Exploring Europe 2023

Our hearts belong to Italy, but with so many other amazing countries to explore, it is time to spread our wings and fly outside our comfort zone. Europe - here we come. Meer informatie

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Window Boxes of Malta
26 mei 2023, Malta ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
I am obsessed with the window boxes in Malta. Valletta is well known for its iconic window boxes or Gallarija, that adorn the facades of the buildings in its narrow and winding streets. The Gallarija is a typical element of vernacular Maltese architecture, consisting of an ornate closed wooden balcony. The term is of Italian origin, but with a shift in meaning (galleria, covered passage, vs balcone, balcony).

The use of gallariji became widespread in Valletta and the Three Cities in the 18th century, in parallel with the spread of baroque. The architectural element was embellished by curve lines and elaborate stone corbels. The onset of the 20th century gave a new dimension to the Maltese balconies, which could now be designed in simpler Art Deco lines.

I love the old rustic ones with peeling paint and character, I love the new bright and vibrant ones, and I love everything in between. They add interest and character to the building making them very pretty to photograph. And I did a lot of that.Meer informatie
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Marvellous Malta, Valletta
30 mei 2023, Malta ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
It has been an amazing four days in Malta and we have managed to see quite a bit of it. Even though it has changed so much since our day here back in 2017. It has grown so much and there is so much construction going on, there are heaps more cafes and restaurants and a lot more people. But it hasn’t lost its charm and we still love it.

After our last three big days we chose to have a low key day today, especially as we have to be up at 2.30am for our flight tomorrow. We had our first lie in since we have been here and then headed out to find Brad a rabbit dish before we go. Being one of the local dishes Brad was determined to try some and we succeeded. For lunch Brad had a fresh braised rabbit in gravy which was so delicious (Brad even shared a spoonful with me) and I had a lovely halloumi burger. I don’t know why but the buns they use for the hamburgers here are so light and fluffy and delicious.

After lunch we had one last stroll around the streets before heading back to our apartment to pack and get ready for our early start.

Malta has been amazing and I am so glad we got to come and experience and explore so much more.Meer informatie
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Our Spiritual Home - Sicily - Italy
30 mei 2023, Italië ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
And we are home - okay not our real home but my heart’s home. Italy is in my soul and even with all the amazing places we have visited I am still filled with so much joy to be back in Italy. This time we are hoping to explore Sicily more than we got to last time and first stop is Ortigia in Syracuse.

After our very early and very quick flight from Valletta, we arrived quite early and with no option to drop our bags off early we found the Piazza Duoma, parked our luggage and sat and enjoyed our second breakfast for the day. We did have a coffee and apple tart at the airport at 4.00am this morning.

Already we are so impressed with this town. It looks like it has lots of beautiful alleys and laneways to explore, lovely wide piazzas to sit and enjoy the view and lots of restaurants and cafes to choose from. We can’t wait to get started.

For our second breakfast we tried a typical Sicilian pastry the waiter suggested, fresh orange juice and a coffee, while we admired the stunning cathedral across the way. As we did have some time to kill we followed our second breakfast with a pre-lunch drink. Sicilian wine for me and an Italian beer for Brad. They certainly aren’t stingy with their pours and the prices here are fabulous. And finally we are back in Italy so we get complementary snacks with our drinks. It just adds to the whole experience.

Thankfully our host messaged to say we could drop our luggage off so we left our sunny spot and met our wonderful host. Bags dropped off and time to kill before our official check in we hit the streets, eager to see all that Ortigia has to offer. And it is a lot.

This beautiful island is surrounded with the most stunning turquoise waters, so clear you can see the bottom. And so inviting we would love to jump in. We walked around the outer road admiring the views, wandered through some of the pretty laneways and ohhhhed and ahhhhed over so much. There is a real hive of artists here, from jewellery makers, ceramic artists, sculptors, painters and more. And their shops and their stands are all so beautifully displayed, enticing me to want it all. They really add to the prettiness of this town. So much to look at and so much to photograph.Meer informatie
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Ionian Sea - Ortigia, Sicily
30 mei 2023, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
This beautiful island or Syracuse is surrounded by the Ionian Sea and we were able to walk the perimeter of the island, marvelling at the clear turquoise waters, admiring the fortified walls and fort, and being surprised at the rocky beaches people were lying on. While the waters looked inviting and the weather was warm enough, the steps down and back up were enough to put me off. I’d need another swim to cool down once I got up the stairs.Meer informatie
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Pescomare da Selby, Ortigia, Sicily
30 mei 2023, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
We had lunch, and later, dinner at Pescomare da Seby, a beautiful restaurant we found through an archway off the main lane through town. It looked so pretty with its vine covered canopy and private courtyard. Our very engaging waiter even made me a limoncello spritz even though our original waitress said they don’t do them. And boy did he make a strong one.

We were sat next to the open kitchen window where the fresh vegetables and fruits were stacked and we could watch the chef cooking and taking his ingredients from the boxes in front of us. It almost felt like we were sat in their home while they cooked, it had such a great feel. We enjoyed our lunch so much we made a reservation for the same table for dinner.

Lunch was grilled prawns for Brad and a lovely salad for me. I have been craving fresh fruits and vegetables. It was delicious.

We returned for dinner and happened to be sitting next to a couple from Bribie Island! We laughed and talked through dinner while enjoying our pasta dishes and desserts. We’ve had a great night with new friends Julie and Charles, and a great first day in this beautiful town.Meer informatie
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Markets and More, Ortigia, Sicily
31 mei 2023, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
We had an easy day today wandering around town. We visited the fresh food markets which are always so interesting. The different fruits and vegetables always intrigue us and the many different types of seafood. Sometimes the smells can be a bit much not being a huge seafood lover but it is interesting to see, especially when you get to see a local carving up a huge tuna like it is no big deal.

Brad tried a fresh oyster with lemon, gin and Tabasco sauce before we stopped in a cafe in the middle of the market for some brunch. Fresh orange juice, a deliciously fresh caprese salad and a platter or Sicilian cheeses was the perfect brunch sat in the markets.

We wandered the markets some more, checking out the wares on offer. I have fallen in love with the cacti and their lovely flowers but don’t think I would be able to take one home. Brad did buy a hat though, as the sun is getting hotter as we go on.Meer informatie
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Exploring Ortigia, Sicily
31 mei 2023, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
After the markets we explored more of the streets of Ortigia, just wandering down interesting laneways, following the fountains, admiring the shops fronts and buildings. It is such a pretty town and it is so nice not having to rush anywhere and just take it all in.

Ortigia is a town of artists and the streets and lanes display their work. There are so many unique pieces and I so wish we had pieces like these back home. From cute and quirky paper mache sculptures and lamps, traditional Moors heads, ceramic and glass fish inspired pieces to the bold and modern ceramics and unique jewellery, this town has it all. It is a feast to the eyes and photos just can’t capture it all.Meer informatie
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Sunset Cafe, Ortigia, Sicily
31 mei 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Afternoon exploring the lanes and streets some more, I just love how pretty and inventive the shops and cafes are with their decor and displays, we stopped for a drink overlooking the water. We did make the mistake of falling into the tourist trap but the view was worth the drink prices.

Feeling the heat we opted for arancini back in our air conditioned room followed with a siesta. We do love the Italian way of life.

This evening we had a few drinks at the Sunset Cafe while waiting for the reputed beautiful sunset. But at 6.30pm with the sun still beating down, a quick weather check indicated sunset wasn’t to occur until 8.30pm. We knew the sun set later here but a server at a bar this afternoon told us to be out for the sunset at 6.30. We realised later she just wanted us back there to buy more drinks while we were waiting. Thankfully we chose somewhere else as their drinks were very expensive or it would have been a costly afternoon waiting.

Not wanting to get 3rd degree burns waiting for the sunset we decided to head home with more arancini for dinner. We do love the Sicilian arancini and with different flavours and even styles, there are a lot to try here.Meer informatie
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Teste di Moro - Moors Heads of Sicily
31 mei 2023, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
I, like many people, have fallen in love with one of Sicily’s icons, the Teste di Moro, the Sicilian Moors Heads. These are one of the most ornamental attributes of this land, often present in the form of ceramic decorations adorning the balconies, steps and window bays in the old villas of the island.

There are a few legends surrounding these with the legend surrounded by mystery, romance and revenge the most accepted. The story unfolds in the Arab quarter of Palermo in the little town of Kalsa during 1100AD when the Moors had conquered Sicily. During this time, the Moors built ceramic workshops all over the island while introducing new techniques consisting of new shapes and colors of majolica to the local Sicilians.

As the legend goes, there lived a beautiful young maiden with silky black hair and eyes the color of the sea of Palermo who spent her days cultivating and caring for the plants of her balcony. Young women were unable to go out alone at this time in Sicily, so the balcony served as a glimpse of freedom. One day, a wealthy young Moorish merchant noticed the young woman and instantly became captivated by her rare beauty and declared his love for her. Flattered and moved by his passion, she surrendered her love and virtue to him. Dishonored and stripped of her virtue, the young maiden soon learned the Moro would return to his country where his wife and children waited for him. Blinded by rage and heartache, the young woman waited until nightfall for him to fall asleep. She crept into the kitchen and returned to the bedroom with a knife, where she decapitated her beloved so he could never leave her again. The morning after, she turned his head into pot, filling it with basil, a symbol of passion and royalty, where it adorned her other plants on her balcony. The “pot” grew lush, so as to arouse the envy of the local residents who ordered the construction of similar vessels, in the form of dark brown.

Today these ornamental vases, worked in ceramics and hand-painted by master craftsmen, are a very auspicious symbol for the residences of the Sicilians and they come in so many different styles and sizes. Ranging from over €600 to more affordable prices, they are certainly eye-catching. I just love how they are all very unique and adorn so many of the town’s walls, buildings and stairs. I love them.Meer informatie
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Cathedral of Syracuse, Ortigia, Sicily
1 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
After a siesta and a break from the sun, and once the crowds had died down, we went to see the Cathedral of Syracuse, which dates back to the 7th century. It is built on the remains of the Greek temple of Athena from the 5th century BC and several columns from those times are clearly seen.

It is amazing to be able to walk through a building, marvelling at the towering pillars knowing that people were walking the same cobbled floor almost 2500 years ago. This is one of the things we love about visiting towns with so much history, just being in awe of where we are standing.Meer informatie
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Lazy Lunch in Ortigia, Sicily
1 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
We had a lazy day today as we know we will have a few busy days ahead once we hit the road. We wandered the streets some more, I bought some lovely ceramic cacti (I am obsessed) and I even bought a fabric cactus in a pot. Not sure how to get it home but I will. We came across a traditional horse and cart decorated in its finery. While it was spectacular I did feel for the horse as I heard one of the tour guides say the head wear was too heavy for the horse. Poor thing.

We tried a brioche con gelato and brioche con granita that we had seen on a lot of ice cream boards. I was the winner with my choice of brioche with gelato as the cherry and coconut flavoured gelato went very well in my brioche “sandwich”. It is an unusual concept but a delicious one too. Brad’s choice, however, was a bit of a fail. He chose pistachio granita and it was like green sludge in a cup and a dry brioche bun. At least we ticked another item of the “must try” list.

We then ventured into the Vecchio Pub which had a lovely secluded garden out the back, away from the street traffic and noise. They have created such an inviting space, both inside and out. For lunch Brad enjoy a plate of mixed grilled seafood, which he loved, and I had my first Italian pizza on this trip. I chose one with very random toppings - eggs, artichokes, ham, olives and PEAS! And it was delicious. Not something I would ever think about putting together but it worked.

This afternoon we walked into Siracusa to pick up our hire car for our road trip tomorrow. With tomorrow being a public holiday here, we had to get it early. With the parking situation on Ortigia being quite difficult we have left the car at the car rental office to collect tomorrow and be on our way. We can’t wait to see the rest of what Sicily has to offer and it has certainly been a wonderful start in Ortigia.Meer informatie
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Valley of the Temples, Sicily
2 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
We sadly departed Ortigia to drive to our next location. We have heard lots of bad stories about driving in Sicily and we were pleasantly surprised with our drive today. The roads are so much better than we expected however the Sicilians do not obey the speed signs - EVER. They are just there for decoration. We are just hoping there won’t be a speeding ticket for us when we get home as it was keep up or get off the roads.

On our way to Selinunte we stopped at the Valle dei Templi, Valley of the Temples, an archaeological site in Agrigento. It is one of the most outstanding examples of ancient Greek art and architecture, and is one of the main attractions of Sicily.

The Valley includes remains of seven temples, all in Doric style and were all established in 5th century BC. Once again we have been blown away by the history of this country, the fact these temples are still standing and that we can have access to them. With the brilliant blue sky, the temple remains stand proud and the site has been well laid out and is very informative.

In front of the Temple of Concordia is the Statue of Icarus, donated by the Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj. The statue represents the fall of Icarus, who disobeyed his father Daedalus, flew too close to the sun, burnt his wax wings and fell into the Mediterranean. It is similar to the one in front of the Tower of Pisa, but this one of the full body of Icarus, in all his glory. A group of older female tourists lined up to have their photos taken next to his appendage. It is quite an odd site considering the location. The statue seems fitting but not the photo opportunity it presents.

We didn’t have time to do the full site but managed to see a few temples and other historic sites before hitting the road for our next destination. This is such an impressive site and one of the reasons we chose to hire a car and drive. We are so happy with our decision to do so.Meer informatie
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Selinunte, Sicily
2 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
After exploring the Valley of the Temples we made the way to Selinunte, our home for the next three nights. This is a small beachside town right next to the Archeological Park of Selinunte, the site of more amazing Greek temples, and the reason we are staying here. Our accomodation is just across from the beach and we are hoping to enjoy some downtime here.

Bags dropped off and we were out the door to walk on the beach and dip our feet in the Mediterranean waters. We had a walk along the beach, admiring the golden Greek temples from the beach while Brad found pieces of terracotta and terrazzo that he swears are from the temple grounds. The beaches here are so different to home making us realise how lucky we are. The sand here is quite gritty and we sank so far in as we walked, giving us a work out as we walked. Even though we had lost the sun it was still great to be on a beach again.

We stopped at the beach bar for a couple of drinks - very strong limoncello spritzes, before walking into “town”. It really is a small collection of accommodations, holiday homes, bars and restaurants, and a few tourist shops along the main harbour and beach front. It was a very relaxed feel, especially as tourist season hasn’t hit yet and not everything is open.

We popped into one of the souvenir shops to buy a towel and ended up spending a very delightful and funny hour with a nonna who spoke no English but was intent on us sampling all of her jams, marmalades and spreads, and every single type of alcohol she sold - and she sold a lot of different types. Her sales pitch worked as we left with some pistachio liqueur and some pistachio biscuits. She really made our day and we were very merry when we left.

Nearing afternoon drinks time we made our way to a beach side bar called Bamboo where we enjoyed some more beers and spritzes and the most delicious charcuterie board as well as heaps of free snacks. The prices here are ridiculous and we cannot believe how inexpensive our afternoon was. We were very merry and full by the time we left to return to our apartment to call it a night. No need for dinner. What a fabulous first day in Selinunte.Meer informatie
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Lido Tuke, Selinute, Sicily
3 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Today has been a day of complete relaxation. We walked down the road from our apartment to Lido Tuke where we hired beach chairs and an umbrella for the day. Our Sicilian nonna from yesterday waved at us as we passed and we shared a laugh - she was probably laughing at how she conned us into spending money we weren’t planning too. It is these interactions that really add to our travel experiences.

Our beach chairs and umbrella cost us €15 for the whole day - what a bargain. We spent the day lying on our beach chairs enjoying the view of the turquoise waters rolling in. Brad dipped his toes while I have just relaxed in the Mediterranean sunshine. Having the restaurant/bar a few steps away has allowed us to stay hydrated with the local beer and limoncello spritz.

We managed to drag ourselves up to the restaurant to enjoy a delicious lunch. Brad, once again, had a seafood pasta while I tried the roast calamari and salad. Wow, what a delicious and fresh lunch. It has to be up there with one of my best meals on this trip.

Then back to the beach for Brad to have a swim in the very cold waters while I just dipped my toes in. It has been the most relaxing day. Unfortunately it wasn’t until we got back to our apartment that I noticed how sunburnt my legs were. I was a very silly woman and didn’t put sunscreen on my legs. I think I will be paying for that mistake for a while.

Dinner tonight was a pizza in bed with our feet up. We ordered a pizza from the restaurant below where we are staying and it has to be one of the best we have had so far. Italy certainly do food well. It has been a day of fun, food and relaxation. Just perfect (minus the sunscreen).Meer informatie
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Parco Archeologico di Selinunte
5 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
This morning we bid farewell to beautiful Selinunte to make our way to Nubia, Trapini. On the way we stopped off at the Archaeological Park of Selinunte, the site of the largest archaeological park in Europe. Even though we had seen the Valley of the Temples we wanted to explore this site too.

With almost 2.5 acres, this site has the remains of the grandiose city that was Selinunte, developed and designed by the Greeks since the founding of the colony. Founded in 628 BC and abandoned around 250 BC, it is absolutely mind blowing that we can still stand amongst these temples. With the thunder and lightning overhead it was a very surreal experience.

Thankfully we were able to take shelter from the rain and visit the on-site museum. So much of what they have discovered on the site is displayed and once again, it is unfathomable that items from centuries ago still exist. To this day more and more is being discovered.

We chose to take the cart ride from one temple to the next so we could see as much as possible before the rain returned. While we did not get to see the whole expansive site, we were so impressed with what we did manage to see. Definitely worth the visit.Meer informatie
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Relais Antiche Saline, Nubia, Sicily
5 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
The earlier rain turned into a full on storm and we couldn’t believe how much water was on the roads. It was a “fun drive” to our next stop, Nubia, Trapani. We chose this spot to see and photograph the near-by salt pans and to visit Trapani and it’s beautiful beaches. This was the one spot I was really hoping we would have the best weather but today it is not to be, with overcast and cloudy skies when we arrived.

After dropping our bags off we made our way to the waterside restaurant, La Torre di Nubia, not far from where we are staying. We have booked two nights at the Relais Antiche Saline resort with a balcony view over the salt pans. It is a bit remote but we thought the views would be worth it. Now we just have to hope the weather co-operates with our plans.

We can see the restaurant from our balcony but with no path through we had to drive. The restaurant has a lovely view overlooking the water and we can imagine how lovely it would be on a clear day, sat outside enjoying the food and the location. For now we just got to enjoy the food, which was very tasty.

With the weather still not the best and having done enough driving for the day, we returned to our accommodation to relax before dinner on-site. Amazingly we were able to get some photos of the salt pans with the dark clouds looming in the background before dinner. It might not be the sunset photos we were hoping for, but the dark clouds made for some fabulous photos. Fingers crossed we might still get to see the sun set over the salt pans before we leave.Meer informatie
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Erice, Sicily
6 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Today we drove into Trapani to catch the cable car up to Erice, a historic town located 750 metres above sea level on the top of Mount Erice, overlooking the city of Trapani, and out to Nubia and the salt pans, where we are staying. Founded by the Phoenicians, an ancient civilisation dating back to 3000 BC, remains from the walls at the time can still be seen.

Even though it was an overcast day it was a lovely town to wander through, admiring the alleyways, checking out the ceramic shops (oh I wish we were closer to home - I would bring so much back with me) and popping into a church or two. For a small town there certainly are a few of them. While the town does have a lot of tourist shops it still has a rustic charm and it was worth braving the crazy Sicilian drivers to get here.Meer informatie
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La Torre di Nubia, Sicily
6 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
After our day at Erice and with the weather still overcast we opted out of checking out Trapani and it’s beaches. Our time here hasn’t been what we thought due to weather but we have still enjoyed seeing different towns of Sicily. Every town has been so different.

With not a lot of restaurants close to where we are staying, and because we enjoyed our lunch so much yesterday, we chose to go back to La Torre di Nubia for dinner. Unbelievably the sky cleared as we were getting ready to go, resulting in some lovely sunset photos. Even while we were having dinner sat overlooking the ocean we kept popping out to take some more photos. While they may not be as amazing as some I have seen online I am glad we managed to experience a sunset.

For dinner Brad had a salt crusted fish which is a whole fish cooked wrapped in salt creating a “salt oven”. They make such a show of prepping it at the table to serve it. It was delicious and we enjoyed another delicious meal at the restaurant. Great food, great staff and a great view.

We even managed to get some photos over the salt pans after the sun had set.Meer informatie
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Salt Pans of Trapani, Sicily
7 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
We had an early start today, hitting the road for our big drive to Taormina. But before we left we grabbed a few more photos of the salt pans in the area.

The salt pans of Trapani are part of the Riserva Naturale orientata delle Saline di Trapani e Paceco. The history of the salt pans has its roots in the time of Frederick II. At that time, salt was fundamental to preserving food and the king understanding the economic and commercial potential of the area imposed a state monopoly on salt production. After the Normans, the Aragonese privatised the salt pans. The economy increased, and Trapani became the most important European centre for salt production.

The old star (or Dutch) mills are among the ten most beautiful in Europe, with their six wooden blades. Windmills pump water between the basins and are used to grind salt and a series of basins of different sizes and depths create the salt pans. In summer, thanks to a system of levels, channels and water passages, the seawater evaporates quickly and the salt crystallises.

The Torre di Nubia, the Nubia Tower, is the tower we see from our balcony. It was a watchtower whose task was to warn the population about the arrival of Saracen pirates. An old mill, set in a 17th-century building called Casa Salaria, houses the Salt Museum and it is these buildings that look so great with their reflections on the still water of the salt pans. With the morning light the area looks different again and it was great to capture some more images before we left.Meer informatie
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Hello Again Taormina, Sicily
7 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
After a long drive filled with roadworks and amazing scenery, we finally made it to Taormina, our second last stop before we head home. While it has been a long drive, it was also a surprising one, as we had no idea how green and lush, and picturesque, the countryside of Sicily is. We thought it would be more barren and dry but it is beautiful. If it wasn’t for the fact we had to drive at least 40km over the speed limits, I would have tried to take some photos. It was a very pretty drive.

Once we worked out how to drop the car off, we found our accommodation, quickly dropped our bags off, and headed out to reacquaint ourselves with this wonderful town. We were here five years ago but due to bad storms were only able to spend one day in Taormina and really didn’t get to see as much as we would have liked. We couldn’t wait to get back here.

Thankfully Taormina has lived up to my memory of it and it is a beautiful town filled with colour and vibrancy. And it is so clean and graffiti free. Yes, it is a tourist town but it still has a real authentic feel and we love it. We explored the streets we didn’t get to see last time, had a moment or two wandering down memory lane, and fell in love with this place all over again. It is so picturesque with every street and lane a photo opportunity. A photographer’s dream.Meer informatie
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Hello Taormina - Part Two
7 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
With a big day travelling hunger eventually overtook us and as usual rain started to fall. It has followed us for most of our trip. We ended up in a very non Italian sushi and hamburger bar (an odd mix), the Wood House, and craving a big ole juicy hamburger, Brad ordered the Sicilian burger (at least it sounded Italian), and I got the classic. They would have to be the best hamburgers we have had and Brad’s was the winner with its cherry bbq sauce. Delicious!!

Fuelled up and once the rain had settled, we explored some more of this lovely town. Even with overcast skies it is pretty special. We stopped at Ristorante L’Orologio for an afternoon drink while admiring the views. I love how the stepped laneways are filled with cafes, bars and restaurants with every possible space utilised and decorated.

We haven’t had as many gelatos as we planned so we made sure we had one on our way back to our apartment. Our goal is to have one every day for our last few days here.

Weary from our big travel day and with the weather not the best, we opted for arancini for dinner in our apartment, and they did not disappoint. Now that is very Sicilian. Early night for us and hoping for blue skies tomorrow as we have lots we want to see and do.Meer informatie
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Streets of Taormina, Sicily
8 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Woke up to brilliant blue skies so rushed out to get some photos of the town without all the tourists - yes we are tourists too. We didn’t realise that instead of people the streets would be filled with vans and cars, with the shops all getting their deliveries in.

We did manage to get some good photos of the pretty laneways, lovely scenery, pretty shop fronts and window displays that we did not get to see in its best light yesterday. This is just a beautiful town with so much to look at. We love it.Meer informatie
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Piazza IX Aprile, Taormina
8 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
With the clear blue sky the views from the Piazza IX Aprile were spectacular, and we could see Mt Etna in the distance and the clear waters of the Ionian Sea below.
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Bam Bar, Taormina
8 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
We then decided to follow the advice of our host and have breakfast at the Bam Bar, a Taormina institution. With granita and brioche being the traditional Sicilian breakfast we decided to give it a go again. Brad tried granita and a brioche in Ortigia but it was a bit of a fail. One - we weren’t sure what we were doing, and two - Brad probably ordered the wrong granita. I chose to go with coffee and cream and brioche and Brad tried chocolate and cream with his. They were delicious, just not what we would usually have for breakfast. We enjoyed it so much we are planning to return tomorrow to try it again. Which we did!! Who knew ice coffee and cream and a brioche would be my ideal breakfast staple.Meer informatie
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Exploring Europe 2023 Reiziger
Lido il Delphino, Taormina
8 juni 2023, Italië ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C
With the sky stunningly blue and having seen the main historic sites last time we were here, we decided today was another beach day, especially as we didn’t get to the beach last time we were here. Thankfully the cable cars are back up working and it was a quick trip down to the beach.

While the beaches here aren’t the white Sandy beaches from home and are instead gritty hot sand and rocks, the waters here are amazing. Turquoise blue and so clear. Oh and freezing cold. We opted for hiring beach chairs again and these have been the dearest ones yet at €40 for two for the day. We plan to stay all day to get our money worth.

With only a couple days left we are splurging and just enjoying the down time. Settled in our chairs we hit the water, wondering why there weren’t many people swimming. We soon found out as it was molto freddo - very cold. Once we got use to it though it was amazing, floating in the beautiful seas. Once back on our chairs and making sure my legs and feet are covered from top to toe (I am still suffering from sunburn from our last beach day) we spent the day relaxing, reading and enjoying beach side cocktails. This is what we love about the Italian beaches. Brad even got a beachside massage. What a fabulous way to spend our last few days before we fly home.

We ended our day with a delicious gelato on our way home, with both of us choosing our favourite flavour, amarena, black cherry. Perfect end to the perfect day.Meer informatie
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