Backpacks and Flipflops: Sizzilin' in Sicily...6 days on the road....Under the Volcano...and then some....

Sicily

…On the sixth day,

God accomplished His work

And, pleased with all the beauty

He had created,

He took the Earth in His hands,

And kissed it.

There, where He put His lips,

That’s Sicily.

― Renzino Barbera, Artist, Actor, Poet

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Prologue

Really...this quote says it best about Sicily's history......

"Sicily is a blessed land. First, because of its geographic position in the Mediterranean. Second, for its history and all the different peoples who have settled there: Arabs, Greeks, Normans, the Swedes. That has made us different from others. We exaggerate, we overdo. We love Greek tragedy. We cry, we fight, sometimes for nothing." ―Marcello Giordani, Singer

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6 Days from Catania to Palermo

Flying into Catania, Sicily from Malta, we have some rough plans. It mainly centers on getting to Palermo in 6 days to catch the weekly ferry to Sardinia.

Limited to what we can see on the largest island in the Mediterranean, we can only nibble at a small portion of Sicily's beauty and delights.

Catania

We spend one night in Catania, at a grand set of apartments, run by Santo. The BellAqua BnB is located in the historico district.

After an evening of roaming the streets and the main square...

eating and drinking a variety of Sicilian specialities, including horse...Neighhhh!, you say?

It's true...tis a horse of course... Happy Birthday to me... indeed a memorable meal!

We pack up and head out the next morning to catch a bus north.

But, not before checking out the daily market.

A feast for the eyes, nose and ears await...

Crowds push through the market.

It is a rainbow of sounds, sights and smells...especially at the fish market... Some massive fish (not sure what they were), and then the smaller sardines, squid and cuttlefish floating in their own ink...

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Taormina

Under Mt. Etna's shadow, high on the mountain side, overlooking the blue Ionian Sea sits Taormina.

Access is via a steep, hairpin cornered highway or cable car from the seaside; Taormina is a shining jewel.

The town is a magnet for visitors from all over.

Cruise ship passengers pulsate through the narrow walkways like waves onto a shoreline. Groups on tours, weddings, business meetings or families on holidays all take enjoyment wandering the passageways.

We stay in the BnB Le 4 Fontane at the uphill end of Corso Umberto #231 where our host Angelo delivers a typical 'sweet' Sicilian breakfast (caffe and creme filled croissant) each morning while looking at this view...

We climb quiet side alleys, avoid the crowds, eat over priced sweets and coffee with views that are easily worth more Euro$$$ than we really need to spend. Oh well, when in Europe....

Although still early season in the tourist onslaught, the town is surprisingly busy.

Even the beach below is starting to crowd up. Pebbly beach space is hard to find and the alternative of paying Euro15/each for a beach lounger and umbrella is a bit pricey.

After a brief stint on the beach we opt for some drinks and a meal...

We take in an Opera (Italian-style)...on the terrace, at intermission, drinking champagne, mingling, under a stewin' Mt Etna...it was bellimissio!

As they say..."Suspended between sea and sky"....aptly describes the location of the Greek theatre built in 3rd century BC. The location above Taormina, with view of Mt Etna and a sweeping vista of the Ionian Sea provides a perfect setting for current productions.

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Capo d'Orlando

We hop a bus from Taormina north to Messina, then grab a comfortable train west along Sicily's north coast to Capo d'Orlando.

A quiet beach town with kms long expanse of sand, where fisherman still look for their catch of the day...Capo is a perfect overnight stop.

Here the sun sets into the Tyrrhenian Sea and we share a plate of calamari with a cold beer.

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Cefalù

Old town Chefalù bunches up in a scramble of structures tight against high fortress cliffs at the east end of the long beach front.

Instead of massive boulders that have split away from the towering rock face and fallen in a heap at its base, the buildings in Cefalù's old town sit right on water's edge.

Slowly, irresistibly, it seems they are being pushed into the shallow, clear waters by the invisible granite forces looming over them.

Dominating the skyline are the twin spires of the cathedral...from the church steps and plaza, the town's streets and alleyways radiate outwards...like spokes on a bicycle wheel.

This is a vacation destination for everyone. With the Aeolian Islands faintly visible offshore through the morning sea mist and Sicilian sunlight, the crumbly centro is the working-class sibling to its higher-class family member of Taormina.

Everything is decidely less expensive than high up in the rarefied air that is Taormina...even the haircuts...

Cefalù is a place to spend in the warming months of spring....with a generous promenade (or lungomare) and a great beach for everyone...

With lots of eateries, rooms and new friends, ...one could easily spend several weeks enjoying all the good life this Sicilian town has to offer.

While still in reach of Mt. Etna, great road access along the coast and into the mountainous interior make exploring the region fairly easy by car, bus or train.