June 13,2024 Our destination today is the magnificent Mount Etna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The highest Italian mountain south of the Alps, Mount Etna stretches to a height of more than 10,000 feet. It’s not only the tallest active volcano in Europe, it’s also one of the most active volcanoes in the world—with rich …
Sicily
Sicily – Catania
June 11, 2024 My morning walk was the beginning of my exploration of Catania. It is a vibrant city perched on the edge of the Ionian Sea filled with lots of churches and beautiful buildings. After being in Ragusa it is a bit of a culture shock as most building are covered in graffiti and …
Sicily – Siracusa and Ortigia
June 10, 2024 One last walk up the steep hills of Ragusa to say goodbye to this charming town then we headed east to Siracusa. The air conditioning on the bus was not working and it was in the high 80’s so our trip was a bit uncomfortable!!! Known as the birthplace of the famed …
Sicily – Down on the Farm
June 9, 2024 I did two morning walks today since we were leaving later than normal and it was a beautiful morning. The second walk included the people garden which is a place that locals go to enjoy a coffer or a sandwich and be one with nature. On the way back to the hotel …
Sicily – Ragusa
June 7, 2024 Ragusa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with ancient roots was devastated by an earthquake in 1693, and the aftermath changed the city significantly. Wealthier members of the population decided to build their new town higher up a cliff, while the rest of the inhabitants rebuilt on the original site, at the bottom …
Sicily – Overland to Ragusa
June 7, 2024 Today I have a beautiful nature reserve for my morning walk! The view is spectacular, the birds are singing and the weather is cool. A nice break from the chaos of the city! After breakfast outside we boarded the coach for a short drive to the ruins of Villa Romana del Casale. …
Sicily – Overland to Piazza Armerina
June 6, 2024 Today we leave the west coast of Sicily and make the long journey inland toward Sicily’s center. To break up our drive, we’stoped at the UNESCO-protected site of the Valley of Temples, situated just outside the city of Agrigento. Agrigento was once the Greek city of Akragas, one of the most culturally …
Sicily – Museo del Sale, Mothya and Cooking Class
June 5, 2024 A beautiful sunrise while walking the coast was a promise of another day exploring Sicily! Back in the coach we are headed to Museo del Sale, a semi-working salt museum in the province of Trapani. To get to Trapani we drove through a windmill-dotted landscape set against dramatic mountains. At the museum, …
Sicily – Mazara del Vallo
June 4,2924 Sunrise and a walk by the ocean is a perfect way to start the day!! Today we explored the UNESCO-protected city of Mazara. Jaka, our tour guide knows everyone so we are greeted along the way to the Kasbah by his friend who performed a rap song for us. As we strolled though …
Sicily – Journey to Mazara del Vallo
June 3,2024 As the sun rose I did a final walk around Palermo to reflect on my adventures in the city. It has been an interesting few days and I am ready to experience more of Sicily! We checked out of our hotel and began driving to Mazara del Vallo. Along the way, we made …