Italy (Sicily & Aeolian Islands): our 2-week itinerary in South-Western Sicily by car and the Aeolian Islands by sailing boat
In Southern Sicily and the Aeolian islands there are unmissable art, history and food attractions that you can enjoy in any season, though Paolo and I took the following two-week tour in June as we decided to make the most of the early summer mild temperature, no crowds, lower prices and wider choice of accomodation available.
A word about the current travel restrictions and bans to travel in Italy and in Sicily: clearly the Sicilian trip described was taken in pre-Covid times. As I write it is impossible to know exactly Italy's and Sicily's travel scenarios for the next summer months. However, based on the vaccinantion speed, on the improvement of the weather and on keeping to the strict safety measures (masks and social distancing), let's hope that we can go back to travelling to Sicily soon.
It is true that possibly the declining air travel has already affected the way we travel and that will push towards less-known and less popular places, in Sicily too. However, rest assured that Sicily like all Italian regions is full of off-the-beaten track provinces to explore where travellers can have a genuine travel experience and enjoy the little things in life. The Sicilian way, of course.
Tempting Sicilian recipes, ancient archeology and art, breathtaking views, dazzling blue sea, and unique hinterland villages are the elements that made our early summer itinerary unique.
If you love driving, love sailing and want to spend two weeks, here is our full 2-week guide to Southern Sicily by car and the Aeolian islands by sailing boat with tips, places where to eat, what to do and see, and the feel of the place (with pros and cons).
You will fall in love with Sicily and the Aeolian islands and will create great Sicilian memories!
DAY 1: Villa Romana del Casale (Piazza Armerina) and Licata
We flew into Catania airport, hired a car and drove to Piazza Armerina in central Sicily to visit the stunning Roman mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We also stopped at Piazza Armerina old town centre which did not impress us too much to our great disappointment. The reason for this was that the town seemed empty, everything was shut with a quite sad, run down and weary look.
The second reason was that probably after months of serious draught, in the precise moment we parked the car and got off, it started to pour down for hours! A storm-ravaged Piazza Armerina! We actually minded walking under the torrential rain, so we reluctantly had to head off earlier to Licata, our next itinerary stop.
There'll be another time and as a friend of mine says: wherever you go, leave always something behind to visit to have a reason to go back 😉
If you love art and history in Sicily, don't miss also my blog post: Sicily (Italy): 5 amazing places where you will be overawed by history.
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| Mosaics in Villa Romana del Casale close to Piazza Armerina |
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- Catania airport -Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina: 1 h drive.
- Villa del Casale - Piazza Armerina: 5 km.
- Villa del Casale - Licata: 1 h drive.
- Villa romana del Casale is here
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- Villa romana del Casale - mosaics and guided tour: mosaics are amazing. Don't miss them! You can hire on the spot and share with other travellers a local authorised official guide.
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- Villa romana del Casale - when to go: if you go late you will have to queue a long because of tour buses; get to Villa del Casale early to avoid tour buses.
- Piazza Armerina - check monument access time: the old town centre looked impressive from a distance, but worn down at a closer look, may be because that day it was pouring down and many churches and palaces were closed! We need to go back at some point in August to see the Palio dei Normanni!
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DAY 2: Licata town, Licata beaches (Cala Paradiso) and Agrigento
Before reaching Agrigento, we spent the day in Licata. Licata is a seaside little town facing the Mediterranean sea in Southern Sicily. During World War II Licata became famous because it was an initial invasion point for Allied forces arriving from North Africa on July 10, 1943.We spent the morning walking around Licata and enjoyed a long seaside walk on the Marina full of fishermen selling their catch. However, the main attractions are the beaches in and around Licata, especially Cala Paradiso (Paradise Bay). It is truly a postcard place with green and blue colors as you can see from the top of the cliff from where Paolo took the picture.
We continued our drive southwards to Agrigento where we stayed for two nights.
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| Cala Paradiso near Licata...what's in a name? |
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- Licata - Cala Paradiso: 15 min. drive. Just breath-taking! The drive to Cala Paradiso is amazing: there are lots of liberty villas on the hilly coastline that are not to be missed!
- Licata - Agrigento: 1 h drive.
- Licata is here
- Cala Paradiso is here
- Licata seaside town and Liberty villas: seaside town with very few tourists (in June!) and up on the hill Liberty villas (not to be missed) overlooking the sea. The Liberty villas of Licata are safeguarded by the Italian National Trust FAI. Check them out here
- Cala Paradiso beach - dangerous descent: you need a car to get to Cala Paradiso, and it is not easy to find the beach (no signposts, ask a local). The walk down from the top of the cliff is difficult as the slope is steep! I would not be surprised if at some point they closed it!
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- Licata restaurant: we loved the antipasto Gamberi in Crema di Pistacchi (pistachio cream prawns) and the seafood Linguine alla Lampara at Osteria La Lampara.
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- For the lovers of history: original video of the Allied troops invading Licata in July 1943.
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- B&B Vittorio Emanuele, Corso Vittorio emanuele 70, Licata, Italy: cosy place right in heart of Licata. Vincenzo, the owner, takes all his customers for a tour to visit the best monuments and beaches in Licata.
DAY 3: Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples
Agrigento is packed with history, especially the must-see Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples). Depending on how keen on history you are to take all that beauty in, you can easily spend more than half a day in the Valley. The area is huge: 934 hectares!The Valley of the Temples is located where the huge site of ancient Greek colony called Akragas stood: a rich town populated by 500,000 inhabitants and one of the most important in ancient Greece. The city was founded around 580 BC and prospered until it was conquered and destroyed by the Carthaginians in 406.
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| MarcoPoloSpirit and Love at Agrigento's Valle dei Templi |
Over the centuries it was under Roman, Arab and Norman control, largely thanks to its strategic position overlooking Porto Empedocle harbour and the Strait of Sicily. All of the civilisations have left their marks in the Valley of the Temples which is a clear testimony to the richness of our past.
Below you see the Temple of Concord, the best preserved after the Parthenon in Athens! It was actually turned into a church! It was a miracle that the Valley of the Temples survived the World Wars, and especially the Second World War because between 10th and 16th July 1943, after 7 days of strenuous fighting, under the incessant naval and land pounding, the Allied troops liberated Agrigento.
The broken statue of Icarus that lies close to the Temple of Concordia is a modern interpretation of the classical style by Polish artist Igor Mitoraj. It struck me that amongst all those ruins also that gigantic modern statue was without legs and arms. "I feel that a piece of arm or leg speak far more than the whole body," said the artist once.
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| The Temple of Concord and the statue by Igor Mitoraj |
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| American soldiers at Agrigento Valley of Temples in 1943 |
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| The protected Girgentana goat in the Valley of the Temples. Photo credit |
In the Valley of the Temples we had a special encounter: the Girgentana goat! This twisted-horned goat is actually a local goat and it looks that she is here to stay as our guide explained: the Director of Valley dei Templi Archeological Park wanted this goat to be kept here in the archeological park to raise public awareness of this unique Sicilian heritage. Though nobody knows exactly when, the goat have been imported into Sicily with the Greeks or the Arabs.
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- Valley of the Temples - Agrigento: 3 km.
- Valley of the Temples is here
- Valle dei Templi - top sunset: sunset and nIght are magical over the Valle dei Templi!
- Valle dei Templi: - how long for the visit: half a day was ok for us with a guided tour booked on the spot and a bit of independent walk around (excluding the wonderful Kolymbetra gardens, the ancient swimming pools turned by the Italian National Trust FAI back to life and now full of olive, almond and pistachio trees!). Take a look here.
- Valle dei Templi - guided tours: audioguides for a charge, but for a different flavour I suggest you to hire a guide at the tourist office!
- Valle dei Templi - when to go: get there very early to avoid crowds.
- Agrigento old town - art and monuments: splendid palaces almost falling apart and often closed.
- Agrigento modern town - street parking stress: finding parking spots gave us a bit of a headache!
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- Agrigento restaurant (close to main Via Atenea): we had dinner at Aguglia Persa restaurant. The place is amazing: go there for the luxurious garden oasis in the Liberty style Villa Catalisano where Pirandello used to live from 1896 to 1906. We tried aubergine panino with tuna tartare and pistachio pesto, and paccheri with tuna sauce, capers, olives and breadcrumbs!
DAY 4: Agrigento (Cathedral, Lucchesiana Library and Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Greci) and Luigi Pirandello's birthplace at Kaos
The day after we wanted to visit the rest of Agrigento. Modern Agrigento is an unappealing town: looking from the Valley of the Temples up, you see an ugly wall of wrecked skyscrapers and houses built with poor material. However, behind the ugly concrete wall of modern Agrigento, modern town hidden gems like Agrigento Cathedral which is the guardian of mysterious stories such as the Devil's Letter.Check out my post on the Devil's Letter on Agrigento Cathedral: Sicily (Italy): 4 creepy places and stories that won't let you sleep.
As I am indeed a bookworm, I could not miss the wonderful Biblioteca Lucchesiana (Lucchesiana Library): it is an unexpected treasure with a magnificent collection of volumes and a monumental library set up by the Archbishop Lucchesi Palli from Sciacca in 1765. There are amazing books dating back to XV century which were were lucky to see!
We met the lovely librarian who with passion takes care of 45,000 books!
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| The Lucchesiana Library in Agrigento storing 45,000 books |
Finally, don't forget to visit the Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Greci (Church of Saint Mary of the Greeks). The name of the church is echoing its history: it dates back to 5th century BC when on the spot a temple dedicated to Athena was built, clearly pointing to the Greek origins. You can still see on the floor through a glass the ancient Greek temple columns!
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| Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Greci in Agrigento |
While in Agrigento we wanted to pay homage to an Italian writer we studied at school: Luigi Pirandello. He is one of the Noble prize winner for Literature in 1934 and one of the most influencial modern novelists.
His birthplace (and tomb) are located in the Kaos quarter, 4 kilometres south of Agrigento on the sea. The writer used to play with words and say: " I am the son of chaos", pointing to Kaos, his birthplace.
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| The Italian Noble prize writer from Agrigento, Luigi Pirandello |
I remember as a school student I was in love with his writing: he wrote more than 200 books, may be to escape from his hardships: his family had lost everything, his wife was hospitalised in a psychiatric hospital and he lived a tormented love story with an Italian theatre actress, Marta Abba, to whom he had dedicated many books.
I found his personal experience really illuminating: he wrote the most beautiful pages of "The Late Mattia Pascal" as a sort of soul therapy which transformed his pain and desperation into a driving force.
My biggest surprise was Pirandello's original school class register on display in the house: under the name 'Pirandello Luigi' I found out that in Italian he was definitely not the best. He would often receive failing grades! There is hope for all😂. In 1936 Pirandello died, and in 1961, according to his last wishes, he was buried under a "lonely pine" in the garden of his birthplace villa.
When I visited the peaceful garden where Pirandello is buried, his quote from another fantastic novel, "One, No One and One Hundred Thosusand", came to my mind:
"And the air is new. And everything, instant by instant, is as it is, preparing to appear. ... This is the only way I can live now. To be reborn moment by moment. ... I die at every instant, and I am reborn, new and without memories: live and whole, no longer inside myself, but in every thing outside."
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DAY 5: Scala dei Turchi (Realmonte), Giallonardo beach, WWF Torre Salsa Natural Reserve and Eraclea Minoa archeological site
About 15 minutes drive from Pirandello's house, there's the stunning white washed cliff called "Scala dei Turchi" which is formed by marl, a sedimentary rock with a characteristic bright white color. That was our next stop.
The Scala dei Turchi cliff lies between two sandy beaches, and is accessed through a limestone rock formation in the shape of a staircase, hence the name. The Turks in the place name are mentioned because part of the frequent raids were carried by the Moors. Climbing the rocks is forbidden to preserve the place and anyway it is particularly dangerous; however, unfortunately people do it all the time.
The Scala dei Turchi cliff lies between two sandy beaches, and is accessed through a limestone rock formation in the shape of a staircase, hence the name. The Turks in the place name are mentioned because part of the frequent raids were carried by the Moors. Climbing the rocks is forbidden to preserve the place and anyway it is particularly dangerous; however, unfortunately people do it all the time.
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| People climbing Scala dei Turchi's cliff: don't climb! |
At Scala dei Turchi beach I remember sitting just before the cliff: honestly, I did not want to climb on the rocks for the reasons I explained, but mainly because I did not want to leave my traces on the rock and wanted to play my little part in reducing my impact on the natural landscape.
So I felt quite content just resting my eyes on the candid cliff stone: it was a sort of white that penetrated my retina and made me almost blind. I was excited just by the different aroma whiffs of the marl rocks in my nostrils.
I wanted to keep my eyes open, but I couldn't, too dazzling was the sunlight on the cliff.
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| Scala dei Turchi: view from the top terrace |
Paolo and I spend the morning on the beach, but before going I turned one more time to the huge Scala, the Steps: in the distance, more than Steps, it looked like a wedding gown left abandoned on the floor by a bride who had run off with a serious case of photo burnout.
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| Giallonardo beach |
Further down the road, driving towards Sciacca, we stopped at wild Giallonardo beach, at the so-called Mermaids' Bay: here too there is a secluded long beach with a scenic cliff formed by chalky rocks, similar to the Turks' Steps. In June the beach was uncrowded, with shallow waters and a huge stretch of sand for walks. Fantastic!
Another place that deserved our visit was the WWF Sactuary of Torre Salsa in Siculiana Marina. Torre Salsa is a spectacular sandy beach with no cafes or eating places, really worth the bumpy ride to get there. Watch out if you have a car with a low chassis!
Just before reaching Sciacca, our last stop was the spectacular Eraclea Minoa Greek archeological site. We arrived at Eraclea Minoa in the late afternoon when the sun was setting on the sea.
The archaeological site surroundings are immersed in the Sicilian countryside, overlooking the beach. I had read that the history of Eraclea Minoa which is surrounded by a myth halo.
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| The white cliffs around Eraclea Minoa archeological site |
What's the legend behind Eraclea Minoa? According to legend, the king of Crete, Minos would have chased Daedalus to Sicily to kill him. Daedalus was the architect of the famous Greek labyrinth and had helped Arianna and Theseus to escape from the Minotaur. Daedalus had taken refuge in Sicily where Kokalos king had helped him to hide.
Instead of handing over Daedalus to Minos, Kokalos killed Minos and on the spot where the Greek king had been buried, the city of Minoa was erected. Unfortunately, to me Eraclea Minoa's site did not live up to the fascinating myth because that day the spot appeared surrounded by inglorious weeds and abandoned.
The view looked majestic on the Capo Bianco promontory where the archeological site is located; however, the Greek theatre has been left for many years in a rusty cage, apparently to protect the limestone steps.
Instead of handing over Daedalus to Minos, Kokalos killed Minos and on the spot where the Greek king had been buried, the city of Minoa was erected. Unfortunately, to me Eraclea Minoa's site did not live up to the fascinating myth because that day the spot appeared surrounded by inglorious weeds and abandoned.
The view looked majestic on the Capo Bianco promontory where the archeological site is located; however, the Greek theatre has been left for many years in a rusty cage, apparently to protect the limestone steps.
The poorly maintained Greek houses and a general sense of neglect were everywhere. It is true: a man was cutting the grass on the field, but the feeling was that such a marvellous place was left all to itself.
A sad motto comes to mind: Italy has almost all the arts of the world, the rest is in a safe place. Like many other places in Italy, the place is a rare gem, but it is treated more like a landfill!
The kudos went to the Eraclea Minoa museum which was more rewarding than the outside area with some wonderful artifacts: cooking pots and precious oil vases from Attic peninsula or Corinth on display dating back to 6th century BC!
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| The poorly kept Eraclea Minoa theatre and archeological site |
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- Agrigento - Scala dei Turchi: 20 min. drive.
- Scala dei Turchi - Giallonardo beach: 15 min. drive.
- Giallonardo beach - WWW Torre Salsa Reserve: 10 min. drive.
- WWF Torre Salsa Reserve - Eraclea Minoa: 20 min. drive.
- Scala dei Turchi cliff is here
- Giallonardo beach is here
- Torre Salsa natural reserve is here
- Eraclea Minoa archeo site is here
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- Scala dei Turchi views: the best cliff views from the top panoramic terrace that can be easily accessed from the main road. Avoid climbing the cliff from the beach.
- WWF Torre Salsa Reserve: wild, unspoilt and secluded.
- Eraclea Minoa archeo site: you can walk all along the archeo site down the path with fantastic sea views from the top cliff.
- Scala dei Turchi - cliff crumble danger: don't climb the geologic wonder as you would spoil it, and it is dangerous due to rock slides.
- Scala dei Turchi - beach and parking spaces: the beach is down, you need to park up and walk down the steps. Private parking spot on the main road up are quite expensive.
- WWF Torre Salsa Reserve - access and no service: very bumpy dirt road and no amenities on the beach (take food and drinks).
- Eraclea Minoa archeo site: it is disappointing that such an archeo treasure has been abandoned by the Italian institutions and has been neglected. Rusty or old protective covers bar the view of the Greek theatre.
DAY 6: Sciacca (Castle of Sciacca, Sciacca harbour, Sciacca Palazzo Steripinto and Sciacca Piazza Scandaliato)
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| Sciacca's busy harbour |
A short drive from Eraclea Minoa archeo site is Sciacca, a colourful fishing port on the southern coast of Sicily. It is a busy harbour with long rows of fishing boats: they export fish all over Italy! We decided to spend one night in Sciacca.
The history of Sciacca dates back to ancient times and it is filled with amazing stories, some of them are interesting, others are.... blood-thirsty!
Learn more about Sciacca's bloody past and stories in my blog post: Sicily (Italy): "4 creepy places and stories that won't let you sleep".
What I liked most about this Sicilian town is that Sciacca has few tourists in June, and still plenty of attractions and activities to do. Did you know that Sciacca is popular for its ceramics and pottery?
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| Sciacca's ceramics and pottery |
Archeologists found out that the craftsmanship in pottery goes back centuries: they discovered 14th century Sciacca pottery kiln! During the day, local artisans' shops spread across the town show you how they make pottery and, as a matter of fact, ceramics artifacts are everywhere: even street steps are covered in ceramics...
Today Sciacca is divided in three parts: downhill there's a lovely harbour, always busy with boats coming and going and lots of local seafood restaurants. A middle part with the main pictoresque Piazza overlooking the sea, Piazza Scandaliato, and a top part, uphill, where the Sciacca Castle is located.
Piazza Scandaliato provides great views on the Marina, and it is the heart of town where local people spend their time sitting on the scattered benches. From the main Piazza, we took a walk among the historic centre and the backstreets where you can find old crumbling palazzi like the Palazzo Stereopinto, and fine old churches. You may not be lucky as some of churches may be closed and not accessible.
Today Sciacca is divided in three parts: downhill there's a lovely harbour, always busy with boats coming and going and lots of local seafood restaurants. A middle part with the main pictoresque Piazza overlooking the sea, Piazza Scandaliato, and a top part, uphill, where the Sciacca Castle is located.
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| View of Sciacca from the top of the mountain |
Piazza Scandaliato provides great views on the Marina, and it is the heart of town where local people spend their time sitting on the scattered benches. From the main Piazza, we took a walk among the historic centre and the backstreets where you can find old crumbling palazzi like the Palazzo Stereopinto, and fine old churches. You may not be lucky as some of churches may be closed and not accessible.
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| Piazza Scandaliato in Sciacca |
Do you remember the Lucchesiana Library in Agrigento? The Palazzo Steripinto - which was definitely my favourite pick in town- belongs to the noble family of Lucchesi Palli whose member founded the Lucchesiana Library!
The strange name "Steripinto" is a mix of two Latin words which means "decorated fortification". You can undestand right away why: the palace façade is covered with a beautiful decoration: a diamond-pointed stonework!
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| Palazzo Steripinto in Sciacca |
Our last stop in Sciacca was the Sciacca Castle (also called the Luna Castle or Castello dei Luna in Italian) which was closed when we visited. and did not actually look very attractive as the ground was full of weeds and the gate was rusty. Hopefully it has been refurbished in the meantime!
Read also my blog post about the bloody case of Sciacca: Sicily (Italy): 4 creepy places and stories that won't let you sleep
What's left are partial walls and one tower. However, what was interesting was the uphill climb through the town steps and alleys: peeking into the courtyards with people busy with their daily activities gives you a special insight into local life!
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| Uphill road in Sciacca |
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- Sciacca Soap museum: lovely soap museum located in an old building about soap making.
- Sciacca Museum of the Sea and Seafaring (Museo del Mare e delle attività marinare): if you are a fan of marine archeology, there's a tiny museum in Sciacca storing amphorae. Many artifacts are of historical value, dating back to the 6th - 7th century BC, found in the depths of the Mediterranean sea.
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- Sciacca closed sites: in Sciacca many buildings such as the Castle and many churches were inaccessible.When we went to visit Palazzo Steripinto we learnt that it is a private building, so it cannot be accessed. Check all the monuments opening times and access before going!
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- Sciacca food: you have to try the local "Tabisca"! It is a pizza cooked in a wood oven, with sardines, tomato, pecorino, oregano and onions. Don't miss also the "Ova murina": a sweet (made of almonds, cinnamon, cocoa, eggs, marsala) shaped like a tube and filled with cream! Originally in 1600 only Sciacca nobles ate Ova murina sweets, but today this unique dessert is found in any pasticceria!
- Sciacca restaurant: if you are a fan of local seafood and unpretentious trattorias, don't miss the trattoria called "Trattoria Il Faro" on the waterfront harbour. We had to wait a long time to get a table (more than an hour), but it was worth the wait. Our squid ink risotto was matched with a delicious insalata di polpo (octopus salad).
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- B&B Porta Bagni: we would definitely would recommend Giuseppe's accomodations as it was spotless, refurbished and charming, close to the historical centre and provided us with a hearty breakfast sourcing all sorts of delicacies and home made marmelades!
DAY 7: Porto Palo, Selinunte and Mazara del Vallo
At 25 km from Sciacca there lies Porto Palo which is a small fishing village in a natural bay. Right in the center of a natural bay on the Sicilian Channel: it was the ancient Eastern port of antique city of Selinunte. Today Porto Palo is a very quiet place, but during the Greek dominion it was one of the most important ports to trade cereals in the Mediterranean sea.
Because it was a rich port, in the sixteenth century Turkish pirates used to attack it: that is why you still have a fortified watchtower to remind us of that.
A small cove called "Conca della Regina" (the Queen's Basin) in Porto Palo is home also to a special legend. The story goes that a rich Emir's daughter loved bathing naked at moonlight on this hidden beach, and apparently at night she still appears to bathe...
Driving further down toward Mazara del Vallo, we stopped at breath-taking Selinunte archeo site which is definitely a must-see. It is the largest archeo site in Europe and also one of the best preserved. It used to be a Greek outpost of 30,000 people, founded in 628 B.C.!
You can actually walk inside some of the temples, and if you fancy a 20-minute walk further down the area, you reach one of the massive temples ever built in the Greek world: temple G (the Greek temples here bear letters, not names, because they don't know whose deities they were dedicated to, unlike Paestum, for example).
If you stand close to the pile of rubble of temple G, you will feel tiny!
If you love Greek temples in Italy, find out more in my blog post about Paestum: "Italy (Campania): 13 facts that will make you visit Paestum, home to the Greek gods."
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| Selinunte ruins |
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| The archeological park of Selinunte |
Selinunte was a flourishing Greek town, but was wiped out in a bloody siege by the envious rivals, the Carthaginians who killed almost 20,000 people, and the surviving part was knocked out by several deadly earthquakes which followed.
We ended up for the night in Mazara del Vallo, just when the town seaside promenade was full of people strolling and trattorias were starting to welcome guests.
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- Sciacca - Porto Palo: 30 min. drive
- Porto Palo - Selinunte: 30 min. drive
- Selinunte - Mazara del Vallo: 40 min. drive
- Selinunte is here
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- Selinunte archeo site - site buggies: if you don't feel like walking, a golf car takes you around the site (at a charge). There's a cafe close to the site entrance.
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- Selinunte - not much information available on site: if you walk, bear in mind that the archeological area is 100 hectares! The other cons is that there is not a great deal of information at the site, so make sure you have your own guide book or you read up on the archeo site before visiting.
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DAY 8: Mazara del Vallo (Kasbah, Dancing Satyr, Chiesa di San Francesco, Mazara Cathedral and Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio)
The following day we explored Mazara del Vallo: the modern town was grin and a bit of a disappointment; however, hidden away, in the maze of alleys, it showed us a number of beautiful churches, piazzas and buildings. The whole of the city centre was paved in stone, shining under the sun and worn out by years of use.
We stopped at the Cathedral which was built by the Normans and later refurbished. Mazara was freed from the Arabs by the Norman Count Roger around the year 1000: he is depicted together with his horse in action on top of the cathedral door.
No matter how hard Count Roger tried to drive away the Arabs, the whole of Mazara del Vallo has always been strongly influenced by North African culture. Just think that Tunisians, especially fishermen, have been working in Mazara for centuries. The strong influence can be seen today in the local food and in the signs written in Arabic and in the Kasbah.
The Kasbah of Mazara is the Arab quarter, filled with colourful walls, a maze of narrow streets and then suddenly ... you hear the resounding call of the Muezzin summoning to pray. We found ourselves literally the North African world! In the Kasbah a large Tunisian community is still living and they have been helping to keep the overall style of the neighbourhood over time.
The interesting layout of the Kasbah is a maze: it is branching out to protect the inner courtyards which are barred from the visitors' view. The Kasbah of Mazara has been revived through street art aiming at restoring neglected areas.
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| The Kasbah at Mazara del Vallo |
Set north of the Kasbah, we came across a wonderful Baroque church: Chiesa di San Francesco. We met the local priest, a bizarre chap, who illustrated the rich creamy gesso decorations: a feast for the eyes!
Next door a local was taking care of a unique collection: a museum of the mock models of this church and many other churches. It must have taken thousands of hours and great craftsmanship to build them!
If you go downstairs into the empty crypt, you go back in time to 250 A. C. into the the burial site of the first Christians. In fact, the Chiesa di San Francesco was built on ancient churches. Next door a wrecked convent was waiting for repair works: it was built at the time of Saint Francis of Assisi by a friar's companion. However, following closure it was turned into barracks for the police, and a prison.
From the cathedral we crossed the busy street to stroll along the sea promenade. I found out that apart from the famous red Mazara del Vallo prawns, the town is home to the largest fishing vessel fleet in Italy!
We came across the river Mazaro from which Mazara del Vallo takes the name where lots of fishing vessels are moored and fishermen are busy on their nets. I guess that they are the same nets that on 4th March 1996 fished the Dancing Satyr statue!
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| Mazara del Vallo's fishing fleet moor on the banks of river Mazaro |
I didn't know that Mazara del Vallo housed one of the most beautiful Hellenistic bronze statue, the Dancing Satyr, which you can see in the local museum. Consider this is quite amazing because in the past all the bronzework used to be reworked and reshaped to make weapons, so basically this was was spared!
The statue was fished from the Mediterannean sea by the fishing nets of the local Capitan Ciccio. Despite having spent centuries on the seabed and having lost arms and the tail, the beautiful Dancing Satyr statue is well-preserved.
Art masterworks have always a special effect on me, but by this one in particular I was really bewitched.
Read my blog post about the Dancing Satyr: Sicily (Italy): 3 creepy places and stories that won't let you sleep
Before leaving Mazara del Vallo for Marsala, we wanted to see the surviving wall of Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio (Church of Saint Ignatius). Located opposite of the Dancing Satyr museum, the church has no roof!
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| Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio in Mazara del Vallo |
The Jesuits built the Church of Sant'Ignazio in 1701 on the remains of the nobleman Adamo Mazara's palace. Today only the Baroque stone facade survives, but that's enough to imagine its glorious past. The sacred building collapsed altogether in 1933 and today it has been left abandoned.
Honestly we left a bit sad as this magical place should be recovered and refurbished, like many other sites in Italy, an incredible cultural heritage that can't be wasted! It is part of the Italian National Trust FAI trying to safeguard it and raise awareness on the state of the place. You can have a look here.
When we left Mazara del Vallo for our next destinaton, Marsala, we realised that Mazara lied just 200 km off the Tunisian coast: the town featured a perfect mix of African and European coexistence. A lesson learnt that we have cherished from our Sicilian trip.
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- Selinunte - Mazara del Vallo: 30 min. drive.
- Mazara del Vallo is here
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- Mazara del Vallo - sunset lovers: have an aperitivo at sunset in one of the bars along the main sea promenade.
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- Dancing Satyr Museum: photos are not allowed. Just memories!
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- Mazara del Vallo restaurant: we had great fish dinner at Al Pesciolino d'Oro overlooking the sea promenade, out of Mazara. We bumped into this restaurant by chance and we were lucky to have raw red Mazara del Vallo shrimps matched with great Donna Fugata wine tastings.
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DAY 9: Marsala and the Marsala wine, Marsala salt ponds, Mothya and the Punic ship at Baglio Anselmi
Before heading northwards to Cefalù, we decided to make a last stop at Marsala, the City of the wine called by the same name: it is a dry or sweet wine produced around the area of Marsala. Some time back Paolo had taken the first sommelier course and he wanted to see the historic wine cellars.
It is precisely from the Marsala wine that we wanted to get to know more about the fame of the town. People know that Marsala is linked to the Expedition of the Thousand and Garibaldi on 18th May 1860, but perhaps not many know that the wine that made it famous all over the world is the result, so to speak, of an experiment. And it was not the deed of an Italian, but of an Englishman who managed to conquer the palates across the Channel and then made the worldwide famous Marsala wine.
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| Marsala wine vineyards |
In fact, the success of the wine is linked to the figure of the English merchant, John Woodhouse. In 1773 the merchant from Liverpool got off the the boat that had moored in Marsala and got to taste this then local wine. He immediately loaded a batch to take with him back to England, but to prevent it from going rancid he added alcohol: there you go, he had made the Marsala!
The British encouraged the wine production which was pushed even more in 1940s by Vincenzo Florio, who became one of the most famous producers in Marsala.
Going to Marsala and not visiting a historic cellar of the Marsala wine is like not eating pizza in Naples: a sacrilege! You are spoiled for choice: Cantina Florio, Cantine Carlo Pellegrino or Donna Fugata. They were all offering wine guided tours, some with tastings and, of course advance booking.
The other reason why I absolutely wanted to visit Marsala was because of the Laguna dello Stagnone, the Saline and Motya. Not that the city of Marsala has no noteworthy attractions, however the wild beauty of the Stagnone lagoon, the largest lagoon in Sicily and a nature reserve with salt ponds, is unmatched!
This stretch of sea where a couple of little islands stand out is dotted with old mills with a red roofs and white buildings: they stand out in the middle of the salt ponds and make the place unforgettable at sunset! And what about the view of the mills while sitting at the local cafe while eating a cannolo siciliano?
Given my passion for ancient things and archeology, I would not miss Motya, the ancient Phoenician city whose remains you can see on the island of Pantaleo. We visited also the adjacent Whitaker Foundation Museum, which houses artifacts found on the island among which the so-called Youth of Motya is a must-see: a beautiful statue of a young man dating back to the 5th century BC!
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| Stagnone Lagoon, salt ponds, mills and cannolo siciliano from the local bar |
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| Spectacular salt pans in Marsala's Stagnone Lagoon |
Check out my blog post about the terrifying stories on Motya: "Sicily (Italy): 4 creepy places and stories that won't let you sleep."
A difficult place to forget if you love sailing and archeology like me is the Baglio Anselmi Archaeological Museum in Marsala, just out of town (20 minutes on foot from downtown).
In the Baglio Anselmi building, there's the largest museum in Marsala and the most fascinating! In itself the Baglio Anselmi has a story to tell because it was a nineteenth-century factory for the production of Marsala wine!
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| Baglio Anselmi in Marsala houses the Punic warship |
The major attractions of place is the Punic ship of Marsala from the third century BC, which was dug out of the sea bottom in the area around the Stagnone Lagoon and which it was used during the battle of the Egadi islands during the first Punic war. For those who do not remember, the Punic wars were fought between the Romans and the Carthaginians,i.e. the Phoenicians settled in the western area of Sicily and who were defeated by the Romans.
The Carthaginians were very famous for their naval building skills, but they assembled them in a special way: they built single parts of ships, put their trademark on them and then quickly, if necessary, they fitted them together! According to the experts, the punic ship was 35 metres in length, was 4.80 metre wide, weighted 120 tons, and had a crew of 68 rowers!
We spent the rest of the day by strolling around the old town centre which everything at walking distance: Porta Garibaldi, the main town Gate named after the leader of the Expedition, the main street Via XI Maggio where all the Marsalesi take a stroll, Piazza della Repubblica with the big church dedicated to Saint Thomas of Canterbury and the beautiful old palaces after Porta Nuova to end up our day sitting in a local cafe to ponder over the marvelous attractions that we have absorbed in just in a day. Hoping to go back to visit the rest of the lovely town!
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- Marsala - Mazara del Vallo: 40 min. drive.
- Marsala - boat pier to depart for Motya: 15 min. drive.
- Marsala - hours for the town visit: since we has specific interests such as Motya island, the wine tours and tastings plus we had just half a day, we spent few hours touring the actual town, which was not enough to discover in depth the town but was more than enough to get the feel of the town.
- Motya - ferry to the island: you can reach the island by ferry from the company Arini e Pugliesi.
- Marsala - wine guided tour: check well in advance the days and time of the wine tastings in the different wineries as they can be a bit tricky and we found that they sold out quickly, i.e. not easy to be fitted in!
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- Marsala bars: at La Sirena Ubriaca (i.e The Drunken Mermaid) wine bar we had tastings of Marsala aged differently with all sorts of bites and crostini with delicious such as artichokes, peppers, tuna and pistachio.
- Marsala food: try "Pane Cunzato", a type of Sicilian street food panino made with pane casereccio, the best anchovies fillets, Sicilian pecorino cheese, oil, oregano, salt and tomatoes, but the ingredients may vary according to the place.
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DAY 10: Cefalù
Before sailing to the Aeolian island for a full-week sailing trip, Cefalù was our last stop on Sicily's northern coast. Personally I had already been there at a local wedding years before, but since Sicilian weddings last for ages, I had not had much chance to get to know the pictoresque historical centre, the sandy lido beaches and the UNESCO mosaics of the Norman cathedral! And in any conversation with friends about Sicily, Cefalù would keep coming up like a refrain: amazing, amazing, amazing...
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| Cefalù |
From Marsala it took us a bit more than two hours by car on the motorway (including having a heart throbbing when I saw the signpost on the motorway indicating the spot around Capaci where the Italian judge Giovanni Falcone and other 4 people were killed by a bomb by the mafia on 23rd May 1992).
Cefalù appeared like Our Lady soaring right in the middle of a blue sky, and Cefalù can be forgotten because it looks like a precious gem nestled on a rock overlooking the sea. Actually, it is not the whole town that sticks out but its Rocca, the fortress, and its Cathedral which is situated at the top of Piazza Duomo and seems to remind that King Roger II built it in 1131 because he had been saved from a sea storm and safely landed in town.
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| Cefalù's Cathedral |
You won't be saved though by the alluring call of the many trattorias in the town centre offering all sorts of Sicilian dishes like the one we had, pasta con le sarde, and after that you can grab a coffee or a Sicilian cassata on the main Cathedral square, or surrender to the beautiful views of Cefalù port at Porta Pescara or get lost in the maze of narrow cobbled alleys in the historical centre.
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| Waves crashing in Porta Pescara, Cefalù |
In old town centre where the borgo marinaro is located, our tiny flat was actually hard to find in the street maze: a tiny door giving us access to a long and narrow hall with a dark flight of steps leading us to the very top: the tallest steps I have ever seen!
On the landing leading to our apartment, there were two drying racks full of the neighbour's laundry. We immediately realized that that neighborhood was really colorful: from the "communal" drying area in the corridor, to the histrionic women shouting in the street and an old woman sitting on the balcony peeling potatoes: a chaotic human toing and froing of old people, young kids, women and swishing motorini. I won't forget that Cefalù neighborhood.
Our Sicilian "villa" was a super tiny but charming, and clean mini flat: at daylight we would be woken by the first people who would open ths clinking shutters of their bottega and at night we would have the blinking lamp post illuminating the room. We loved it, so Cefaluish...can I say that in English?😂
The rest of the day we could have hiked up La Rocca or visited Museo Mandralisca but we'd rather just enjoy our private sandy beach... Private? I mean free Cefalù lido beach which is convenientely located on the seafront promenade. For sure we could have stayed there for the rest of out holiday, but actually while lying down on the sand we were already dreaming about our sailing across the Aeolian islands.
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| Cefalù's port and beach |
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- Marsala - Cefalù: 2 hour drive.
- Cefalù - hard time parking: we had a bit of a problem finding a free parking space but on the main road leading to the town there are parking areas with a man at the ticket booth !
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DAY 11-17: 7-day sailing cruise on the Aeolian islands (Lipari, Panarea, Stromboli, Salina, Vulcano, Lipari)
On the second week of our holiday in Sicily we took a sailing cruise on the Aeolian Islands which are located off the northern coast of Sicily and are regarded as one of the natural treasures of Italy. June was the perfect month because the sailing season had just started and there were literally no tourists. During the summer season even the sea can be a bit busy with boats.
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| Cruising around the Aeolian Islands |
I love island life and island holidays.
Check out my blog posts about our travel to paradise islands:
Paradise can't wait: best things to see and do in Seychelles in 2 weeks
Anguilla (The Caribbean): my favourite tropical island that taught me 5 life lessons
We left Cefalù to drive to Milazzo where we ferried to Lipari to board on the sailing boat that we had booked. I have always been fascinated by how the Aeolian islands have been formed: they are the tip of dead volcanoes and you will experience that when in Stromboli where the volcano is alive and kicking! The other islands that we sailed were Lipari, Panarea, Salina and Vulcano. We actually jumped Alicudi and Filicudi as the weather and sea conditions got worse. A good reason to go back sooner or later!
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| Our sailing boat moored buoy in Panarea |
We would have needed two weeks just to explore the Aeolian islands, especially because each island has its unique flavour and special identity. The highlights of a sailing cruise include all water sports, the freedom of being close to nature, stunning views from the sea, and when you are tired of seasalt and seashells...well, you just jump aground to dive into port life, or explore the surroundings and hike up the mountainous islands.
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| Ingrid Bergman on Stromboli in the film scene... |
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| ... and the less Hollywoodian hikers' ascent on Stromboli |
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| Panarea Island: Cala Junco |
The things that we loved best for each island and the detailed 1-week sailing boat itinerary that we took have been described in the link below:
Sicily (Italy): sailing around the Aeolian islands
Paolo and I had pleanty of time to relax, sunbathe and enjoy hours of baths with friendly sailing buddies that we met during the holidays. We have lots of fantastic memories but what we cherish about Lipari are the views of the white-washed pumice cave cliff; in Panarea the paths meandering amongst stunning wild flowers and villas, and an aperitivo watching Stromboli; the craters with the billowing fumaroles in Vulcano; the Malvasia vineyards of Salina; the pitch black beaches of Stromboli and the breathtaking Sciara del Fuoco, the trail of fire, falling from the Stromboli volcano into the sea.
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| Lipari, the pumice stone cliff and clear blue sea |
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| Cat and the colours of Salina |
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| Salina beaches and sea |
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| Paolo on top of Vulcano after hiking up |
However, what we cherished most are simple things like a good laugh with a fun sailing crew and a good glass of Malvasia wine with a schiacciata: mozzarella, capers and anchovies.
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| MarcoPoloSpirit and the sailing crew in Panarea |
Unforgettable Aeolian islands, that's what you are.
Check out the video of our sailing cruise holiday here!
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- Cefalù - Milazzo ferry harbour: 1 and half hour drive. The harbour is about 5 km from Milazzo town centre.
- Milazzo - Lipari ferry: there are several companies ferrying to Lipari and depending on how fast it can take from 1 h to 2 h.
- Lipari museum: inside the Lipari Castle visit the Aeolian Archeological Museum to travel back in time! Don't miss it!
- Vulcano climb: for amazing views from the top of a volcano crater, climb the crater up and down a path (bring water and wear good trekking shoes; don't if you fear the heights)
- Vulcano mud baths: if you can stand the smell of sulfur, and keep a wary eye to avoid eye burning and burns on your feet, that's your thing! You can hire a towel and pay for the shower aftwerwards!
- Stromboli climb: to feel like Bergman in 1944 Rosellini film, climb up the live Stromboli with a guided tour. Mind you: don't if you have physical problems and if you fear heights! Climbing to the top can take up to 4 hours or more depending on your pace, the guide and the group, and that might entail hiking in the dark... through dust... Personally I enjoyed more the Sciarra del Fuoco from our sailing boat sipping a drink! But that's a question of personal taste!
- Panarea beaches and bays: Cala Junco and Capo Milazzese are two wonderful places not to miss and the lovely thing is that in Panarea there are no cars!
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- Cucunci: the fruit of the capers look like small gherkins and in Salina there are 2 varieties often served as an appetizer. Believe it or not, the lizard is importantfor the reproduction of this shrub as this reptile feeds on the liquid that comes out of the berry. The seeds are immersed in this liquid and, by attaching themselves to the reptile's body, are transported to the nest; that's why these plants in the most diverse places such as, for example, the cracks in the walls...
Check ou also the video on Stromboli's eruption:
Early Saturday morning Paolo and I left our happy sailing crew in Lipari, got onto the ferry to Milazzo harbour and then from there boarded the bus line straight to Catania airport. As we were boarding the vessel, a gentle breeze, like a caress or a light kiss, ruffled my hair: the king of the winds, Aeolo, was waving his invisible goodbye and wishing us a safe return aided by favourable winds.
Hope you have enjoyed our 2-week itinerary in South Western Sicily and the Aeolian islands!
Thanks for reading.
Arrivederci!
MarcoPoloSpirit
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All the reviews are coming from our personal experience and opinion which may differ completely from other travellers' and we do not take any responsibility for other people's experience.
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