The entire gorgeous city of Syracusa is a UNESCO World Heritage sight, and if it were up to me, I would extent UNESCO status to it’s panini. Specifically, Caseificio Borderi Elefteria located at Via Emanuele de Benedictis, 6, Siracusa, Italy. We walked through Ortygia island neighborhood of Syracusa, towards the Ionian Sea, avoiding the rements of […]
I generally have a hard time appreciating Baroque, which I associate with frosting covered architecture encrusted with obese putti and over-inflated grandeur. Ragusa, a UNSECO protected Baroque town in Southern Sicily, just may have converted me into a Baroque lover. The town, largely destroyed in a massive earthquake in 1693, was rebuilt by its wealthy […]
We are riding our bus through the exceptionally scenic Province of Ragusa, winding our way through a high-hill town, when children in medieval carneval garb started pouring out, completely blocking the street. Our bus, all the traffic, comes to a standstill. The bus driver lays on the horn. The woman sitting next us is outraged “Some of us have […]
We arrived at the Valley of Temples in Agrigento, Southern Sicily, near opening time, and were still walking around late afternoon when a heavy rain drove us under a temporary shelter. We waited it out reading a history of the Temples. When the rain cleared we said, why not one more picnic at the Temple of Concord? […]
Cefalù, in Northern Sicily, is indisputably scenic. It’s dramatically set on the Mediterranean, with a giant rock mountain looming above it, full of golden light, palm trees, and twisty medieval streets. Despite it’s attractive qualities, we spent much of the day irritated with the tourist industry of the town, which has three major sights, two […]
The Cathedral of Monreale in Monreale, Sicily, exceeded my high expectations. Until I have a chance to write more, I’ll tease you with a few photos of the mosaics and cloister. Dating from around 1200, the cathedral and it’s art are pristinely preserved. After a day in Monreale, we returned to Palermo and furthered our […]
Palermo is a delicious mix of Norman, Arabic, Byzantine, Baroque and Renaissance–and the street food reflects the multicultural heritage of the city. Our day was full of Byzantine mosaics with interludes of studiously eating as many types of street food as possible. I look forward to lovingly describing the outstanding art and architecture of Palermo when I […]
Today I napped on a dusty train next to a stranger, South from Naples down mainland Italy until we crossed the Straight of Messina into Sicily. Sicily is an island, of course, and there’s no bridge, and yet it’s possible to take a train across the sea. The train actually boards a ferry by breaking up […]
You know how when someone goes to Las Vegas, people nudge each other and say knowingly “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”? Well in Italy, if you’re going to Naples people say “Vedi Napoli e poi muori!”—See Naples and die! Well I’m sure this is meant as a compliment, as in “OMG I’ve seen […]
I’m on the way to the airport tonight with an 18 pound backpack. Packing light is a non-negotiable necessity for a budget traveler. If you want to be independent and highly-mobile traveler, pack light. If you want to be tied down by your luggage, be dependent on elevators and porters, and have your airline lose […]
Picnic at the Cathedral 