SICILY - Part One: TAORMINA and MESSINA PROVINCE

To quote Goethe, who also found Sicily intoxicating, "To have seen Italy without seeing Sicily, is not to have seen Italy at all - for Sicily is the key to everything."  This may be somewhat of an exaggeration, but I do understand his point.

This October, Gerry and I joined my mother on a Road Scholar trip called The Treasures of Sicily.  We explored much of the island and did see countless treasures during the 14-day program.

We started in Giardini-Naxos, Sicily's first Greek colony, located five miles south of Taormina, and Sicily's fastest-growing beach resort.  The Hellenia Yachting hotel was ideally situated, overlooking the Ionian Sea.  It was a lovely place to stay for three nights.

Gerry stands in the back of the Hellenia Yachting hotel. 

Sun or no sun, I am determined to walk on the beach.

Our first day, (Tuesday, Oct 3) we toured Taormina, a lovely, terraced town with a population of 11,000.  Our local guide Angelo met us there.  We walked along an inclined road to an archeological site, the ancient Teatro Greco, built in the Third Century, B.C., carved into the hillside from compact limestone.

Teatro Greco, among the world's best-known Greek theaters.

The brick walls were added by the Romans in the 1st Century A.D.

On a clear day, one can see Mt. Etna in the distance.  We were not blessed with sunny skies, but the views were still not too shabby.

A view to the mountain community in the distance.

The view in the opposite direction, toward the Ionian Sea below.

After our history lesson by Angelo at Teatro Greco, we were given 1 1/2 hours to explore Taormina on our own.  We strolled up and down Corso Umberto, the pedestrianized main street of Taormina, lined with shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants.

Supposedly, the best shopping in Sicily is in Taormina. 

We also walked over (in the rain) to Giordino Publico, a lush park on Via Roma, which was bequeathed to the city by an eccentric woman, Florence Trevelyan, in the 1920s.

Giordino Publico, a lovely and quiet place to escape from the crowds of center city.

Florence adorned her garden with observation towers for bird-spotting.

Our lunch at Casa Niclodi set the standard for our two weeks in Sicily.  The presentation was also a piece of art for all three courses of this delicious, gourmet meal.

At the entrance to Casa Niclodi. 

First course:  smoked tuna with oranges and fennel crisp.

Entree course:  Swordfish rolls with eggplant caponata.

Our sweet ending:  pistachio parfait with dark chocolate sauce.

We explored Taormina a bit after lunch before we bid the town farewell and boarded our bus back to Giardini-Naxos.

A final picture of the charming town of Taormina.

Wednesday, October 4, we set out by coach to Messina, where we met local tour guide Angelo.  We took the ferry to Calabria, a town on mainland Italy, only two miles from Sicily at the narrowest point along the strait of Messina.

With mom on the upper deck of the ferry.  It is windy, but will it rain? 

The highlight of the day was our visit with Angelo to the "Museo Nazionale," the archeological museum in Calabria. This museum houses the Riace Bronzes, two life-size Greek bronze statues of naked, bearded warriors, from 450 B.C.  They were discovered by an amateur scuba diver in the Mediterranean Sea, just off the coast of Riace Marina, Italy on August 16, 1972.  Angelo told us the fascinating story of the statues discovery, restoration and preservation.

This is statue "A", the younger of the two warriors, with a muscular stance.

Statue "B" represents the older warrior, with less facial hair and brawn.

It was information overload, as we viewed dozens of pieces from B.C., and learned their stories from Angelo.  The Kouros (young boy) of Reggio was made with marble brought in from the Greek island of Paros (which Gerry and I visited in 2002.) 

Kouros of Reggio, 500 B.C.

The head of Apollo, yet another piece in the collection, 400 B.C.

We went to the seaside town of Scilla, also in the province of Calabria, for lunch.  It is the traditional site of the sea monster Scylla of Greek mythology.  The beachside restaurant , Da Pippo, served us an antipasto, followed by pasta with pieces of swordfish, along with a local white wine.

Da Pippo, a small family-run restaurant. 

Gerry and mom sit relaxing beachside after lunch at Da Pippo.

We took the return ferry to Messina and our historical tour continued as Angelo pointed out the Messina Cathedral, which dates back to the 12th Century.  The current building is the result of 20th Century reconstructions, which took place following the disastrous 1908 earthquake and the heavy bombing by the Allied forces in the second World War.

Cathedral in Messina, with the adjacent tower.

  
The bell tower of the Cathedral of Messina contains the largest and most complex mechanical and astronomical clock in the world.

Zeroing in on the details of the astronomical clock.

We viewed the  Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza Unita before we bid Angelo goodbye, and headed back to Giardini-Naxos for our final night.

Messina's Fountain of Neptune, created in 1557.

Thursday, October 5th, it was a scenic coach ride south along the coast to the province of Catania, where we stopped at an agriturismo, Azienda Trinita, in the town of Mascalucia, near Mt. Etna.  It was a beautiful property, with lovely gardens, owned by Salvador and Marina Bonajuto.  Salvador gave us a tour of his estate, and the garden and orchards that thrive on the fertile volcanic soil.

We are welcomed in the courtyard at Azienda Trinita. 

Salvador is proud of his green olive tree.  Harvest time is right around the corner!

The olive tree, in all its glory.

Another beautiful garden view. 

Pine cones are a historic symbol of enlightenment.  We saw miniature ceramic pine cones in various gift shops throughout Sicily.

Th large pine cone pottery on this sculpture in Salvador's garden is impressive.

Also impressive, was the delicious lunch buffet we were served of freshly prepared Sicilian specialties.  It was a mostly vegetarian meal, with green salads, grilled eggplant, lemon risotto, mushroom pizza squares, spinach pizza squares, mozarella-tomato-bread salad, and cucumber salad, along with homemade red wine.

The lavish buffet table.

My plate is loaded and I'm ready to dig in to my groceries.

Most of our group took siestas on the bus ride after lunch as we headed farther south to Siracusa province, where we were going to stay the next four nights in Ortigia.  I was the exception, as I use the bus time to write copious notes in my journal.  Otherwise, the days merge together in my mind into a blur, impossible to sort out at the end of the vacation.

Ortigia is a small island, the historical center of Syracuse.  Our hotel, the Antico Hotel Roma, was my favorite of our four accommodations in Sicily. It was truly elegant, with beautiful marble, an outside patio, hard-wood floors in the rooms and a bountiful breakfast buffet each morning.

We pass remains of ancient walls as we walk along the streets of Ortigia to our hotel.

Ortigia is a largely pedestrian island, and very quaint, with a maze of streets, and no tour buses allowed.  We walk nearly a mile each way back and forth to the parking lot in downtown Syracuse to board our bus for our outings.  It's much more walking than my mother expected, but she not only survives, she thrives!  

 

SICILY - Part Two: SYRACUSE PROVINCE

We have several local guides and experts on our program, as well as our group leader, Enrico, who has been leading tours of Sicily for over 20 years.  Enrico is with us the entire tour, and provides us with a wealth of information about Sicily, as well as practical suggestions.

Enrico suggested we pick up a map of Ortigia from the hotel desk, so we could explore the city during free time on our own.  We didn't waste any time on this, and set our alarm for 6:00 am Friday morning (Oct. 6.)  We ventured outdoors and had the glorious city to ourselves. 

Alone on the Piazza del Duomo at 6:30 am we view the moon.

Twenty minutes later, the sun rises over the Ioanian Sea.

We walked the perimeter of the island, about 3 km.  It was fun to pass by the open market where the vendors were starting to set up their displays.

Putting out the swordfish, and sweeping the pavement. 

We met our local guide, Lucia Iacono, at the hotel lobby after breakfast. Lucia led us on a two-hour walking tour of Ortigia, which included the duomo (of course) as well as the Fonte Aretus, a fresh water spring, which is the symbol of Syracuse. 

Lucia explained the history of  this duomo, (1754) with its rich Baroque facade.

Fonte Aretusa. 

We also viewed the Fontaine d'Artemis or the Fountain of Diane, which is in the center of town.  We couldn't help but walk by "Diane" at least a couple of times daily on our excursions.

Fountain of Diane, Ortigia.

After Lucia's tour, we had time on our own until 2:15 p.m.  Gerry, mom and I walked up and down some of the interesting streets, and eventually worked our way over to the open market  where we had lunch at the sandwich shop Caseificio Borderi.  It has become world famous.  (Check out the videos in the link and you will see why.)

We loaded our coach bus for the 20-minute ride to the Greek Theater of Syracuse, which dates back to 474 B.C.  We were given a 90-minute guided tour.  This 15,000 capacity theater is considered one of the most important theaters of the ancient world.

This well-preserved theater is still used for performances of classical works.

One cannot argue with the view from the top of the theater. 

Later in the evening, our group walked 10 minutes from our hotel  to Il Tempio di Atena  for a seafood dinner.  Our first course was spaghetti with clams. The dinner entree was succulent sea bass, with colossal shrimp and salad.  Dessert was a lemon sorbet. It was another gourmet dining experience.

We're off to a great start!  The white wine is also tasty. 

The sea bass does taste as good as it looks.

We were treated to a striking view of the moon reflecting over the sea, on our post-dinner walk back to our hotel.  The perfect ending to a fabulous day. 

I pause and reflect on the reflection. 

Saturday, October 7, was a full-day excursion.  We took the coach to Buscemi, a small village town on a hill at 2,500 feet above sea level. A local guide met us and led us on the exploration of the town.  It was a step back in time, to learn how Sicilian life was a century ago, before farming communities like Buscemi were depopulated by emigration.

We arrive in Buscemi.

A group of local young volunteers intervened in 1988 to try and preserve their cultural heritage.  Their idea was to document the rural culture.  They did not create a traditional museum.  Instead, they displayed artifacts in their authentic contexts, structured in several "museum-units" or houses throughout the small town.  Until the 1960s, a family of 4 lived in the agricultural day-laborer's house, a room of just 12 square feet. 

The day-laborer's house. 

In the dish-repairer's shop, we saw the tools used to mend ceramic and terracotta plates and jugs.

The drill used to repair any broken dishes.

An ancient wine press.

I especially enjoyed the room of popular art, where we saw some terra-cotta pottery, elaborate wall hangings made of wheat shaft,  lanterns adorned with colorful pasta of various shapes and sizes, and an authentic, colorful Sicilian cart from yester-year.

Terra-cotta pottery, decorated with beans and grains. 

This wall hanging took several years to complete.  It was incredible to see.

Would you like to have this lantern decorated with pasta in your house? 

Or, perhaps take this cart to the market? 

We ate lunch at an agriturismo (farm restaurant) in the hills near Buscemi, called Agriturismo Giannavi, where we were fed another multi-course meal which featured local produce and wine. Their melt-in-your-mouth fresh ricotta with tomato-jam was out of this world.  Too bad I devoured it before I thought to take a picture.  Oh well.  At least I snapped a photo of my plate of antipasto.

Who needs pasta when you have this antipasto?

Our dessert platter.  The ricotta filling hits the sweet spot!

After lunch we had time to walk around the agriturismo and also relax on the porch and enjoy the views.

Relaxing with my mother after lunch on a gorgeous day.

We returned to Ortigia in the late afternoon.  At 6:30 pm we walked a block to a puppet museum, "Opera dei Pupi", where we were given a 30-minute tour of the museum, which featured hundreds of puppets.

A fine collection of puppets.

Afterward, we were treated to a one-hour puppet show, called, "Olimpa, A New Hope."  How often does one see an authentic puppet show?  Much more entertaining than TV!

Sunday, October 8, was our final full day in Syracuse / Ortigia.  Gerry and I took a short sunrise stroll near the waterfront before breakfast.  After breakfast, we met local guide Lucia at the Museo Archeologico in Syracuse where we were given a guided tour.  Lucia pointed out the highlights of the museum.  Similar to the Smithsonian, it would take days to thoroughly see the vast collection of this well-organized museum.

Highlighted pieces pieces included Venus Landolina, a marble statue from the 2nd Century A.D.,  and the Testa di Laganello, which dates back to 700 B.C.

Who cares if Venus Landolina  is missing her head and right arm?

Not a bad face for a 2700-year-old gal.

But my favorite hands down, was the terra-cotta frieze of Medusa, "Gorgon from the Temple of Athena," (dated 570 to 550 B.C.)

Medusa, with her lolling tongue. Pretty scary. 

After the museum, we visited the catacombe di San Giovanni.  No photos were allowed here, but it was fun to explore these ancient caves.   

We ate lunch at agriturismo Case Damma, on the outskirts of Syracuse, a working farm which dates back to the 15th Century.  Before we dined, our host Carmelo showed us his personal museum on the premises.

An old vat for making ricotta cheese.

Carmelo has several olive trees on his premises.  The olives are being harvested this time of year, and are a very lucrative part of his agriturismo. 

This olive tree, over 1,000 years old, is still producing.

Our group leader Enrico had been telling us about the wonderful food at Case Damma for days.  Unfortunately, I have no food photos, but I do have memories of the fabulous lunch of an antipasto sampler, homemade pasta with ricotta and meat sauce, sausage with oranges, mixed salad, pastries and expresso.  We drank bottomless glasses of wine with the lunch.

Stuffed, we boarded the bus to Noto, the finest Baroque town in Sicily.  Sicilians refer to Noto as a garden of stone.  It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The monumental gateway, Porta Reale, (1838) is the entrance to Noto.  The original Noto was destroyed by an earthquake in 1693, but was rebuilt in the Baroque style.

The grand entrance to the Baroque town, Noto. 

It leads to Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Noto's stately main thoroughfare, where one can join the hundreds of other pedestrians who want to view the beautiful buildings such as St. Nicholas Cathedral, and the Santa Chiara church. 

St. Nicholas cathedral, completed in 1776.

I think even atheists would admire the beautiful marble in Santa Chiara. 

You can't help but be amazed by the ornate stone sculptures under the wrought iron balconies on the Palazzo Nicolaci.  They definitely caught our eye.

Are they our welcoming committee to Noto? 

Monday morning Gerry and I took our final walk in Ortigia.

One final sunrise photo on the eastern coast of Sicily.

Our first week in Sicily is behind us on our "Treasures of Sicily" tour.  We have seen an abundance of treasures!