Sicily, You Had Me at Cannoli!
From The Godfather villages to Greek temples, this island completely stole the show.
The beds were a bit hard and unlike most of the rooms we’d stayed in there was no coffee machine or kettle, but it was cheap and 5 minutes from the ferry terminal in Villa San Giovanni.
Thus our Sicily adventure began and I LOVED it!
The next morning, bleary-eyed and fuelled by caffeine, we rolled onto the ferry to Messina.
It’s only about 25 minutes, long enough for a loo break, a decent coffee, and a hopeful glance across the Strait to see Mount Etna. Spoiler: we couldn’t. She was either hiding behind a blanket of cloud or was situated further round the island, we weren’t sure which.
Markets, Music & More Time Needed!
From Messina we headed straight for Palermo, detouring through Cefalù, a beautiful little seaside town with a Norman cathedral, medieval lanes and lots of brave sunbathers on the beach (not quite warm enough for me. I still had my hoody tied round my waist as a backup!)
Palermo took us completely by surprise. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the street markets, pavement cafe culture, architecture and music wasn’t it!
Our apartment sat just steps from Teatro Massimo (Palermo’s grand opera house and one of the largest in Europe), and the owner kindly arranged the ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) so we could drive right into the old town.
(If you’ve never experienced an Italian ZTL, it’s a restricted zone designed to keep tourists out, or fine them handsomely should they wander in uninvited.)
Navigating the narrow lanes into the town made me feel like Jason Statham in The Italian Job (minus the Mini Cooper, the soundtrack, and any actual driving skills.)
We wandered the markets, sampled our first Sicilian cannoli (cue The Godfather: “Leave the gun, take the cannoli”), and filled our photos app with Palermo’s amazing architecture, a patchwork of Norman, Arab, and Baroque influences.
Given the chance, I’d definitely stay longer than one night. Palermo deserves more exploration and time to soak in the friendly and bustling atmosphere.
Agrigento & The Valley of the Temples
The next morning we hit the road for Agrigento, stopping first at Scala dei Turchi, dazzling white cliffs formed around six million years ago from soft limestone and clay.
Locals once used them as natural sun-loungers; today they’re a UNESCO-protected landmark that look fantastic against the turquoise sea.
Our apartment in Agrigento was a steal, (3 double bedrooms for £65), but the real highlight was the Valley of the Temples.
We expected to spend an hour or 2 there and ended up staying 4!
The site stretches across 1,300 hectares and is one of the best-preserved Greek archaeological areas in the world. 7 massive temples stand proudly along a ridge, dedicated to gods who once shaped whole cultures.
Standing beneath the Temple of Concordia, built nearly 2,500 years ago, you can almost picture togas and chariots.
Definitely worth a visit if you ever find yourself in that part of the world! (It also made me want to learn more about Greek mythology and Roman history!)
Scicli, Noto & a Naked Burger
From there we drove east to Scicli (pronounced “Shick-lee”), one of the prettiest towns I’ve ever seen. All Baroque curves and golden stone, it feels like you’ve stepped onto a movie set, (which makes sense, as it often stars in Italian TV dramas.)
After a long day’s drive, I ordered a glass of wine and, in a moment of gluten-free desperation, a naked burger. Italy is the land of pizza and pasta, and gluten-free options are thin on the ground, unless you count salads (which are very boring in this country, unlike Greece which have the best salads. Anyway I digress!)
The next morning we hopped aboard the little Trenino Barocco, a cheerful tourist train that chugs through Scicli’s lanes and up into the hills, giving you sweeping views without the climb.
Then it was on to Noto, another UNESCO town (Sicily is full of UNESCO sites), which definitely deserves more time than we had.
We took a few quick pics and stopped for coffee just as my sister got the message she’d been waiting for: her car back in the UK had passed its MOT.
Fan-bloody-tastic. It had been the running topic for days, and I think the entire of Noto heard our cheer (especially mine)!
Just One Cornetto!
We spent that night in Syracuse, in a twin room just over the bridge from Ortigia, the historic island heart of the city.
The bridge and the 3 minute walk from Syracuse into Ortigia shaves off a substantial amount in accommodation fees! Why? Because Ortigia is gorgeous, atmospheric, and about double the price per night for the same square footage.
And with all its faded beauty and tangled alleys that open suddenly onto sun-splashed piazzas you can see why. Ancient Greek ruins sit beside lively bars, and the mix of old stone buildings and lively squares gives it a great vibe!
Plus our dinner came with unexpected entertainment: a local crooner with a speaker kicked off a set with the old UK Cornetto advert song otherwise known as O Sole Mio! With a fountain behind him, a balmy evening and a plate of Tagliere, it was all very authentic and fun!
Dante’s Peak?
Next stop: Taormina, via Mount Etna!
As you approach the Taormina coastline it’s tough to miss the highest active volcano in Europe looming up ahead. (Why do people build entire cities at the base of these natural disasters waiting to happen? Dante’s Peak anyone!?)
The views on the drive up were spectacular, and by the time we reached the Silvestri Crater, about 1900 meters up, I was itching to hike it. My sister wasn’t so keen on the climb or the cable car, so that adventure’s on my list for next time.
We did however grab a coffee and tried the local Arancini, which was delicious! But while looking out across the volcanic landscape, within an hour the mountain had disappeared completely behind thick cloud and fog.
Tip: get there early if you want to see anything at all.
Taormina Deserves More Time
From Etna to Taormina, we spent the afternoon exploring Isola Bella, literally a ‘beautiful island’, once owned by Lady Florence Trevelyan, a Scottish noblewoman exiled from England who made Taormina her home. The island’s a nature reserve now, connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of beach that disappears at high tide.
We also jumped on the cable car up to the very pretty hilltop town of Taormina, a beautiful spot with elegant old streets, views that stretch for miles, and its famous Greek theatre looking out across the sea.
It was getting late so we didn’t stay long, but I’d love to go back. Taormina needs more time than a sunset stroll.
We Go to the Mattresses
The following day was our Godfather tour, which I’d been looking forward to, and it didn’t disappoint!
Our guide Fabio was, quite literally, fab. He shared stories from the 1972 film as we visited Bar Vitelli in Savoca, where Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) first meets Apollonia, and the little stone church up the hill where they later marry.
Savoca itself is beautiful! Quiet, perched high above the coastline, and full of character.
Fabio told us how most of the extras in the film were local villagers, roped in by the production team back in the seventies. They used real townspeople as bar patrons, wedding guests, even the musicians in the procession, which is probably why those scenes feel so authentic.
He also shared snippets about the town’s older history. Medieval roots, narrow lanes built to keep out invading forces, and how Savoca became a refuge for monks and nobles during tougher times.
Although many of the old houses have been reconstructed, it’s a place that seems unchanged by the decades. I half expected someone to step out in costume and carry on filming!
We also stopped in Forza d’Agrò, where Kay (sadly, the late Diane Keaton) danced with Michael in front of the church.
It was chosen by Coppola and his crew because it looked so untouched, and aside from a few newer restaurant buildings, it still does today. A beautiful hilltop town with cobbled streets and sweeping views over the Ionian coast.
It was also the setting for the famous donkey scene, the one hiding Michael Corleone as he leaves Sicily, and our guide played the donkey part brilliantly! 😂
As we finished the tour and the rain set in (we’d been very lucky with the weather), our driver Mario honestly deserved a medal for manoeuvring a full-sized bus around the narrow mountain bends. When he nailed one particularly tight corner in a single go, the whole bus broke into applause.
Goodbye Sicily, Hello Matera
After six fun-packed, fascinating days, I have to say I absolutely loved Sicily. I’m not sure I’d return to the Amalfi Coast (maybe Capri if I had cash to burn). But I’d come back to Sicily in a heartbeat. There’s so much more to see and do!
But it’s now time for our next Italian adventure and yesterday we caught the ferry back to the mainland and drove all the way up and across to Matera in Puglia.
9 hours in the car, broken by espresso & toilet stops.
We’ll be here 3 nights. A) because it’s raining, B) because I have a mountain of work to catch up on, and C) because Matera is one of the most fascinating cities in Italy.
Built into limestone cliffs, it’s one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s also the backdrop for The Passion of the Christ and the opening chase scene of No Time to Die.
Word on the street is that Mel Gibson’s back filming a sequel. I’ll let you know if I end up as an accidental extra!
A Quick Note About Driving in Sicily
Driving around Sicily, by comparison, felt pretty calm after the Amalfi Coast, though Italians everywhere seem convinced they’re all related to Mario Andretti.
The roads are wide enough and the scenery is incredible, but the speed limits are something else. In less than 100 metres you can go from 40 to 80 to 100 to 90 back to 50 again. By the time you’ve sped up, you’re slowing down (and vice versa).
When I mentioned it to our Godfather tour guide Fabio, he laughed and said, “They’re just a suggestion!”
Gotta love Italy! 😂
Another great read Jo. I haven't been to Sicily but Stanley Tucci (yep, him the actor) has a TV series about food and drink in Italy and the episode in Sicily was very interesting.