Summer 2010 in Sicily, from Here (San Vito) to There (Ragusa)

Trip

June 30 / July 1

This year we're staying in Italy: after vacations around the Mediterranean we couldn't exempt ourselves from a trip to Sicily.

Accomplice, or rather architect, of this decision is the Agosta family, parents of Michela, Marco's classmate, our son: and so the chain is complete.

The Agostas are originally from San Vito (from San Vito Lo Capo - Trapani), on Giovanni's side, and they proposed to Marco to "come down" with them for the vacation and, not content with that, proposed to us to join them and spend a few days as their guests. We, like the good parasites we are, accepted.

The journey: let's hope that the good morning doesn't show from the morning. Our damn Genoa-Palermo ferry was six hours late!!! Apocalyptic journey on a filthy ship… I don't want to add anything else, it's better. Only advice: he who spends more spends less. Come by plane.

Bottom line, instead of arriving in San Vito at 5 PM we landed at one o'clock, thus immediately endearing ourselves to Giovanni and Maritella who had to stay up late to receive us.

Marco, who we thought was missing us, in 10 days I think has instead developed the idea of getting himself adopted.

San Vito

A beach day on the spectacular beach of San Vito, dominated by the majestic profile of Monte Monaco.

The beach is very large so people spread out without creating a crowd, the water is crystal clear except for the presence of seaweed near the shore.

Anyway, you can "snorkel" without problems, the place is truly beautiful.

After lunch (at 3:30 PM!) we went to Calamancina, a natural landing place with crystal-clear water also thanks to underwater springs. In fact, it's freezing cold and I didn't feel like going in. I'm getting old.

Marco and Luca were enthusiastic. Needless to say, we found the place thanks to Giovanni who knows everything about this area.

If you find it, Calamancina is a place worthy of the bumpy road taken to reach it. Anyway, the road is taken at the end of S. Vito, it's signposted.

Riserva dello Zingaro – Tonnara del secco

Up early in the morning, we set course for the Zingaro Reserve. It is a reserve created about thirty years ago when it had been decided to build a coastal road between Scopello and S.Vito. The opposition of the inhabitants and the newly formed environmental associations blocked the project and started an opposite one: to defend this stretch of coast from cementification.

Having entered from the S.Vito side (3€ adults, 2€ reduced) we immediately stopped at the Cala della Tonnarella dell'Uzzo: a bay shorter than its name but very beautiful with transparent water. You swim among schools of needlefish this long: Marco, Luca and Michela even saw a starfish.

Advice: don't think about doing the whole trail in summer unless you've made a vow! The temperature and the trail entirely in the sun could drive you crazy. With me there wasn't much room to get worse but I understood anyway that it's too stupid an undertaking.

We, with the "local" Giovanni, went to see the Grotta dell'Uzzo: a mega cavern where the skeleton of a dwarf elephant was found. Luca, who was melting (Marco didn't even think of moving from the beach), took a swim in the Cala dell'Uzzo (it's all 'this Uzzo's, here!) and then we returned to the initial little cove where Marco and I were awaited by "our" women Laura, Michela and Maritella. During the return the heat destroyed me: I was one step away from mystical visions! Unless cows fly…

In the afternoon we went to the Tonnara del Secco, near San Vito. Take the road for the Reserve and, outside the town, follow the signs for "Tonnara".

Here the location (how do I put it?) of the fiction (but how do I put it?) "Cefalonia" was set up and also of the episode "Il giro di boa" of Montalbano, both with Luca Zingaretti. A disused tuna fishery, very disused, in front of yet another crystal-clear body of water. Whether or not you've seen the TV series, it's a place to see. Maybe toward evening, it's very poetic.

Baia S. Margherita

then a little free train takes swimmers along the coast, on the Mediterranean side of the island.

We got off at Baia S. Margherita, a beautiful sandy beach with a view of the mountain of Trapani, Monte Cofano. Since it was warm we immediately threw ourselves into the water... freezing!

Back home for lunch, Giovanni made us spaghetti with bottarga (!!!!) before saying goodbye to head back to the mainland, to "work." The economy needs to keep moving!

We didn't know that, after the goodbyes, we would see him again very soon: the car he had rented breathed its last before the finish line. After a desperate attempt to revive it, we loaded the luggage into our car and rushed to the airport just in time for boarding. Arrivals and departures a bit rough on this vacation!

Tonnara del Secco – Saline di Trapani

Back at the Tonnara del Secco we are welcomed by "dry" swimmers: the little cove is infested with jellyfish. We didn't lose heart and, as sea experts that we are (!), we figured that the current would clear the field of floating nettles.

More than the current, it was the hunting that Marco and a few other daredevils unleashed, expelling, catapulting, out of the water dozens of tentacled jellies. With the field cleared we enjoyed the best beach day. To date.

Toward evening we headed, without Maritella because we can only fit five in the car, to the Saline of Trapani.

You go toward Marsala and at Nubia, just past Trapani, you find the Salt Museum where a nice young woman explained to us which job not to do: salt harvester.

The landscape of the salt flats is fascinating, the sun reflected in the pink water pools creates beautiful plays of light and then the windmills let you take postcard-worthy photos.

Truly a beautiful day.

Zingaro – Mothia – Marsala

A couple of words to describe our second day at the Zingaro Reserve: pure bliss.

Sea and sun and nothing else, but what sea and what sun. And Maritella was there too: we tempted fate by "re"homologating our car for six passengers.

The next day, the usual five, we head toward Mothia: we board at the Imbarcadero Storico (5€ adults, 2.5€ under 13) and then set off for the tour of this little island a few hundred meters from the coast. Mothia was a Phoenician port, second in importance only to Carthage and which met the same fate: completely destroyed.

The little that remains is nestled among vineyards and olive groves and the most interesting thing... can't be seen! The submerged road: it connected the island to the mainland and was submerged even back then precisely so it wouldn't be discovered by enemies.

I think it would be simple, given the shallow seabed, to set up a pier alongside the first meters of the road to make it possible to appreciate it. For now you appreciate, I'd say you observe, its inaccessibility.

After the tour of the island, a bit of cursing for having left lunch in the car and we head back to the parking lot.

Once in Marsala, we finally eat the "pane cunzato" we bought at departure. The pane cunzato requires empty stomachs to be finished, it's that filling. I won't reveal the ingredients: try it.

Marsala has a beautiful historic center dominated by the Palazzo Comunale and the Duomo.

Today we discovered there will be a wedding and so we decided to wait to appreciate the "splendor" of the guests' outfits... and the bride's.

On the way back a few photos of the salt flats near Mozia: they are bigger than those of Trapani but inaccessible. There is also a windmill still in operation. Make a "scenic" stop. This is also a place where scenes from Cefalonia were filmed.

Tonnara di Scopello

Beach day, it was supposed to be half a day but given the place we stayed until evening.

The Tonnara di Scopello with its sea stacks, the landing, the anchors all lined up, even with the many people present, is even more beautiful than a close-up of mine, I'll say no more!

If you're the beach type this isn't your place. There are no bathrooms either. If instead you like a rocky sea (maybe it's better 'with' rocks) and a more spartan life, the tonnara will certainly satisfy you. Better for you if you're constipated.

Marco & Luca performed dozens of dives and we raised the score paddles. I did a bit of back and forth in and out of the water (I even did a dive, the guinea pig one to see if you could touch the bottom!) and evening came. Among other things, we were all there, even Maritella.

After dinner we went to hear an interview with Giuliana Sgrena, the journalist from "Manifesto" kidnapped and freed, 5 years ago, in Iraq, a liberation that cost the life of Nicola Calipari. If you happen to be in San Vito in summer you can take part in this very interesting cultural initiative, now in its 11th edition. Several writers and journalists are invited to talk about their books on a street set up for the occasion. Interesting... even for walruses!

Gibellina – Segesta

I had problems with the maps, I also have them with the navigator. At least I can blame someone else, something else, for the "detours" I force on the crew.

Today's idea was: visit Segesta then a look at Gibellina and return.

I started by taking the wrong highway exit and so the stops got swapped.

The Ruins of Gibellina are a somewhat unsettling experience: here in January '68 the epicenter of the Belice earthquake was located, sadly famous not only for the victims but also for the endless times of reconstruction. Gibellina, a small village of 4500 people, was razed to the ground leaving 450 victims under the rubble. It will never be rebuilt. In its place, in '79, the Sicilian architect Burri replaced it with a pour of white concrete, visible from afar, bearing the plan of the destroyed village. Wandering these fake streets is, together, a sad and profound experience.

Gibellina Nuova was born 20 km away and the idea was to adorn it with sculptures by famous artists. The result is, for me, depressing. A city without an identity, already half "crumbling" with these sculptures that inspire only disappointment, not for how they are but for how they have been left, amid desolation. To see while shaking your head.

Needless to say, instead of 20 km we did 30, again thanks to my ineptitude with the navigator.

Continuing to take wrong turns we arrived, passing through unknown places, at Segesta, where we had lunch.

Segesta is stunning: the temple is in a beautiful position and is intact. After 2500 years and several earthquakes.

With the shuttle, take it if you don't want to melt, we went up to the Greek Theater. You enjoy a magnificent panorama, except for the highway snake in the middle of the valley. The theater is, likewise, in excellent condition.

It remained to return home... and we did return home, getting lost again. Moral: I need to fill up the car!... and learn to use the navigator.

Erice

Early in the morning we head to Trapani for the departure of the cable car to Erice. If you get lost, this time I didn't (!!), follow the signs for the hospital, nearby you'll find the signs that will lead you to the parking lot. From the cabin you admire a beautiful panorama of Trapani and its salt flats.

The first thing you see arriving at Erice are the towers with cell phone repeaters. A disgrace and, incredibly, mine doesn't get a signal!

Anyway, having gotten off our little egg (I don't remember the ticket price, I think 4.5€ round trip) we enter this beautiful medieval village. The beauty of the place lies in wandering the little streets and entering the many churches present.

Some places are paid and with the Passepartout ticket (5€) you can visit them all. Anyway, if you want, you can settle for strolling around.

Having come down to Trapani we ate our sandwiches in the park of Villa Margherita and then we tried to visit the city: it was 2:30 pm and the only thing open was... nothing. No, the cathedral is open. We'll try again in a few days. Also because we left Maritella in S. Vito and so we didn't wait for the city to reopen.

Taking the coastal road you pass through Pizzolungo where a stele commemorates the involuntary sacrifice of a mother with her two children who, years ago (the '80s), overtaking the car of judge Palermo were hit by the explosion of a mafia car bomb. Their death saved the magistrate's life. The outrage at seeing the monument hits you in the stomach.

Dinner at the restaurant "Gnà Sara" in San Vito: I ate the fish couscous, they only make it here and it's delicious.

San Vito – Marettimo

Today 2nd day of goodbyes: Maritella goes home. We asked Michela to continue the vacation with us and, despite my presence, she accepted. So we stayed in San Vito, then kisses and hugs and even Maritella goes home to boost the GDP. We, the last frontier of parasitism, tonight are still staying at their house. The hospitality provided by Giovanni and Maritella is, by my standards, un-repayable. We'll try to do it in installments with dinners. Thanks again!!

In the evening we go to watch the World Cup final with me rooting for the Netherlands and, of course, Spain won. If you want to bet on something ask me... and then do the opposite. With Luca, before the World Cup started, we had bet 5€ on the winner: he said Spain, I said England. Bye 5€.

This morning we try to leave for Marettimo. Try because we couldn't get reliable information on ferry and hydrofoil schedules. Come to the port a few days before departure, don't call: they give wrong information!

Moral: breathless we get on the 10 o'clock ferry and at 1 pm we land at Marettimo.

We cram into an apartment (120€/day) that would be small for 3, imagine for 5, lunch, nap and a little taste of the Marettimo sea.

This island, the last of the Egadi, is small. There is only the village, very beautiful, with single-story houses with blue shutters. There are no cars and you breathe a very relaxed air. Absolute peace, during the day...

Unfortunately Michela isn't feeling well. She'll get better, I hope, also because since she isn't "ours" we'd like to return her as she was given to us.:)

Marettimo

Pietro, our landlord as well as bricklayer in summer and fisherman in winter, has a boat with which he organizes tours of the island, so, perhaps after installing a windowsill, he loads us onto "Mimma" for the tour. Ah, Michela is still alive and well. Pheeew.

From the boat you appreciate the various caves: of the camel, of the bombarda, of the nativity scene, all named based on their shape or the effect of the water inside them. Then a few dives dodging the usual jellyfish, numerous here like Germans in Rimini.

Useless to go on about the water being clear as a pool. So let's talk about the little cove where Pietro and "Mimma" drop us off: it's on the southeast tip of the island. Few people with the water going sciuf-sciuf. I doze off happy and snoring. Tomorrow we return to the big big island.

Marettimo is a place that inspires peace, unfortunately for us it attracted quite a few fans of Gigi D'Agostino who for two nights (our only nights here) blasted our... eardrums with kunz-kunz music until 2 am.

Pachino - Isola delle Correnti

We leave by hydrofoil hoping to arrive in Trapani in time to see the Church of the Purgatory that we had found closed days ago. Ustica Lines rowed against us, delivering us to our destination more than half an hour late and so, no church, again.

We console ourselves with the stratospheric granitas of Colicchia and then leave for Pachino: from northwest to southeast.

The trip... an ordeal: 400 km of state road, decent up to Gela, no comment for the rest. To welcome us we find Giorgia, our landlady: a delightful person, very expansive. She will be our guide (her decision) in this last stretch of vacation.

She even gave us dinner in addition to the apartment (bigger, much bigger, than our house). What more could you want?

July 15 Pachino – Isola delle Correnti

This morning we saw where we are, yesterday it was dark and we heard the crashing of the waves and Giorgia saying: "You'll see what a place": the house is practically on the beach. Like a movie. Breakfast with croissants delivered to the door and then two steps, one and two, and we're on the water's edge.

Ester (10 years old) and Elisa (7), Giorgia's daughters, came down with us and we spent the morning together. Lunch, offered again but the pasta, at least, was ours seasoned with pachino tomatoes, of course.

In the afternoon Giorgia takes us to the Isola delle Correnti: here is the southernmost cape of Italy (islets excluded) celebrated by a stone marker. You can swim in two seas: Mediterranean and Ionian.

Height of trust: Giorgia had an engagement and left her daughters in our custody. Elisa elected me as surrogate dad while waiting for the real one, still at work.

The Isola delle Correnti is reachable on foot and hosts a barracks and a lighthouse, come here with shoes. We, ouch, didn't have them.

After sunset we return home (record: 7 in the car. If you're a policeman/carabiniere or something like that, pretend you didn't read it) for dinner... offered. My name is Para, Para Ssita.

Noto

Morning destination: Vendicari, a beach in a nature reserve. Arrived at the parking lot the gentleman at the entrance warns us that there's Posidonia on the beach. Seeing our faces he explained that they are algae which, since this is a reserve where nothing is touched, are not removed. So we avoid swimming in the salad and opt for San Lorenzo, a nice beach a little further south.

In the afternoon, at 5:30 pm, we go to Noto.

We enter through the main gate and head along Corso Vittorio Emanuele where all the most important buildings face.

Sicilian baroque may or may not be to your taste but the scenic effect cannot leave you indifferent. The staircases in front of cream-colored churches are truly a beautiful sight.

We entered all the open churches, even onto the terrace of Santa Chiara to appreciate the panorama and take The Photo, the one of the Duomo that you see in catalogs.

The Duomo is imposing, less "voluptuous" than the other churches, more sober. As is known it was rebuilt, along with the dome, after the collapse of '96. A fine example of recovery after a bad example of neglect.

Dinner at the Trattoria del Buco (nothing special), one last nighttime stroll through Noto and we head, to meet Giorgia, to Marzamemi, a small fishing village. Very Sicilian, go see it. Now we sleep, actually, I'm already sleepin...zzzzzzzzzz.

Punta Secca – Ragusa – Modica

Baroque-Montalbano day: in the morning heading for the "Marinella" of Montalbano/Zingaretti. The house where they located Italy's most famous commissioner is in Punta Secca, west of Marina di Ragusa.

Arrived at the beach the house is immediately recognizable thanks to the terrace, unmistakable.

A couple of steps to see the lighthouse and then we swim until late afternoon. At 6:00 pm we land at Ragusa Ibla: the old part of Ragusa from which it is quite distinctly separated. It is perched on two hills and is scattered, like the other, with churches, all in Sicilian baroque style. Beautiful.

Here the Duomo di San Giorgio makes a show of itself, the church with the staircase also featured in all the episodes of Montalbano. At 8 pm we are joined by Giorgia, our volcanic landlady who, among other things, got married right here, in the Duomo.

Together with her we move to Modica where we dine on Modican "schiacce." They are various types of what we might call calzones filled with eggplant or anchovies and onions or ricotta and sausage or tomato, ricotta and onion, good but light as a wet beach towel.

Our cicerone makes us appreciate Modica with its baroque palaces facing Corso Umberto I and the Duomo di San Pietro. Mastodonic-rocky.

From the corso a staircase of 209 steps (counted by our minors) leads to the most beautiful church, in my opinion, seen so far. The Duomo (another one) di San Giorgio. Same saint, same architect, same structure as the one in Ragusa but more spectacular.

After a libidinous cannolo at the Caffè delle Arti, Giorgia gives us a last gift. The view of Modica from a belvedere that, following her by car, I didn't quite understand how to reach. Follow the signs for Modica Alta and good luck.

At the end of the day "I became convinced" that Sicily is a great place.

Siracusa – Palermo

Today it's our turn to go home: we say goodbye to Giorgia, Ester and Elisa (and also Syria, their beautiful puppy) and we make a stop in Syracuse.

First we enter the Neapolis Archaeological Park. The amphitheater is beautiful, they say the third largest after the Colosseum and the Arena of Verona, although in earlier times it was downgraded to a quarry for building materials. So the visual impact is not at all comparable to the Colosseum and Arena.

Interesting is the Ear of Dionysius, an artificial cave where it is said Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse, locked up the Athenian prisoners and, thanks to the extraordinary acoustics of the site, listened to their conversations to glean information. In reality it's called Ear because that's how Caravaggio described it when he saw it. If he saw it now more than Dionysius he would have called it Shrek's Ear, it's identical!

Behind Shrek is the Greek Theater, perfectly preserved but also dramatically exposed to the sun! Only Marco managed to climb to the top of the staircase and he took photos for us too, sitting in the shade.

After classical Greece a bit more baroque, come on. Ortigia, an island connected to land by two bridges, is a jewel box. Beautiful houses with very photogenic balconies face the little streets.

You emerge in Piazza del Duomo: with an irregular shape, very white, it hosts the Palazzo Municipale, opposite another whose name I don't remember, the bishop's seat and, splendid, the Duomo and Santa Lucia. The Duomo is a mishmash of styles: baroque facade, interior I don't know but it's beautiful to see the Doric columns of the Greek temple on which the church was built, incorporated into the perimeter walls.

Santa Lucia has a nice balcony on the facade and hosts a canvas by Caravaggio (Wooow, my favorite painter! I can't belieeeve it!), the Burial of Santa Lucia. Unfortunately the canvas is placed too far from the rope that limits access. You can barely see anything, a colossal foolishness.

After eating a room-temperature pizza (aaauuugghh), we leave for Palermo.

Here a fleeting visit to the Cathedral and then to the port where, incredible, the ship is already waiting for us, a real ship!

CONCLUSIONS

We were lucky to have met Giovanni and Maritella. It's thanks to them that our vacation was like this. First they hosted us in one of the most beautiful seaside spots in Sicily.

The days spent in San Vito with Maritella were really beautiful also because she is a woman you feel at ease with.

Then Giovanni recommended the other places to visit, even finding us places to sleep. I can never thank them enough.

Let's add Giorgia from Pachino who hosted us in a house worthy of a movie, feeding us, advising us and accompanying us. Priceless.

Last but not least, thanks to Michela, Marco's friend: her presence canceled out the usual bickering between the brothers. Then she is a truly nice girl, and patient: Marco and Luca "bothered" her the whole time and she seemed to put up with it without problems. She also has great musical taste!

Here, on the ship's deck, I don't have the usual melancholy that comes over me on returns. Maybe because this vacation went far beyond my expectations.