Oh Sicilia...

Oh mamma mia where does the time go?! I get reminded at time that people visit my blog and therefore I should be more attentive to it. Okay, you've got it. More ramblings, more often.

Recently my lovely parents came to visit me in Florence for a two-week stint. During that time they met my friends, saw where I live and work, and basically are now slightly more comfortable with the fact that I live 16-hours-with-no-delays away.

The highlight of their trip for me was our brief but wonderful weekend in Sicily, or Sicilia (suh-chi-luh). Oh Siciiiliaaa, you're breakin' my heart... you're shaking my confidence lately...

I digress.

I needed out of Dodge for the weekend so we hopped a flight from Florence to Catania, in the southeastern part of Sicilia, for what was an hour and half flight and quite a good deal. I had decided on Catania and the southeastern region as compared to the larger and more popular Palermo based on a few recommendations from friends here. But from what I've heard, you just can't go wrong either way. From Catania, we rented a car and dad (a.k.a. White-Knuckled-Dave) very cautiously* steered us past the towering plume of Mt. Etna towards the cliff-nestled town of Taormina about an hour and a half to the north. That night we spent at a beautiful resort outside of the city center and drove in for a 4-hour seafood dinner at Il Cappuccino that we frankly we not impressed with at all. The next morning we explored the small town in the daylight and went to the beautiful Teatro Greco overlooking the town and the sea below.

Dave overlooking Taormina

Teatro Greco at Taormina

 That afternoon we hopped back in our very European small car and set our sights on Siracusa. (We also had help with our itinerary from the very willing Franco, husband of my boyfriend's coworker who is from Sicilia and is ready to talk to anyone and everyone about the wonders of his homeland. He had very detailed instructions for us - 95% of which we ended up not being able to find once we got there. Much to Franco's dismay.) We stayed on the old island just off Siracusa called Ortigia. The Grand Hotel Ortigia is a fantastic spot located just across the bridge and with its own private parking lot. Parking is a major bonus as we quickly learned. Right when we got there we hopped in a small motor boat with a group of Italians and Germans and headed of for a one hour tour of Ortigia by sea. It only took about 40 minutes for good ol' Dave to decide that Ortigia is very "Johnson-County beige."

Ortigia from the boat

Main piazza in Ortigia.. Santa Lucia on the left

That night we spent a good few hours searching for Franco's "to die for" seafood restaurant, but after searching high and low, and asking pretty much everyone on the island, we gave up and decided it didn't exist. On our search though I got the name of a good seafood restaurant just behind the Teatro di Apollo (which Dave calls the Apollo Teater) called the Apollonion. Hands down one of the best meals of my life. Go to Ortigia and go to this restaurant. They don't have a menu, they just bring whatever they cook that night. If there is one thing I have learned about eating in Italy, is that if there is no menu, you can be sure it will be an amazing meal. I took pictures of all of our dishes, and then was sure to get a picture with Franco himself.

Anne, Dave, Franco, me, Franco's son

The next day we took the car and toured the area of Noto and Ragusa. They were both stunning and I could go on and on about things to do in both places. If you want specifics, just ask! But overall Sicily is a beautiful country and I just can't wait to get back to explore more of it. Especially this Palermo that everyone keeps talking about it. But it's like I always say, never accomplish everything you want to do in one trip, that way you always have a reason and excuse to go back.

sally@sliceoftuscany.com


*nervously