mymidlifegapyear: Giro di Sicilia

the climb up the hill is worth it!

The Duomo towers over Ragusa...this is a church lover's paradise with a church almost every street!

early morning Ragusa Ibla only bar open for coffee

the "water" room at my b and b

typical Ragusa streetscape

the local cheeses available..

this villa is for sale John!

31^st March Ragusa Ibla

http://goitaly.about.com/od/ragusa/p/ragusa_sicily.htm

I woke up in my “water room” at Ragusa Ibla (see general info on Ragusa Ibla at above link or google Ragusa Ibla. Basically it is a UNESCO site which has been at various times ruled by the Romans, Arabs, Greeks and Normans. In 1693 an earthquake killed more than 5000 people and most of the city was destroyed and rebuilt.

It was very chilly when I ventured out into the still deserted cobblestone laneways. I found the Giardini Pubblici (Public Gardens) with its manicured hedges and fountains and bought a panino for my onward trip from a white-coated genial chap whose cheese collection included a variety that was “drunk” on Nero D’Avola! As I headed back to the B and B, I passed a group of men congregated around the one open bar. Among them the Carabinieri (police) whose office was just around the corner.

I had a chat to an Austrian couple who had booked into the “fire” room late the night before, and exchanged travellers’ tips. They have been coming to Italy for years, the first time as parents of two small children, one who was still breastfeeding. They were now grandparents and are enjoying travelling at a slightly different pace.

As I was checking my emails before leaving my friend Lynne called me on Skype. It was great to have a chat and catch up on news.

A quick trip to Scicli via the mountains for another scenic feast and then I head to Catania on the way back to Capo.

The last time I was in Catania (I never intended to actually go there at all) I kept trying to leave the city only to be ensnared again by her numerous ring roads. Eventually a kind man who kept seeing me go round and round, had me follow him all the way out of the city! I was so intent on not going back into Catania this time that I made a mistake and ended up on an internal highway that went into Sicily’s centre. I wasn’t too worried as it was going in the right general direction (Palermo) but I just wasn’t sure which exit to take that would get me over the mountains and back onto the coast. Black clouds loomed ominously ahead and soon it was bucketing down. The road I was on was dwarfed by mountains on either side and as I passed each exit signposting another place of interest, I relived the three week road trip I had done in 2006 which included all the places I was passing; Modica, Syracusa, Piazza Armerina, Agrigento, Noto...

I knew that the town of Enna was more or less in the centre of Sicily so I knew I would find my way eventually but I rang Calogero to check which turn off to take. The long and the short of it is that there was some misunderstanding and I ended up driving almost the breadth of Sicily and retracing my steps but this time along the coast road which I had never done before.

I have previously passed or stopped in each town on the train, but this time I got to know them intimately, entering each one, negotiating its sensi unici (one way streets) and exiting again to the SS113 direzione Messina. I could have followed a green sign to the Autostrada, but I chose to take the “wildflower tour” gaining in confidence as I negotiated each town and eventually doing some very smooth gear changing along the Amalfi-coast like road from Cefalu’ all the way back to Capo D’Orlando. By the time I got home I had been driving the best part of 8 hours!

I have been to Sicily 3 times now, so I know her pretty well and I would like to share my 10 top places to visit in Sicily, in no particular order

Cefalu’- climb the Rocca overlooking the town

Taormina- go to the opera at the Greek Amphitheatre, visit the amazing public gardens and read a book or look at the break-taking views

Panarea- one of the Aeolian islands. Have a cocktail at sunset and watch Stromboli’s skyshow or take a boat and explore the island

Lipari- Another of the Aeolian Islands Good for a day trip. Hire a motorino and have lunch in one of the local seafood restaurants

Modica- one of many baroque towns, famous for its chocolate, still made today the way the Aztec’s taught them

San Stefano –this little town is famous for its ceramics which are exported all over the world
Piazza Armerina -Visit Villa Romana Del Casale and see why the French did not invent the bikini http://www.villaromanadelcasale.it/

Ragusa Ibla-stay in one of the B and B’s and explore the old and new Ragusa

Agrigento- visit the Valley of the Temples. Stay overnight in a b and b overlooking the temples which are illuminated

Segesta- see the Doric temple, visit nearby Erice

A presto

Mon x