Reset search
Sicily 2021, Italy
  • Gina Steiner
  • Gina Steiner

Sicily 2021, Italy

A 20-day adventure by Gina Read more
FollowInsightsInsightsCalendarCalendarPhotosPhotosShareShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Gina SteinerSicily 2021, ItalyTraveler

    Ceramic Heads, Taormina, Sicily

    October 14, 2021 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    who does not know them, the peculiar ceramic heads, which, as hand-painted vases on sicilian balconies, fix the passing tourists with rigid expressions. whether with light or dark skin color, together with a woman's head or alone, a crown on the head is the same for everyone.

    the eerily beautiful legend says that a beautiful girl lived in palermo in the kalsa district during the arab-muslim rule around the year 1000 AD. her rose skin was like blooming peach blossoms and her eyes reflected the sea of the gulf of palermo.

    the young woman was almost always at home, spending her days tending the plants on her balcony. some day a young african passed under her balcony who, as soon as he saw her, fell madly in love with her and immediately swore to her everlasting love. affected by so much passion, she returned his love, but her happiness was short-lived.

    as soon as she learned that her lover would soon be leaving to return to his home country and to his wife and two children, she made up her mind. she waited for night to fall and as soon as he fell asleep, she killed him and cut off his head.

    she made a vase out of his head to plant basil in and placed it on her balcony for all to see. that way he would stay with her forever. the basil grew into a stately plant and all the neighbors envied the girl for it.

    in order not to be inferior to the young woman in any way, all residents of the district had extra terracotta vases made with the shape of the head. to this day, these colorful ceramic vases can be admired from sicilian balconies as a nice warning to all husbands.

    incidentally, the basil is the king's plant and was deliberately planted in the head of her lover by the girl from the legend. thus, with the help of the noble plant, the young woman could continue to care for her lover in her madness.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerSicily 2021, ItalyTraveler
    22

    Etna, Sicily, Italy

    October 15, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    today we went up the etna - well i think everybody knows enough about etna... and we were really lucky because yesterday it rained 🌧️ the whole day so this means a whole day snowing ❄️ on etna ❤️. we went up until 2750m and i took my walking sticks - not higher because of the recent activity. from time to time some clouds creeped over the top and dropped us into fog for 5 minutes. what an adventure ❤️❤️❤️Read more

  • Gina SteinerSicily 2021, ItalyTraveler

    Alcantara canyon, Sicily, Italy

    October 16, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    today i went hiking along the alcantara canyon. the alcantara is a river and it's name is of arabic origin. al-qanṭarah means "the bridge" or "the bridge bow" and refers to a bridge from roman times that the arabs found near the mouth.
    the route is 13 km long and takes about 3.5 hours. the terrain is flat, there are only 120 meters in altitude to overcome and almost everywhere the terrain is simple. after the last hikes definitely a knee-enabling change. unfortunately, alcantara river had little water, so the river crossing was little spectacular. otherwise a cozy hike.    Read more

  • Gina SteinerSicily 2021, ItalyTraveler

    Portella Mandrazzi, Sicily, Italy

    October 16, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    today we drove over the portella mandrazzi. this is a 1,125 m high pass belonging to the chain of th ploritani mountains. it is crossed by the sella mandrazzi state road 185 from which it takes its name. this road also crosses the alcantara valley from san biagio to giardini naxos connecting the east side washed by the Ionian sea with the north side washed by the tyrrhenian sea.Read more

  • Gina SteinerSicily 2021, ItalyTraveler
    2

    Spiaggia di Mazzoforno, Sicily, Italy

    October 16, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    this is my new swimming pool - definitely the best pool view so far. so guess what my first action was… right! swimming 🏊🏊🏊….
    but where am i? today we arrived at a campsite between mazzoforno and cefalù and we‘re going to stay for two nights. not that i need a two nights stay to set up my hammock - i only need 3 minutes - but check yourself… what a nice place for my hammock, my tent and my…. pool.Read more

  • Gina SteinerSicily 2021, ItalyTraveler

    Cefalù, Sicily, Italy

    October 17, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    today i took the italian wobbly-bus to cefalù. cefalù is located on the north coast of sicily at the foot of the rocca di cefalù, a 270 meter high limestone rock between palermo and capo d’orlando. the distance to palermo is 70 km, to messina 162 km. the foothills of the monti madonie extend into the backlands south of the city. the old town is very nice to look at and it quickly becomes clear that the town is mainly financed through tourism. but they did a good job and so the place was able to retain its charm - unlike taormina. since i have currently found such a beautiful place for my hammock, i didn't stay very long. but it was enough for a canollo siciliana with cappuccino, a visit to the duomo and the lavatoio medievale - a public washing area that probably dates back to arab times. so now i‘m back in my hammock after a nice swim in the pool.Read more

  • Gina SteinerSicily 2021, ItalyTraveler

    Last morning in Sicily, Italy

    October 18, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    this is my last morning in sicily, i‘m a bit sad but not too much. today i‘m going to spend the day in palermo and going to take the ferry to genova late in the evening. after that there will be quite some kilometers to go until i reach hamburg on thursday. but there is already a new trip on the horizon, beginning of november i will go hiking and „yogaing“ in la gomera - so nothing to worry about 😉Read more

  • Gina SteinerSicily 2021, ItalyTraveler
    222

    Palermo, Sicily, Italy

    October 18, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    today i strolled palermo - for the third time. in short: it hasn't changed a lot since i have been here for the first time 20 years ago but it's less dirty.... my main interest lies in the markets but since it's the last day on the island buying food does not make a lot of sense. so it's a chilly day: strolling the markets, drinking coffee, eating antipasti, primi piatti, secondi piatti, dolci... watching the Italian boys swagger along the street with their mirrored sunglasses and the girls doing the same but lifting up their head a bit too high hoping nowbody will see their glimpses to the left and right. and now lying at the lido, enjoying the siesta. siesta, what a great invention...Read more

  • Gina SteinerSicily 2021, ItalyTraveler

    GNV, Palermo -> Genova, Italy

    October 19, 2021, Tyrrhenian Sea ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    today i woke up early to enjoy the sunrise and had a total unexpected experience: and empty cruise liner. how spooky is that? i would say a great set for a wonderful horror movie 😜.

  • Trip end
    October 21, 2021
  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice