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Sicily - Italy Trip Review
In the movie The Godfather, Al
Pacino, playing mafioso Michael Corleone, flees from New York
to hide out on the Mediterranean Island of Sicily. He couldn't
have picked a more idyllic spot to be a fugitive than the pastoral
hillsides surrounding the village of Savoca. Even today, over
twenty years later, Savoca remains as simple and unspoiled as
when director Francis Ford Coppola chose it as the perfect representation
of the Sicilian country life. The view from the courtyard in front
of the village's medieval church takes in the surrounding countryside,
which is dotted with intermittent lemon groves and patches of
cacti.
This semi arid environment contrasts
with the deep blue coastline that shimmers in the distance. The
rustic simplicity and slow pace of life encapsulated in this tiny
village represent a unique opportunity to slow down and enjoy
life that is typical of the Sicilian vacation experience.
My husband Eric and I had heard
that Sicily offered many of the same charms as the South of France
but was less expensive and remains largely undiscovered by American
tourists. Being sea and sun lovers, we rented a small bungalow
in the seaside town of Giardini Naxos, the site of Sicily's best
beaches. Located on the northeast coast of Sicily, Giardini provides
easy access by car or bus to Sicily's most popular destinations.
These include the intimidating Mount Etna, a live volcano, which
belches forth steam and an occasional lava flow. Eric and I traipsed
through this eerie landscape, a cross between Mars and a scene
from Dante's Inferno, intermittently coming across memorials to
victims of one of Etna's unanticipated eruptions.
Casually touring the island and
experiencing its diverse terrain - ranging from dramatic seascapes
to rolling wheat fields to rumbling volcanoes - is an attraction
in its own right. On a day trip to the Palermo region, located
about two hour's drive from the seaside resorts on the East Coast,
we passed through the sparsely populated interior of Sicily with
its vast expanses and abandoned farmhouses. Our destination was
the town of Monreale, located on the outskirts of bustling Palermo.
Monreale features a magnificent 12th century cathedral that may
be one of the finest in Europe. A mixture of Norman, Arabic and
Byzantine design, this cathedral captures Sicily's multi-cultural
history, and stands as a symbol of the adaptability and resiliency
of the Sicilian people.
They have managed to prosper under
numerous "foreign" powers from the Ancient Greeks to
the modern day Italian State.
All these popular sites are well worth seeing, but the real charm
of Sicily lies in its people. Despite the hardships and poverty
they have borne in the past, they remain positive and ebullient.
There was Mr. Raso, the owner of a small café, who squeezed
fresh lemons into lemonade and chatted away the afternoon with
us. And Vito, our sea captain, who serenaded us on a boat tour
along the sparkling Mediterranean coast. Sicilians take great
joy in infusing their work and their lives with charm, enthusiasm
and the unadorned pleasures of hearty food and good friendship.
In addition to the simple charms offered by its landscape and
people, Sicily also offers world class dining. Eric and I experienced
one of the most romantic dinners of our lives at the restaurant
Villa St. Andrea in the village of Mazzaro. Here, the freshly
caught seafood and impeccable service were only surpassed by the
view from the open-air terrace of the Isola Bella sea cove by
starlight.
For those with the shopping bug,
Taormina, a favorite of the European jet set (as well as of D.H.
Lawrence and Goethe in days gone by), offers an abundance of high-end
retailers and trendy cafes. This picturesque resort town, spectacularly
situated on a terrace of Mt. Tauro, also features an ancient Greek
Theater, still used for musical performances, and a cable car
that plunges down to the sparkling beaches below.
Taormina foreshadows the possibility of Sicily as a major tourist
destination, which will certainly transform the Island from its
current somewhat sleepy state. The parallels between the eastern
coast of Sicily and the Cote d'Azur in southern France will become
even stronger as seaside resorts like Taormina and Cefalu begin
to resemble Cannes and Nice. If this should happen, serene little
villages like Savoca may be "discovered."
Before this happens, we urge
you to enjoy the simple pleasures Sicily has to offer. Now is
the time to escape to this peaceful little gem in the Mediterranean
call Anja or one of our other travel specialist at
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