Sicily
Italy’s Unique Mediterranean Island
Did anyone ever say to you, “I’m not just Italian, I’m Sicilian”? After spending 10 glorious days on the Mediterranean’s largest island, we now know why Sicilians are so proud to say this. Sicily’s rich history and diverse cultural influences, stunning landscapes, and unique cuisine make it – well, an island unto itself.
A Blend of Cultures
Its strategic location in the Mediterranean made it the crossroads of civilizations, as it was ruled throughout the millennia by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and others. Ancient ruins are scattered throughout the island. Its beautiful coastline offers hundreds of wonderful beaches. And its active volcano, Mt. Etna, serves as a dramatic backdrop to its many hillside villages.
Custom Vacation Planning
Our Sicilian vacation took us to five cities, providing us with a wonderful blend of what this incredible island has to offer. Having worked with Perillo Custom Vacations in 2017 for a 14-day trip to Italy, we immediately consulted them again. Since 1945 the Perillo family has been America’s leader in tourism to Italy.
Once we decided which towns we wanted to visit, our consultant at Perillo booked our hotels and rental car. Each of the hotels was four or five-star quality and perfectly located, whether in the historic part of town or directly on the beach. If you prefer not to drive yourself, then Perillo Custom Vacations can arrange everything for you: transportation, tours, and admission fees.
Sicily’s Capital
Our first stop was in Palermo, Sicily’s largest city and its capital. Some major sites to see include Teatro Massimo, Sicily’s grand opera house (Italy’s largest); the Palermo Cathedral, characterized by its unique blend of architectural styles; and Quattro Canti, or “Four Corners,” the heart of the city and a perfect example of Baroque architecture.
Like any good Italian city, Palermo has many lovely piazzas offering wonderful spots to relax, eat and admire the ubiquitous churches. Don’t miss a walk through one of the many open-air markets offering a menagerie of food choices. Palermo’s Ballaro and Capo Markets, Sicily’s largest, are a must, if not for a meal, then just to walk through for the visual and auditory experience. A great way to familiarize yourself with many of Palermo’s highlights and to learn about its “secrets” and “curiosities,” is by taking a hop-on/hop-off bus tour with City Sightseeing Palermo. Visit city.sightseeing.it for more information.
Ancient Ruins The second stop on our Sicilian tour took us to Agrigento and The Valley of Temples. Agrigento was once the third largest city in the ancient Greek world and one of the wealthiest city-states of the Greek Empire. As a show of their prowess, the Siceliots built 15 grand temples, rivaling the great temples of Greece. The collection of seven remaining temples is unlike anything you’ll see elsewhere. The Valley of Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the largest archaeological park in Europe. A visit to The Valley of Temples is often just a day-tour for many. We chose to spend a night in what turned out to be a very pleasant city with a lovely historical town center.
Try to make time to check out the fascinating rocky cliffs, the Turkish Steps (Scala dei Turchi), in nearby Realmonte. The view of brilliant white rock formation of terraced limestone set against the azure Mediterranean waters is stunning. The steps were closed to foot traffic for a few years but are now available for a small fee with a timed reservation. You can spend a nice day at the beach with the awesome backdrop of the “Scala.” There are a number of small cafes located on the beach and hillside where you can get some food and drink.
An Island with History and Views
Next stop – Ortigia, the heart of old Siracusa, which at one time was the second largest city in the Greek Empire. Ortigia is a very walkable island offering wonderful views of the sea and harbor; beautiful Baroque architecture; the ancient Greek Temple of Apollo; a number of inviting piazzas; and quaint, narrow streets filled with shops and cafes.
An experience we highly recommend is a tour of Ortigia and the Siracusa coastline with Escursioni Love Boat Tours, which afforded us wonderful views of the town, dramatic rock formations, and beautiful marine grottos.
Sicily’s Most Captivating Town
The fourth stop on our tour was one of Sicily’s most attractive towns, Taormina. Perched more than 650 feet above the sparkling Ionian Sea, Taormina boasts some of the most stunning views in all of Sicily. From the awesome views of a smoking Mt. Etna nearby, to the captivating sights of the beautiful Ionian coastline, Taormina is a favorite tourist destination for visitors and locals alike. As if it wasn’t popular enough, Taormina’s attraction skyrocketed as a result of the “The White Lotus” effect – the town was the location for the popular HBO show’s second season.
Popular attractions in town include the Ancient Greek Theater (now retrofitted for live performances); Villa Comunale, a beautiful garden park with wonderful views of the sea and Mt. Etna; and Corso Umberto, the perfect place to take a passeggiata, the evening stroll, among the many cafes and shops.
Europe’s most active volcano
Two-day trips to enjoy while in Taormina are an excursion up Mt. Etna and a wine-tasting tour of Mt. Etna wineries. We were fascinated by the Mars-like landscape of Mt. Etna on the Funivia Dell’Etna Tour 3000 m. A cable car transported us over extinct craters to 8,200 ft., where we boarded special 4x4 buses that took us to 9,800 ft. A vulcanological guide then led us among craters and recent lava flows to a spot close to the summit with awe-inspiring views of smoldering craters.
Just a short drive from Taormina, Mt. Etna’s north side is home to some of Italy’s finest vineyards. The volcanic soil and varied microclimate, together with the utilization of the ancient winemaking tradition of terracing, make for outstanding wines. The Etna region boasts over 150 wineries and 160 vineyard districts. The region is especially known for its Etna Rosso and Etna Bianco wines.
With so many choices of wineries to visit, we narrowed our selection to two. We enjoyed an excellent tasting experience at the antique winery of Generazione Alessandro – the project of the fourth generation of a family of winemakers. The second winery was Emilio Sciacca, which is housed in an ancient millstone restored in 2015. Both wineries are located in Linguaglossa and offer a variety of tasting and tour experiences.
A Beach Retreat
Our final Sicilian destination was Cefalu, a popular beach destination with wonderful charm. About an hour east of Palermo, Cefalu has wide sandy beaches; a historic center with a grid of narrow, pedestrian-only streets replete with interesting shops, cafes, and restaurants; and a collection of the requisite piazzas and churches. We took a day to kick back and relax on the gorgeous beach – swimming, walking, and people watching. Probably our favorite dining experience was here on the beach promenade at Ristorante al Gabbiano, as we took in a stunning sunset over the Tyrrhenian Sea. We were not surprised when we learned that the beach scenes from “The White Lotus” were filmed here.
Dining – from street food to white tablecloths
Whether it is lite snacks of Sicilian street food like arancina (rice balls with an endless variety of fillings) or wonderful pasta or seafood dinners like Pasta Alla Norma (eggplant), Insalata de Polpo (octopus), and Pasta con le Sarde (sardines), Sicily is a foodie paradise. Pizza lovers are in for a treat, as nearly every restaurant has a seeming endless list of pies. The pizza was some of the best we have ever had. The perfect accompaniment for the evening passeggiata is some of Italy’s finest gelato. And, of course, don’t forget they make the world’s best cannoli.
Consider making your next trip to Italy a Sicilian adventure. With the help of Perillo Custom Vacations, you may find yourself saying, “I didn’t just go to Italy; I went to Sicily.”
For more information on Perillo Custom Vacations visit italyvacations.com
