Ciao a tutti,
Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Palermo. We realised that three nights had really not been enough time – we had barely scratched the surface of this beautiful city. On our last night, we re-visited our favourite restaurant (two nights out of three!) Da Bacca, where we were welcomed like lost friends by our multilingual waiter (fluent in Italian, English and French).
Another fantastic meal, and a wine to be noted – a Paolo Cali ‘Jazz’ Frappato Nero D’Avola. The frappato softens the tannins in the nero d’avola to create a great drinking, inexpensive wine for a hot Palermitan night.
Yesterday, we took a bus right across Sicily to Siracusa. Roadworks and a detour meant that the bus had to leave a perfectly good freeway, with no evidence of roadworks, to cross a mountain range on a narrow, steep and winding road, with precipitous drops to the sides, and through tiny mountain villages. Interesting to say the least. We arrived in Siracusa unscathed. Sofia, we saw Enna, but unfortunately only from the road below.
Siricusa is also beautiful, or more particularly, the island of Ortigia, the old part of Siricusa where we are staying – see a few random pics. The third pic is the fountain in Piazza Archimede. Archimedes was one of the city’s most famous residents in its heyday as a powerful Greek city in the 3rd century BC.
Yesterday we visited the Duomo, one of the more magnificent cathedrals in Sicily. It is built from striking local limestone weathered a light honey colour, and is actually partially built on the original temple to Athenia from 600BC. The more recent baroque facade dominates one of the most beautiful piazzas we have visited.
Nearby is Santa Lucia alla Badia, a magnificent baroque church inside with naturally a Caravaggio above the altar – see poorly reproduced pic, right.
Today we simply exlored – circumnavigated the island, visited the castle, the markets and more – see pics below.
Oh, and the food. Last night, we dined at Basirico. The mussels soup with gorgonzola, pecorino, cream and mint was to die for. Tonight we had a six course set menu at Appollonian. All fresh seafood straight from the market and authentic Sicilian cooking. The excellent bottle of local Nero D’Avola was also brilliant at a princely 5€.
And finally a pic of how we have been trying to finish each day. Tomorrow, Noto.
Ci vediamo. Colin and Sally
