Lipari via Stromboli

Early departure on the Stromboli Express bound for Lipari via Vulcano. Apparently this was the first day the ferry was running this week due to high seas.
Well they were still high and I was stuck inEn savoir plus
Lipari

A small sleepin and relaxed breakfast where they boiled eggs to order in the aldi egg machine.
Bus to Canneto, walk to the Spiaggia Bianca which was grey but I paid 5euro for a sun bed and umbrellaEn savoir plus
Vulcano

The island of Vulcano is a 15min hydrofoil away so daytrips do not get any easier. The hike up to the crater was great. A bit of steam and sulphur smell but fairly tame. 10km roundtrip and 800metreEn savoir plus
Last day in Lipari

Feeling lazy, and a bit weary but I caught the bus to Aquacalda on the other side of the island. Quietest place ever with a nice view of Salina, clear water but very stoney shore. Past old pumiceEn savoir plus
Lipari to Palermo

It was a calm easy ferry from Lipari to Milazzo, then bit of a hike to the train station for the pleasant trip along the north coast of Sicily. Checked into ordinary B&B in good location and I tookEn savoir plus
Palermo with Pam

Had a fun day in Palermo - explored the vast food market, pommegranite and orange juice shops, walked to the port and the pedestrian streets round the quatro canti fountains.
Met the tour group forEn savoir plus
Cefalu

Palermo peak hour traffic was busy. The Monreale gold mosaics were gorgeous and it was a charming town also. Returned to town and into the Palermo cathedral which was built 1131 and has the sun dialEn savoir plus
Erice, Trapani to Agrigento

After breakfast, a 7:30 departure to the beautiful medievel hill top town of Erice, first passing marble quarries and the usual vineards and olive groves. The drive uphill to Erice was amazing, asEn savoir plus
Valley of the Temples

The Temple of Concordia with it’s sandstone doric columns was magnificent and has never been destroyed.
Nearby is Gela where the greeks first landed BC and ironically so did the US in 1943.
LunchEn savoir plus
Day trip to Siracusa

Today’s tour was to Siracusa. First stop in the Archaeologic Park was the Ear of Dionysis with amazing acoustics which was named by Caravaggio when he stayed there 1608.
Then the pristine 5thEn savoir plus
Mount Etna and Taormina

Mount Etna had been smoking since we arrived in this area and today we visited it but unfortunately not enough time to explore via the chairlift and climb higher.
The worst eruption was in 1669 whichEn savoir plus
Piazza Armerina

Incredibly intact and vast is the only way to describe the mosaics at Casa Romana located just outside the town of Piazza Armerina. The standout mosaics were the 10 bikini girls, a cyclops scene,En savoir plus
Palermo to Cirella

First day of freedom from the tour group today so I finally had the time to find a good espresso macchiato for breakfast from a bar rather than the tour group hotel machine.
The Intercity trainEn savoir plus
Cirella

It was drizzling this morning so we walked round the own and into the church where Mr and Mrs Cev were married. Then after a typical italian breakfast of macchiato and sweet biscuits, Frank took us toEn savoir plus
Cirella - Gerace

Frank was going to the doctor so left us in a shopping mall at Sidero which was past Locri where we managed to book the train tickets to Reggio that we told him we already had. Then for reasonsEn savoir plus
Reggio di Calabria

After tiramisu for breakfast (mangia, mangia), Frank drove us down to Bovalino for a walk round the markets and then we trained to Reggio di Calabria.
Walked the pleasant palm and moreton bay figEn savoir plus
Reggio to Rome

Early wakeup for the 4.5 hour fast train to Rome. Interesting scenery especially round Sapri. Left bags at our B&B Suite Deal in Via Volturno just down from Termini and explored the familiar streetsEn savoir plus