SICILY 2023

Noto

We then stayed in Noto, which was my favourite town of all those previously visited in Sicily. Its fine baroque architecture in soft limestone gleamed in the sunshine as we walked around its attractive seldom frequented streets. We stayed in a hilltop apartment that was stuck in a 50s time warp, typically Sicilian with retro furniture that would not be out of place in a scene from The Godfather. It had a large balcony off the sitting room, which overlooked the town below.

 

From Noto we visited the picturesque historic towns of Modica and Scicli. The former had a sweeping staircase that led up to its Cathedral, whilst the latter had a paved pedestrianised street said to be one of the most beautiful in the world.  

 

That evening we dined at a lovely restaurant, Dammuso, which served well-presented delicious food. Its vaulted ceiling created a cave-like ambiance, which was elegant in its simplicity. I chose breaded sardines stuffed with sultanas and pine kernels, plus a Sicilian salad consisting of fennel and orange. My husband Philip chose a type of bouillabaisse, rich with local fish and seafood. This was accompanied by a good Sicilian wine. 

 

Ortigia

The next day we visited Syracuse primarily to see Ortigia, the historic centre on an island connected by a bridge. Ortigia was established as a fortified settlement during the time of the Ancient Greeks more than 2,400 years ago. It became the most important Greek city in the entire nation and the most impressive. Its narrow streets open up to a main plaza where we had drinks in a café before visiting its cathedral whose ornate interior contrasts with a simple side chapel bearing an icon-like crucifix. We also visited the Arethusa fountain, a fresh water spring just a few metres away from the salt water of the Mediterranean sea.

 

 

Ortigia gives its name to an elegant range of beauty products and fragrances, beautifully presented in decorative packaging. We had previously encountered these products in a smart hotel and had since bought the diffuser, which coincidentally needed a new refill that we duly purchased.

 

Syracuse

We returned to Syracuse a few days later to see the archaeological park where there is a very well-preserved Roman amphitheatre and Greek theatre. Built in the 5^th century BC, the Greek theatre was carved into the hillside and can seat 5,000 people. It was one of the largest in the Greek empire. It is still in use today, staging classic Greek plays as well as contemporary productions. The Roman amphitheatre is an oval theatre built up from the ground dating back 2,000 years. It was used for combat sports, namely gladiator fights, chariot races, animal slaying and executions. It was rather eerie to imagine these brutal battles taking place, the torturing of animals and fellow human beings considered as entertainment. By contrast, we had a picnic in the peaceful gardens of the Madonna delle Lacrime (Sanctuary of the Virgin of Tears), a modern basilica shaped like a wigwam. This was followed by espressos in a nearby café frequented by local business men and women seemingly on their lunch break.