Located beneath the Etna Volcano, Catania was destroyed by several volcanic eruptions and earthquakes and finally rebuilt in the luxurious Baroque style. They used lava for building the city, so it is mostly in dark grey. I admire people who still live beneath volcanoes knowing that it could activate?!
Noto is one of the most famous film locations in Sicily. One scene in Antonioni’s famous movie, ‘L’avventura’, takes place on the terrace of the San Carlo’s bell-tower in Noto. Gabriele Ferzetti and Monica Vitti. It was a fantastic place to see things; literally and emotionally.
If you have a coffee at noon in the Piazza Duomo and not expect to hear roaring, you could be a little frightened and think that a lion has fled from the zoo. We felt like that for a moment. It sounded so real and impressive.
After the hyperactive week in Palermo, we arrived in Cefalu with an idea of doing nothing, just have some lazy time on the sandy beach. But Cefalu is like little kid; it is a town that doesn’t let you sit down. City beach is just a few minutes walk from the vibrant historical center, so Cefalu is an excellent destination for travelers with children: swimming, history, art, and culture in one package.
Taormina is a great masterpiece of art and nature. Goethe and Guy de Maupassant said and we totally agree, that Taormina is a landscape that seems to exist on Earth to “seduce the eyes, mind, and imagination.” Taormina is a small, compact version of Sicily. Its architecture is a unique mixture of all cultures: Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arabic, and Norman. Oh, Taormina. I must live there when I get old. I pointed to a charming house with a balcony full of flowers and told the kids that I wanted it as a gift for my 60th birthday. “Ok, Mum. Only if you buy us gelato first.” “Good deal”.