish I could hve gone with him on a buying trip.

Partner continued our dinner with mafalde (or some version of this pasta, meaning badly made, I think!) (thick cut and home-made) with a ragu of tuna in tomato sauce. His biggest compliment was that "it did not taste like fish."
He ate every last morsel, apart from the one I snatched. The pasta was very (too(?) thick but the taste was excellent.

My secondi was sea bream, two lovely (small) skin-on filets sitting on a bed of thick pea puree, almost like the pea soup of your dreams. I'm getting more and more accustomed to eating fish and that is a very good thing. I did add salt, something I also did the day before, at lunch at DA VITTORIO.

Dessert was 2 versios (one each) of semi-freddo that, although store-bought, was fantastic...layers of (for me): chocolate cream at the bottom of the small, fluted cup, vanilla semi-freddo in the middle, and a topping that was the essence of cherry...the kind of taste that makes you stop in your tracks and close your eyes and think, "Now, that's what cherry IS...almost impossible to convey how decadent and delicious these desserts were (partner had the pistachio version and was equally wowed).

Price for that dinner and dessert, with water and a glass of Sicilian white wine: 87euro..convenience factor for not having to negotiate the dirt roads: Priceless.








This morning, gloomy weather (but not at all cold--we are wearing cotton shirts and, sometimes for me, a light linen jacket; for partner, a windbreaker at night) again, but no matter.

After another stellar breakfast (by this time I had learned the trick of edging my cup of caffe latte with a rim of pistacchio crema (think salt-edged Margarita glass) so that I got that taste with every sip (Mara had never heard of this, but took mental notes!) I wanted to buy a jar of that pistachio crema but she was on her last jar so I will make a point of seeking it out on one of my shopping forays.

Together with the caffe, I fixed myself a nice plate of salumi and local cheeses, including a Marzalino (fresh cow cheese from early spring milk) ) that was topped with fresh almonds just plucked from their tree, and fresh pistachhi. Gorgeous presentation..will post on that "other food site."

Eggs are on offer but I passed, once again--too much to sample on the buffet-style spread. A favorite sweet: An almond-paste, round, fluted cookie that reminded me of a Passover macaroon, but with almond paste instead of coconut. I just do not understand travelers who complain that Italian hotel breakfasts are heavy on the sweets. You can always have a boiled egg, and some good bread and butter with local marmalade. They even had packs of yogurt this morning, but not the dreaded boxes of dried American-style cereal that i've seen on countless breakfast spreads, not only in Italy.

Anyway, give me the local salumi and cheese, and the cakes. And the bread. And the marmelade. Too bad my walking has been curtailed by the fraility of the partner here, but I will make it my business to get a move on on my own every day from here on.....

So..after breakfast, we were collected by Fabrizio Randizo for a pre-arranged transfer to Licata with a stop at the famed Mandranova azienda (their olive oils are sold in the US, at Eataly among other retailers) near Chiaramonte Gulfi, between the B&B and the town of Licata, where we are staying tonight. The transfer was arranged by Mara at BORGO DELLE PIETRE, and cost 130euro, to be paid in cash (other transfer drivers accepted credit cards as well):

We were very happy with Fabrizio; he is based in Agrigento but will undertake transfers ranging much further afield:

FABRIZIO RANDISI...cell phone and What's App: 329-367-5563
His clean, spacious van can take 9 passengers and I woult not hesitate to recommend him.

If you are interested in fine olive oil, I'd recommend a stop at MANDRANOVA. You can arrage in advance for a tasting of their oils (mono-cultivar and blends) for 20euro. We did not book ahead, and just showed up. We opted not to tase the oils, because I knew of their reputation. So I chose 2 different single variety oils, and one bland. The .75 liter tins cost 19 euro apiece.

I also bought a pistacchio pesto (they were out of the sweet, pistacchio crema, so I will seek that out someplace further on), and jars of both lemon (with rind) and cedro ( a citrus gown in Calabria and in Sicily, the source of one of the "etrog" fruit used in the Sukkot celebrations among Jews worldwide); you can read up, by Googling, how the rabbis travel to Italy to select the finest fruits to sue in the celebration...

My total bill for these fine treats was 106 euro.

From MANDRANOVA, we drove on, along the coast, to the town of LICATA, and booked into the RELAIS VILLA GIULIANI, a Liberty (art nouveau)-style villa that had been a private home until about a decade ago when it was converted to a small and charming hotel with excellent and very friendly service.
It's on a hill with a view of the sea, standing above the town of LICATA. We were upgraded to a suite overlooking the sea, and part of the town; we have a bedroom and a separate den with sofa bed, which is great since partner has trouble sleeping and sometimes has to wander around at night. Price, including breakfast, is 130 euro.

Tonight we will have dinner at the hotel's restaurant, which has a good word of mouth and means no walking for partner, and after lunch in Licata, will be driven (dfriver arranged by this hotel) to RAGUSA IBLA for a four-night stay.



Photos from Trapani restaurants:


https://www.hungryonion.org/t/sicily-dining-in-2023/34398

Here is more on the search for the etrog, for the Jewish festival of Sukkot. The article focuses on the cedro grown in Calabria but it is alo harvested, and sought after by the rabbis, in Sicily....I bought the cedro marmelade today at MANDRANOVA , after enjoying a cedro-flavored bottled drink in the mini-bar of our b&b last night:


https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-cal...rog-tradition/


https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/2...-brings-rabbis

Your food and dining descriptions are transcendent—thank you!

Fabulous details and interesting history too ! Loved reading another cedro! Etrog! mouth watering food you are enjoy! Very happy for you !

Thanks to both of you for your kind comments!

(i don't know why these odd characters are showing up iin my posts today (???) )

So from Mandranova, the driver took us to the town of Licata. Â Did I mention that we had a great view of the Agrigento temples from the road? Â And that there are vast swathes of fields covered by plastic sheeting to protect the fruits and vegetables from hungry birds? Â But the sheeting is pale gray and fits into the colors of the landscapes much better than that bright blue I've seen in southern coastal Spain. Â From afar, it looks a bit like rice paddies, or rectangular-shaped shallow ponds. Â You can't tell that it is plastic, or at least I couldn't.

Also, I noticed that in this area, and maybe all over the island, a lot of buildings (concrete, I think--residences and businesses, are left unpainted, so they are a light tan in color. Â It sounds unattractive but this, also, blends into the colors of the landscape (light brown and green in early May). Â So the buildings do not look too unobtrusive, color wise. Â I'm guessing that they are left unpainted for financial reasons but the overall effect is not at all visually jarring.

We checked into our hotel in LICATA, RELAIS VILLA GIULIANA and were very warmly welcomed by Mara at the front desk. Â There's less English spoken here than in other places we stayed, but I can understand the basics of Italian even if my speaking skills are woefully limited. Â This is a lovely small hotel that has retained the architecture and furnishings in the Liberty style. Â Before being converted to a hotel about 10 years ago (according to front desk staff) Â the structure was a private villa belonging to, I imagine, a rich person since it sits high on a hill overlooking the town of Licata and the sea. Â There is a prime view of the Castel Sant' Angelo, built as a watchtower in the late 16th Century and expanded into a triangular-shaped fort in the 17th Century. Â Damaged during the Allied invasion, it's been restored and I only wish we had time (and the partner had the physical capacity) to explore the castle and the gardens surrounding the site:

https://topsecretsicily.com/en/thing...-land-and-sea/


ÂÂ Â I'm embarassed that up until our arrival here, I did not know that the coastal stretch between Licata and Gela was the site of the first Allied landings in the campaign against the Axis powers, in the summer of 1943. Â The Sicily campaign is known as Operation Husky and hopefully, we will learn more about this when we visit the museum in Catania (closed Mondays, out only full day in Catania, but we will try to get there on Sunday).

Here is a photo of the Allied soldiers on the pier in Licata:

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205196332


More history:

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/wa...nvasion-sicily




And now it is time to get ready for lunch at LA MADIA, a meal I booked about 2 months ago, and the priincipal reason for our overnight in Licata.



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After lunch, Vito ferried us the final hour to our B&B, BORGO DELLE PIETRE. Mara and Domenico, a couple with roots in Pto Empedocle and Agrigento, restored this rambling stone assemblage from a near-ruin to a handsome, tasteful and very comfortable B&B with 8 guest rooms.

Fantastic tip I never would have learned anywhere else..... Pto Empedocle is grandmother's old stomping grounds (from before the turn of the century...) - Hearing stories of PE, and having someone recognize the family name would be priceless to me....

Enjoying your TR.

Really enjoying this report! I've been to Italy many times, but not Sicily. From this and other reports, I think I need to go just for the food!

Thanks for including the website on secret Sicily! I didn’t know that one   Hope lunch was great !  Can’t wait to hear about daily explorations in Ragusa and more stories ….. and great meals!  ;)

The update from today:

We had what I believe was THE BEST meal we have ever had in Italy (after so many, many trips to this country and so many great meals).

The restaurant was LA MADIA in the small city of Licata, which we spent an overnight mainly because we wanted to have lunch at this restaurant. I do not care anything about Michelin stars, and Ihave some of the most pleasure eating at holes in the wall in many places all over the world.

LA MADIA was just in another realm. First off, the chef, Pino Cutrera, is a native of Licata and "came home" after working in some of the top plaes in Milano and Torino. Never mind all that..this guy was everywhere... taking orders, keeping an eagle eye on everythiing in the (10 tables more or less) dining room, even to the point of busing tables. How do these top Italian restaurants do so well with such small staff, as compared to the "best" USA restaurants where the staff is always bustling around and there seem to be 5 people attending each table??

I have no idea...but I will say this: LA MADIA is expensive. For 2 people, with one glass of wine (for me; partner barely drinks even after long background in the industry), our bill totalled 240 euro. And guess what..it was worth every penny.

I am still in the clouds just remembering every course. I can offer details soon, if you all would like, but am tired now.

From Licata, we had a driver for the trip to Ragusa Ibla, where we are now. This place is a drean, and has a trmemdous similarity visually with Matera,a city I was taken with, in Basilicata.

For anyone who is thinking of hiring a driver, I highly recommend the man who drove us from LA MADIA to RAGUSA IBLA. Roberto Alabiso, and his wife, run the premier taxi/driver service in Licata and regularly take passengers to Agrigento, the Baroque towns (Ragusa, Noto, Scicli, and as far as Palermo and Taormina) We were very impressed, and wished that we could have had an even longer road trip,as Roberto iparted so much information, not only about the usual sights, but avout daily life in this part of Sicily--pros and cons...

Before I ramble on further, here is his information;

ROBERTO ALABISO [email protected]

We are now in Ragusa Ibla, for the first of 4 mornings at SABBRINIRICA B&B. I HIGHLY recommend this small hotel! However, after less than 24 hours here, I can see that Ibla is NOT the best place for anyone who has the least bit of trouble walking! The B&B is one of the loveliest I've ever visited, BUT (and I think this is true of almost all of the lodgings in Ibla, there are many, many small steps, as the property spans several stories, connected with rounding staircases!!!

But it's thrilling to be here..the town is absolutely spectacular and I'm surprised I've never read about the visuall similarity between Ragusa and Matera, in Basilicata. Both with upper, flat towns where most of the locals seem to reside, and both with lower towns in gorges/canyons/depressions in the land--not sure which word is accurate. So they are layered towns...now that I think of it, so is Ercolano, and probably many other places..I need to think aboutu this further!!

Finally the sun is out after several cloudy,drizzly days and the view alone from the terrace of the room is like a movie set..Conde Nast Traveler needs to feature this room on their last magazine page, where they feature fabulous hotel rooms (or maybe they do not do that anymore...I just cancelled my subscription, for reasons unrelated to this subject!!)

Last night we arrived late afternoon, having been driven to Ragusa from Licata by THE best driver of our trip.

Highly recommend: ROBERTO ALABISO:

[email protected]

Roberto lives in Licata but drives all over Sicily. AND, his English is very good, unlike the other drivers we had so far, although these drivers were also excellent, some travelers might appreciate a driver having english-language skills. More on Roberto, later.

Also later, a few details of the BEST meal of this trip and one of the best meals I have ever experienced.

LA MADIA in Licata.

Fantastic to read your much awaited meal at La Madia was terrific!
wish we had time to go as well but will vicariously enjoy your meals and sightseeing .
ragusa ibla now beckons !
enjoy and keep posting when you have down time 😊

HI!! So glad you are enjoying. Today I explored the "centro" of Ragusa, above Ibla....let me tell you, SD...it took me ONE HOUR-plus to get there!


Everyone I asked was a little unsure about how often the buses ran. The guy near the bus piazza (The B&B owner, advised me to take the bus to the "Centro" from Piazza Republica) told me..."the bus should come within 10 minutes. But do not worry: " If that bus does not come, there WILL, for sure, be a bus in one hour more!!!"

Not to mention that NO ONE I asked had any idea fo what the bus cost (it's 1.5euro from Centro to Piazza Republica in Ibla). I asked the owners of our B&B about this and they replied that many persons who have businesses in Ibla live in the center; when they go back and forth, they tend to drive. (some did admit to walking at times)

I listened to that vague info about the time of the bus from Piazza Republica to the Centro and, not wanting to linger for what might be an hour or more at the bus stop, decided to walk. I should mention that, although the temperature was, I think, in the 60s, according to my online weather info, it was (finally) sunny, and seemed warmer than the stated temperature. And, I had forgotten not only my glasses, but a hat and sunscreen. (NOTE for next time!)


From Ibla, I walked and walked. And walked, uphill on stairs, with frequent stops to besiege passersby if I was, in fact, walking on the "right" steps, in the direction of the "Centro.)

And then, after getting hot and (sorry) kind of sweaty (I always bring either a wash cloth or a cloth napkin for these occasions) , I finally arrive: AT MORE STEPS!! My goodness, it took me an hour, more or less, to arrive at the main square in the Centro! Later I will go into the reason for this expedition; no surprise, it involves something to eat.

IBLA for an ambulatory-challenged person:


The partner here is really stymied by Ibla. This is NOT a place to stay for anyone with trouble walking, and walking steps and walking steps uphill. The streets are mainly pedestrian, so cars are not much worry. But it is very easy to get lost, and the street surfaces are polished stones--absolutely gorgeous but a little tricky when wet (it drizzled last night after we arrived). The great thing is that after dark, there are mootion detector lights on many streets, so although it looks dark, the streets light up once you get to the coverage point.

The streets were pretty empty last night. I walked around alone from about 7pm (sundown was at 7:55pm) until about 10pm. Many times I was the only person in sight. There is ABSOLUTELY no reason for any fear, even for me, a female walking alone after dark. NONE!!! So the only fear is for someone with mobility "issues."

Also, it is VERY easy to get, if not lost, "turned around." I've had lots of moments of being "lost and confused!!" But it's always kind of fun!! I estimated that since we arrived here, about 24 hours ago now, I've asked more than 20 people (low estimate) for directions. Some of these people confide that they are as lost as I am..they are from Milano, or Berlin!! But most of those I asked were knowledgeable about the local layout and were, in fact, locals. And I don't think I've experienced before locals who went so far out of their way to escort me to where I wanted to go.

The good thing is that I can understand a pretty good amount of Italian. (Can't speak more than a few words and even those, are Span-ian (???)

I've been taken (several times) for a Spaniard, and twice for a person from Milan (once) or, another time, for an Italian but not from here. (Oh, you are northern!) Yikes! But the thing is, once you are taken for someone who speaks Italian (joke, as far as I go), the person trying to help speaks very rapidly and all I can take in is "sinestra," "destra," etc... But hand gestures are very helpful!! They really do go a long way.

Last night when I ventured out for the first time, solo, I was looking for the main piazza, the PIAZZA DEL DUOMO. I approached the first person I ran into since, of course, despite copious, detailed explanations at different times from the (lovely!) B&B owners (Laura and Tiziana--sisters-in law), I became lost literally a minute after exiting the door. (Mind you I was a geography major in college, so this is a point of pride for me, lost pride in this case)

So I approached this man and stumbled along with my non-existent Italian, punctuated by hand gestures and facial expressions indicating my cluelessness,
for a few minutes when I slipped and said a word in Spanish (I often do this). So this man, who guessed that I was "not from around this area," revealed that he was from Argentina. And we proceeded to have a 15 minutes conversation about his country...before I got what I thought were good directions to the Piazza del Duomo. I relished the conversation, and this man walked me a good 10 minutes out of his way. But the minute he left me, with "clear" directions, I became lost once again. And so it went. Ekscrunchy stopping numerous random persons in the street, asking directions for a place that I had just recived detailed directions to find.

I went though all this to say: RAGUSA IBLA is confusing! Prepare to ask, and ask again, and you cannot even imagine how kind and helpful the responses will be!

Does this long deviation from the thread give you the idea of how much I love this place, and Italy in general, and Sicily to the extreme? I hope so!!

Laughing so hard with this post! Love how you describe getting lost and lost
and lost and lost …. And the kindness or people and the fun you are having!
glad I exercise daily
so I can maybe handle all those steps when we do a day visit Reminds me of Dubrovnik stairs 😎😊
you do sound like you are having fun!

<<Also, it is VERY easy to get, if not lost, "turned around." I've had lots of moments of being "lost and confused!!" But it's always kind of fun!! I estimated that since we arrived here, about 24 hours ago now, I've asked more than 20 people (low estimate) for directions. Some of these people confide that they are as lost as I am..they are from Milano, or Berlin!! But most of those I asked were knowledgeable about the local layout and were, in fact, locals. And I don't think I've experienced before locals who went so far out of their way to escort me to where I wanted to go.>>

Hi Eck, great TR which of course is only to be expected! We had a similar experience as you in Ragusa but were luckier in that we managed to catch the bus from the park at the bottom of the main drag and took the bus all the way up to Ragua Superiore and started to walk down back into Ibla. Whereupon we were approached by a couple who immediately asked us in french where the beach was. Fortunately we both had some french so we were able to tell them that it wasn't anywhere round there and suggested the apply to the nearest TI. Afterwards it struck us as pretty weird that they didn't even ask if we spoke french but just launched to it, considering we were in Italy? Did we look french? Not so far as I know. Anyway just following the street down and the odd sign we were able to find our way back down to the Piazza del Duomo in Ibla meeting many people making their way up. I'm pretty certain we had the better of it.

However you were definitely better off not having a car which proved to be an absolute PITA when it came to negotiating the streets and parking even though the owner of the B&B we were in gave us a hand with that.

Loving your food descriptions - like you we had one of our best meals ever in Sicily but this one wasn't planned; we came across an albergo in the vineyards on the western slopes of Mount Etna just as we were giving up hope of finding anywhere. Keep it coming - have we got to the place where you wanted to buy something special from them? [I forget what]. I hope you succeeded!

Ann, that is hysterical! Next time I am in Nebraska, remind me not to be surprised when I am stopped by a pair of Burundians who are toting beach towels and a picnic basket and feverishly consulting their map, searching for the Atlantic Ocean!!!

So I want to move along here, cause I am trying to keep this thread current, and I also am trying to post the food photos on that food site that I mentioned. Once I get more written on that one, I will try to linkk it here so you can see the pics!

So, first full day In Ragusa, I walked up to the Centro (did I mention that NO ONE here calls it "Superiore??" There is "the Centro, sometimes referred to as "new" Ragusa, and there is Ibla, where we, and most tourists are staying. Ibla is far more visually stunning, while the centro (above Ibla) is pretty but has some modern concrete buildings and is more like a "normal," if upscale, Sicilian small city. There are a few hotels up there and, truth to tell, it would not be bad for anyone with limited mobility to seek out one of those lodgings, as that area is pretty flat and there are "normal" shops catering to locals, as well as nice-looking cafes and restaurants. Our driver, Roberto Alabiso told us that Ragusa was considered to be a rich town and, indeed, the surrounding areas outside the center and Ibla, have modern shopping centers and handsome-looking condo residences. With the easy proximity to the shore, these areas might qualify as one of those places you dream about buying an apartment (and we have Whitehall here with his fantastic story of actually cementing his dream into reality, albeit in a different location and with a family connection). When our driver told us the prices for apartments, I admit that I began daydreaming about doing the same--buying a small place in or near RAgusa (not in Ibla, and using it in summer and renting it our at other times...)

The prices we were told were extremely reasonable but of course, I've not seen any properties. But I do know that the architect/owner of my B&B, SABBRINIRICA (remind me to tell you all the meaning of that name!), completed a genius gut renovation of this property that I would venture to say that most of you would be over the moon to have as a main, or vacation, residence!

Of course, two months ago I was dreaming of doing the same in Andalucia, but ok..I can dream, right? Ad if the prices i was told are true, you all would be more than shocked. I'm talking way, way less than $80k USD for 2/3 bedrooms,with need for reno.


I'd love to read comments on that topic? Anyone want to share?

Back on topic: The schlep to Ragusa Centro involved of course, food. Do you think I would undertake an hour-long uphill trek to look at a church, no matter how gorgeous it was reputed to be? Call me shallow, but: NO!!.

I had gotten yet another tip on a sandwich/pizza dish, unique to Ragusa. The name is Scaccia Ragusana and well, it was nothing I'd ever heard of before, but now that I've tasted what is reputed to be the prime example available for purchase, I'll enter my nomination into the category of "best street foods of the world.' I know that Sicily will have multiple entries, of which I've already tasted another, just a few hours go, but this is something special.

Better for all those interested to Google this dish but, in aa word, it is layered concoction of very thin dough alternating with a variety of primo local ingredients. And THE place to buy this edible treasure is PASTIFICIO GIUMMARA.

Once I reached the Centro ("Nuova Ragusa") my trek was not done. Once again, I walked and walked, and twice was directed in the wrong direction, to the wrong paneficio. But I finally stumbled on the tourist office that was, miraculously, open around 1pm. And the person who attended me knew, vaguelyl, of this bakery and she did, happily, point me in the right direction: Make a left out fo this office, continue along this street (this is all in Italian, mind you) and then you will come to a bridge (A bridge????? Yikes..what have I gotten myself into here???) But yes, I did find the bridge and crossed it (the barricades, yet again, served as repositories for those love locks we've all seen so many times, on so many bridges..)

It was an easy walk of only about half a km, when I finally spotted a tiny awning with the magic name GIUMMARA.

Tiny shop, just a few clients when I entered but as closing time approached, the place became more and more frenzied. Locals from teenegers to pensioneri crushed in, some ordering on site and some picking up what looked like packages with food to feed a bar mitzvah. I think I became sort of a curiosity, but the kind woman behind the counter explained each and every one of the more than a dozen varieties of Scaccia: Pastry layered with eggplant and tomato, with Ragusana cheese and onions, with ricotta and onions, with sausage and caciocavallo and tomato, with sausage, caciocavallo but without tomato, with spinach and cheese, with spinach, onions and cheese........on and on. It's like those stories of people emigrating to the West from the USSR who become paralyzed in the face of so much choice in American supermarkets and long for the days when only ONE flavor of ice cream was in the freezer.

Well, not really, but I did have a difficult time deciding and finally deferred to the staff, who shared that the version with tomato and ricotta was the most popular. So I bought a big slice of that (al are sold by the kilo). But then a very elderly man entered the store and the staff already had his order ready to go; Ricotta and onions. And although I was not hosting a bar mitvah back in my Ibla B&B, I had to order a giant portion of that one as well.

I won't go into all the details but as you know, I took the bus down to Ibla and we both agreed that the original tomato/cheese slice was up there with the best pizza we'd ever sampled. Nice char at the bottom....just fantastic. Suffice to say that I considered making the trek again but by today I had already stocked the room with totally different treats AND we are scheduled to leave in an hour's time, via taxi, for a restaurant on the outskirts of town...

And just in case we get hungry waiting, we now have a good store of cheeses and salami--both pork and donkey versions--cooling in the mini bar.

But before I get to all that, and today's solo excursion within Ibla, I have to detail yesterday's full day driving tour with local driver, DARIO CAFISO, who now holds the title of "Best Driver of our Trip." Yesterday proved to be the best day of this trip so far, thanks to Dario. I will go into the details soon, but the agenda (beginning 10:15 am and ending close to 6pm) included:

1. Stop at viewpoint overlooking MODICA.

2. Visit to the olive oil maker, CUTRERA, outside CHIARAMOTE GULFI, about a half hour's (beautiful) drive from Ibla.

3. Lunch at PORTO PALO DI CAPO PASSERO at RESTAURANT SCALA

4. Visit to magazine-cover-worthy upscale resort village of MARZAMENNI

5. Visit to NOTO with walk along Baroque-rich (and tourist-jammed) main Corso with long-awaited stop for Granita at CAFFE SICILIA (almond with panna on the side)

Throughout, Dario proved to be the perfect driver/guide, and enlightened us to so many interesting topics that we would never have known about had we been on our own. From recipes, to real estate, to the flowering of the Baroque after the triple disasters of the late 17th century that decimated the eastern part of Sicily, to Operation Husky and the tremendous about-face this sparked during the Second World War.... We will see him again when we "very, very sadly) say goodbye to Ragusa and head for 2 nights in CATANIA....

Great report and I just love your description of the hunt for scaccia.

Great new installment ! just copying and pasting it all for our trip
emailed Dario and hope to be able to use his wonderful services for all our transfers throughout Sicily
grazie !
enjoy catania next…. And so will we readers of your wonderful TR!

I thought we had done a good job touring Sicily. But now I am learning that there is so much more to seen and eaten! We must return with this trip report as a guide!!

Ok, short update. We had a full day touring with DARIO from Ibla, as I mentioned.

Following day was our last in Ibla. A Saturday.

Did I mention that we have not seen the sun since 3 beautiful days in Trapani? It was been cloudy with alternate drizzle ever since we left there more than a week ago. At least it is not hot, but I do hope we will see some sun once we arrive in Salina, and then Taormina. I was told that this weather is very unusual for May but really, we have gotten used to it and at least it is not pouring down hard.

So last day in Ragusa, I had 2 destinations in mind, thanks to DARIO and to the FANTASTIC, FANTASTIC, LOVELY, KIND, FUN owner of SABBRINIRICA, Laura. (She owns it with her husband, sister in law, and sister-in-laws husband) This is woman I wish I could have in my life as a great friend. I won't go on and on save to mention that I had tears in my eyes when saying "arrivaderci," but did say "a la prossima!" (AnnH, apologies for the bastardized Italian!)

So that day, our last in Ibla, I stayed close to the hotel, but way too far for partner to come along. He had to stay in B&B but was ok watching MLB on his tablet, and fussing around with the 2 tv boxes and trying, trying, trying, to figure out the way to get CNN or something in English.

I walked through the Piazza del Duomo, walking through the Giardini Pubblica (maybe the name is Ibla Gardens, but in any case, this is a large park close to Duomo Square. There were not many flowers, only some pretty roses, so I sat on a beach and watched a cute little boy trying to walk and falling more often than taking steps....very cute. ALSO, there are a LOT of adorable little cats in this town. LAura assured me that although most are wild cats, they are well taken care of by residents and I saw lots of little cat bowls for water and food. And the little cats are not scared of us larger beings....they do not scurry up close but neither do they scamper away. But why did I not see any older cats? Or maybe the little ones are just small, but not older (??) Anyway, I LOVED seeing them.

A few days ago I got a phone call from home that made me very sad; my greatest friend out at "the beach," our cottage on Long Island North Fork, had died from pancreatic cancer. I knew she had been failing and was with home hospice but was smashed by the news that she had gone so fast. But she adored cats and had two gorgeous rescues, and so now when I saw those cats in Ibla, and one who sat outside out window on the roof in the PTO Empedocle B&B on the evening after I learned that she had died, I took it as a sign that M was cozy and doing ok wherever she is now. And now when I see these little cats I immediately think of her and sometimes I get very sad. She and her partner were my best friends at this stage of life; I knew them for 22-years-plus and M's partner had died two years ago and just after that the second M (we called them "the M's) was diagnosed and has now died.

Sorry about all that TMI...

SO..walked from the gardens to the first stop: I had been told that the best arancini in Ragusa came from this cute place next to the gardens. Unlike some arancini spots, they make and fry them as ordered. I'd NEVER had arancini as I can recall....how did I miss this?? Yes, it is a lot of rice but the fried coating is a marvel (alll I could get from the staff is that it includes "mollica," bread crumbs, but surely this crackling crust has more to it than that. You could be happy just eating the crust and leaving the filling behind. They have many options, priced from about 3-4.50 euro for a HUGE arrancino...enough to make an entire lunch. AFter much delibaration, I chose the onen with apple, speck and asiago cheese. With a particular Sicilian soda distinguished by its gorgeous label and superb, clean flavor. I had "lemon with ginget," and the bottle is so pretty I am taking it home (who knows for what use, but its so pretty!)

this place was pretty empty when I arrived about 11:30 and by the time I left there was a long line to get in to order, and all the outside tables were filled and customers (many teenagers with book bags) were perched everywhere..along a long stone wall, all over the small piazza which the place fronts. The woman who attended me spoke English and was super friendly and kept returning to ask if everything was ok. More than OK!!!

So this is the place; they open about 11:30 and close by 3pm. A few inside tables and many more outside on the piazza, with umbrellas; great people watching and such tasty arancini. They also sell some wines, chocolates from ModiCa including the famed BONAJUTO brand, and lots of the usual Siclian jarred treasures like crema di pistacchio, pesto dii pistacchio, capers, olives, etc etc. You will see these in many shops all over Ragusa and far beyond. I had trouble controlling myself. They also sell what is reputed to be among the best cannoli in town but I had no room to try these and have yet to sample one after almost 2 weeks on the island!!! I think this place, along with GIUMARRA in the upper town, is a MUST for sampling local food at very reasonable prices.

Arancine - Cantunera

I re-read this and noted that I had forgotten to include the contact info for DARIO CAFISO; he drives a roomy Mercedes van (supplied with treats and water!) and enhanced our visit in so many ways. I wish that I had known that Dario will drive visitors all over the island and beyond; last week he drove two couples from Sicily to Matera. He drove us yesterday from Ibla to Catania and it was fun and interesting; we were very sorry to say goodbye but will certainly contact him as soon as our next trip to the island is in our sights (and I hope that iw ill be, before too long!)

DARIO CAFISO
TOUR BAROCCO di Dario Cafiso

[email protected]

www.tourbarocco.it


Phone: 39-320-656-7676

You can let him know that the woman (of a "certain age!") from New York, who speaks Spanish, has recommended you!

Hoping sunshine arrives for your ongoing wonderful trip!
Happily following your posts

The weather doesn’t seem to have taken away any enthusiasm for your trip!
Thank goodness for the MBA finals to entertain your partner!
We skipped having any arancini in Sicily( avoiding fried foods) but obviously this was a mistake!
Eks, my condolences on the loss of your special friend. Even though you knew it was coming, it still is very hard.
I see a return trip to Sicily for us. I am eager to read your report on Taormina as we were disenchanted by it. The views were the only positive. And when I got very ill at a hotel in Heathrow on our way home, the doctor asked what we ate and where, it was all about our last shellfish dinner in Taormina. Our trip was extended by three nights at the LHRSofitel where we I was pampered and treated like family until I ready to leave after recovering from terrible food poisoning at at un named restaurant in Taormina recommended by a Sicilian friend! I hope you didn’t dine there!

I read your bus adventure in Ragusa with amusement. We stayed in Modica and took the local bus to the station in Ragusa and then waited and waited for a city bus to Ibla. We finally gave up and just took a taxi to/from the station to Ibla . . .

But Sicily is worth the effort and the frustration . . .

IAN..Agree! To add to frustration, weather has been kind of disappointing...mostly cloudy with alternate drizzle. But not cold.

OF COURSE, I left my new very nice $15USD white (costco--big US membership chain) rain jacket at home, thinking "who needs a raincoat in Sicily in May??" MISTAKE!


To add to the frustration, we received several e-mails, and 3 phone calls, from Salina hotel saying that weather is not good and that ferries have been cancelled and may be cancelled for the next 2 days, minimum. Hotel where we are in Catania (best surprise of the trip...LOVE Catania) is booked this week.

What to do???? Take driver to Milazzo and stay there, to be near ferries in case winds die down?

Forget Salina and make new plan??? (near Catania??) I mean, this is Sicily and for me, so far, anywhere on this island will be just super...

Maybe go to Milazzo andif boats do not run for 2-3 days, go inland....Nebrodi Mountains..nice B&B???

Have 4 nights booked in Taormina as last stop but from what I am hearing, and reading, we can skip that totally if I can get refund of hotel booking...this is a top, top city visually but even 15 years ago was far too tourist-centric for us...hope at this late date I can re=work the plan...only constant is that we fly from Catania on 26 (I think, May 26).....


And, to top it all off, ailing partner who refuses to take medication indicated or fear of "becoming addicted," (mind you, this is MOBIC/Meloxicam, not Fentanyl!!!) decided last night that going home would be good. Mind you, this is after this lovely hotel (grazie mille, Alessandra!!) has moved their best easy chair down 3 flights to our room......this saga will continue.......
'

Oh no about the weather !!
Each day you post great stories …. Glorious as well as sad about a dear friend…
please let us all know what you decided to do with test of trip!!
I know you will create a great plan and your sense of humor and spontaneity shine … even though you meticulously planned. You are someone who can enjoy daily adventures!!
happy Catania is great! We debated stopping for a few hours en route from taormina to Ortigia : a Sunday , so markets closed. We will do so after reading Catania is a lovely surprise
May the weather gods hear your wishes…!

I'm loving your report, which contains all valuable information.

I hope to include some time in Sicily next year and may have to extend the time I'd mentally allowed.

I would vote - head inland. I always thought Enna looked interesting. good luck!

What a wonderful live trip report, eksc. It's everything a TR should be.

I'm saving this for potential Sicily trip in September. So informative, so entertaining.

Hope you’re having a better day. I am currently in the Salento and it is blue, nicely warm, and clear. Windy, however. maybe the weather has changed a bit in Sicily too. Fingers crossed for both of us.

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SM di Leuca
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Leely, holy smokes! That food sure looks fantastic!

So, just small update....we were collected by driver at Catania hotel (fantastic hotel: PALAZZO MARLETTA) and driven to Milazzo. All throughout drive I was receiving updates from the Salina hotel saying that morning boats were all cancelled. We had tickets for the 13:30 hydrofoil. (there are two companies--Liberty Llnes runs the hydrofoils, taking 1.5 hours from Milazzo to Salina, making stops at Vulcano and Lipari; SIREMAR runs the ferries, which take 3 hours to Salina and carry cars....I think there is no love lost between the two..) The Catania hotel had booked the hydrofoil tickets online, but it is easy for anyone to do this. But since I did not have a printer, the hotel person did it for us.

So...al along the ride to Milazzo (1.5 hours more or less from Catania centro) we get these dour texts anad e-mails and phone calls.

We arrive at Milazzo, laden with SO MUCH STUFF....mind you I had already sent 2 boxes home from Catania..hotel did everything, packing the cartons, wrapping up the olive oil bottles with bubble wrap...EVERYTHING!

But we still had 1 large suitcase each, one carry on each, and my numerous shopping bags filled with cheeses, sausages (including the salami di asino aka donkey salami, from Ragusa) AND the one non-food item I purchased on this trip: A PURPLE (yes, you read that right!) handbag AND matching purple wallet, from a nice store in Catania (they do bargain--oh, sorry "give a small discount," even in the nice shops)

Bets are not on as to weather I will actually carry a purple (let's call it "violet," sounds better, no? handbag in NYC, as if I do not already have far too many of these spur of the moment leather purchases and by that I mean: Shoes (which almost never are comfortable due to my..let's just say I do not have perfect feet) and these handbags/purses..whatever you call them..I actually do call them purses. I am a huge fan of "good fabrics" due to growing up with a mother who had dragged me to the then-ubiquitous fabric (we call it "material") departments that were in every department store including Bloomingdale's (one considered far down market as compared to Bonwit's, Lord and Taylor, and my beloved B. Altman on 34th Street. Not to forget Orbachs but now I am really giving away my age!! Let;s just say that my mother shopped at the original Fordham Road Loehmann's when Frida Loehmann would sit in the communal dressing room and comment on all the naked ladies trying to fit the dresses on over their girdles... So, my mother sewed her own clothes, and from her I did get a tremendous appreciation (callis "snobbery??") fabrics, including leather. So I am very particular about these things. Look, I dress almost daily in jeans but my shoes and my purses are always "good>'

So, once again I have gone so far off course here...maybe one person MIGHT be still reading, but its good for me to just write all this...still snackered about loss of my friend, so:


Arrived in Milazzo Porto....carrying more bags than anyone else on the entire boat. Got on long line, but were immediately ushered into 'Priority" area due to partner's cane and obvious trouble walking. And me, dragging all that....."stuff!"

Waiting on priority line, first on the line. Then Liberty Line employee tells all of us, "Weather is very bad....we will try to leave Milazzo, but we may not make it even to Vulcano (first stop) so you have a small chance that we can get to dock at Salina. If we cannot dock, we return to Milazzo porto." This is all in Italian but I sure get the drift. Very quickly. Not so much me..I'm fine, but partner really cannot walk more than 3 steps....WHAT..he almost bailed yesterday and thought of going to Fontanarossa and getting flights home but I am sure that the ghought of doing this alone spooked him enough to give him the courage to..what do the British say.."Keep Quiet and Carry On????" Well now he is stuck with me!!!

Yeah, ok, great so now we find out that we will likely not make it to Salina......and then what..schlep all this (I will not say the name I use), but let's just say, "stuff," back to the street in front of the port and then what..try to find a hotel, knowing that many others stuck without transport to their island of choice will also be looking for hotels. AND weather tomorrow is supposed to be worse and they have already cancelled some ferries for tomorrow!!

Obviously we have to try...my idea is that if we make it to Lipari, we get off there nd find a hotel, and then go hell or high water, to Salina tomorrow. Maybe there are private boats we can rent to take us there? All the while I am worrying....what if something happens to someone on one of these islands and they need medical help??? And its windy that day???? (I did get the answer and will report later on..remind me if I forget..)

So. long story short.....we Did make it to Salina..the only boat of the day to dock....and sun was shining when we docked. (not for long, but we still did see a few rays)

We were picked up at the port by an older man holding a sign with my name. He dragged all the "stuff" to his van....2 minutes later I had tears in my eyes at the beauty before me. I do not think that had ever happened to me..no, it did once, when my partner and I took the boat from (what--I forget the name..Mestre??) Over the bridge to Venice. And that was not even my first visit--I'd been to Venice a few times before but this was the first with the partner.
Seeing Venezia..you can only imagine the joy.

And this was what happened today in the car from the dock to the hotel. By the way, the "taxi driver" collecting us from the dock to the hotel is actually the OWNER of the hotel! His wife is a surgeon and they both are from Milano and moved to Salina to retire but then decided to buy this hotel, renovated it, and it is now run by his daughter, Anita and her husband, and the mother (wife of who I thought was the taxi driver) is the cook!



I cried then, and i cried today, not only along the drive, but after we entered the hotel and Anita showed us the view.....I just about sobbed..

This island seems to be magical, Mind you, we've been here now only for a few hours..arrived about 4pm, I walked DOWN to Malfa town and walked (Panted) walking back uphill loaded with my snacks, plus packs of capers (best come from Salina), sun-dried tomatoes, peproncino paste in jars...the same shopping expedition..different location... Not one look at the clothing "boutique" not anyplace else..just the food shop!

We had dinner at the hotel, prepared by the former-surgeon in MIlano, now cook at this hotel and what a cook!!!!

Tomato stuffed with mozzarella and other things; pasta (como casareccia but I forgot what they called is..not busiate..will ask tomorrow.. Pasta had mis of gamberoncini; orata; and spigola/branzino. With crema di patate. Sounds odd but too fantastic..even the fish-hating partner here asked for seconds.
Then, actual secondi: Tuna filet with sauce of honey and mustard...maybe the fish was a tiny bit dry but I ate the entire portion....if there is any fish that can sway a meat lover, it has to be tuna!

Then a trio (tris??) of dessert: I forget..by that time i was snackered with the wine and the journey...maybe semi freddo, gelato, and a brioche=type pastry with chocolate syrup..

Not to mention GREAt conversation with our neighbors at the long, long table that seated the hotel guests...looks like an interesting group....I also had great chatter with the waiter, Fabio, from Catania, who comes here for the summer to work and in winter goes to Dolomiti, also to wait tables...really nice,cute young guy with such great insight into life in Sicily..you know me..I talk to everyone....and ask a million questions.....never mind tht.

Here we are, first of 6 nights on this magical-seeming island. Forecast is pretty poor..everyone says this is the worst weather in May they can remember.

BUt, we made it!!! Look forward to tomorrow. Also, you can see Stromboli from the hotel if wether is a little more clear.....hope I can get a glimpse!!! They say you can see the fire of the crater from the pool area and also from our terrace!!!!


https://principedisalina.it/

Well, I for one, am still reading.

The kindness of the Sicilians really shines through.

I love all your personal stories, the practicalities, the unexpected pleasures.

I'm so glad you are stlll reading..this is helping me with my personal loss and also lets me relive the sheer wonder of this trip. I just wrote a little more on the thread about travellling seniors and, as much as I do not want to place myself in that category, let's just say that I am traveling with a "senior!!"

So this duplicates some of what I wrote, above, but here is a little more.....that hydrofoil trip was an adventure, with capital A!! And when we arrived at hotel here on Salina, we learned that at least one guest who had planned to depart yesterday morning and taxi to Catania airport, had missed her flight since the hydrofoil she had booked was cancelled and she had to take the ONE that operated from Salina to Milazzo yesterday. I knew about the possibility of these boats being cancelled (It had happened to my sister who had been staying in Taormina efore heading to Salina, and there is a lot of into on that other travel forum about all this...it's a gamble and weather this month is very unusual, with much wind and much colder temperatures than normal in May. Forget even putting a foot into the pool, or even going near a beach!

So, hopefully, I can paste this little inclusion here:




<<<<<<One of the most difficult parts of this Sicily trip came yesterday when we were collected at our hotel in Catania (another hotel that I will never forget and hope that I can return to and remain for a longer time..2 days was not enough to explore the city and I was unable to visit the sight I was most interested in, the museum devoted to the re-conquest of Sicily by the Allied forces that began, I think, in 1943. Not only is there a wonderful museum (so I've read) in Catania, but there is also an Allied cemetery near Fontanarossa airport that I had longed to visit to pay my respects. The time spent at the Commonwealth cemetery in Nettuno (easy train ride from Rome and great restaurant for lunch in Nettuno town) is embedded in my memory. That was many years ago and I think I wrote about it in one of my first trip reports on this forum....I want to look that up and maybe post it, just to read it again.

Anyway, we were driven from Catania (still had many bags even though I had sent home two cartons from Catania, both filled with edibles--dried pastas and olive oils, mostly, with a few other things stuffed in. I know this is not a financially sound thing to do but at this point I have to carry everything and I could not wait to get rid of as much as I could. I hope they arrive in NYC safely. (The Italian post office would not accept a carton filled with bottles of olive oil, so I had to use those pricey shippers; I think this was DHl; I had just done the same thing in Madrid with DHL and it worked out perfectly. HIGHLY recommend if you are a shopper and do not mind paying as much for the shipping as you paid for the contents of the carton(s)..yes, I know, I know but there it is......

So from graves to olive oil and now back to traveling...

Driver picked us up in Catania and on the 1.5 hour or so ride to Milazzo Porto, we continued to monitor weather and receive updates from the hotel in Salina. ALL news was bad. All morning ferries and hydrofoils had been cancelled due to strong wind, and it was very doubtful if any boats would make the trip in the afternoon. BUT, we got very lucky and were able to board (thanks a million times to the very kind men who worked the hydrofoil (Liberty Lines) and even the captain. They saw us both, partner with cane and me--just looking harried and exhausted--and put us in the Priority lane, along with one young couple with an infant.

This story can be embellished a great deal but to get the gist, I'll just say that when we boarded, we were told by the captain that we would probably NOT make it to Salina. The boat takes this route: MILAZZO-VULCANO-LIPARI-SALINA.

Docking in the last stop, Salina, is the most difficult and often the ship can dock at Vulcano and often, Lipari, but then it turns back and passengers must make the immediate decision to either get down in Lipari porto and find a hotel and hope for better weather the following day, OR, return to Milazzo porto and find a hotel there. There were two problems, the first of my own making: Carrying so much luggage that I could not handle on my own. Second: Partner unable to walk even 20 steps without pain and much grumpiness.

BUT, the powers above were with us and, after leaving Lipari porto, the captain told us that we would head for Salina and hope for the best, that we could dock there. AND WE DID!!

So: Picked up at port by an older (handsome) gentleman bearing a sign with my name. He insisted that I let him carry all of the suitcases (four) and the supermarket bags filled with salamis, cheeses, and many gifts bestowed upon us by many people we had encountered along the way. Many, many gifts!

So the gentleman, I guess, took pity on us and (with the help of the captain of the hydrofoil (!!!) ) transferred all of our things to the back of his van..and we were off to our hotel. We had made it to Salina!!!!!!!

I'm sorry, I got so far off track about my own trip that I did not add much to the subject under discussion here, about the less-ambulatory travelers.

I might try to paste this to my ongoing trip report...hope I can do that.

BUT, one more thing: WE were eating breakfast at our first hotel, in Trapani, and next to us was an Indian-American couple who were lovely to speak with.
Out of the clear blue, the male of this couple handed us a walking cane and said we could keep it!!!!! I think it is called a walking cane...just a straight stick with a know at the top and rubber at the bottom tip. (The bottom rubber on my partner's cane had disappeared somewhere around Trapanii so even though I applied layers of strong tape to the bottom, it is now less stable and makes a clicking noise when it touches pavement...I tried to find a rubber tip but had no luck so far..will ask again at hotel.....)

So, that's my tale. Partner is in horrible shape, awaiting a hip replacement, but EACH AND EVERY person we have encountered in Italy has been kind and willing to assist and this has made the challenge much easier to bear. ALTHOUGH, for a few minutes in Catania, the subject of a return to NYC was brought up...I had purchased refundable tickets so thhink we would not have suffeed any financial penalty but who knows...in any case, we are still here, stumbling along and for my last comments, I will say that for anyone with mobility challenges, the Aeolian Islands should be crossed off the itinerary.
I walked to the town of Malfa yesterday and was pretty wiped out on the uphill walk back to the hotel carrying, as usual, my shopping bags filled with interesting foods....WHEW..it was difficult, Partner will not be able to leave hotel except in a taxi to a restaurant or, hopefully, on the "caper tour" I booked for later today, or tomorrow..

Sorry to go on and on about this. Again, will try to cut and paste to my Sicily Trip Report...

But if you have problems walking....IT CAN BE DONE! You need to rely "on the kindness of strangers" very often, but do not miss the chance to travel..(More on my very personal loss this week in the trip report..I am devastated. But that makes me even more determined to go where I can go, now rather than later, if at all possible)>>>>>>>>
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So happy you did make it to Salina!
Your trip truly is “an Odyssey”….and enjoying the tale even though I am so sad your partner is struggling so much. We hope he can enjoy the beauty of the places and travel easily post hip replacement !
This TR is fantastic and your humor and tenacity shine through
hoping the island brings you good weather ( or better than earlier)!
this TR is of tremendous help for us and others I am sure !
keep writing!😊