Solo in Sicily - April 2013
May 18th, 2013, 04:06 PM
#21
An excellent Trip Report. Now I am enthusiastic about returning to Sicily and getting to some of the places that you described and we had missed. We loved our several trip there, too.
Gracie for the TR.
Gracie for the TR.
May 18th, 2013, 05:16 PM
#22
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We are at Via Della Guidecca, too. I started to get concerned because so many people say how difficult it is to find and park. I know you returned your car in Siracusa, but we will have it for at least a day there (arriving on Sunday and rental car agencies closed). I guess Guiseppe can help us if we can't find a parking place. Glad to hear you liked it. We are in a top floor room and there had been some complaints about bathroom odor and water pressure on TA; hope those have been fixed. Also, the 4 flights of stairs! Hope we made right decision.
May 18th, 2013, 05:26 PM
#23
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Grazie Marnie! Here's the next part in Ortygia and Siracusa.
I arrived mid-morning at Vendicari and parked in the lot. There was a guy there collecting a parking fee of 3E, but he was so casual about it and looked so unofficial that I wondered if I was just giving money to some scammer. Oh well, you never know. I did have my luggage in the trunk, but was not worried about it. There were only a few cars when I arrived, but by the time I left many more people had come out to the beach.
I got to see the flamingos very well with the binoculars, but the flock was small. These birds were very pale pink but still pretty. There were lots of other birds and the iridescent green lizards I had seen everywhere in Sicily. The beaches were fairly sandy and the turquoise sea was beautiful this day. A few people were out on the sand working on their early season tans. For some reason all of the visitor’s buildings were closed, including the restrooms. Part of the economic problems? I walked for a ways, but the nature preserve is many kilometers long and would be a wonderful full day visit for those who have time in their vacations for a long walk. As I left I met a group of cyclists on a tour with a company out of Vermont. They had been having a good time, but looked very hot. Evidently one of their directionally challenged guys had taken a wrong turn and they hadn’t found him yet! Their local guide was a bit frustrated.
I drove into Siracusa with no problems and although there was a lot of traffic it was very easy. Tomasina took me right to the Avis rental car office on Ortygia which was closed (of course) for the siesta and had handwritten signs all over the door. I read the signs written in Italian and gathered that the location had changed and the office moved. I called Autoeurope and they confirmed that I was at the correct location so I left the car parked and walked to find my own lunch! I came back, dropped the keys in the drop box and gathered my luggage. I found a taxi and had it take me to B&B La Via della Guidecca.
Roberta was there to greet me and the B&B was gorgeous. Very beautiful main floor and adjoining room where breakfast is served. The B&B is on a tiny piazza complete with church and small bar. My room was on the first floor and was actually a huge apartment type space just without a kitchen. Murano glass chandeliers, a writing desk, book cases, TV, sofa, huge bedroom with armoire and chair, lots of full length doors with shutters that could be opened for air and lots of light, French balconies. Large, modern bathroom with huge walk in shower. The location of the B&B on the tiny, narrow streets and with the piazza in front contributed to some street noise, but through most of the night it was quiet enough. All the sounds and conversations reverberate off the building walls so all of Ortygia is probably pretty much the same. The trash truck does come through around 1am though! My room was 80E for the first 2 nights, then 90E for the May 1 holiday. Breakfast was excellent, staff was outstanding. Roberta was extremely helpful. I would highly recommend B&B La Via della Guidecca for an Ortygia visit.
I did really enjoy Ortygia. It’s just a beautiful town, clean streets, lots of interesting historical churches, palaces, and buildings. You can really see the layers of history in the architecture. I especially liked the duomo with its Roman columns built right into the church. The piazza in front is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen in Italy. A real gathering place with restaurants and lots of activity. Ortygia does get lots of visitors, but it never seemed too overwhelming. I enjoyed a granite one afternoon at Café Minerva and stopped back another day for a gelato. They are on a main side street from the duomo, good location and they stay very busy. It’s popular for a good reason.
I visited the fort which was very impressive and quite interesting. I also took a boat excursion May 1 that went out to the caves and around the island. It was a fun day with lots and lots of locals enjoying the holiday and perfect weather. Many boats of all types and sizes were out on the water with families and friends picnicking and some even swimming. All the restaurants were jammed and the piazza was humming. As I strolled, I went in to a few shops. At one, a Frenchwoman artist made hand painted silk scarves. I liked her designs enough that I bought 2, one for me and one for my best friend. Great gift to take back! They weigh nothing and take no space in the suitcase
. Helene Moreau, via Roma 27. Silkinortigia.wordpress.com.
While in Ortygia I also had some of the very best meals! Dinner one night at O’Scina, Trattoria Cucina Siciliana. Excellent food and service, very nice atmosphere. The owner did not speak any English,but he brought me a sweet Sicilian wine with my desert. It was fabulous! O’Scina was recommended by Roberta at Guidecca and I think there is a business relationship there as the restaurant owner was at the B&B the following morning. Perhaps he owns both.
The next night I went to Trattoria Kalliope on the next street over from O’Scina. It was warm enough to dine outside, the meal and service were excellent. I’m sorry I can’t remember exactly what I ordered. I’m not enough of a foodie that I take notes or pictures. I had seafood almost every night and usually another course. I could never eat it all, but I really wanted to try lots of different dishes. Most of my meals were 25-35E, including house wine and aqua minerale. I did find the house wine quality varied considerably. If it was a red, it was always Nero d’Avola. Some were great, others not so much.
One morning as I wandered the tiny streets, someone was whistling a tune. The sound was echoing off the buildings and I couldn’t see where it was coming from, but the whistler was really talented! As I turned at the dead end and walked back, I saw the whistler up on his balcony. I waved and smiled, told him I enjoyed his concert. He waved back and started another tune. One of those memorable moments.
Another special memory was the wedding party staying in the B&B for 2 nights prior to the wedding on May 1. The groom and his family, brothers, aunts, uncles, everyone was there. It got a little loud, but the excitement was contagious. Seeing the older relatives come in a taxi and all the hugging and exclaiming was so fun! The morning of the wedding the groom was having pictures taken in the piazza on the church steps and he looked great in his suit. One of the ladies was dashing around the B&B looking for a misplaced purse. She found it in her room….
The day I had planned to visit the Archeological Park turned out to be the good, the bad, and the ugly. The park was first and even though it was early, there were hoards of tour groups, individual visitors, and school field trips. It was crazy. I bought my ticket and went in, visiting the Ear of Dionysus and the gardens, then the theater. As I already mentioned in response to Alison, the theater was a major disappointment. They were preparing for their Greek drama season which starts May 5 and runs through the end of June. 90% of the theatre was covered with new temporary wooden benches and the stage area was built with temporary backdrops. This is great if you are attending a performance, but unfortunately for me the plays didn’t start until May 5. I would recommend skipping the arch park if you visit during this time and are going to see the theater. I enjoyed the other theaters I saw much more and with fewer crowds – Segesta and Taormina.
Escaping from the Archeological Park and the tour bus plaza kitsch central across the street (nuts), I walked down toward the museum. Since the park had had NO working restrooms, I stopped into a little coffee bar on the street. I had a granite to cool off after the craziness of the park. Ummmm delicious. The young guy behind the counter gave me a free corneto – the best one I had the entire trip!
At the museum I discovered too late (I had lost my guidebook at Selinute) that I should have bought a combination ticket at the park and saved a little money. Too late once at the museum…the prehistoric section of the museum was not of great interest to me so I breezed through quickly. One thing though that was very interesting was the skeletons of the pygmy elephants that once lived in Sicily. Who knew? They were about 3 feet tall. I liked the sculptures the best, both large and small. The work was really amazing. Such detail and skill.
Then I noticed signs to go downstairs and I was so happy I did. Behind a bank vault door is the coin collection! I’m not in to coins really, but these were amazing and beautiful. Works of art, some cleaned and shining, and a few left as they were found. It was interesting to see how our coins in the US even today are so similar! They also had some ancient gold jewelry that was gorgeous. I would wear it today…..the coin collection was hosted by a nice woman who had good English skills and lots of enthusiasm. She explained everything to us and was very knowledgeable. I have to assume she was the curator.
The next morning I was off by train to Taormina!
I arrived mid-morning at Vendicari and parked in the lot. There was a guy there collecting a parking fee of 3E, but he was so casual about it and looked so unofficial that I wondered if I was just giving money to some scammer. Oh well, you never know. I did have my luggage in the trunk, but was not worried about it. There were only a few cars when I arrived, but by the time I left many more people had come out to the beach.
I got to see the flamingos very well with the binoculars, but the flock was small. These birds were very pale pink but still pretty. There were lots of other birds and the iridescent green lizards I had seen everywhere in Sicily. The beaches were fairly sandy and the turquoise sea was beautiful this day. A few people were out on the sand working on their early season tans. For some reason all of the visitor’s buildings were closed, including the restrooms. Part of the economic problems? I walked for a ways, but the nature preserve is many kilometers long and would be a wonderful full day visit for those who have time in their vacations for a long walk. As I left I met a group of cyclists on a tour with a company out of Vermont. They had been having a good time, but looked very hot. Evidently one of their directionally challenged guys had taken a wrong turn and they hadn’t found him yet! Their local guide was a bit frustrated.
I drove into Siracusa with no problems and although there was a lot of traffic it was very easy. Tomasina took me right to the Avis rental car office on Ortygia which was closed (of course) for the siesta and had handwritten signs all over the door. I read the signs written in Italian and gathered that the location had changed and the office moved. I called Autoeurope and they confirmed that I was at the correct location so I left the car parked and walked to find my own lunch! I came back, dropped the keys in the drop box and gathered my luggage. I found a taxi and had it take me to B&B La Via della Guidecca.
Roberta was there to greet me and the B&B was gorgeous. Very beautiful main floor and adjoining room where breakfast is served. The B&B is on a tiny piazza complete with church and small bar. My room was on the first floor and was actually a huge apartment type space just without a kitchen. Murano glass chandeliers, a writing desk, book cases, TV, sofa, huge bedroom with armoire and chair, lots of full length doors with shutters that could be opened for air and lots of light, French balconies. Large, modern bathroom with huge walk in shower. The location of the B&B on the tiny, narrow streets and with the piazza in front contributed to some street noise, but through most of the night it was quiet enough. All the sounds and conversations reverberate off the building walls so all of Ortygia is probably pretty much the same. The trash truck does come through around 1am though! My room was 80E for the first 2 nights, then 90E for the May 1 holiday. Breakfast was excellent, staff was outstanding. Roberta was extremely helpful. I would highly recommend B&B La Via della Guidecca for an Ortygia visit.
I did really enjoy Ortygia. It’s just a beautiful town, clean streets, lots of interesting historical churches, palaces, and buildings. You can really see the layers of history in the architecture. I especially liked the duomo with its Roman columns built right into the church. The piazza in front is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen in Italy. A real gathering place with restaurants and lots of activity. Ortygia does get lots of visitors, but it never seemed too overwhelming. I enjoyed a granite one afternoon at Café Minerva and stopped back another day for a gelato. They are on a main side street from the duomo, good location and they stay very busy. It’s popular for a good reason.
I visited the fort which was very impressive and quite interesting. I also took a boat excursion May 1 that went out to the caves and around the island. It was a fun day with lots and lots of locals enjoying the holiday and perfect weather. Many boats of all types and sizes were out on the water with families and friends picnicking and some even swimming. All the restaurants were jammed and the piazza was humming. As I strolled, I went in to a few shops. At one, a Frenchwoman artist made hand painted silk scarves. I liked her designs enough that I bought 2, one for me and one for my best friend. Great gift to take back! They weigh nothing and take no space in the suitcase
. Helene Moreau, via Roma 27. Silkinortigia.wordpress.com.While in Ortygia I also had some of the very best meals! Dinner one night at O’Scina, Trattoria Cucina Siciliana. Excellent food and service, very nice atmosphere. The owner did not speak any English,but he brought me a sweet Sicilian wine with my desert. It was fabulous! O’Scina was recommended by Roberta at Guidecca and I think there is a business relationship there as the restaurant owner was at the B&B the following morning. Perhaps he owns both.
The next night I went to Trattoria Kalliope on the next street over from O’Scina. It was warm enough to dine outside, the meal and service were excellent. I’m sorry I can’t remember exactly what I ordered. I’m not enough of a foodie that I take notes or pictures. I had seafood almost every night and usually another course. I could never eat it all, but I really wanted to try lots of different dishes. Most of my meals were 25-35E, including house wine and aqua minerale. I did find the house wine quality varied considerably. If it was a red, it was always Nero d’Avola. Some were great, others not so much.
One morning as I wandered the tiny streets, someone was whistling a tune. The sound was echoing off the buildings and I couldn’t see where it was coming from, but the whistler was really talented! As I turned at the dead end and walked back, I saw the whistler up on his balcony. I waved and smiled, told him I enjoyed his concert. He waved back and started another tune. One of those memorable moments.
Another special memory was the wedding party staying in the B&B for 2 nights prior to the wedding on May 1. The groom and his family, brothers, aunts, uncles, everyone was there. It got a little loud, but the excitement was contagious. Seeing the older relatives come in a taxi and all the hugging and exclaiming was so fun! The morning of the wedding the groom was having pictures taken in the piazza on the church steps and he looked great in his suit. One of the ladies was dashing around the B&B looking for a misplaced purse. She found it in her room….
The day I had planned to visit the Archeological Park turned out to be the good, the bad, and the ugly. The park was first and even though it was early, there were hoards of tour groups, individual visitors, and school field trips. It was crazy. I bought my ticket and went in, visiting the Ear of Dionysus and the gardens, then the theater. As I already mentioned in response to Alison, the theater was a major disappointment. They were preparing for their Greek drama season which starts May 5 and runs through the end of June. 90% of the theatre was covered with new temporary wooden benches and the stage area was built with temporary backdrops. This is great if you are attending a performance, but unfortunately for me the plays didn’t start until May 5. I would recommend skipping the arch park if you visit during this time and are going to see the theater. I enjoyed the other theaters I saw much more and with fewer crowds – Segesta and Taormina.
Escaping from the Archeological Park and the tour bus plaza kitsch central across the street (nuts), I walked down toward the museum. Since the park had had NO working restrooms, I stopped into a little coffee bar on the street. I had a granite to cool off after the craziness of the park. Ummmm delicious. The young guy behind the counter gave me a free corneto – the best one I had the entire trip!
At the museum I discovered too late (I had lost my guidebook at Selinute) that I should have bought a combination ticket at the park and saved a little money. Too late once at the museum…the prehistoric section of the museum was not of great interest to me so I breezed through quickly. One thing though that was very interesting was the skeletons of the pygmy elephants that once lived in Sicily. Who knew? They were about 3 feet tall. I liked the sculptures the best, both large and small. The work was really amazing. Such detail and skill.
Then I noticed signs to go downstairs and I was so happy I did. Behind a bank vault door is the coin collection! I’m not in to coins really, but these were amazing and beautiful. Works of art, some cleaned and shining, and a few left as they were found. It was interesting to see how our coins in the US even today are so similar! They also had some ancient gold jewelry that was gorgeous. I would wear it today…..the coin collection was hosted by a nice woman who had good English skills and lots of enthusiasm. She explained everything to us and was very knowledgeable. I have to assume she was the curator.
The next morning I was off by train to Taormina!
May 18th, 2013, 05:34 PM
#24
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Alison,
I had no problems during my 3 nights with bathroom odors or water pressure. There is no elevator, but my room was on the first floor. Roberta actually carried my heavy suitcase up for me and I took the smaller overnight bag.
If you will have a car, park in the parking lot before you cross the bridge and take a taxi. It was worth it. I don't think the B&B is hard to find at all.
If you try to drive there: cross the bridge and go thru the main piazza where the Temple of Apollo is. At the rotary stay to the left (a one way street) go down a couple of blocks, and watch for Via della Guidecca sign on the corner of the building on your right. Turn right and continue straight and you come to the tiny piazza, church and B&B.
I don't think there is much parking anywhere near the B&B, but I did see some further down the street near another church. You might also try and park at the rental office....
I had no problems during my 3 nights with bathroom odors or water pressure. There is no elevator, but my room was on the first floor. Roberta actually carried my heavy suitcase up for me and I took the smaller overnight bag.
If you will have a car, park in the parking lot before you cross the bridge and take a taxi. It was worth it. I don't think the B&B is hard to find at all.
If you try to drive there: cross the bridge and go thru the main piazza where the Temple of Apollo is. At the rotary stay to the left (a one way street) go down a couple of blocks, and watch for Via della Guidecca sign on the corner of the building on your right. Turn right and continue straight and you come to the tiny piazza, church and B&B.
I don't think there is much parking anywhere near the B&B, but I did see some further down the street near another church. You might also try and park at the rental office....
May 18th, 2013, 06:17 PM
#25
There's a big parking deck on the north side of Ortigia, just after the northern bridge, except the bridge is one way the wrong way. It's marked on the Google map.
Dayle - does the Guidecca no longer show the Jewish ritual bath under the main building? It matters a lot which room you get there.
Dayle - does the Guidecca no longer show the Jewish ritual bath under the main building? It matters a lot which room you get there.
May 18th, 2013, 08:12 PM
#26
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Thursdaysd, I think the Jewish ritual bath is under Alla Guidecca, a different hotel.
Dayle, thanks for the tips! Your trip sounds like it was wonderful.
And I have really enjoyed reading your TR. Thanks so much for getting it posted. You'll be able to read mine in a few weeks. Thanks to everyone who's helped with planning - i know many of you are reading this TR. C4N!
Dayle, thanks for the tips! Your trip sounds like it was wonderful.
And I have really enjoyed reading your TR. Thanks so much for getting it posted. You'll be able to read mine in a few weeks. Thanks to everyone who's helped with planning - i know many of you are reading this TR. C4N!
May 19th, 2013, 07:08 PM
#27
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thursdaysd,
Yes, there are two places with very similar names. I actually looked into staying at the Alla Guidecca , but their website didn't show any pictures of their rooms, so I passed.
I was super happy at B&B La Via della Guidecca!
The next part coming will be Taormina and the Aeolian Islands. Heavenly.
Yes, there are two places with very similar names. I actually looked into staying at the Alla Guidecca , but their website didn't show any pictures of their rooms, so I passed.
I was super happy at B&B La Via della Guidecca!
The next part coming will be Taormina and the Aeolian Islands. Heavenly.
May 19th, 2013, 09:26 PM
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I lived in Taormina and will be there in July for a month so if you need any info let me know. Do you have any experience with Sorrento area? I will be with husband&12yo boy so I want to take them to Pompei, Ischia and a coastal tour. Wondering if its cheaper to rent a car and drive to Naples from there since train fare will be x's 3) from Sicily-Giardini to Naples, then use the circumvesuviana&buses(I saw someone mentioned a pass which will cover buses&local train). Also advice on whether to stay in Ischia, Naples or Sorrento. I will be with husband&12yo boy so I want to take them to Pompei, Ischia and a coastal tour. Any ideas Thanks
May 20th, 2013, 05:02 PM
#29
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Hi almondjoyce,
For your questions, I would post a topic addressing them specifically. You will get better and more advice that way.
I have been to the Amalfi Coast area twice, but I did not rent a car either time. I definitely would not rent a car in July. Traffic and parking problems would just not be worth it! Besides, if you rent a car in Taormina, you would have to pay a ferry charge. I have no idea what that would cost, but you can check the SNAV and Siremare websites.
Happy planning!
For your questions, I would post a topic addressing them specifically. You will get better and more advice that way.
I have been to the Amalfi Coast area twice, but I did not rent a car either time. I definitely would not rent a car in July. Traffic and parking problems would just not be worth it! Besides, if you rent a car in Taormina, you would have to pay a ferry charge. I have no idea what that would cost, but you can check the SNAV and Siremare websites.
Happy planning!
May 20th, 2013, 05:24 PM
#30
almondjoyce - I agree, no car on the AC in July! (Or, really, any time.) But the train trip is long and slow, you might look into taking the overnight ferry instead. See http://www.traghettiweb.it/en/tw_index.php - Catania to Napoli.
May 20th, 2013, 05:31 PM
#31
I am still enjoying your report, Dayle. We skipped the archaeological park in Syracusa, but did spend quite awhile in the museum. I'm a museum-person, so we also visited Palazzo Bellomo on Ortygia. I'd love to return to Ortygia for a few more days.
May 21st, 2013, 05:07 PM
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Hi Leely2,
Yes, I would love to visit Ortygia again too! Didn't you love the sculptures, large and small, in the museum? Ortygia is so beautiful and very charming, even with all the visitors.
I'm editing my photos for my slide show at work tomorrow. When I went on this vacation, everyone looked at me like I was crazy when I told them I was going to Sicily for 3 weeks. Sicily??? When they see the pictures, they will understand!
The rest will be posted tomorrow, I promise!
I'm glad those of you reading are enjoying. Again, Grazie Mille to those whose trip reports inspired my own trip. This is what it's all about.
Yes, I would love to visit Ortygia again too! Didn't you love the sculptures, large and small, in the museum? Ortygia is so beautiful and very charming, even with all the visitors.
I'm editing my photos for my slide show at work tomorrow. When I went on this vacation, everyone looked at me like I was crazy when I told them I was going to Sicily for 3 weeks. Sicily??? When they see the pictures, they will understand!
The rest will be posted tomorrow, I promise!
I'm glad those of you reading are enjoying. Again, Grazie Mille to those whose trip reports inspired my own trip. This is what it's all about.
May 22nd, 2013, 06:06 PM
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I took the train from Siracusa to Taormina Giardino (name of station) for 14,60E. It didn’t get a full crowd until south of Catania. At that point a nice man sitting across from me helped put my big suitcase in the overhead rack. I have to confess I took a larger than normal (for me normal is my 21”) suitcase since this was a longer trip and I only had to deal with 2 trains the entire time. We got talking and it turns out he has an old friend in Newport Beach, a short way from where I grew up - small world. The only good picture I got of Mt. Etna was out the train window. When I was in Taormina the summit was cloudy the whole time.
I took a taxi up to my hotel, Hotel Taodomus. Great location, nice clean room, great staff, awesome roof-top breakfast terrace. The rooms were very small and the bathroom even smaller. It was so small that the shower enclosure jutted out into the middle of the tiny room and I tripped over it, falling into the shower. Luckily, I was ok. There was some noise from the pizzeria behind the hotel, but since it was an absolutely great place, I have no complaints! Nice outdoor dining and excellent pizza.
Taormina was very pretty and just as touristy as expected. Lots of tour groups following umbrellas and listening to headphones. The main street was jam packed. I had lunch (caprese salad) at a place recommended by the hotel, Rosso DiVino a wine bar - very good. The theater was beautiful, although filled with visitors and the view on the day of my short visit was cloudy. Not the best pictures, but still nice. I got a kick out of the huge yachts in the harbor below, one with its own helicopter. I stopped into a church and found it was being used for music school practice. A young man was playing a recorder accompanied by a young woman on a harpsichord! This was a real treat. I’ve never heard a harpsichord played live before and they were very good! I enjoyed a little window shopping and looked up at Castlemola – way up high. If I had been in town longer, I would have liked to stay at Villa Sonia in Castlemola.
Since I had to leave very early in the morning, the staff sent breakfast to my room at 6:30am. Very nice! I had booked a driver with Newlifeservices. (I need to check the company name) to take me to Milazzo. This was a splurge (90E), but worth it to me under the circumstances. The winter hydrofoil schedule would have had me arriving in Lipari in the late afternoon if I had not taken the early departure at 9:30 am. Christian was very quick to answer my e mails and then confirm the day before pickup. Marcello was waiting in the lobby right at 7am as promised. Very nice man and a safe driver. We talked skiing and he told me he also runs marathons and had been in the NY marathon twice, so far.
The hydrofoil ride on USTICA line cost 14,70E and stopped at Vulcano briefly before going on to Lipari. At Vulcano the paramedics loaded on an Italian man on a stretcher! He didn’t look very injured, but had a small bandage on his temple. It was a full boat from Milazzo and many island residents had evidently been to the early market. They were taking rose bushes and other plants and flowers home. Nice smooth ride for my second time on a hydrofoil, a definite improvement over my first experience.
Once on Lipari I called my apartment contact to let her know I was on my way. This part of my trip was the VACATION part. I had been longing to visit the Aeolian Islands for many years, and especially after reading Aprilliacs’ wonderful trip report! I definitely wanted unhurried time here and a relaxing, private place to stay. I debated back and forth about booking Diana Brown’s B&B, but in the end I went for a Homeaway property listing and it was exactly perfect. Everything I had wanted. I didn’t know it at the time, but this home at Quatrocchi Belvedere has the best view in the islands! It’s the family home of a German woman who married a native Liparian many years ago. Her two daughters have the ground floor of the large home split in to 2 apartments for their families and Mom still lives upstairs. A very nice and interesting woman. I had my own private 2 BD, 1 BA, huge kitchen (with dishwasher!), private terrace with views of the Lipari faragolini and Vulcano steaming away! Flowers, vines, and trees. Gorgeous. They also have a pool, but it was not ready to use this early in the season.
The only inconvenience was going up and down by bus on the spring schedule. It wasn’t quite frequent enough to be truly convenient. The daughter and I traded e mails and voice mails. The usual policy is to wire the money to her in Germany, but when I discovered the – expected - cost to do so, she agreed to let me just pay cash to her mother once I arrived.
I took the bus back down, explored Lipari a bit. It’s a beautiful and charming little town with some great churches and an archeological museum at the top of the fort. I had one of my best meals here at Il Galeone on the main street. A simple tagliatelle with grilled veggies and a little fresh mozzarella. Yum!!! www.galeonelipari.it on Via Vittorio Emanuele n.220. I walked further down picked up a few items at the market, then stopped into a wine shop. The woman there recommended a white and a red for me and both were excellent. I spent my evening with a fresh caprese salad and a glass of wine enjoying the view. It was perfectly warm enough to sit out on the terrace. Heaven.
While on Lipari I did a boat tour with Da Massimo Dolce Vita to Panarea and Stromboli to see the eruptions at night. This didn’t turn out as expected. We left at noon and were scheduled to return about 10:30pm. We went to Panarea for 1.5 hour stop during which I grabbed a quick lunch. Panarea was pretty, but sadly deserted in early May. I can see it would be a hopping place during July and August, but it was just kind of depressing pre-season. I was surprised at the trash around town, but at least there were lots of flowers to go with the pretty white and blue houses.
Back on the boat we headed to Stromboli. Most of the 30 or so people on the trip were going to climb the crater. Unfortunately, Dolce Vita had not made the trip itinerary clear. It turned out that it was really planned around the hikers. The rest of us had to sit on Stromboli for 6.5 hours! It had been explained to me that we would be on Stromboli for 4 hours and I thought that would be fine. Do a little strolling and sightseeing, shop a little, have dinner. Turns out there is not much to do or see on Stromboli and the only shopping available is in tiny tourist schlock shops with volcano tee shirts, etc.
At the top of town there is a piazza where all the hikers meet their guides (required) and gear up. Hard hats are required since Stromboli spits rocks. Unfortunately for the climbers, it started to rain hard and they hiked for over 6 hours to see exactly nothing but grey clouds. To make it worse, their decent was slowed by the rain and slippery footing. All this time the few who were not hiking sat and waited…waited…waited….after walking around town, I sat in the Bar Ingrid which at least had good views and had a glass of wine. When the restaurant finally opened for dinner, I ordered and dawdled. Finally I walked down to the pier and sat some more in a bar while the rain continued. I had a hot chocolate…..I waited. Unfortunately, I didn’t even have a book to read. A couple from the boat tour came in and we talked a bit while we waited. We all agreed on our disappointment in how little Stromboli had to offer and on our extreme boredom. Finally we walked to the pier at the designated time only to be told that the hikers were not down yet and to come back in an hour. So, by now the bar had closed. They kindly let us back in to wait inside rather than out in the rain….I would have enjoyed wine during the long wait, but didn’t dare drink for 6 hours, fearing sea sickness!
Finally around 10pm the hikers returned and we all piled on the boat. We did luck out and the clouds lifted so we got to watch the eruptions for about 45 minutes. Stromboli made 7 huge explosions and the rocks and lava tumbled all the way down to the sea. Thankfully, this saved the trip. Even so, I would NOT recommend this trip unless you plan to climb. It was a wasted and boring day for the most part. It was capped off with a 2 hour boat ride back to Lipari with a boat full of exhausted and somewhat fragrant hikers.
Another day I went over to Salina, rented a car (60,00E) and drove all over the island. Salina is quite different from Lipari. Greener, black sand and rock beaches. I had lunch in the little town of Malfa which looked like a place I would enjoy staying. I wasn’t terribly impressed with Rinella at the end of the road. Pollara – was fantastic! What a dramatic place. I wonder what it’s like in the winter during a storm? I had to snap a picture of a wooden sign with a hand-painted “Mare”. All you could see in back of the sign was the sea.
I also rented a car for the afternoon (40,00E, from Da Luigi right at the marina) and drove around Lipari. Note: there is a small luggage check office at the marina. There are a lot of vineyards on the island and Aquacalda was a fairly good sized town. Having seen the entire island, I was even more happy with my choice NOT to stay in town. I liked the quiet and privacy of the villa with the views. It was exactly what I came to Lipari for.
I had another wonderfully lazy day just sleeping in and reading on the terrace in the shade, the day after the late night to Stromboli. By this time, I had a terrific farmer’s tan going and my feet looked like a self-tanning experiment gone terribly wrong. Even after a week back from the trip, I still have to explain what happens when you wear the same sandals in Sicily for 2 1/2 weeks!
Next was Palermo, the big finish to a fantastic trip.
I took a taxi up to my hotel, Hotel Taodomus. Great location, nice clean room, great staff, awesome roof-top breakfast terrace. The rooms were very small and the bathroom even smaller. It was so small that the shower enclosure jutted out into the middle of the tiny room and I tripped over it, falling into the shower. Luckily, I was ok. There was some noise from the pizzeria behind the hotel, but since it was an absolutely great place, I have no complaints! Nice outdoor dining and excellent pizza.
Taormina was very pretty and just as touristy as expected. Lots of tour groups following umbrellas and listening to headphones. The main street was jam packed. I had lunch (caprese salad) at a place recommended by the hotel, Rosso DiVino a wine bar - very good. The theater was beautiful, although filled with visitors and the view on the day of my short visit was cloudy. Not the best pictures, but still nice. I got a kick out of the huge yachts in the harbor below, one with its own helicopter. I stopped into a church and found it was being used for music school practice. A young man was playing a recorder accompanied by a young woman on a harpsichord! This was a real treat. I’ve never heard a harpsichord played live before and they were very good! I enjoyed a little window shopping and looked up at Castlemola – way up high. If I had been in town longer, I would have liked to stay at Villa Sonia in Castlemola.
Since I had to leave very early in the morning, the staff sent breakfast to my room at 6:30am. Very nice! I had booked a driver with Newlifeservices. (I need to check the company name) to take me to Milazzo. This was a splurge (90E), but worth it to me under the circumstances. The winter hydrofoil schedule would have had me arriving in Lipari in the late afternoon if I had not taken the early departure at 9:30 am. Christian was very quick to answer my e mails and then confirm the day before pickup. Marcello was waiting in the lobby right at 7am as promised. Very nice man and a safe driver. We talked skiing and he told me he also runs marathons and had been in the NY marathon twice, so far.
The hydrofoil ride on USTICA line cost 14,70E and stopped at Vulcano briefly before going on to Lipari. At Vulcano the paramedics loaded on an Italian man on a stretcher! He didn’t look very injured, but had a small bandage on his temple. It was a full boat from Milazzo and many island residents had evidently been to the early market. They were taking rose bushes and other plants and flowers home. Nice smooth ride for my second time on a hydrofoil, a definite improvement over my first experience.
Once on Lipari I called my apartment contact to let her know I was on my way. This part of my trip was the VACATION part. I had been longing to visit the Aeolian Islands for many years, and especially after reading Aprilliacs’ wonderful trip report! I definitely wanted unhurried time here and a relaxing, private place to stay. I debated back and forth about booking Diana Brown’s B&B, but in the end I went for a Homeaway property listing and it was exactly perfect. Everything I had wanted. I didn’t know it at the time, but this home at Quatrocchi Belvedere has the best view in the islands! It’s the family home of a German woman who married a native Liparian many years ago. Her two daughters have the ground floor of the large home split in to 2 apartments for their families and Mom still lives upstairs. A very nice and interesting woman. I had my own private 2 BD, 1 BA, huge kitchen (with dishwasher!), private terrace with views of the Lipari faragolini and Vulcano steaming away! Flowers, vines, and trees. Gorgeous. They also have a pool, but it was not ready to use this early in the season.
The only inconvenience was going up and down by bus on the spring schedule. It wasn’t quite frequent enough to be truly convenient. The daughter and I traded e mails and voice mails. The usual policy is to wire the money to her in Germany, but when I discovered the – expected - cost to do so, she agreed to let me just pay cash to her mother once I arrived.
I took the bus back down, explored Lipari a bit. It’s a beautiful and charming little town with some great churches and an archeological museum at the top of the fort. I had one of my best meals here at Il Galeone on the main street. A simple tagliatelle with grilled veggies and a little fresh mozzarella. Yum!!! www.galeonelipari.it on Via Vittorio Emanuele n.220. I walked further down picked up a few items at the market, then stopped into a wine shop. The woman there recommended a white and a red for me and both were excellent. I spent my evening with a fresh caprese salad and a glass of wine enjoying the view. It was perfectly warm enough to sit out on the terrace. Heaven.
While on Lipari I did a boat tour with Da Massimo Dolce Vita to Panarea and Stromboli to see the eruptions at night. This didn’t turn out as expected. We left at noon and were scheduled to return about 10:30pm. We went to Panarea for 1.5 hour stop during which I grabbed a quick lunch. Panarea was pretty, but sadly deserted in early May. I can see it would be a hopping place during July and August, but it was just kind of depressing pre-season. I was surprised at the trash around town, but at least there were lots of flowers to go with the pretty white and blue houses.
Back on the boat we headed to Stromboli. Most of the 30 or so people on the trip were going to climb the crater. Unfortunately, Dolce Vita had not made the trip itinerary clear. It turned out that it was really planned around the hikers. The rest of us had to sit on Stromboli for 6.5 hours! It had been explained to me that we would be on Stromboli for 4 hours and I thought that would be fine. Do a little strolling and sightseeing, shop a little, have dinner. Turns out there is not much to do or see on Stromboli and the only shopping available is in tiny tourist schlock shops with volcano tee shirts, etc.
At the top of town there is a piazza where all the hikers meet their guides (required) and gear up. Hard hats are required since Stromboli spits rocks. Unfortunately for the climbers, it started to rain hard and they hiked for over 6 hours to see exactly nothing but grey clouds. To make it worse, their decent was slowed by the rain and slippery footing. All this time the few who were not hiking sat and waited…waited…waited….after walking around town, I sat in the Bar Ingrid which at least had good views and had a glass of wine. When the restaurant finally opened for dinner, I ordered and dawdled. Finally I walked down to the pier and sat some more in a bar while the rain continued. I had a hot chocolate…..I waited. Unfortunately, I didn’t even have a book to read. A couple from the boat tour came in and we talked a bit while we waited. We all agreed on our disappointment in how little Stromboli had to offer and on our extreme boredom. Finally we walked to the pier at the designated time only to be told that the hikers were not down yet and to come back in an hour. So, by now the bar had closed. They kindly let us back in to wait inside rather than out in the rain….I would have enjoyed wine during the long wait, but didn’t dare drink for 6 hours, fearing sea sickness!
Finally around 10pm the hikers returned and we all piled on the boat. We did luck out and the clouds lifted so we got to watch the eruptions for about 45 minutes. Stromboli made 7 huge explosions and the rocks and lava tumbled all the way down to the sea. Thankfully, this saved the trip. Even so, I would NOT recommend this trip unless you plan to climb. It was a wasted and boring day for the most part. It was capped off with a 2 hour boat ride back to Lipari with a boat full of exhausted and somewhat fragrant hikers.
Another day I went over to Salina, rented a car (60,00E) and drove all over the island. Salina is quite different from Lipari. Greener, black sand and rock beaches. I had lunch in the little town of Malfa which looked like a place I would enjoy staying. I wasn’t terribly impressed with Rinella at the end of the road. Pollara – was fantastic! What a dramatic place. I wonder what it’s like in the winter during a storm? I had to snap a picture of a wooden sign with a hand-painted “Mare”. All you could see in back of the sign was the sea.
I also rented a car for the afternoon (40,00E, from Da Luigi right at the marina) and drove around Lipari. Note: there is a small luggage check office at the marina. There are a lot of vineyards on the island and Aquacalda was a fairly good sized town. Having seen the entire island, I was even more happy with my choice NOT to stay in town. I liked the quiet and privacy of the villa with the views. It was exactly what I came to Lipari for.
I had another wonderfully lazy day just sleeping in and reading on the terrace in the shade, the day after the late night to Stromboli. By this time, I had a terrific farmer’s tan going and my feet looked like a self-tanning experiment gone terribly wrong. Even after a week back from the trip, I still have to explain what happens when you wear the same sandals in Sicily for 2 1/2 weeks!
Next was Palermo, the big finish to a fantastic trip.
May 22nd, 2013, 06:50 PM
#38
I must admit I never did a Sicily report. I am about five trips behind on reports at this point, though in my own defense I have answered Sicily questions in detail, so it probably works out to a trip report. I relied heavily on bon_voyage's TR when planning my own trip.
Palazzo Bellomo is an old fortress/palace, half 13th c, half 15th c. It houses mostly Sicilian art; there are other Italian regions represented as well. Sculpture, silver, and paintings. There is a terrific Messina Annunciation (tho damaged). It's a small gallery but if you are interested in Italian painting it is worthwhile. The palace itself is worth seeing.
For me Ortygia was the vacation part of my vacation: wandering, gelato eating, wine drinking, gallery hopping, luggage shopping (yup), etc., all figured heavily.
Eager to read what you thought of Palermo. Seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it place. I loved it.
I relied heavily on bon_voyage's TR when planning my own trip.Palazzo Bellomo is an old fortress/palace, half 13th c, half 15th c. It houses mostly Sicilian art; there are other Italian regions represented as well. Sculpture, silver, and paintings. There is a terrific Messina Annunciation (tho damaged). It's a small gallery but if you are interested in Italian painting it is worthwhile. The palace itself is worth seeing.
For me Ortygia was the vacation part of my vacation: wandering, gelato eating, wine drinking, gallery hopping, luggage shopping (yup), etc., all figured heavily.
Eager to read what you thought of Palermo. Seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it place. I loved it.
May 23rd, 2013, 05:42 PM
#40
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The morning I was to leave Lipari, I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on the terrace then went in to get ready. Oops. No water and no electricity! I reached the homeowner and she quickly put things right. Evidently, it had been a dry winter on the islands and the well serving my part of the house ran dry. The gardener had to quickly transfer water from the main wells to my well using a good old garden hose. A quick solution!
Back to Milazzo via aliscafo, then bus to the train station and train to Palermo. Fortunately the train I boarded was a nice new, regional train (10,40E). Although it made many stops on the way, it was a nice ride. I got to enjoy some of the scenery and saw a couple of very interesting looking towns. I also enjoyed a limited conversation with a couple across from me who really spoke almost no English, but we had a good time describing where we lived and what our work was.
Arriving in Palermo, I was surprised to see stray dogs sleeping in the station. I guess at this point this should not have been surprising and it was kind of funny how everyone just walked around them.
Hotel Ambasciatore had arranged for a taxi driver to meet me at the station even though it was just a short walk to the hotel right down Via Roma. I didn’t want to go that far with my luggage given the things I had heard about Palermo street crime. The staff at Hotel Ambasciatore was very helpful and professional. My room was on the first floor and I took my luggage up in the little old elevator. The hotel has the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th (roof) floors of the building. (90E per night). Reception is on the 5th floor and it was a bit inconvenient to go up and down to reception and breakfast from the 1st floor, especially in the morning when the elevator was busy with regular residents starting their day. However – the roof top terrace is the main reason for staying at Hotel Ambasciatore! What a view! Really nice spot to finish a day of sightseeing with a glass of wine (or two) with your fellow travelers. Breakfast is also served here and all 4 mornings it was perfect warm weather in Palermo. You squeeze your own orange juice and breakfast is OK, but not great. No fresh fruit. By the 4th morning the granola cereal had run out and was not replaced. Other than that the hotel really was very nice. Rooms and bathrooms are large, beds comfy and quiet. Double paned windows keep out the street noise. I felt it was a good value for the money.
Palermo – I’m conflicted about Palermo, but maybe that’s a perfect feeling to have about this city of conflicts! I love Rome, really liked Naples and was all set to love Palermo. I didn’t. I enjoyed the sights and the markets. I didn’t like walking around the city that much due to the huge heaps of trash and litter and cigarette butts thick on the streets in the historical part of the city. Graffiti was everywhere on every type of surface, marble, whatever. I just didn’t find anything that really grabbed me and made me like the city. No charm. I think part of it was that the cafes and bars were a little hard to find. Not right out on the main streets, more tucked away.
The first morning I had arranged a historical walking tour with Jacqueline Alio. This was wonderful! Jackie met me at the hotel as agreed and we started off in the Ballaro market. The market was great, fish, produce, all beautiful, even the gigantic blue fin tuna that was being cut up right there. Vendors shouting for your attention. We headed to the Norman castle to see the Cappella Palentina which was really wonderful. I can never get over the detail of the mosaics and the amount of labor put into these churches. We also visited the Cattedrale and the Martorana, the Quatro Canti, and the Fountain of Shame, the history of which I found very amusing. We walked past the St. John of the Hermits church that Jackie suggested I visit on my own later. Jackie’s explanations were excellent and a fun change from reading a guide book. We were able to see a lot in just 4 hours because we were both fast walkers, and we did stop in the churches long enough for lots of pictures and time to appreciate.
We finished our morning tour with Jackie walking to the newer part of town with me and recommending a nice café for lunch. Spinata was great and had umbrella covered tables down the middle of the tree lined ped only street. Lots of shops on this street and lots of local business people having lunch in the shade. Very good food and great service, especially for such a popular place! I believe it was on either Via Principe di Belmonte or Via Principe di Granatelli, north of Via Roma.
I would highly recommend Jackie for her various tours of Palermo and other areas. Super nice young lady with excellent English – did I mention she was born in southern California, as I was! Her family moved back to Palermo when she was still in high school. [email protected]. Licensed Palermo guide.
I’ll finish tomorrow with my 2 independent days in Palermo.
Back to Milazzo via aliscafo, then bus to the train station and train to Palermo. Fortunately the train I boarded was a nice new, regional train (10,40E). Although it made many stops on the way, it was a nice ride. I got to enjoy some of the scenery and saw a couple of very interesting looking towns. I also enjoyed a limited conversation with a couple across from me who really spoke almost no English, but we had a good time describing where we lived and what our work was.
Arriving in Palermo, I was surprised to see stray dogs sleeping in the station. I guess at this point this should not have been surprising and it was kind of funny how everyone just walked around them.
Hotel Ambasciatore had arranged for a taxi driver to meet me at the station even though it was just a short walk to the hotel right down Via Roma. I didn’t want to go that far with my luggage given the things I had heard about Palermo street crime. The staff at Hotel Ambasciatore was very helpful and professional. My room was on the first floor and I took my luggage up in the little old elevator. The hotel has the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th (roof) floors of the building. (90E per night). Reception is on the 5th floor and it was a bit inconvenient to go up and down to reception and breakfast from the 1st floor, especially in the morning when the elevator was busy with regular residents starting their day. However – the roof top terrace is the main reason for staying at Hotel Ambasciatore! What a view! Really nice spot to finish a day of sightseeing with a glass of wine (or two) with your fellow travelers. Breakfast is also served here and all 4 mornings it was perfect warm weather in Palermo. You squeeze your own orange juice and breakfast is OK, but not great. No fresh fruit. By the 4th morning the granola cereal had run out and was not replaced. Other than that the hotel really was very nice. Rooms and bathrooms are large, beds comfy and quiet. Double paned windows keep out the street noise. I felt it was a good value for the money.
Palermo – I’m conflicted about Palermo, but maybe that’s a perfect feeling to have about this city of conflicts! I love Rome, really liked Naples and was all set to love Palermo. I didn’t. I enjoyed the sights and the markets. I didn’t like walking around the city that much due to the huge heaps of trash and litter and cigarette butts thick on the streets in the historical part of the city. Graffiti was everywhere on every type of surface, marble, whatever. I just didn’t find anything that really grabbed me and made me like the city. No charm. I think part of it was that the cafes and bars were a little hard to find. Not right out on the main streets, more tucked away.
The first morning I had arranged a historical walking tour with Jacqueline Alio. This was wonderful! Jackie met me at the hotel as agreed and we started off in the Ballaro market. The market was great, fish, produce, all beautiful, even the gigantic blue fin tuna that was being cut up right there. Vendors shouting for your attention. We headed to the Norman castle to see the Cappella Palentina which was really wonderful. I can never get over the detail of the mosaics and the amount of labor put into these churches. We also visited the Cattedrale and the Martorana, the Quatro Canti, and the Fountain of Shame, the history of which I found very amusing. We walked past the St. John of the Hermits church that Jackie suggested I visit on my own later. Jackie’s explanations were excellent and a fun change from reading a guide book. We were able to see a lot in just 4 hours because we were both fast walkers, and we did stop in the churches long enough for lots of pictures and time to appreciate.
We finished our morning tour with Jackie walking to the newer part of town with me and recommending a nice café for lunch. Spinata was great and had umbrella covered tables down the middle of the tree lined ped only street. Lots of shops on this street and lots of local business people having lunch in the shade. Very good food and great service, especially for such a popular place! I believe it was on either Via Principe di Belmonte or Via Principe di Granatelli, north of Via Roma.
I would highly recommend Jackie for her various tours of Palermo and other areas. Super nice young lady with excellent English – did I mention she was born in southern California, as I was! Her family moved back to Palermo when she was still in high school. [email protected]. Licensed Palermo guide.
I’ll finish tomorrow with my 2 independent days in Palermo.
