Palermo and Taormina are amongst the best cities of Sicily. Sicily happens to the largest Island in these parts of Europe, and it is a sure terminal for all tourists, hence Sicily is densely populated with tourists from different parts of the world.

Why have you come to Sicily or Sardinia or even any part of Italy? Is it for business or pleasure? Whatever the reason, here are some important steps to follow to actually maximize your time spent in these parts. Before traveling contact car hire Italy for the latest information on how to get a car at your arrival to enable all the process carried out in Italy or Sicily.

Since you got the ride set to move around Sicily through the car hire Sicily service, your first point of call should be Taormina. This is the treasure base of Sicily; all types of its treasures are here, both ancient and modern. On the eastern part of Sicily, you will find Mount Etna; it’s an enormous mountain, what a beautiful sight. Then you will also find Palermo is fruitful field of Sicily, in fact, it is the most fruitful land in all of Italy.

The valley of the Temples in Agrigento containing the tombs of all the great Grecian personalities is another good tourist attraction in Sicily. This site has become an archeological spot, a great point of reference for the Greeks. To be able to go from one site to another with ease, the rented car is really a much needed relieve since one would not need to hop from one bus or train to another.

One of the most alluring cities is Sardinia, located somewhere in the west, but encompassed by the sea. This city has remained to be a good tourist attraction over the years. Whether you are a tourist or just on an official assignment, a tour around this lovely city will be worth your while. There are many rocky high areas with many rivers in between, producing a vivid picture of the perfect ness of nature.

Once you get into Sardinia for the first time, you will be entrapped by its serenity and beautify. If you need a car, you can use the car hire Sardinia services. All that will be needed is a little deposit and you will have the car to yourself all through your stay in Sardinia. While you are in Sardinia, you will enjoy their good food, something that is very common to all the Italian cities. The rich cultural heritage of Sardinia is endearing. Flumendosa, Triso, and Coghinas are the main rivers flowing through all the parts of Sardinia – making it so enchanting. You can stay in any of the hotels or apartment, there are very good accommodation provided in this city. There are a lot to learn and enjoy here.

Sicily and Sardinia are cities that will attract and satisfy any visitors need for experiences and exploration. You will never be bored in either city for there is just too much for you to do.

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fter years of experience in Hotels, Tour Operator Companies and Public Offices for Tourism, with Sleep in Sicily you can get a high quality Bed and Breakfast accommodation in the province or all around Sicily. The entire package is complemented by the typical Sicilian warm welcome and helpfulness. For this purpose the team is dedicated to operate and give complete information on some outstanding cities, which represent the cultural heritage of Europe.

Palermo is the Sicilian Capital and it is sited on a wide bay at the foot of Mount Pellegrino. The Phoenicians have made of the settlement a trading post together with the early Sicilian and Greek people then occupying this territory, in fact to date Palermo is a busy port. The city was also one of the greatest cities of Europe under Arab domination. During this prosperous period it was known as ‘splendid’ (ziz), and as from this date Palermo maintained a clear historical and cultural identity; Zisa Castle holds testimony of Arabic culture in Sicily. The Arabs built the Royal Palace or Palazzo dei Normanni, but later it was abandoned, successively the Normans (which made Palermo the capital city of the Kingdom of Sicily) have made of it a sumptuous residence where Federico II established the Sicilian School of Poetry. As from 1947, the Palace has become the seat of the local Regional Parliament.

The historical centre boasts one of the most beautiful squares, that is, Piazza Marina in which there is the superb Medieval Steri Palace once seat of the Inquistion. The Palace amalgamates various inheritance of architectural designs form the past up to the date of its construction. The name derives form the term ‘Hosterium’ meaning fortified dwelling featuring explicitly its structure. The stunning historical centre hosts the famous feast of Saint Rosalie held in July; the Saint lived in Palermo in the 12th Century, whose sanctuary is found of Mount Pellegrino and is venerated with great devotion by the local people. Mount Pellegrino is rich in flora and offers the tourist an extraordinary seascape of Mondello. Other must see in Palermo are: Teatro Massimo which is one of the largest theatres in Europe and the Regional Archaeological Museum which exhibits important collections of Sicilian art, from prehistoric times to the late Roman period.

For a full immersion in the Sicilian culture and Folklore, the visitor must not miss the ‘Vucciria’ the highly picturesque city market where one can enjoy the intense aroma of the typical local produce from land and sea. The market has been described in the book ‘Midnight in Sicily’ by Peter Robb and was immortalised by the famous painter Renato Guttuso in the homonymous painting. Also not to ignore is the Puppet Museum, founded in 1975 and dedicated to the traditional Sicilian puppet theatre.

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The unique blend of unspoiled natural beauty and beaches and the finest surviving temples of Ancient Greece, makes Sicily a vacation destination like no other. For theatre enthusiasts, Ancient Greek Drama is also available in Syracuse.

The ancient Greek playwright Euripides (480 to 406 B.C) wrote works of tragedy and drama regarding mythological characters and Greek heroines. Picking out from his prolific list of works, this year in the Greek Theatre of Syracuse, The Trojan Women and Hecuba will intrigue the audience from 11th May to 25th June.

Euripide’s play analyses the fates of the royal women of Troy who are at the hands of Greek conquerors who under the pretext of saving Helen, are more deeply concerned by the rat race dominated by pride and personal ambition. In this milieu, Eurpide makes of Hecuba the central figure of the two works, the homonym tragedy Hecubas and the Trojan Women.

At the end of the Trojan War after ten years of harsh fight and traumatic losses, the victorious Greeks, led by their king, Agamemnon, and the great soldier Odysseus, have destroyed the city of Troy and are returning home with the women of Troy enslaved as their war prize, amongst which there is Hecuba, who once was queen of Troy. The play begins with Queen Hecuba devastated by the war and agonizing over the death of her husband, the king, her sons and her grandson.

However, although being a spoil of war herself, she manifests her strong character and superiority as from the beginning by shouting at the women enslaved on the shore. Moreover she hates Helen for bringing so much misery to her city and her people. Hecuba decides to share the burden of war and all throughout the play she imparts her pain but at the same time gaining strength by planning a horrific revenge. Hecubas impersonates the continuity of the disorder that war brought. The spectator witnesses the gradual decomposing humanity of this dethroned queen. The tragedy emphasises the transformation of this character form a matriarch and grieving mother to a cruel being.

Last year’s protagonist in the same Greek Theatre was Antigone (by Sophocles) who for twenty years accompanied her father; she is the personification of grace and patience. In contrast to Hecubas, she chose to be courageous after the great disaster of her youth without being menacing. In Antigone it was God’s justice to be proved powerful in the constant battle between human and divine law. In Hecubas, attack, war, honour and revenge play a key role in Euripide’s work. Moreover, the audience will realize that history repeats itself and that people are incapable to prevent more of the same from happening as if humans have an innate inclination towards war and battle, thus instead of learning a lesson, like Hecubas, human beings tend to do worse and perpetuate devastation and causing more pain hence getting trapped in vicious circle.

It is interesting to highlight that in the Port of Syracuse the Athenian fleet has been destroyed in the last action of the Peloponnesian War. Prisoners were taken in the latomie (stone quarries) placed nearby the Greek Theatre where many died of hunger and hardships. However, Plutarco says that many survived because they could recite pieces form Euripide’s works. Knowing if this really happened is secondary to the fact that poetry can save our life.

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Syracuse is situated on the eastern coast of Sicily and is one of Sicily’s main attractions due to its archaeological zone and historical testimony and also being a centre of industry and commerce hence reflecting the glorious past of power and prosperity. The oldest part of the Syracuse is on the Island of Ortigia, crossing the bridges linking the Island of Ortigia to the rest of the city, the visitor walks away from the historical centre towards the modern and vibrant part of the city. Syracuse boasts a stock of monuments having been the most important Greek metropolis as from the date of its foundation, 734 B.C. A must see are: the Greek Theatre built in the 5th century where to date during the months of May and June Ancient Greek Drama is held; the Ear of Dionysus, an artificial limestone cave which because of its shape has extremely good acoustics and finally, the third largest in Italy, Roman Amphitheatre, built in the 3rd Century BC for gladiators. Moreover the visitor can visit the monuments and enjoy the festivities linked to Santa Lucia, the patron saint of the city, who was martyred at Syracuse during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian. For the traveller interested in military constructions, there is the Maniace Castle built in the first half of the 13th Century, named after the Byzantine general who in 1038 defended Ortigia from the Arabs; in the Piazza D’Armi exhibitions and cultural events are held.

No visit to Syracuse is complete without enjoying the comfortable tourist resort areas of Arenella and Fontane Bianche flanking the typical sandy beaches of the Ionian coast. Moreover, The broad waterfront of the Island of Ortigia, is an ideal place from which to appreciate the unique panoramic view of Porto Grande that witnessed great battles and from where a boat trip can be taken to the lovely small sandy beach of Punta del Pero.

The Bed and Breakfast Headquarters together with our affiliates and formula economy studio flats are centrally located in the historical centre. Other charming Bed and Breakfast Hotels are situated by Ortigia’s promenade form where one can enjoy the breathtaking sea view. It is important to add that parking is not a problem and that in less than an hour from Syracuse, the tourist can take trips to other nearby centres. It is a pity that most visitors are convinced to make day trips to Syracuse, hence being deprived of the high spirit and profound soul of Syracuse, which reflect the genius of the inventor Archimedes and past civilisations. So let’s not leave Syracuse only on the UNESCO world heritage list, but annotate it on your next tour to Sicily; just try it to believe and have a wonderful Sleep in Sicily time in this remarkable city by the sea!

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If you are in the mood for touring Europe, you should really consider the island of Sicily, a region of southern Italy. Depending on your interests, this beautiful area can be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. And many parts of Sicily haven’t yet been discovered by tourists. This short article presents eastern Sicily. A companion article presents western Sicily; another presents the capital Palermo.

Messina is Sicily’s third largest city. Founded by the Ancient Greeks it changed hands quite often over the centuries. The University of Messina started out as the world’s first Jesuit College, founded by St. Ignatius himself. In 1908 the city was virtually destroyed by an earthquake and the ensuing tsunami. Make sure to see the cathedral, the Calapaj Palace, and the Sixteenth Century lighthouse.

The walled village of Castelmola with its ancient streets and spectacular view is only a few miles from the coast. Don’t miss it. Go to the ruins of the Thirteenth Century Castello Normanno (Norman Castle). It’s more than a kilometer above sea level and you’ll have to climb the path from the parking lot below. Actually there are two paths with two different views and if you can you really should explore both, one up and one down the mountain. What’s to see when you get to the top – the city of Taormina and the Ionian Sea to the east, the Tyrrhenian Sea to the north, and Mount Etna to the west. Castelmola also boasts a Cathedral and several old churches that are worth visiting.

Taormina has been discovered by tourists. What a beautiful view, especially from the funivia (gondola). The Greek theater runs in the summer and Taormina boasts two top-of-the-line hotels.

Mount Etna is Europe’s largest and highest volcano. It is still active. Depending on the weather report climb part of it or take the train around the mountain base. The Hotel Villa Paradiso Dell’Etna started as a bohemian hangout and is now quite pricey.

Catania at the foot of Mount Etna is Sicily’s second largest city. Its volcanic soil is great for agriculture, especially for wine. Catania was buried in lava seven times; many of its buildings are constructed from lava. Visit its cathedral. Mount Etna is Europe’s largest and highest volcano. It is still active. Depending on the weather report climb part of it or take the train around the mountain base. The Hotel Villa Paradiso Dell’Etna started as a bohemian hangout and is now quite pricey.

Siracusa (Syracuse) was founded by Greek colonists. Its theater was built for 15,000 spectators. It hosts Greek tragedies every May and June. Make sure to see the Papyrus Museum, the Archeological Museum, historic churches and palaces, and the neighboring Ortygia Island, known as Citta Vecchia (Old City) with its own cathedral.

Sicilian ices are famous even if they no longer contain snow from Mount Etna. See our companion article I Love Touring Italy – Eastern Sicily for a sample menu and more information on local wines as well as an in-depth examination of its tourist attractions. Sicily is Italy’s largest wine producer. An independent Sicily would be the world’s seventh largest wine producer.

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After our explorations of Lipari and Salina yesterday the weather was going to keep us on the island of Salina today. I woke up early at about 6 am and stuck my head out of the boat. A beautiful sunrise was in the making so I grabbed my camera and took in the pink, orange and peach coloured hues of this glorious sunrise in Santa Marina. Dark coloured clouds were hanging on the horizon. A catamaran had just pulled out of the harbour and provided an interesting anchor point for my photos.

Shortly after it started to rain and when we got up for breakfast our skipper Francesco explained that the weather forecast today may not be good enough for us to leave the island, so we have to have a briefing in the early afternoon. Two additional guests had arrived, Franco, another Italian teacher and the co-owner of Laboratorio Linguistico, and his friend Agnieszka, a young music student from Poland who was learning Italian since she was studying music in Rome. Our trusted four-cabin sailboat, the Solitaire II, now had passengers in every cabin, and there were seven of us traveling now.

Herbert, the German television travel journalist, was on an official location scouting trip for his travel show to gather intelligence for next year’s shoot which would feature the Italian learning experience on board of a sailboat, provided by Francesco’s company, Laboratorio Linguistico. Herbert needed to check out all the interesting spots, the lighting, the locations and the facilities so he would be able to make plans for the script and the camera crew that would come down from Germany next year to film the extraordinary experience of learning Italian on a sailboat while cruising through the beautiful Eolian Islands.

So in order to get to know the island better Herbert had asked Francesco to make arrangements with some local experts to take him to different spots on the island. Herbert graciously offered to take other people along on his island exploration, and Claudia and me excitedly agreed. Sure enough, Sabina Giuffré, who we had already met last night at dinner, and her local friend Giancarlo, came to pick us up in a rented vehicle to give us a tour of the island.

We were nice and comfy in the small Italian vehicle and after just a 10 minute drive, we had arrived at our first stop: the “Gola del Diablo”, a gorge cut into the black and brown volcanic rock, featuring an ancient Roman bridge. The stone formations were indeed impressive, and the layers of ancient lava flows were clearly visible.

We also stopped in the village of Lingua where we visited a local ethnographic museum that featured various exhibits, illustrating the ancient ways of life on this local island. An ancient millstone, various farming implements, even an original bedroom from a farm were exhibited in this museum. This small museum provides great insight into the traditional lifestyle on these islands. We then walked around the corner and steps away is the main square of this tiny town. Here at the Bar “Da Alfredo” we congregated and received free samples of granitas – the semi-frozen Sicilian dessert composed of sugar, water and different flavourings such as strawberry, melon, peach, orange, lime, coffee, almonds and many others.

Similar to sorbets, granitas usually have larger crystals, and the locals often eat them in combination with a brioche. The black sky overhanging the mountains was ominous, but a bright ray of sunshine lit up the façades of the houses around the square. A big husky dog was snoozing contentedly on the floor and I was wondering how this poor dog with his thick fur would be able to handle the hot Sicilian summers. The locals were very hospitable and humorous banter was flying back and forth.

From here we drove back through Salina, dropped off Giancarlo and stopped at Sabina’s house which she has turned into a bed and breakfast . Salina’s dad came to greet us and I couldn’t help but detect a resemblance to famous actor Kirk Douglas. He graciously picked some “nespole” (loquat fruits) for us from his fruit tree. These fruits, originally indigenous to Southeastern China and grown in warm climates around the world today, are similar in appearance to apricots and are similarly sweet and juicy.

We appreciated this little roadside snack, thanked Sabina’s dad and continued our journey towards the next town on this island: Malfa, a small fisherman’s town. Along the way we stopped to admire the malvasia vineyards as well as patches of capers which are big export products for the island of Salina.

Malfa features a big church dedicated to San Lorenzo and incidentally was the hometown of our shipmate Lorenzo’s grandparents and a place that he was going to spend some time in. Sabina took us down to the fishing harbour and then back up the hill to a lookout point called the “semaforo”, a surveillance tower erected in the early 20th century which was also used during the Second World War. Sabina mentioned that UNESCO offered to buy this tower, but the local town turned down the offer. Today it is abandoned and blocked off.

Sabina stopped the vehicle and we walked out onto a lookout point which provided a gorgeous view of the Mediterranean with a great view of the island of Filicudi – the “reclining pregrant woman”, so called because of its shape, featuring a head and what looks like a big belly, protruding from the sea. To our left was a deeply indented valley which Sabina explained is an ancient volcanic crater, half of which has broken off and disappeared in the sea. Today it is the location for the village of Pollara which has one main tourist attraction: the house where the movie “Il Postino” was filmed.

The house where “Il Postino” was filmed

Of course we needed to check this out so we drove down some narrow winding roads, parked the car and walked up a short stretch on a dusty road to see a rather unremarkable simple and small pink-coloured house with some vines, which is one of the most famous locations on the island. Seen from outside, there was nothing spectacular about this house, and Sabina indicated that it is available for short-term rentals.

The weather was starting to clear up and the view from the northern tip of Salina was gorgeous. The distances on this island are tiny, but due to the narrow and winding road it definitely takes a while to get around. By 1 pm we were back at our boat and had a briefing with our captain: Francesco indicated that due to the weather forecast we were not going to sail today. So we had a comfortable on board lunch and I then headed into Santa Marina to walk around and make some phone calls back to Canada. Unfortunately the Internet café was closed since it was siesta time, which often lasts from about 1 or 1:30 pm to 4 or 4:30 pm. In Sicily you definitely need to time your shopping experiences carefully to make sure the shops are open.

From 4:30 to 6:30 pm Claudia, Agnieszka and I had our first Italian language lesson, provided by Franco on the outdoor terrace of a local bar. Now here is a concept: language learning on the terrace of a bar – I definitely like it. It made the somewhat painful exercises dealing with the complexities of the Italian “congiuntivo” (the subjunctive) much more palatable. I have studied a lot of languages with different language schools, and Laboratorio Linguistico has definitely created a very unique language learning concept here.

After our intense lesson I took another stroll around Salina and this time the Internet café was open. So far I have found fairly good public Internet access in different parts of Sicily, and it’s always great to be able to connect with home. Our boat crew spent a quiet evening on board, we fixed up a lovely home-cooked dinner with potatoes, salad, sweet carrots, cheese and various sweets for dessert. Some of my travel partners played cards while I organized my photos on the laptop which was conveniently hooked up to the electricity supply provided by the harbour commission in Santa Marina di Salina.

It was nice to have a day of rest in Santa Marina, but I am definitely looking forward to exploring a new island tomorrow: Stromboli!

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Finally, my first day of beautiful weather in Sicily, a perfect day for an out-of-town excursion. I started my day with a nourishing breakfast on the terrace of Hotel Villa Nettuno and I have to say of all the places I have travelled to, the view from this terrace and the garden itself must be one of the most beautiful vistas I have ever enjoyed anywhere. Maria Sciglio, who is in her 80s, takes such amazing care of this garden which is a virtual sub-tropical paradise. I was savouring every minute of my morning meal which included a fresh croissant, coffee, tea or hot chocolate, and a fresh Italian bun with jams and honey.

I was certainly ready to take on the day and began my 7-minute stroll to the Babilonia Language School. The Piazza Corvaja was already starting to fill up with people and the beauty of Taormina in the gorgeous blue sunshine was dazzling my eyes. Bright and early at eight am thirteen people were waiting in front of the school, and our activities coordinator Peppe walked just a few steps east to a local car rental to pick up two rented vehicles: a minibus and a small car. Our little Fiat Panda was rather cozy for five people, but that’s definitely something you need to get used to. Most things in Europe, including cars, a just a bit smaller than in North America.

We enjoyed a pleasant ride, exchanging stories from Switzerland, Germany, Holland and Canada, and about two and a half hours later we arrived at the Neapolis Archeological Zone in Siracusa, or Syracuse as it is known in English. For almost 3000 years Syracuse has been a major economic centre and has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The Corynthians founded this Greek city and it holds some of the best-preserved Greek archeological treasures in the world.

We got out of our vehicles and I noticed right away that this place was going to be rather crowded; not surprisingly, since a lot of people would make an excursion to a major archeological sites on a beautiful Saturday morning.

The entrance free to the archeological complex was covered by the Babilonia excursion and in we walked through the turnstiles. Our first archeological sight were the so-called Latomie, which are ancient stone quarries that provided the stone for many of the Greek monuments. At various times they were also used as prisons. The most impressive man-made cave in this area is the so-called Orrechio di Dionisio (“Ear of Dionysius”), which, as legend has it, allowed the local tyrant Dionysius to hear the whispers of the prisoners that were held in its depth. The shape of the cave is indeed faintly reminiscent of an ear and when the wind was blowing in the right direction during theatrical performances, a choir positioned in the cave could be heard in the Greek amphitheatre on the other side of the rock.

Another adjacent cave, the Grotta dei Cordari (Grotto of the Ropemakers) is not publicly accessible right now due to falling rocks, but it was used until recently for ropemaking. We then walked over to the Greek Theatre which was designed in the 5th century B.C. Many of the great ancient Greek playwrights wrote and staged their plays in this amazing setting.

Peppe explained that the ancient Greeks always built their theatres in stunning natural environments. Greek theatres were generally built as a semicircle into a mountain with a gorgeous view of a mountain range (Mount Etna for example, in Taormina), or the sea. Greek dramas would be performed in the late afternoon so the performance would coincide with the sunset. Of all the ancient civilizations that had invaded Sicily, Peppe explained that the Greeks had the greatest appreciation for nature.

Many of the original stones of the Greek Theatre were taken at the order of Emperor Charles V in the 1500s in order to build the walls around Ortygia, an island that forms part of downtown Siracusa. Every year in the months of May / June a theatre festival is held in Siracusa’s Greek Theatre that features Greek Tragedies as part of the Teatro Greco di Siracusa. This year’s festival theatre is scheduled for May 10 to June 25, 2007. Surrounding the Greek Theatre are rocks with cavities that were used for grain storage as well as burial sites.

We passed by the “Altar of Hieron II”: a sacrificial site where 400 bulls were sacrificed at one time. In addition to ancient Greek treasures, this archeological zone also holds Roman ruins: the Roman Amphitheatre was used for beastly fights. Peppe explained that these were not professional gladiators, but rather slaves that were being made to fight wild animals, mostly dogs. In antiquity Sicily was often used as a prison site, and prisoners were also often used in these spectacles. The underground holding areas and corridors for the animals and the gladiators can still be clearly seen.

After our visit to this extensive archeological zone we got into our vehicles and drove downtown. We parked our car on the Piazza della Posta next the waterfront and two minutes away we had a chance to explore the local market. All the local delicacies were awaiting, from all different kinds of fish to squid to shellfish to local vegetables and fruits. The displays were definitely a feast for the eyes, (for the nose not so much, at least the fishy part…).

From there we strolled past the Temple of Apollo on the Piazza Pancali, which provides the entrance to the island of Ortygia. This ancient temple, dating back to the 6th century B.C., was discovered in 1860 in the old Spanish army barracks. Through narrow streets with many Baroque buildings we arrived at the Piazza Duomo which features Syracuse’s cathedral, dedicated to Santa Lucia.

An imposing building with a beautifully detailed façade, this building impresses not just because of its size, but because of the ancient interior Greek columns that used to form part of a monument dedicated to Athena. Peppe pointed out that some of the columns are standing at a slight angle as the result of a major earthquake.

These columns also date back to the 6th century B.C. and are some of the most well-preserved ancient Greek columns in the world. The Duomo evolved from being a temple to becoming a Christian Church, at one point it became a Muslim mosque and today’s incarnation is a stunning example of Sicilian Baroque architecture.

After all these explorations it was definitely time for lunch and Peppe guided us to a local restaurant, located in a beautiful courtyard off a small street that served simple local fish and pasta dishes. Vines were hanging down on us from trellises and the shade provided by the surrounding walls provided a welcome opportunity to cool off on this warm spring day.

Appropriately strengthened our group headed out again and after passing through the old Arab Gate we explored an area called Lungomare Ortigia which features a beautiful piazza that faces out onto the waterfront. The Fonte Aretusa, a fountain that has been providing spring water since ancient times, faces the Porto Grande or Grand Harbour. The view across the water and down the waterfront promenade is simply precious.

This was a perfect time for some Sicilian gelato and off I went to grab a cone of delicious “nocciola” (hazelnut) and refreshing “limone” gelato. We strolled along the waterfront promenade and then headed into the old town again to walk in the shady narrow streets that are adorned by a myriad of unique balconies. We passed by Siracusa’s opera house which has actually been abandoned since the 1960s and was in disrepair. Despite its baroque beauty, Siracusa’s downtown streets and alleyways had a bit of a deserted feel to them.

We headed back to our vehicles and drove into the countryside just outside Siracusa. Our final destination for the day was the “Castello Eurialo”, an ancient Greek fortification built on a hilltop in 402 B.C. by Dionysius the Elder. It featured two moats and a tower to protect the town of Syracuse and in its bowels it holds an amazingly well-preserved series of tunnels. The view from the castle is splendid, and to the north you can see one of the largest petroleum-processing areas in all of Southern Italy. Ancient history and modern history can coexist quite nicely in Sicily.

After a really full day we started our trek back to Taormina, and sure enough, half an hour outside of town the skies started clouding over and it started to drizzle. After this long day of discoveries I was rather tired and had a quick meal in a local pizzeria, ready for another day of exploration.

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Italian cuisine has long been feted for its exquisite flavours. However, there are many nuances to the food of Italy, depending on the region from which it comes. Catania in Sicily offers visitors a whole new experience for their palates and visitors to that region must not miss out on sampling the delicious fare that is on offer there.

There is the Osteria I Tre Bicchieri, a fine dining restaurant located a few minutes away from the cathedral in Catania. A truly wonderful culinary experience, the restaurant has tied up with a reputed Sicilian wine merchant to supplement their excellent fare with the right wines.

In the same building, there is another place with a more rustic, country style cuisine. The food in Cantina is simple yet delicious. However the real treasure in this particular restaurant is the rooms slightly beyond the Cantina. Here, the setting is opulent with high ceilings and lavish interiors. The food, prepared by the head chef, Carmine Laquinangelo, is beyond comparison is a guaranteed delight to the taste buds.

Another famous Catania restaurant is the dining room of the Excelsior Grand Hotel which was revamped in 2001. Le Zagare is an elegant dining space with flowering plants and candles serving to provide a delicate backdrop to the exquisite cuisine. The scorpion fish and lobster preparations are highly recommended.

To fulfil the cravings for Catanis style seafood, a restaurant that must be visited is the Osteria Antica Marina. Here a patron merely indicates which item of seafood he would like to have and it is then cooked and served. Another notable place for seafood is the Al Molino, on Via Molino. The fare is mostly fresh fish cooked in a variety of ways. This place is a big favourite with the locals, as the atmosphere is lively.

Italy would not be the same without pizza. All’Antica Osteria is a charming pizzeria, with a menu filled with Italian mouth watering delights. The maccheroni is homemade and served with cream pesto, and one must also try the Stocco, a white fish dish made with a mixture of vegetables and pine nuts.

For those looking for absolute authenticity in their cuisines, Il Canile satisfies on both the Continental and the Sicilian front. Situated in the Villa del Bosco hotel, Catania, the risottini with mushrooms is a one-of-a-kind meal, especially when ordered with seafood pasta.

Perhaps the best way to discover new tastes and flavours in a foreign country is to follow in the footsteps of the locals. Italians are very particular about their food, and mostly have unerring judgment when it comes to ordering what they like.

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My last day in Taormina had started: I woke up at daybreak to pack my suitcase since later today I would be relocating from Taormina to the city of Milazzo. I enjoyed my final breakfast on the gorgeous terrace of Hotel Villa Nettuno, the place that had been my home for the last seven nights. Pictures of yesterday’s hike up Mount Etna flashed to my mind. The view over the Ionian Sea continued to fascinate me and I hope that one day I will make it back to beautiful Taormina.

My last day of classes had started and our strict yet witty language teacher Carlo continued to teach us the intricacies of Italian pronouns and adverbial phrases of time and place. His colleague Simona took over at 11:40 for our communications exercise and we started to listen to a recording of a real-life Italian call-in show where a person called into a radio station to talk to two psychiatrists to discuss fears and phobias.

Each equipped with headsets, we listened to the recording twice and recounted what we had understood. Then we embarked on an unscripted discussion of our own fears and phobias. In addition, Simona had prepared cardboard cards with questions. Each one of us got to pick from the stack of cards and we got to choose who we were going to ask the question we had picked. This provided another great opportunity to talk and apply our Italian language skills. An animated philosophical discussion ensued and everyone had a chance to express their thoughts and feelings.

After taking pictures with my class mates and our teachers, I dropped by the office to say goodbye to Alessandro and his team. The entire crew at the Babilonia Language School had been extremely helpful over the past week of my stay, I had indeed picked up my Italian skills (and was officially at Intermediate level now), and I had thoroughly enjoyed all our various excursions: from our hike to Castelmola Friday a week ago, to our archeological and cultural excursion to Siracusa, to our walking tour of Taormina, my glimpses at Babilonia’s cooking and pottery decorating classes, our hiking excursion to Mount Etna and various dinners and social events, the last seven days had been packed full of exciting activities and opportunities for learning and forging new friendships.

I sincerely thanked Alessandro and his team and hoped to come back some time in the future. Together with two of my new-found friends, Jill from the UK, and Connie from Switzerland we went for a little walk and decided to have lunch at a local restaurant called Panoramic Bella Blu which is located on Via Pirandello right next to the cable car station that connects hill-top Taormina with beach-front Mazzaro. We enjoyed a nice late lunch with a stunning view over the Mediterranean, and about an hour later I had to say goodbye. I had double-checked at the bus station when my bus would come to take me to the railway station at Taormina – Giardini Naxos so I would be able to make the trek to my next destination: Milazzo.

Before departing I went back to Hotel Villa Nettuno to quickly download my photos and take a few more shots of the beautiful garden that is part of the Sciglio family’s estate. At the top of the garden is the so-called “Tempietto” (“little temple”), a temple-shaped lookout point with benches and a sweeping view over the Ionian Sea and part of Taormina. I took a few quick photos with Vincenzo Sciglio, the patriarch of the family, and two of my German Babilonia co-students and at 5:30 pm I sadly said goodbye. Vincenzo promised that when I come here next time he will take me to the family’s country retreat where they make home-made wine. He said he produces the grape juice for the wine by stomping on the grapes with his bare feet. Well, next time I come to Taormina I definitely want to see that.

Although my departure was a little sad, my next adventure was already waiting: tomorrow I would embark on a one-week sailing trip around the gorgeous Eolian Islands with a different language school called Laboratorio Linguistico, based in Milazzo.

After a 10 minute bus ride, I arrived at the Taormina – Giardini Naxos train station and had to wait for about 45 minutes before my train showed up. The commuter train that arrived was a beautiful sleek and modern train and I grabbed a seat in the corner. A few rambunctious teenagers were playing loud music, singing and ribbing each other. Obviously teenagers will be teenagers, no matter where you go….

A local gentleman sat down across from me and introduced himself: Giorgio works as a security guard at Taormina’s Greek Theatre and enjoys his job. He told me about his family: his wife stays at home with their three children while he is the sole income earner. His job gives him sufficient income to look after his family and he said he keeps his expenses low. The family only has one car and he still drives around all year on his 30 year old Vespa. Giorgio also commented that a few years ago Trenitalia, the Italian government-owned railway system, invested in new commuter trains. Giorgio smiled when he said that the remainder of the rolling stock is pretty much “museum quality”.

He also mentioned that the strange spring weather that we had been having (a fair amount of rain, fog, overcast skies), is rather unusual. Normally at this time of year the weather is clear and sunny. He summed up his feelings by saying that for the last three years or so the climate has been strange. A side effect of global warming maybe?

After Giorgio left about a half hour into the train ride I had a chance to reflect on the 8 days that I had already passed in Italy, and the new adventures that were still to come. I was starting to feel a bit apprehensive about the sailing trip that was supposed to start tomorrow. I was wondering about sea-sickness, the small confined space on a sailboat and I was praying to God that I was going to have good shipmates. On a small sailboat even one really strange character can make the trip unpleasant for the rest of the group.

Another part of me was really looking forward to the experience, and my anticipation was growing. After changing trains in Messina I arrived just shortly after 9 pm at my destination for today: Milazzo, headquarters of the Laboratorio Linguistico Language School, and the embarkation point for my sailing trip tomorrow.

Francesca, the wife of the school’s co-owner, graciously came by to pick me up from the train station and took me to my home for the night: a fully equipped 5-bedroom apartment right above the school’s offices. Francesca took me into my room which I was going to share for one night with my new travel partner: Claudia, a Lufthansa flight attendant from Germany, was also going to go on the sailing trip with me tomorrow.

While Claudia was sleeping I headed out for a very late dinner. It was already about 10:30 pm before I found a local restaurant two streets over. I had a delicious Insalata Cappriciosa and at a price of 3 Euros the salad was less than half the going rate of the restaurants in Taormina which had charged about 7 or 8 Euros for a salad. I realized very quickly that tourists in Taormina are paying a premium rate for everything and that Milazzo was definitely more affordable terrain. Back at the apartment I downloaded my photos and briefly met two of the other teachers at Laboratorio Linguistico: Jean-Claude from Ireland, who teaches English at the school, and Francesco (Franco) Pozza, an Italian teacher and co-owner of the school. I found out that we would be gathering outside the school tomorrow morning at 9:30 am to meet Francesco Di Santi, the other co-owner of Laboratorio Linguistico, and our skipper for the week.

More about Sicily:
Discover even more what Sicily has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers recommend to visit while you are in Sicily here:
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Everyone thinks of the Mafia when they think of Sicily. What does one do for fun in the region that was home to the most powerful families of their time?

1. Visit the archeological sites. Sicily is steeped in ancient history and has several ruins and monuments worth visiting. The Valley of the Temples, which dates back to the Grecian era, can be found in the city of Agrigento. Byzantine-Christian cemeteries from the 4th and 5th centuries are found here too. Visitors to Sicily must also take a look at the Greek amphiteatre in Taormina.

2. Stroll along the Vendicari Reserve. Found in the southeast section of Sicily, the Reserve is a long, wild and untouched beach, making it a popular favorite for those seeking solitude or quiet time with a loved one.

3. Visit Caltagirone in July during the St Giacomo festival and participate in the revelry of the processions and other festivities.

4. Take a private tour of Mount Etna and browse through the local craft stores along the way at leisure. The private tour often allows for many photo opportunities as well the option of a traditional Sicilian meal in a mountain village.

5. Visit Forza D’Agro and Savoca, both of which were used as the backdrop for several scenes in “The Godfather.”

6. Go scuba diving in the waters off the Aeolian Islands. Among these, one can find the Stromboli island, which has a small active volcano—a beautiful sight to behold on a clear night.

7. Sicily is a mountainous terrain, making it perfect for trekking, running, mountain biking, camping, and extreme sports. Trekkers and hikers are best advised to check weather reports carefully as freak snowstorms have been known to occur, leaving hikers stranded for days.

8. Try each of the bars that cater to a different demographic. Some bars cater to a mostly German crowd, while others serve a more Irish or American clientele. All the bars are likely to be frequented by tourists rather than locals since the local women tend not to visit these venues unaccompanied.

9. Check out the catacombs of the Capuchins. Approximately 8,000 people are buried in the maze of subterranean passages in Palermo. Some of the oldest mummified bodies are as much as 500 years old or more and yet are incredibly well preserved.

10. Visit L’Angolo del Papiro and learn how to turn papyrus (the plant) into paper using the same methods that were used 5,000 years ago. The workshop in Siracusa is located opposite the Greek Theater. Handmade products made with the papyrus are sold to those who take a tour of the premises.

More about Sicily:
Discover even more what Sicily has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers recommend to visit while you are in Sicily here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/sicily/