Adventure: Sicily & Sardinia
The testa di moro (“moor's head”) is a traditional symbol of luck found across Sicily. It originates from a folk tale during the Arab occupation of Sicily more than a thousand years ago. The two faces represent a pair of doomed lovers—one from North Africa, one a native Sicilian, who fall in love on the island and are ultimatley beheaded. (Not sure where the ‘good luck’part comes in….?)
To mark our fortieth wedding anniversary, we tried a new approach to our adventure planning. Along with five cycling pals, we signed up for a Vermont Bike Tour of Italy: Sicily, the Noto Valley & Syracuse vacation for a week. (The second week Stealth and I toured the sister island of Sardinia on our own.) Having someone else plan every minute of a bike trek with our pals sounded like a real treat: adult cycling camp here we come! We arrived CTA/Catania in October ‘23 in summer-like weather, and immediately shuttled the hour’s drive north to Taormina. Indeed, this gem of a tourist town is the site of ‘White Lotus’ (season 2) fame—and no, we did not stay at the San Domenico Palace, (although I did attempt a bit of a security breech to get a good look around!)
Dolce far niente is the sweet act of doing nothing intentionally—chilling and just being in the moment. While I love this Italian sentiment, it is in direct contrast to what a tourist wants to do in tantalizing Taormina. We had three days before meeting our group to explore and relax in this jewel of a seaside town.
Taormina is rich in castles, culture, and aquatic beauty and we fell in love with its charms immediately. Perched on a rocky promontory high above the gorgeous sapphire waters of the Ionian sea, Mt Etna smolders in the distance warning off interlopers. Between the two gates of the city—Porta Messina and Porta Catania—the pedestrian friendly Corso Umberto has a plethora of plush retail, delectable pasticcerias (like Laboratorio Pasticcera Roberto and his flirty handmade cannoli), cute cafés, and quirky bars, like Morgana, to explore. Teatro Antico di Taormina, the ancient Greek theater is set directly on the sea and brags a stunning view of Isola Bella island. Hike down and wander the Isola Bella beach area—but don’t worry, there is a cable car that will sweep you back into town.
Mt Etna was acting a bit rowdy, so we passed on those trails, and walked directly from our hotel, Monte Tauro, in Taormina to explore some nice alpine treks that integrated the village life. The first morning we embarked on the most famous one, which is the walk from Taormina to the neighboring village of Castelmola, situated 5 km from Taormina at 529 m above sea level.
The first part of the track is on the Via Crucis leading to the small chapel Madonna della Rocca, we continued for about 500 m on the street and then again on a stepped path up to Castelmola. We enjoyed spectacular vistas of the coastline and surrounding mountains and a delicious lunch at the cute Pier de Cat. On our way back down into town we took the historic path of the Saracenes.
On our second day we repeated Castelmola and then climbed Mt. Veneretta (885 m) and that was a rugged and fun challenge. Some other recommended trails around Taormina are Castelmola – Portella del Giasso – Monte Veneretta – Castelmola (3-4 hours); Castelmola – Spasale – Mazzeo beach (3 hours); Motta Camastra – Alcantara Gourges – Mitoggio – Gaggi – Calatabiano Castle (5 hours).
Dinner at sweet Rosamino was absolute perfection: the food, the charming setting, and most of all, the hospitality. I love the chic Italian women strutting their take-charge attitude and fiery red lipstick—always paired with humor and kindness. Other recommended restaurants are Vineria Modì, Il Gabbiano, Casa Niclodi, Rosso, DiVino; Trattoria Da Nino; Ristornate Da Giovanni. For pizza: Villa Zuccaro.
From Taormina, we met our group of twenty cyclists and traveled by bus three hours to the city of Scicli, a UNESCO World Heritage site acclaimed for its baroque palaces and churches. We stayed at hotel Borgo Hedone, a restored 17th century villa with outbuildings, configured in a picturesque borgo, all connected by stone staircases and little patios. It felt like we were staying in a cave carved out of the mountain—very cool and quaint. The views of the Noto Valley were spectacular. Our VBT guides, Eddo and Francesca, are local experts and world class goofballs, and we had a blast with them all week long.
DAY 2: We cycled to Sampieri and enjoyed a picnic and a refreshing swim at the beach. We had perfect weather all week with daytime temperatures in the high 70’s. The riding was hilly with very good roads and little traffic, and we passed miles of stone walls, carob, almond, citrus and olive trees, and huge vegetable greenhouses that supply markets both local and all over Europe. Sadly, we also saw lots of garbage heaps and litter. We learned that Sicilains, despite being fastidious homemakers in a stunning landscape, lack environmental awareness and don’t concern themselves with what is happening beyond their gate. It was quite a shocking paradox of aesthetics.
DAY 3: We cycled the Noto Valley and met up for lunch at an organic winery near Modica where we were treated to lovingly prepared pasta, cheese, and bread—perfect after the single exciting hour of riding in the rain we experienced all week. In the afternoon we cycled on sunny quiet roads to our destination for the next two nights—the gracious Villa Favorita, built in 1753. We loved the swimming pool and terrace with views of the sea and the orange roofs of Baroque Noto. We played some rowdy cribbage matches during poolside happy hour, with one player scoring 21 and 24 points back-to-back. Go Barb!
I’m a nut for good gelato, and in particular, Pistachio flavored. To my delight, I found it pretty much everywhere!
Day 4: Our destination loop was the ancient fishing village of Marzamemi, nestled on a small promontory south of Syracuse, where we swam at the lovely San Lorenzo beach. Marzamemi was developed in the 17th century around a tuna fishery, which is now the second largest in Sicily and a national monument. After lunch, we rode toward the most southern tip of Sicily to the beaches of Porto Palo in search of gelato. We enjoyed beautiful views of the islands of Isola di Capo Passero and Isola delle Correnti, then made our way to Noto, a famous Baroque city where we had a chance to admire the local architecture and take photos.
DAY 5: Truffle hunt! After a quick shuttle delivered us to plateau Belvedere di Noto, we biked on the crest of a scenic plateau near Palazzolo Acreide. We pedaled this panoramic route to lunch at the stunning Feudo Bauly. Feudo Bauly is a large country estate nestled in a wild holm oak wood forest. The property hosts ancient outbuildings and caves and is quite evocative.
We were greeted by a local truffle hunter and his dog, Enzo, who helped us search for the precious black mushrooms. After our woods tramp, we enjoyed devouring our truffle ‘prizes’ in a delicious lunch of ‘pasta al tartufo’ in the grand dining room of this fine country inn.
Another hilly and gorgeous afternoon route delivered us to an ancient fortified masseria (farm estate) surrounded by acres of carob and olive trees. Borgo del Carato is like being on the set of a movie about a dream trip to Italy—and you are IN it! We were seduced by the stunning views, the elegant spa, and the panoramic pool set in a manicured garden of fragrant flowers—perfect for more cribbage tournaments.
DAY 6: This loop ride had us biking along ancient canyons in a scenic region where archeologists have found cave tombs carved in the steep limestone cliffs, and we could even see iconic Syracuse in the distance. The highlight of the ride was our visit with Beekeeper Rosa at her charming organic farm. Rosa is a passionate and generous hostess; she introduced us to her bees and the clever honey products operation she has built. Rosa specializes in producing raw, high-quality honey, and bee products. She is also committed to promoting the preservation of a rare and endangered Sicilian thyme that she uses to infuse her award-winning honey. Rosa prepared a bountiful spread of honey-themed treats for our picnic, which delighted everyone.
After lunch we visited the baroque town of Floridia, where we took in the town sites and sampled even more gelato. We rode our way back to Borgo del Carato—with a big hill finish—and bid goodbye to our bikes. After a swim and a rest, we were up for the evening’s cooking class and farewell dinner. Some raucous rounds of ‘LRC Dice’ concluded our group time together on a high note with our new VBT friends.
Day 7: We shuttled to ancient Syracuse where the Mediterranean and Ionian seas meet. We checked in to Grand Hotel Ortiga, a lovely hotel on the waterfront that had us perfectly situated for our self-guided walking food tour Syracuse. It also has a beautiful rooftop bar that is not to be missed. We set about sampling as many Sicilain specialties as possible including risotto alla pescatora, stuffed calzoni, pizza, arancini di riso, pasta di mandorle, cannoli, and even more gelato. Oddly, vegetables were not widely available on menus in Sicily the way one would think, after seeing the massive greenhouses and markets. We mainly ate iceberg lettuce salads, eggplant, and the odd plate of green beans. While I do love my carbs, I was absolutely in ‘veg-deficit’ by the time I returned home.
We visited the archeological park, every outrageous optical shop in the city, and wandered around the old city of Ortigia with its medieval and Baroque delights around every corner. The entire city of Syracuse is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so everywhere you turn is something charming or spectacular. If you are a history or literature buff, you will want to book serveral days here. There are bars and cafes every few feet, so we made sure to take several refreshment breaks. After a wonderful evening of pizza al fresco and reminiscent laughter, we bid our dear Vermont friends Ciao, and began our self-guided trip of Sardinia for Two.
Sardinia
DAY 8: A sixty minute airport shuttle from Hotel Ortigia delivered us to Catania airport. We flew to Sardina on RyanAir (Catania/CTA to Cagliari/CAG), and stayed at the Hotel Plazzo Dogli—a crisp, corporate oasis in the center of all the action. We immediately took to the streets of this adorable city and walked miles just taking in the gorgeous waterfront, sights, and the sweetness of Sardinia. She is kind of like the silent but stunning sister of Sicily, and she grows on you quickly.
A native of Cagliari, Valentina owns her tour business, and gave us a fabulous VIP tour of her town.
DAY 9: We booked a morning bike tour through Viator Cagliari E-bike tour with Valentina. It was the perfect way to see the sites and learn some of Sardinia’s rich history. Afterward, we toured the vibrant food market and devoured oysters, cheeses, breads and charcuterie for an al fresco lunch. Next, we picked up a rental car and headed to the southwest coast towards Pula, for an afternoon tour of Sardinia’s beautiful beaches; the beach hiking was very relaxing after a busy week of socializing. We made our way up the coast to La Ghinghetta Relais, a super charming boutique hotel directly on the water, our respite for the next two nights.
DAY 10: Island ferry and biking on Sant Antioco & San Pietro islands. We drove right on to Sant Antioco island and parked at MotoEuro, where we booked two ebikes for 50E each. The island loop is a spectacular 40k tour—absolutely gorgeous, and one of our best days we’ve ever had on a bike! During the ride, we took a ferry to the town of Calaforte on San Pietro island and had lunch at Nicco’s, which was delicious and special. Then we hopped back on the ferry to Sant Antioco to complete the riding loop. This outing was such a blast with the beautiful two-island vibe, and the ease with which it all came together (self-supported)—truly a highlight day.
DAY 11: We drove to the tiny mountain town of Buggerru, parked on the main drag, grabbed coffee and some sandwiches then proceeded to a stairway that delivered us to the Cala Domestica via Buggerru/Camino de Santa Barbara trailhead. We climbed out of town and onto a plateau track that was surrounded by views of the water. The trail looks a bit boring until you start the decent, winding up in the most magical beach cove you have ever seen @3.2 miles in. Stay the course—it is well worth it! Unprepared, we simply stripped to our undies and dove into the gorgeous turquoise water and then baked on the beach while we devoured our sandwiches—a picnic never tasted so good! Dry and dressed, we hiked out for a 6.5-mile loop—it was one of the best hiking surprises ever. A well- earned gelato fueled us for the two-hour corkscrew car trip to Lanconia—Stealth was in F-1 heaven. Our destination for the next three nights was the Agro-Spa-Farm Baita Maore, a very hip little place in the middle of nowhere. We arrived exhausted after sunset, so the kind hosts ordered us pizza and salads and sent us to the sauna to reset.
Day 12: Our original plan was to mountain bike a few of the outstanding trails nearby, but the language barrier and driving logistics made our dreams fall flat. This taught me that I’m not going to self-support any more mt bike tours going forward. It’s getting a bit dicey, at our age, to be in foreign forests alone—and it’s hard to work out the rental details. We pivoted our plan and rented the hotel’s E-bikes and were rewarded with a lovely tour of the Laconia area on beautiful backroads. Next, we locked up the bikes, and hiked the impressive town forest network. A late and pleasant patio lunch rounded up the town tour. We topped off this fun and relaxing day with a visit to the spa for a massage and a four course evening meal at our comfy hotel.
Day 13: Driving west about an hour, brings you to the city of Oristano, located in the latitude center of Sardinia. While we didn’t love riding the city center so much, Oristano’s ideal blend of braided coastlines and stunning architecture makes for an interesting landscape. Old churches are in abundance here, such as St Mary’s Cathedral and the Church of St Francis of Assisi. Oristano is also famous for the impressive Tower of St Christophoros that was built in 1290. Measuring at 19m (62ft) tall, it marks the Judicate in Sardinia during the Middle Ages and was it fun to walk the spooky grounds on Halloween day. We had one of our best meals of the trip at a darling family place called da ’Attilio’s—incredible pasta dishes—but vegetables continued to remain elusive the entire trip, which was mystifying to us.
Day 14: After a massive farewell breakfast we said good-bye to our wonderful hosts at Baite Maore and drove south to Su Nuraxi di Barumini a UNESCO site with a special type of defensive structure known as nuraghi for which no parallel exists anywhere else in the world. We checked it out on our first day of rain the entire trip, and after our short tour we found ourselves eager to return to Cagliari to sample its delight one more day and night. We checked into Hotel Fanny, a beautifully restored mansion in the historic city center. This is my dream hotel: authentic, classy with beautiful grounds, well thought-out room design, and one of the most classically cozy bars I’ve ever seen. We did another whole walking tour of Calagari, loving every bit of this town, hitting every optical shop and bakery we could find before flying back to Rome the next morning.
One Day In Rome
Day 15: We flew from Sardinia to Rome (FCO) arriving at 9:00 am and checked into the Hilton Rome Airport, which is a nine minute walk from gates to rooms. A quick turn around had us on the Leonardo Express train to Rome’s city center with a full itinerary for the day.
Testaccio Market
This foodie’s dream market is a wonder of delights: seasonal produce stalls, every kind of bread imaginable, fishmongers, butchers, and cheese galore. And Yes—ALL the veggies in Italy are here, at last, and they adorn every kind of pizza you can imagine. We sampled a few kinds of pizza at a stand-up table but planned to eat our way through Rome for the day, so we restrained ourselves for the most part on this first stop.
Palatine Hill
The Palatine Hill is a big, sprawling open-air museum overlooking the Colosseum. There are emperors' palaces, manicured gardens, medieval churches, and a elaborate terraces. It’s a beautiful place to walk and people watch while enjoying the gardens and sculpture.
The Colosseum
We parked ourselves at a bustling cafe right across the street from the Colosseum and had coffee while we watched thousands of tourists wait in line for the opportunity to venture inside. We didn’t have the hours to wait so we checked this box by googling all the facts we wanted to know, and felt pretty satisfied with this effort moving on.
Vatican City
We walked about ten miles the entire day through charming neighborhoods and alleyways as we wound our way to Vatican City and saw as much of this colossal place as time would permit. It’s a mind-blowing experience when you consider the history, culture, and influence this grand place wields. We topped off the day with a last blast of delicious gelato and easily found the metro stop that delivered us back to the train station, and then onward to FCO Hilton. By bedtime we were absolutely bonked, but very satisfied with our Italian adventures. We packed and felt ready to fly back to Vermont the next morning—Day 16.
Our tour of Sicily and Sardina was the perfect way to experience two distinctive and delightful Italian island cultures. We loved the rouge beauty and scrappy attitude of Sicily and also the quiet solitude and soulfulness that Sardinia afforded us. What often appears to be opposites in nature are really just two sides of the same coin—like many happy couples. This adventure was a spectacular way to celebrate our forty years of marriage and I couldn’t ask for a better travel partner than my darling Stealth. Ciao, Baby!
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