Category Archives: Italy 2015

Read the travel guide first – Noto

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After a thoroughly enjoyable week or so of simply walking the streets of Siracusa, we decided it was time to venture out.

While we had been to Noto previously, we thought it was worth another visit to the UNESCO listed town. Our previous visit was in 2008 in the extreme July heat.

Noto is a baroque town rebuilt after the 1693 eruption of Mt Etna. Its honey-colored stone buildings are quite a sight.

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The train seemed the logical way to go as we are trying to avoid driving on this trip. I’ve driven in Sicily before, including to Noto, and it was not a relaxing experience for either myself or my favourite person! Noto is less than 40 kms from Siracus and the journey time is only 30 minutes by train. It was only after boarding that I found a valuable piece of travel advice that locals don’t catch the train to Noto . The train stops at the bottom of the town, a good ten plus minute walk up the hill to the town centre. That said, the train ride was enjoyable and the scenery worth taking in.

After our walk up the hill, we headed straight for the famous Cafe Sicilia for a late breakfast. We decided to sit outside meaning that we had to pay the inevitable coperto (cover charge). It was worth it, as the waiter was able to direct us to their specialty, almond soup served in a coffee mug. It was warm, sweet and quite rich – an ideal winter drink. The pastries were also quite spectacular. Sure it was more expensive than standing at the bar but it was an opportunity to relax and take in the streetscape which is very impressive. Last time it had been so hot that we’d mainly focussed on finding the shade and our stop at this famous cafe had been for Gelati.

Warm almond soup

Warm almond soup

Pastries - Caffe Sicilia

Pastries – Cafe Sicilia

After our late breakfast we took a pleasant stroll down the main street. Noto is famous for its numerous churches Continue reading →

Riding on the other side of the road – Siracusa

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Today was an opportunity for me to get on the bike for the first time and go for a ride. It had been over a month since I’d had my last ride so I was definitely looking forward to it.

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I had toyed with the idea of riding the roads around Lake Como and had explored hiring bikes before we left. I very quickly dismissed that idea once I saw the narrowness of the roads, however in Siracusa the roads are wider even if there is a lot more traffic.

Our amazing Airbnb host doubles as a tour guide. He set a course for a ride around the big harbor, to the lighthouses, old World War Two lookout points, some of the beaches and the general surrounding area. We covered just over 50kms on hybrid bikes.

As it was my first ride in Siracusa, I set new personal records for each and every segment on Strava! I don’t plan to publish my time or average speed as they were at best slow. It really didn’t matter.

As we stopped at destoyed World War Two sites, I had the realization that this had been foreign soil that the Allies had to win from the people who were now our wonderful hosts..

World War Two observation post destroyed before the Allies arrived.

World War Two observation post destroyed before the Allies arrived.

We stopped for coffee at a couple of bars, the second of which was a lifesaver for me as I was exhausted. Coffee and a ricotta pastry that gave me the energy to ride the last few kms back.

It was a most enjoyable ride and I had managed to ride on the right hand side of the road the whole time!

It was windy!

It was windy!

Looking back to Siracusa

Looking back to Siracusa

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Diary of a Slow Traveller – 13 December, Santa Lucia Celebration

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We arrived in Siracusa just a few days before the major religious celebration of the city – the Santa Lucia procession. I’d read so much about Santa Lucia a Christian martyr who was killed in the Fourth Century and was genuinely excited that we would be in Siracusa to witness it. As I tweeted, sitting watching the people outside the Cathederal, I did feel the excitement building.

Street vendors

Street vendors

All morning the street vendors had been setting up to sell their wares – sweets, balloons, souvenirs of the festival, toys and mobile phone covers. There were also craft markets and special food stores where we bought some locally produced mandarin marmalade and thyme flavored honey.

Late morning outside the Cathederal

Late morning outside the Cathederal

Our wonderful Airbnb hosts invited us as their guests to join them for lunch Continue reading →

Day One – Sicily

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So after an early start and a last trip down the stairs in our Airbnb apartment in Florence, it was time to head to Syracusa, Sicily. Our taxi arrived a minute or so after we got our luggage downstairs and it was a short trip to a very foggy Florence airport. Our plane left on time.

One last time!

One last time!

After about 40 minutes we were in Rome and then onto Catania. We had been concerned that the recent eruption of Mt Etna might have caused problems in getting to Catania but the eruption had settled down making it a spectacular fly past. Shortly after we were on the ground at Catania airport and greeted by our next Airbnb host, who also provided the transfer to our apartment in Syracuse where will be our based for the next 7 weeks!

The views from the bedrooms and kitchen were amazing as was the weather a very balmy 19C – what a difference from the low teens and below temperatures we had experienced in the previous two weeks. Even better news, it looks like the weather will be like this for another week or so at least.

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Our Airbnb hosts then took us to Ortigia and the street market which was wrapping up for the day. Evenso we were still able to stock up on some fruit and vegetables. Continue reading →

Florence – A touch of nostalgia

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Florence from Pzzale Michaelangelo

Florence from Pzzale Michaelangelo

As with Venice, we had previously visited Florence with our children in early 1999. My memories of our previous visit are good ones and have kept coming back as we walked around Florence going past many of the places we visited with our children.

That said, one of the first things we noticed was how much shorter the distance between the Duomo and Piazza Della Republica seemed. So to the distance to the Pitti Palace. Perhaps not having a five year old in tow had something to do with it!

Duomo - Florence

Duomo – Florence

We had stayed in Via Strozzi, adjacent to the Piazza Della Republica previously, this time we are near the Duomo. How the Piazza Della Republica has changed, where the post office was on our last visit, there was the Apple Store. Via Strozzi is now the fashion hub and definitely not the cheap seats as it seemed in 1999! We walked into the foyer where the pensione we had stayed in was located only to see that it was no longer necessary to take the luggage up,for flights of stairs as there was a lift in a completely modernized hotel.

Piazza Della Republicca

Piazza Della Republica

Our visit coincided with the first weekend of the month. In Florence this means that on the Sunday museum entrance is free. Maybe so but I’m not sure that it’s worth quuing for hours to get in if you can afford to pay the entrance fee. I’m glad we opted to visit the Pitti Palace on the Saturday albeit at 10€ each rather than queing for what looked to be a couple of hours to get in for free.

Entrance Pitti Palace -Saturday

Entrance Pitti Palace -Saturday

Pitti Palace - Sunday!

Pitti Palace – Sunday!

On our last visit we spent a day in the gardens of the Pitti Palace watching our youngest chasing the numerous cats who seemed to inhabit the quite spectacular gardens. This time we went inside.

Ornate Ceiling -Pitti Palace

Ornate Ceiling -Pitti Palace

We wondered whether it might be possible to go back to the Uffizi but one look at the crowds made the obvious!

Outside the Uffizi - there are cars in there somewhere!

Outside the
Uffizi!

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As a result and consistent with our decision to stay out of museums Continue reading →