Hotels in Taormina

On the last day of our final road-trip through Sicily, we drove a few kilometers up the coast from Catania to Taormina, the island’s most popular beach resort. Word of its charm had reached our ears from just about everyone we’d come in contact with — friends, strangers in bars, neighbors, Twitter acquaintances. Even my grandmother called to say that we absolutely couldn’t miss Taormina. She’s never even been to Sicily and she’s been dead for ten years! Phone calls from beyond the grave are pretty persuasive: we had to go.

Taormina has a history which stretches back to pre-Greek times, but truly came of age during the Roman occupation. Almost immediately after entering the town, we encountered a Roman Odeon: a small theater dating from 21 AD. It’s partially covered by the church of Santa Caterina, while across the street is the magnificent Palazzo Corvaja, home to the tourist office. In the first 30 seconds of exploring, we were provided with a good idea of what to expect from Taormina. History piled on top of history, on top of history.

The street leading away from the Palazzo Corvaja was named “Via Teatro Greco”, which I supposed might lead to an Arabic Bathhouse. Nope — it was a Teatro Greco. A marvelously preserved theater in the most spectacular setting imaginable, with a view over the bay and Mount Etna rising grandly in the background. This is one of Sicily’s most celebrated sights, and for good reason. Though it was probably built by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, the Romans almost completely reworked it. Since then, it’s been left untouched. Entrance to the theater was a bit steep at €8 per head, especially considering that they didn’t provide any information, but still well worth it.

We now turned into the lovely Parco Duca di Cesarò, a public garden which was commissioned by the Lady Florence Trevelyan during her self-imposed exile from England (she had indulged in an ill-advised affair with the future King Edward VII). The garden has a wooden pavilion, views over the bay, and memorials to Sicily’s fallen war heroes.

Rejoining the city on its main street, Corso Umberto I, we came in touch with Taormina’s modern edge. This is a fabulously wealthy resort town, with the mission of catering to fabulously wealthy people. Shop after shop of designer apparel, jewelry and yachting gear. I saw a nice sweater in a storefront window, with a big 50% OFF! sign next to it. Now reduced to €280. Oooh, daddy likes a bargain! Prices in the bars at Taormina’s main plaza, the Piazza IX Aprile, were likewise ludicrous. Though the views in this lovely plaza almost convinced us to sit down, €10 for a beer is really too much.

We could easily have spent a weekend in Taormina; it must be especially nice in the spring, when there are more people and swimming is possible. A privileged, beautiful town with one of the island’s most privileged, beautiful locations. Grandma was right, Toarmina is a must-see.

Location on our Sicily Map

Hotels in Caltagirone

About forty-five minutes southeast of Villa Romana del Casale is Caltagirone — one of the island’s oldest cities, renowned for its ceramics and pottery. It was the second stop on our final road trip through Sicily.

Still a healthy city of about 40,000 people, Caltagirone has been home to human activity since prehistoric days. The name comes from the Arabic “qal’at-al-ghiran”, or “Hill of Vases”, which serves as an indication of how tightly connected to pottery the town has always been. Caltagirone was completely destroyed in the 1693 earthquake that leveled much of eatern Sicily. But like Noto, it was rebuilt in grand style, with a heavy emphasis on Baroque architecture.

The most famous sight in Caltagirone is La Scala: a long, wide staircase of 142 steps found smack in the middle of town. Each step is decorated with a different set of ceramic tiles, from pastoral scenes to complicated patterns. We hiked up to the top of the stairs for an incredible view over the town and the plains below.

Built atop three hills, Caltagirone is one of the more picturesque cities we’ve seen in Sicily. Just the entrance, over the ancient, ceramic-decorated Bridge of San Francisco, was breathtaking. A number of gorgeous churches and palaces adorn the historic center, among which the Church of the Gesù and the Palazzo Senatorio are highlights.

Though we only had a few hours in town, it was enough time to appreciate Caltagirone’s sense of living history. And a few hours of hiking up and down the inclines and stairs of this hilly town were more than enough of a workout for me. But it’s a beautiful place, and definitely worth a stop-over if you’re in the region.

Location on our Sicily Map
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Book A Hotel In Corleone

I’ll own up to some ignorance. Before we moved to Sicily for 91 days, I didn’t know that there was actually a town called Corleone. I had assumed that the name was invented by Mario Puzo, who wrote The Godfather. So I felt a thrill upon discovering that the town actually does exist, just an hour from Palermo, and that it indeed has a past strongly identified with the Mafia. It was just a matter of time before we visited. My name is Michael, after all.

During the few short hours we spent in Corleone, I fell in love with a raven-haired Sicilian beauty, and had enough time to marry her. We enjoyed a dreamlike spell of wedded bless, before she was torn apart by a car bomb. Sad. But tragedy can not stain my life forever. We must move on.

Corleone was the last stop of a long day trip that had earlier taken us to Segesta and the Cretto di Burri. The drive from the Cretto looked short on the map, but the country roads were in hilariously bad condition, and the 50-kilometer drive took us over two hours. We pulled into Corleone much later than expected and, with winter daylight hours in short supply, didn’t have nearly enough time to explore this gorgeous town.

Home to a population of 12,000, Corleone’s streets wind up and around a steep hill. After parking, we walked down toward the center of town, where we saw the 14th century Chiesa Madre and the stately Santuario della Madonna del Rosario. More impressive than any man-made buildings, though, were the twin outcrops of La Sottana and La Soprana, which greet visitors upon entering Corleone. Recognize that second name? This tiny Italian town has provided appellations for both of the greatest fictional Mafia families.

Corleone is difficult to reach, and perhaps that’s why it’s always been so tightly associated with the Mafia. Some of the most powerful crime bosses in Sicilian history were born here. Bernardo Provenzano, for one, went by the nickname of “The Tractor”, for his charming propensity to mow people down. In 1963, Provenzano was charged with murder and went into hiding, which he was very good at. For 43 years, he eluded the authorities, but continued acting as the Godfather of the Corleonesi family, directly responsible for countless crimes. He was finally captured in 2006, by police who tracked a bag of fresh laundry sent to the farmhouse in which he was hiding.

We would have loved to spend more time in Corleone. After snapping a couple pictures of the sun setting spectacularly behind the mountains, we hopped back in the car. But before he started the engine, I grabbed Jürgen’s cheeks with my hands and planted a big kiss on him. “I know it was you, Jürgen! You broke my heart. You broke my heart”. When we got back home, I had an associate shoot him in the head. It’s good to be the Godfather.

Location on our Sicily Map
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Backup Your Computer Now!

If you’re an adult human living in the 21st century, you have at some point in your life suffered a catastrophic computer crash. You’ve been faced with the choice of whether to try and recover your system, or just start fresh with a clean install. And you’ve probably learned that, almost always, the best option is to start clean and reinstall from scratch. Restorations rarely work and, even if you’re able to cobble your computer back to a semi-functional state, there are usually problems. No, it’s best to bite the bullet, lose some work, and start over. For metaphorical proof from history, just look at the Sicilian city of Noto.

In 1693, Noto was flattened along with much of the island’s eastern coast, by a devastating earthquake. The most powerful seismic event in Italian history cost Sicily over 5% of its entire population, and Noto was among the hardest hit. The city fathers looked at the damage, Blue Screen of Death, and decided to go for a fresh re-install. A totally new operating system. The new Noto would be built from scratch, on an empty hill miles away from the rubble of old Noto.

When starting over from scratch, you have the giddy opportunity to do it up right. And Noto took full advantage of its fresh canvas. Famous architects and city planners were brought in, and every aspect of the new town was designed in an artistic coordination that strove for a sense of harmony. Everything from palaces to churches to civic buildings were constructed from the same materials, with the same colors. The roads were laid out intelligently, making the best use of the new town’s topography. And everything was decorated and finished in the extravagant style of the Baroque, then at the height of its popularity in Italy.

The re-install was a success. Centuries later, Noto still counts among the most beautiful cities in Italy. We walked through the Porto Reale, which serves as a grand entrance to the town center, at exactly noon on December 8th. Through dumb luck, we had chosen to visit on a holiday, the Immacolata, and all of Noto had turned out in their finest clothing on the steps of the Church of San Francesco to watch a Christmas wreath be placed around a statue.

For the next couple hours, we wandered through Noto. The cathedral with its wide steps leading up the hill. The Church of San Carlo where we gained the view from the bell tower. The Palazzo Villadorata with strange creatures like griffins, dolphins and lions supporting balconies. All the buildings the same dusty golden color which glowed beautifully under the sunlight. We claimed the last table the popular Osteria Cármine, where half the town and their fifty-thousand kids had decided to eat, and enjoyed a raucous meal of pasta and cannoli.

In short, we had a perfect day in Noto, and we would have loved to stay the night. We didn’t get to see the ruins of Ancient Noto, which can still be visited. And it would have been nice to spend the evening hours for the sunset, to see how the town’s golden hue changes underneath the waning light. Sigh. But regardless of how much time you can spend there, the town of Noto, a tribute to the preservation of humanity and its artistic spirit, is worth a trip.

Location on our Sicily Map
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Palermo is bounded to the north by Monte Pellegrino, a rock jutting into the Mediterranean, which Göthe described as “the most beautiful promontory in the world”. Near the mountain’s summit is the Santuario di Santa Rosalia, one of Palermo’s many patron saints. The mountain park and the sanctuary can be easily visited in a few hours, and make a great escape from the noise and traffic of the city.

We were let off the bus at the entrance to the grotto sanctuary of Sta. Rosalia. She was a 12th century noblewoman who eschewed the luxuries of privileged life in order to become a hermit. After finding a suitable cave dwelling, she lived alone dedicated to worshiping the glory of God, and died unknown. Her name wouldn’t become legend until 1624, 450 years after her death, when the plague threatened to wipe out Palermo. She appeared in spirit form to a few villagers, revealed the location of her bones, and suggested that these be paraded about town. Orders were followed, Sta. Rosalia was venerated, and Palermo was spared. She’s been worshiped devoutly ever since.

It’s funny that a woman who had retreated from society, later demanded to be feted about Palermo before she would deign to rescue the townspeople. “More confetti! Yes, worship my bones! Dance for your salvation, peasants, dance for your new saint!”

Her grotto is lovely, and a site of intense religious devotion. During our visit, there were at least two candle-lighting adherents for every camera-clicking tourist. Carved into the cave with her image bathed in blue light at the back, the grotto marries natural beauty to faith. An odd collection of sliver plates adorns one wall, each decorated with a different body part; torsos, ears, legs, hearts, lungs, noses, etc. They’re used to ask the saint for help with specific bodily ailments.

After emerging from the grotto, we set off to explore the rest of the mountain. Climbing up a path called the Sentiero al Semaforo, which was just to the left of the Sanctuary but strangely difficult to find, we emerged at Pellegrino’s summit and enjoyed a marvelous view of the city below us. From this height (606 meters), Palermo looks deceptively tranquil.

We walked slowly down the mountain through a quiet forest area, and arrived at a car park where people were eating lunch and admiring the sea. A large statue of Santa Rosalia was here, arms outstretched as though to protect mariners.

It was a great day outdoors, which only required a few hours of our time. Bus #810 leaves semi-frequently from Piazza Politeama (check the AMAT website for exact times) and will bring you up to the statue in about 30 minutes. Both the sanctuary and the view over Palermo are definitely worth the effort.

Location of the Santuario di Santa Rosalia on our Palermo Map
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Sicily Guides

A thirty-minute bus ride from Palermo’s Plaza Politeama brought us to the seaside town of Mondello. Settled between two rocky hills which jut into the sea, and with a beach that has the bluest water this side of the Caribbean, Mondello makes an excellent day trip from the city.

Trapped between Monte Pelligrino and Monte Gallo, Mondello was a fishing village for most of its existence, until its white beach and turquoise water was discovered by the leisure classes of Palermo. Nowadays, it’s almost purely a resort town, and highly congested during summer. When we visited on the last day of September, though, there weren’t too many other people and the water was still warm enough for swimming.

There’s nothing quite like diving into crystal blue water, only to be greeted by a pristine mountainous landscape when you emerge. I did this over and over again, diving into the water, then emerging, and whipping my hair about like a modern-day Ursula Andress, while admiring the scenery. On my fifth round, Jürgen was kind enough to point out that, since I don’t have luxurious golden hair, the attempts at whipping it about were making me look a little retarded.

Mondello itself isn’t a compelling town, too modern and small. Because the area was susceptible to malaria outbreaks, development had to wait for 19th-century sanitation improvements. But although Mondello lacks the sense of history evident in other Sicilian towns, there are some gorgeous private residences and resorts. The architectural highlight is indisputably the Art Noveau balneario, built in 1912, which is set in the bay and only accessible from a pier.

We prodded some friends for a restaurant recommendation in Mondello, and there was a disconcerting unanimity from them: “Go to El Calogero”. Packed onto the seaside promenade with every other restaurant in town, El Calogero sticks out for its incredible seafood, long history and great atmosphere. Locals, and those in the know, eschew a table and gobble fresh octopus while standing at the window.

Mondello is on Palermo’s urban bus system, so getting there costs just €1,30 and couldn’t be easier. Look for bus #806 which runs every half hour, and more frequently during summer.

Location on our Sicily Map
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Great Car Rental Prices in Italy

Rather than have our ten-year-old French Bulldog, Chucky, endure another plane flight alone in the cargo hold, we decided to drive from Rome to Palermo in a rental. It was a long haul, but allowed us to see the verdant mountains of Calabria and the northern coast of Sicily, and also provided a first lesson in coping with Italian drivers.

We got a late start out of Rome, so stayed the night in a village called Lagonegro. So far, Spanish and English have gotten us through our stays in Latin America, Spain and the USA, but we don’t speak Italian. At the hotel restaurant, we realized how complicated that might make the next few months. Ordering dinner was an exciting game of a chance for us, and a test of patience for the waiter.

The next morning, we got on the road early, taking the A3 highway straight through the province of Calabria to Villa San Giovani, where a ferry would take us across the Strait of Messina to Sicily. Occupying the southern extreme of the Italian peninsula, Calabria is a beautiful region, lushly green, and the green waters of the Mediterranean were often visible from the highway. We cut through a number of mountains — it seemed as though a third of the journey was through tunnels.

After about twelve hours on the the country’s roads, we’re confident in saying that Italian drivers must be among the world’s most aggressive. They’re not bad drivers, but ridiculously rude. Tailgaiting within inches, honking all the time, passing at ridiculous speeds. We had one guy behind us, flashing his lights and honking, and even making that famous Italian hand gesture which so succinctly expresses aggravation. We moved over at the first chance and he passed us slowly, settling into his preferred speed, which was exactly 1mph faster than we were going. Oh, so sorry, signor!

The ferry from the mainland to Messina took about a half hour. A slow approach from the sea was the perfect way to first encounter Sicily. Jutting out spectacularly into the Mediterranean, Messina looked more like an Arabian city than an Italian one. On docking, we immediately continued on the road to Palermo — due to construction, our journey through Calabria had taken a lot longer than expected. But though we were in a hurry, we couldn’t help lingering in a few spots along the road. If its northern coast is at all representative of the rest of the island, Sicily will be gorgeous. Castles, seaside villages, impressive mountains and a refreshing absence of human congestion.

Yeah, I think we’ll be happy here for a few months!

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