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So I’m sitting on a train, packed in a cabin, it's 1 am, I got a presentation to make in 9 hrs, and we’re stuck in the middle of a thunderstorm. Sounds terrible huh? Aside from my present accommodations and lack of sleep, it has been an awesome trip. Let me start by saying that it’s Laura’s and mine first trip abroad alone which has been a long time in the making.
So about the trip…
We arrived at Fiumincino with plenty of time to spare and ran into Simone (my ISC) who we talked to while we waited for our flight. After our short one hour flight, we arrived in Palermo and after a short bus drive later arrived in Piazza San Domenico. Navigating narrow roads branching from the Piazza we found our B&B and our host Claudio waiting for us. The room was really nice with a vaulted ceiling, queen size bed, and private bathroom, everything needed for a great stay in Palermo.
Day 1 - Palermo
The following morning we woke up to explore the old section of Palermo but not before breakfast. Walking out into the kitchen we were greeted
with a plate stacked with bread, croissants, and a selection on sauces including an excellent Pistachio cream, customary of the region. Revived we set out to conquer Palermo, the biggest city in Sicily. Conditioned from walking in Rome, we were capable to cover the whole “old town” section and even doubled back. We started off by checking out the close San Domenico Square along with the beautiful Church at the back. Inside the church we found a Statue commemorating St. Rita, a saint important to Laura. Leaving the square, we navigating the narrow streets and learnt about the city the best way we could by getting lost. We got to see a couple theaters, churches, and just observed everyday life. We eventually found Via Cavour, a famous road in Palermo known for their outdoor market and it didn’t disappoint. (The saying here in Italy amongst locals is that the farther south you go the stronger the culture and the better the food.) Accordingly, the selection of food was unbelievable. Walking down these weaving streets, we observed many different kinds of markets, people yelling out prices, and food over pouring into the narrow path between stands. They had many fish stands,
a necessity to all Sicilians, with their specialty being Swordfish. The fruits were all tropical including my favorite blood oranges while all the vegetables were on steroids. The bean sprouts are the size of a typical cucumber while the squash were even more impressive with a size comparable to that of a baseball bat. They off course still had meat stands and more than enough olive and cheese stands to make one drool. Laura and I stopped and got a basket of strawberries and got a “pane con panelle” and an “arancino”. The “pane con panelle” is best described as an amazing chickpea fried patty sandwich. The “arancino” although translated to “little orange” are about the size of a normal one. Again fried, these snacks can be arranged with different fillings but the one we ate in Palermo had yellow rice, peas, meat, and of course cheese. The arancino became a reoccurring theme for both Laura and me throughout all of Sicily. Although the vibe of the market can’t be captured I did post a couple pictures. Finishing up our huge bag of strawberries, we spotted the massive Cathedral of Palermo, spanning over a city block. The Cathedral has a
Street
PALERMObeautiful exterior composed of a clock tower, arches, and a series of domes along the side with a huge cupola in the center. Mostly composed of sandy bricks, it matches the tropical landscape of Palermo well. Again, look at my pictures for a better look. After a quick lunch composing of gelato and canoli (known for being the best in Sicily), we finished viewing various churches and toured the palace with its beautiful mosaic interior church. We even had time to relax in the various gardens and had a chance to walk down the boardwalk taking in the crystal blue water. In the gardens we encountered these weird trees that looked as though they were one tree with various trunks. As the tree would grow outward, vines/trunks would grow down and dig into the ground making another trunk, allowing the tree to expand. Of course I had to investigate and eventually ended up climbing one. I wish I could better explain but it is the weirdest tree I have ever encountered. Once again, look at my pictures. That night we walked around the corner from the B&B to restaurant where I ended up getting Spada (Swordfish) and Pasta alla Norma
(pasta with tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, and eggplant). Both were delicious and surprisingly cheap. All and all it was a great day and a good start for our journey through Sicily.
Day 2 - FOUR Cities
Messina
Waking up somewhat early and literally running to the train (a reoccurring theme for our trip), we arrived in Messina. Messina is much different than the rest of the cities in Sicily. It has gone through many disasters in recent years, including a tsunami wiping out 2/3 of the population. For this reason, Messina is mostly new buildings modeled like those of which were ruined. The gem of Messina is the Norman church and adjoining clock tower. Spending only two hours in Messina we were able to see both the massive church and stick around for the strike of noon at one of the world’s biggest mechanical clock which puts on a 15 min. show with sounds and moving figurines. It was pretty neat. Walking the streets we stopped for an arancino. Absolutely delicious again and somehow better than the one in Palermo. Again with a short jog we grabbed our bags and hopped a
Teatro
PALERMO train to Taormina.
Taormina
Taormina is ½ way in between Messina and Catania, a short 45 min ride. This small medieval town is packed with tourists and with good reason, it’s beautiful. Built on the side of a cliff, this town overlooks the crystal blue sea on one side and dwarfed by the famous Mt. Etna, one of the biggest and most active volcanoes today, on the other. We walked down the main street and marveled at their marzipan in the shop windows. It is unbelievable and unknown how they make these sugary treats look so realistic. They all taste the same but are molded and colored to usually resemble different types of fruits but also other food items such as eggs, sausage links, and plates of spaghetti. Ordering a banana shaped marzipan, an assortment of fig, orange, and pistachio cookies, and pistachio covered torrone, Laura and I were on a sugar high while touring Taormina. Weaving in and out of the medieval streets and shops we mostly just relaxed but also caught glimpses of a few beautiful churches. The big tourist attraction in Taormina though is the Greek Theater and of course Laura and
I had to go. Built in the 5th c. B.C. by the Greeks this theater is very much still intact and is situated at the ended of a cliff with a view of both the sea and Mt. Etna as its backdrop for the stage. Taking many pictures and walking amongst the ruins was refreshing with a nice sea breeze. After the Theater, and a little searching, we relaxed in a Villa Comunale with beautiful landscape including: old wooden buildings, flowers, palm trees, and the sound of the birds. Eventually we made our way back to the bus stop to catch the next train to Catania but not before catching a bite to eat. Stopping at a restaurant built, again, into the cliff we had a window seat overlooking the coast in the distance and a lift that transported people to and from the beach from Taormina. I got pasta with mussels while Laura enjoyed seafood risotto, both excellent. Stuffed, we boarded the next train for another 45 journey to Catania. **Forgot to mention above but all of these trains run along the coastline and give spectacular views of the sea, mountains, and landscape of Sicily.
Catania
Arriving in Catania, technically our fourth city of the day, we were getting tired and after a little trouble we found the right street and located our hostel. With a warm greeting from Claudia (not to be confused with Claudio) we were given a tour of the house and a map with things to see in the city. With a little convincing of Laura, we walked around the beautiful and recently renovated Piazza del Duomo with its famous elephant statue made out of lava and façade of the Duomo. We also walked down the lively Via Etna with its baroque churches and flashy store fronts and Piazza Universitia accented by lights. Splitting a gelato we paced the Via Etna, enjoying the view and lively vibe. Finally, completely exhausted and a hike up Mt. Etna ahead of us, we returned to the room for a good night’s sleep.
Day 3 - Mt. Etna
With a slight interruption of Laura finding a bug in the bed and finding the need to wake me, we were well rested and as ready as we would ever be for hike up Mt. Etna. After a breakfast of Nutella and Ricotta
filled pastries, we waited for our tour bus to pick us up and were surprised to see a jeep speed around the corner. The bus was here! Hoping in the back of this off road jeep we made our journey to Mt. Etna with the anticipation building as the snow covered peak came into view. Our first stop, after a 45 min hike, was the recent lava flows of 2001, one that has covered the valley floor and supposedly still hot with a glowing red color observed at night. Unfortunately the glow wasn’t visible during the day but it was cool to the see the destruction of the lava over a forest of pine trees. Making our descent we hoped in our jeeps for another bumpy ride to a lava cave created from the air pockets in the lava. The lava from Mt. Etna is very slow moving and was therefore possible for it to form into a cavern. Hard hat on and flashlight in hand, we climbed down a hole off the side of the road. Pitch black without our flashlights; we walked through the cave, stumbling over lava debris, until we reached a point too low to walk
through. After a brief explanation, we looked around and snapped a couple pictures. The ceiling looked like it was lined with gooey slime but was actually the lava cooled in the shape of what looks like running water. It felt really smooth and looked cool with its dripping effect. Climbing once more back into the jeep we traversed the mountain, this time on a paved road, and reached a height about 7000 ft making it freezing cold even with the tropical climate. Once there, we viewed snow covered cliffs and walked around craters and were eventually swallowed by a cloud, blocking our view of the city of Catania in the distance. The craters were big and have formed as recent as the 2004 eruption. In the distance you could see the snow covered tip with a lift taking you up to 8500ft. It was would have been really cool to go that high but also very expense and due to the cloud’s somewhat magnetic effect to the volcano it would be very difficult to see anything. Cutting our loses, we stopped for a picnic of local Catania food, including olives, eggplant, mushrooms, cheese, pepperoni, salami, and delicious cookies. On the
way back down the mountain to Catania, we stopped at a mining field used to dig up lava rocks where it was possible to see the different levels of lava flows over time.
Making it back to hostel, we took a quick nap before heading out for dinner at a place located next to an ancient castle. There, Laura and I shared Pasta alla Norma and Pasta with Pistachio sauce while I alone tried a Catania specialty, HORSE. It was disgusting. If the idea of eating Black Beauty, as Laura likes to call it, isn’t convincing enough take my word that it is tough, smelly, and tastes like shit. Other than my bad decision of 2 Euros to try horse, the meal was excellent and we left stuffed.
Day 4
Catania
The next morning we again had a delicious breakfast and this time headed out to see Catania itself. We first headed down to the section we had dinner at last night where we scoped out a castle. Castello Ursino has been converted into a museum containing a combination sculptures dating back to antiquity and painting dating to the Renaissance. After a
quick tour, we departed to the central hub of Catania, Piazza del Duomo. We had a chance to once again enjoy the lively piazza, souvenir, and of course visit the adjoining Duomo. The Duomo is beautiful and is home to the tomb of Bellini a famous pianist. After leaving the Duomo we decided to stay on the Bellini theme and visited Piazza del Bellini home to the Bellini Theater. Moving on to more ancient monuments we visited the Greek Theater and the Roman Amphitheater. Both behind Piazza del Duomo and off of Via Etna are too separate food markets similar to those is Palermo. Again, we found a lot of the same things with a few exceptions including a stand containing octopus, one with a goat cut down the middle, and a Sicilian cheese that my grandfather and I have discussed (an essential purchase). Making a meal out of different types of Arancini (rice/meat balls talked about in Palermo for those of you who forgot), Laura and I walked around Villa Bellini before returning to our B&B to grab our bags and again RUN for the train. Making it in time, we had a peaceful 1 ½ hr ride along
the coast to Siracusa.
Siracusa
Getting off the train we found ourselves we no clear directions on how to get to our B&B but only the general area. Using our “amazing” Italian skills we hoped a bus in the direction we thought would take us closer and crossed our fingers. Finding our B&B by sheer luck and without getting lost, we were off to a good start. Dropping off our bags we headed up the street to start our trip in Siracusa in the archeological park. After being refused the EU student discount, usually obtained with our IES student cards, we made our way into the park. The first site was the Anfiteatro Romano, a much smaller model of the Colosseum. Then, passing the Ara di Ierone II, we entered the main part of the site with its two main attractions. The first stop was the Greek Theater which unfortunately was being constructed into temporary modern day seating for summer concerts. At the top of the Greek Theater were a series of caves with water running through them. The next big site was the Orechio of Dionisio. Translated into Ear of Dionisio this huge cave was
home to many slaves. It is though that it was built in such a formation that Dionisio could hear what the slaves were planning so he could thwart any attempt of escape. If you walk inside, as Laura and I did, it is possible to hear the neat echoing sound. Leaving the park, we stopped by two additional sites as a detour back to our apartment. The first of these sites was the Sanctuary of Madonna. With awesome architecture, this sanctuary has a hollowed out cone roof that can be better appreciated from the inside. The next stop was the Church of San Giuseppe. For a small fee, we were given a tour of the crypt and catacombs. The Catacombs were huge and it was possible to see all of the graves lining the wall along with ancient cisterns used to run aqueducts (sorry no pictures).
After a shower and some rest we walked to Ortigia island. There, we were surprised to see that the island was much different than the mainland. Its buildings were not only beautiful but accented with lights. There were many restaurants along with a busy night life. Walking past the Temple of Apollo and
Fontana di Diana we made our way to the restaurant we reserved. Known for their meat, we ended up getting local cheese as an appetizer, a first plate of pasta each, and split a big chunk of steak. Filled we made our way back to our B&B only to return to island the next day.
Day 5 -Siracusa
Returning liked planned to Ortigia island, this time during the day, was a good decision. Once arriving we ran into the same friendly atmosphere as the previous night. Making our way past the Temple of Apollo once again, since it’s situated at the entrance to the island, we returned to the Fontana di Diana for a closer inspection. After a good luck and a couple pictures we followed a side street and discovered a beautiful piazza by the name of Federico di Svevia. From there we saw a great view of the bay filled with sailboats and of Castello Maniace. Deciding to take a closer look at the castle, we walked to the tip of the island. Recently renovated for the G8 world meeting it was pristine with its sandy stone and blue carpeted walkway. Walking up
to the castle we had good views of the rocks and a small beach below. Once entering the castle we were able to view beautiful vaulted ceiling and a great view from the top. After a lengthy visit, we returned to the center of town where we had free time to walk the narrow alleys, allowing ourselves to get lost. We ran into the other coast of the island and walked out onto jutting rocks to relax and take in some rays. Once rejuvenated, we returned to the center of town, this time Piazza del Duomo. We were able to enter the Duomo which has been rebuilt many times on ruins dating back to antiquity. Much of the columns from the original temple are still used within the walls of the present day church. We were also able to go under Piazza del Duomo to visit a WWII bunker used as a bomb shelter. There were many corridors capable of holding many thousands of people along with pieces of construction from an ancient aqueduct system. Stopping to enjoy some of the food and souvenir stands on the way back to the mainland, we made our slow return to grab our
bags from the B&B. After some rest, we departed early for our train to make sure that we were there on time. Located our seats we got settled in for a 12 hr train ride back to Rome.
THE END
Again, I tried to put all the pictures in order, at least according to location.
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Laura Sahyoun
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Ciao! Mio Figlio
Alfred, coming back to Rome must be like coming back home. This trip together to Sicily, with Laura, seemed refreshing and new! This is a must see! Maybe our next trip back to Italy, we will soak up all these sites too. The photos are outstanding, great material to work with!!! I enjoyed reading your blog, thanks for sharing. Enjoy Ciao Laura Mom(2 1/2)