Hot on the heels of our trip to Vietnam, we’re off again, taking a few days away in Sicily, it’s pre-half-term too to avoid the rush!
Wednesday – Another overnight stay at Gatwick, this time at The Bloc, which is inside the south terminal! Checked in really late due to Mrs Y being at the theatre, but still managed to get a good few hours sleep and best of all, avoid that crazy early morning drive around the M25.
Thursday – We had already checked in on-line, so it was straight in to security and up to the BA lounge to grab some breakfast. Lounge access is such a perk, courtesy of flying for years and years with my job and I’ll really miss it when one day I’ll lose it.
Small delay in our early departure to Catania due to some on ground departure congestion, but the pilot picked up a little time on the way, arriving on time. We soon cleared immigration, trekked around to AVIS car park to pick up our rental car, this time the automated pickup worked a treat and with WAZE in control of navigation, we were soon on the road to Avola.
Having had breakfast early, we were soon on the lookout for a spot of lunch and with a heavy heart we pulled into a service area. Surprise, surprise, the food was great, fresh and reasonably priced – a cheese calzone, caprese ciabatta, freshly squeezed orange juice and a coffee for €11.
We knew that we would be too early for check in but one of the owners, Salvo, contacted to ask what time we expected to arrive and was more than happy for us to arrive an hour earlier than official check-in time. Keen to get a feel for what was around us, we drove further along the coast and took a walk along the promenade watching local swimmers and enjoying the early afternoon sun.
Our home for the next three nights was the delightful family-run B&B La Terrazza sul Mare in Avola. We opted for a slightly more expensive room, or ‘camera superior’ that gave us a sea view, which was well worth the extra money in our opinion. Checking in was lovely, mama spoke little English, we spoke no Italian, but she managed to inform us that the nearby town of Noto was holding its annual Infiorata, the flower festival, where one street, the Via Nicolaci, is totally carpeted in flowers, this year celebrating the centenary of Giacomo Puccini. Our weekend seemed to be planning itself and was becoming more exciting.
The room was shrouded in darkness, as the shutters were all closed, but opening them was wonderful – revealing a direct view over the garden and sea. Perhaps the most spectacular view was from the the bathroom window with an unrestricted view over the seafront and, with nobody overlooking the property, it was possible to shower whilst looking at the view. Dropping off our case, we went out in search of dinner. Circling the town centre and nervous of the parking restrictions, we opted to park where we had earlier in the day. We were a significant distance from the waterfront restaurants but it was a warm evening so we sauntered towards the seafront. After inspecting each of the restaurant menus we ended up getting a table at Giufa Bistro, sitting overlooking the sea. We decided to try local Sicilain specialities, starting with caponata topped with mozzarella and following with pasta, all accompanied by a glass of local wine. Friendly attentive service and great tasting food was a nice introduction to Sicily.
Friday
Leaving shutters and windows open all night, meant we were lulled into a restful sleep by the sound of the ocean. We took our buffet breakfast tray and sat at a table on the lawn where we enjoyed the sun and the sea view.
Before arriving, a friend had recommended the town of Noto but we had not heard of it. So today we were exploring and of course, where else should we go? Yes, Noto, just 15 minutes away, to see the Infiorata. Previous experience of driving in Puglia (and incurring a fine for entering ZTL whilst looking for a parking space) we were nervous of finding parking. On arriving, the suggested parking – thanks to Waze – turned out to be both on street parking and adjacent to a huge market! Avoiding going any further into the centre of town we drove round the block and luckily straight into a carpark! Coming out of the car park we decided to walk up the hill in the hope that we would find the centre of town, little did we know that just minutes from us was the top of the road, that was to be decorated with flowers. We had been told that the street would be completed during the day but there wasn’t a single flower laid – Mr Y was sure that it wouldn’t be completed in time for the celebration. The road was closed off and outlines of the flower carpet were painted onto the cobbles, as people arrived with the tools to complete the task.
Slowly, we wandered down the road and along in front of the cathedral, watching the town prepare for their big weekend.
Opposite the cathedral was the tourist information office, popping in to get more information on the Infiorata we noticed a poster for a celebration of Puccini in the Opera House. Keen to actually see a performance in the theatre, we bought 2 tickets (€10 each) along with Infiorata tickets (€3.50 each). We took advantage of the town being quiet and wandered along the main street looking for refreshment. Passing through, we stopped in a tiny cafe/bar (Giocolandia Bar) offering granita and brioche for a fraction of the price of the places closer to the centre, choosing a lemon granita and an almond granita that certainly hit the spot.
Knowing that we would be returning the next day, we decided to make our way back to Avola and enjoy the rest of our day relaxing. Being more familiar with the parking by the beach, we were able to park very close by this time and wander to a nearby bar (Molo). Service was appalling and we watched people arrive in the bar opposite, give their order and receive their drinks before we had even been given a menu! Partaking in our favourite pastime whilst in Italy, we ordered Aperaol Spritz and enjoyed the view, listening to the lunchtime chatter from the full restaurant next door.
This break was about taking time for relaxation, so we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the view and some reading. We feel that the benefits of a siesta are seriously underrated!
Early evening, we decided to head back to the waterfront again to eat. On arrival, we noticed a group of surfers riding the waves in the bay so we made our way to the promontory to watch them. Despite deciding to try a different restaurant, we looked at the menus and returned to the Giufa Bistro again as it had the best choice and we knew the food was excellent. Trying the seafood and ordering Corleone wine, we once again sat watching the sea lap onto the beach enjoying the gentle pace of life.
Saturday
So today, a gentle day visiting Ortigia was planned but all that changed as soon as we learned about the Infiorata in Noto. Getting up a little earlier than originally planned, we again sat in the garden for breakfast but today, though very warm, saw the sun obliterated by a haze of Saharan dust! On investigation, it seems that a third of the days in Sicily are affected by this phenomenon.
Taking the slightly longr, local route to Ortigia rather than the autostrada, we slowly made our way to the small island. Again, avoiding the possibility of a fine, we parked in a multi-storey carpark on the very edge of town and walked along the waterfront towards the Piazza Duomo. Spotting a table directly opposite the cathedral, we ordered granita and cannoli as we people watched and planned our visit. The Cathedral of Syracuse was a very imposing building and certainly hid the gem inside, we paid our €2 each and opened the door. We were not prepared for the interior! The building has existed on this site for 2500 years and right in front of the main entrance was evidence of its first incarnation as a Greek temple – columns in the wall lining the walkway were the original portico wall of the temple. The building then became a Roman temple, then a church, then a mosque and now a cathedral making it the oldest building in the world where almost continuous worship of one sort or another has taken place. Surprisingly, for a country that wears its religion decorated ostentatiously in gold and jewels, this was a very understated building; taking its glory from its history and not its wealth. We were overawed with it’s simplicity.
Leaving the cathedral we chose to explore the winding alleys towards the furthest point of the island. Despite is popularity, we were the only people in some of the streets. Following the watersedge, we made our way towards the Castello Maniace and the giant statue of Icarus. Again, we allowed ourselves to get lost among the tiny streets stopping in Piazza Archimedes and the Fontana di Diana before winding our way to the Temple of Apollo and back to the car. We so often plan to fill every minute of our visits but not this time, we had no agenda and loved it.
We had to be back in Noto for the opera at 5:00 so we stopped off at the hotel for a battery recharge before hunger drove us back on the road. Knowing that Noto would be full, we found a parking spot a kilometre away from the centre but were saved the walk, in intense heat, as the parking lot provided taxi sharing for €1 each, dropping us opposite the main market. Our first stop was food, although we might have been swayed towards the Infiorata if the queue had been less! Our only requirement for food was there had to be Aperol Spritz and tables outside; within minutes we were seated. Il Libertyno was perfect, Aperol Spritz arrived followed by a fish burger made with the best breaded sardines ever.
By the time we had eaten, it was nearly time to make our way to the Opera House so we meandered around the busy streets enjoying the entertainment provided. Following the lead of the locals, we found a seat in the Piazza XVI Maggio and people-watched while we waited for the doors to open – 10 minutes before the show started! The Opera House was tiny, seating only 300 people, and we had a box directly opposite the stage. Opening the door to the box was like stepping into another world and for a brief moment it was all ours, however, a Canadian couple soon joined us complaining that their seats had been taken in the box next door. They didn’t like the view, although it was hard to see how it could be improved without actually being on the stage! The show was like a Puccini greatest hits, culminating in Nessum Dorma. Definitely an experience we will not forget in a hurry.
Exiting the theatre, we hoped that the enormous queue to view the flower carpet had shrunk. It was still long but not quite as long as it had been earlier, so we joined the end. The queue moved constantly and, like everything about the Inforiata, it was run with efficiency and a smile. At the front of the queue we stepped through the curtain to be met by a spectacular carpet of flowers stretching to the top of the street. The line snaked slowly upwards as people frantically snapped photos. At this point, Mr Y had to concede that the artists had completed the task in the short time frame despite his previous doubts. The most wonderful thing about the day, was the joy amongst the visitors who queued with good humour and pride whilst enjoying listening to the constant background sound of Puccini.
We were sad to leave the carnival atmosphere of Noto but slowly walked back down the hill to our car. Not wanting the day to end, we drove straight to the the local park in Avola to Osciale Street Food for a glass of local wine. Despite being a kiosk in the park, it was standing room only as it was obviously a meeting place for all of the locals. What better way to end a perfect day.
Sunday
Sadly, our final day in Sicily but we had deliberately booked a very late flight home in the hope we could visit Mt Etna. Sitting in the garden eating breakfast, we hoped that the cloud of dust would lift early to enable us to stick to our original plans; there was no point in paying to visit something that we wouldn’t be able to see! Check-out was 10:00, earlier than we were used to, but after a lovely chat with our hosts we were on the road by 10:30. Again, making the decision to take the local roads rather than the autostrada, we headed north towards Catania. The road was definitely challenging, climbing high into the mountains and then winding its way back down to the coast, but the small towns and villages along the way were beautiful. Getting closer to Catania, we realised that visibility was so poor that Etna had completed disappeared under a veil of low cloud making our trip rather pointless. As the weekend progressed we realised that a back up plan was needed for just this situation, so a quick reroute to Taormina was needed. Taormina was billed as a must visit but the sight of a cruise ship moored in the bay filled us with dread. Looking again for parking that would avoid walking up the hill, we headed for Porta Catania which was built into the cliffside and accessed up a vertiginous road filled with hairpin bends. We expected plenty of space, as it held 650 cars, but soon discovered that we were looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack, finally waiting for somebody to leave so we could nip in. Fortunately, the car park had a lift that took us straight to the centre of Taormina. The view was spectacular, looking across the bay and, in that moment, not too crowded.
Realising the weather was looking a little overcast, we ducked into a cafe on the piazza and bagged a table outside – little did we realise that being under the awning would be the best decision we made all day! We ordered coffee, cannoli and lemon beer, then set about planning our day. The square was full of tourists and as the sky grew blacker, more ventured into the bars and cafes in anticipation of rain. An almighty clap of thunder sent people scurrying in all directions and within minutes the piazza was deserted. As tourists, we feel blessed that we are able to experience different cultures but our real bugbear is the hordes of tourists following mascots on sticks, umbrellas, flags etc especially cruise ship passengers who seem to have half a day to see everything – blocking views, talking very loudly and often complaining about food. Taormina was packed with just such people and, despite the town being very beautiful, we did not feel it represented Sicily at all.
The thunderstorm abated and the rain eased up, so we carefully picked our way across the slippy marble piazza to explore the warren of streets. These too were very much for the tourist market and, because of the number of well heeled visitors/celebrities who visit, there was also a fair few expensive designer shops. We chose to wander away from the main pedestrianised area in the hope of it being quieter. We enjoyed ambling around the town, stumbling across roman ruins and hidden gardens but we also realised that we had to make sure that time didn’t run away with us.
Looking for somewhere to eat, we made our way back to Corso Umberto to look at menus. Finally, we settled on a restaurant that had plenty of shelter as the weather was still unpredictable. From the minute we entered, the service was lacklustre. For the entire trip, Mrs Y had been looking to try Fritto Misto and thought that this was the opportunity; on ordering, the server said that it would be without anchovies as they didn’t have any and she was fine with that. When the order arrived it was only calamari, with no other seafood!! To say it was disappointing, is an understatement especially as the previous day it was on sale in Noto for a fraction of the price and looked amazing. The whole experience was totally underwhelming, made worse by how great the food had been throughout the rest of our trip. Our trip to Taormina was over, so we made our way back to the car with a quick pitstop in a small cafe for Sicilian cassata and ice cream. We made our way along the autostrada, this time watching the clouds slowly lift. Etna was a presence on our shoulder but still shrouded in cloud as we moved towards Catania – finally, the cloud lifted as we approached the airport giving us the only clear view we had had all trip.
We returned the car, deciding that we didn’t want our last memory of Sicily to be the terrible meal in Taormina. Making our way through the terminal we grabbed a table in the arrivals area, ordering Aperol Spritz and arancini to toast the end of another adventure.
This was the best airport food we have eaten with the bonus of being delivered to our table – Sicily knows how to do airport snacks and the previous meal was now just a memory.
mrandmrsyoung 