Returning along the eastern coast of Sicily, we stopped in Siracusa, one of the first Greek colonies on the island. We hiked a bit on Mount Etna, Europe’s largest and most active volcano and then continued on to Taormina, known for its magnificent views as well as its Greek and Roman ruins and a rich architectural mix, thanks to its Arabic, Norman and Spanish conquerers.
Our favorite part of Siracusa was the island of Ortigia, said to be its historical center. It is a bustling mix of temples, churches, museums, open piazzas, markets and shops, along with an evocative medieval Greek ghetto.
Hiking is allowed on the lower craters of Mount Etna. There is parking to accommodate campers so we were able to spend the night and attack the mountain before countless busloads of tourists arrived.
Taormina was the capital of Byzantine Sicily in the 9th century and is an almost perfectly preserved medieval town. Perched on coastal cliffs, it has amazing views as well as wonderful restaurants and shopping!
A ferry took us across the Strait of Messina to Calabria, another beautiful travel destination. We spent the night in the beautiful village of Scilla which faces the Strait. An ancient clifftop fortress, Ruffo Castle, overlooks the beach there. When we explored it the next day, we found a small museum that explained how this village was seriously damaged by two earthquakes, the latter in 1908.
After a brief detour at Pollino National Park in Calabria, we continued on to the Matera in Basilicata, an ancient city known for its “Sassi” cave dwellings from the Paleolithic period (10th century BC). These ancient dwellings have UNESCO status and are well worth exploring. With a map of the ancient caves and rupestrian churches, we had a very enlightening self guided walking tour!
There wasn’t much time left for exploration and although at some point we will return to this culturally rich and exciting country, for now we continued on London, through the lower Alps into France, stopping in Chambéry and Troyes. Then we drove to Calais and went through the Eurotunnel on the way to London…
Thank you for the exciting descriptions and gorgeous pictures of a part of the world I doubt I will ever see in person. I am going to forward this chapter of your travels to a neighbor who is from Sicily and whose Sicilian relatives were just visiting San Francisco. Is that okay to do?
You are amazing! What an incredible adventure!