Travel season is open! So different Sicily

The Ekaterinburg spring sees off with ripe hail, and the Sicilian one meets with the bright sun, the light aroma of flowering trees and the fresh breeze of three seas. If you want to combine beach, outdoor activities and visiting historical sites, then Sicily is definitely your choice.

Three seas, sandy and pebble beaches, ancient architecture in the late Baroque style, many historical monuments, the largest active volcano in Europe and, of course, unparalleled Italian cuisine - that's what this amazing island in the south of Italy has to offer you. The best time to visit is spring, early summer and autumn (in July-August, the thermometer column mercilessly creeps up, forcing even locals to escape, and in winter it is very humid and cool here), and each season has its own charms. My friends and I visited Sicily this spring.

Spring is a time of flowering and fragrance everywhere, especially in Sicily. The island is full of yellow, red, pink flowers, oranges and lemons are already ripening on the trees. The average temperature at this time varies in the region of 18-22 degrees (in May to 26). However, from the unheated sea at this time blows cool, so bathe only the most unpretentious tourists. By the way, there are not very many visitors at this time, and for some reason it is especially glad that compatriots cannot be met at every step. However, our guide, a local resident, said that in recent years more and more Russians are coming – apparently a new trend.

Before you go on a trip, it does not hurt to learn a few important facts about the island. First, Sicilians are very kind, open and responsive people, they are always ready to help, but you need to be prepared for the fact that far from the major cities, the percentage of those who know English will drop sharply. Secondly, from 13.00 to 16.00 in Sicily, all shops and most restaurants are closed for three hours, so you can only eat something in small cafes. Third, be prepared for small disappointments like “I went uphill for an hour to this beautiful castle, and it is, damn it, closed!” – for ten days I did not understand the working principle of many museums and architectural monuments. Fourthly, you can hire a car in Sicily only by phone, there are very rare taxi stands on the streets. Fifth, despite the fact that the outer Sicilians are very friendly, this island is not the best place to hitchhike. Fun people can smile from the car, wave and shout greetings, but they will never stop. Sixth, there is a mafia in Sicily. Only now, as in many other countries, it is concentrated in power, so mere mortals, and especially individual tourists, are not interested in it.

Baroque masterpiece

When planning a trip to the eastern part of the island, the first or last stop is undoubtedly to choose Catania. From here it is convenient to take excursions to the volcano Etna and it is simply incredibly charming. A city recognized by UNESCO as a heritage of mankind: in Catania you can endlessly enjoy the architectural beauty in the Baroque style.

In order to feel the greatness of the late Baroque in Catania, it is necessary to visit Cathedral Square, where the Cathedral of Catania, the Elephant Fountain, the Amenano Fountain, the Kierici Palace and the Elephant Palace are located. Near the square is a fish market, where locals buy fish, which in the morning to the nearby port are delivered by fishing boats. Here you can see the huge swordfish striking in size and be surprised by the abundance of living mussels, oysters, lobsters, shrimp and other marine inhabitants.

Ancient City of Art

The first of five days in Catania we devoted to admiring its beauty, the second - excursions to the active volcano Etna, and the third conceived to visit one of the oldest cities of Sicily - Syracuse. Syracuse and Syracuse are not the same thing. Syracuse is the name of one of the first Greek colonies in eastern Sicily, and Syracuse today is an Italian city on the ruins of ancient Syracuse.

This city is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and, admittedly, not in vain. “The greatest Greek city, the most beautiful of all,” Cicero said of Syracuse, and it is difficult to argue with it, despite the fact that traces of Greek buildings can hardly be found among the “new” buildings. Traces of former greatness have been preserved to this day, but in a very deplorable state: many structures were almost completely destroyed by the Spaniards in the XVI century, who used blocks of architectural monuments for the construction of fortifications on Ortigia.

By the way, Ortigia (in Italian pronunciation “Ortigia”) is an island part of the city, connected to the main three bridges. Since this island is the historical center of the city, there are also ruins of Doric temples, Renaissance palazzos, and buildings in the late Baroque style - all this on an area of less than 1 square kilometer.

Another attractive place in Syracuse is the Archaeological Park of Neapolis. There are the Ancient Greek Theatre, which is now being restored by a philanthropist, the largest in Sicily, the Ancient Roman Theatre, which is in a deplorable state after the machinations of the Spaniards, the grotto Ear of Dionysius with stunning acoustics inside and several quarries.

Resort paradise

The next point of the trip was a small, but unusually picturesque resort town of Taormina. Once this city-fortress was of great strategic importance: the fortifications in the north and south closed the only passage from Messina to Catania and Syracuse, and the passerby was forced to cross the whole of Taormina. Because of its position, the city knew the period of prosperity and, after numerous sieges and conquests, the period of decline. Now Taormina is a charming, exclusively tourist town with cozy beaches and unusually beautiful beaches.

Here it is worth paying attention to the well-preserved and still functioning Greco-Roman Theater, the main street of the city is Corso Umberto Avenue, bordered on the south side by the Gates of Catania, and on the north by the Gates of Messina, and the Cathedral of San Nicolo, which looks like a fortress. In addition, the city is famous for its beaches - Mazaro and Giardini Naxos. The latter, by the way, is located on the site of the ancient Greek settlement of the same name. It is breathtaking from the view of the islet of Isola Bell, and from the Blue Grotto, where the rays of the sun play under water, falling into the water cave through a hole in the rock.

Movieman's dream

The mountain village of Savoka in Sicily must be visited by every moviegoer, because it was here that the Sicilian scenes of The Godfather were filmed. You can get there by booking a special tour of the film, or by yourself, by bus. It is in Savoka, sipping wine in the bar “Vitelli” to the accompaniment of “Appollonia” Nino Rota, you can feel the real spirit of old Sicily – an unforgettable feeling! Not far from the bar is the Church of St. Lucia, where in the film married the courageous Corleone and the beautiful Apollonia.

In addition to the “cinema” attractions in Savok, there is another interesting place – the Capuchin Monastery. The monastery itself is not remarkable, but under it there are catacombs, where about fifty mummies of representatives of the local clergy and nobility are stored.

 ***

We left Sicily with joyful impressions and a sense of incompleteness. It seemed that we were not returning to our homeland, but just flying to see Russia, then to return back – the island became so native to us.

Alena Tronina

Source: www.uralstudent.ru