If mainland Italy is the ‘boot’ of continental Europe Sicily is its football, located just off the toe. Although Italy is one of the most visited countries on the planet, Sicily in the far south is not yet firmly on the western tourist trail which was exactly why we wanted to get there fast, and a few friends in recent years had raved about its beauty, food and the typical southern Italian culture. With a population of approximately 5 million, and 3 cities that fall into the top 15 most populated centres in Italy, it’s no surprise Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
We allowed 18 days to circumnavigate the island and get to a few of its smaller islands, and could have had at least another 10 days – there is so much to see and do here, and ‘island time’ is alive and well in the south so everything moves just a little slower, except for the drivers who only go fast! With a car and a list of recommendations from friends we set off on a roadtrip that would surpass our expectations, including a surprise visit from Jac who joined us from Positano for a few days and some new friends we made along the way.
The adventure started at Catania airport on the east coast, and we hit the road heading north toward Taormina, a popular town perched high on the cliffs and priced for tourists who pile into the town on a daily basis. The preserved Greek Theatre is the drawcard attraction, but the heat and crowds in early August sent us straight to a cocktail bar instead (we have seen a lot of Greek ruins in our travels….). It’s a pretty place to stop for an aperol spritz and arrancini, but we chose to stay just south of the town in the village of Giardini Naxos which offered better value for money and proximity to the beach.
It was on arrival at our first accommodation that we were introduced to Sicilian hospitality with our host Andrea. Entering the agriturismo property (working Italian farms that offer accommodation), driving through the lemon orchard we realised we had stumbled across a special place – our self contained apartment was part of the farmhouse that had stood for over 150 years, passed down through generations of the family. Andrea prepared fresh juice on our arrival, had left pasta, vino and home made pesto in our kitchen, and on check out presented us with olive oil made from the olives on his farm. As a first introduction to Sicily, we were hooked.
There is not a whole lot to do in Giardini Naxos, which is kind of the point. Lazy beach days are the priority with a number of restaurants, bars and beach clubs lining the coast, and Taormina is just a 20 minute drive away. Also within driving distance, about an hour, is the formiddable Mt Etna and it was time and money well spent taking the journey to the top. A cable car takes you most of the way and you can hike to the peak, although we took the guided tour option in the 4WD truck. In a group of approx. 30 people we were the only two English speaking tourists which gave us special attention from the multi-lingual guide, and an insight into how few western tourists were travelling in Sicily in August.
Next stop was Milazzo, gateway to the Aeolian Islands which are located off the north east corner of Sicily, where we parked the car for a few days and hit the water in a ferry that delivered us to the island of Lipari. The islands were such a treat – a truly remote part of the planet, where we often found ourselves as the only English speaking tourists on boat trips or in restaurants, allowing us the chance to practice our beginner Italian skills and refine some hand gestures! Once again we had the most charming host, Carmello who had actually spent some living in Australia, and parked ourselves in a small studio in the centre of town, complete with a rooftop terrace.
The boat trips from Lipari to the surrounding islands are frequent and well priced at around 25-30 euro per person, and we spent a few days eating, swimming and exploring on the islands of Panarea, Salina and Stromboli, the last being home to a still active volcano whose small lava explosions can be clearly viewed after sundown. The islands were definitely a highlight of the Sicilian trip, and that we had our best cannoli in Lipari is evidence that it is a must-visit destination in this part of the world.
Back on the main island, we travelled across the north coast from east to west spending a few days in Cefalù, a small medieval style town on the beach. Narrow cobbled laneways, city walls, an impressive UNESCO cathedral in the town square, and some great eating experiences made this a worthwhile stop to celebrate our 20 year anniversary since we met. The beach here is long and sandy which was a nice surprise, although due to the crowds of August was suffering from poor waste management which was heartbreaking. Sicily (and Europeans in general) still has a long way to go in implementing sustainable environmental practices that will protect her natural beauty for generations to come; cigarette butts left on a beach and dropped in the streets is lazy and cruel, and sadly very common.
To increase the adrenalin factor after days of beach lazing and eating, we drove into Sicily’s main city Palermo – even Sicilians don’t enjoy driving in Palermo, with many shaking their heads that we had even attempted it! It is a driving experience unlike any we have had – no lane markings, no rules, cars stopped wherever they like with no hazard lights or warning, and red lights mean nothing here. All this and the many warnings we had read that leaving the car unattended was not advisable, we began to wonder if it was worth the effort. We did eventually get out of the car, and the walk through the city was rewarded with some very impressive architecture and the best arrancini of the trip, so there were some wins. In our opinion it is not a place that needs an overnight stay, but the cathedral and theatre were impressive to view and had the line up for the palace not been so incredibly long in 35 degree heat, I’m sure that would have been nice too.
From Palermo it is just over an hour drive to one of the most picturesque spots on the island, the Zingaro Nature Reserve in the north west. Scopello is the closest town to the Reserve and provides the perfect base to access some of the most stunning swimming locations in Sicily. After entering Zingaro its a 20 minute walk along the rocky coastline begore you arrive at the first swimming spot, and once you claim a patch of rock for your towel you navigate the boulders down into the water which was pristine. Getting an early start is essential both for the parking and to claim a spot to sit, but the reward is pretty sweet.
The Tonnara di Scopello is an old tuna processing factory that is now home to one of the most popular swimming locations on the island, and Instagram. With a view of the faraglioni (rock formations rising out of the water) just off the coast, and a water colour pallete of greens and blues it is a pretty location, and you definitely need to be early to have the slightest chance of snagging a deck chair here. It’s a typically European ‘beach’ experience with no sand and sun bathers lined up side by side on the concrete slab, not what we are used to at home but a unique experience.
The alternative way to experience these swimming locations is by boat from the nearby town of Castellammare, a lovely fishing port and resort town about 20 minutes south of Scopello. On the advice of our host, who suggested “Scopello by day, Castellammare by night”, we spent a night in town eating gelato, drinking vino and sampling Sicilan salamis and cheeses which was the perfect way to wrap up a day in this stunning corner of the island.
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