We tried many times, on different days, with different conditions, even in different moods, to take one picture that accurately reflected the splendor of the landscape of Sicily, but doggonit, we were never happy with the results. Perhaps what we see lies in the vastness — the blue sky and/or water, the undulating mountains, the play of shadows and light, the patchwork of farms, or just the many shades of green. Our eyes saw what a couple of amateur camera operators just couldn’t capture. Really can’t imagine it during prime growing season.
How does one say goodbye to such an amazing country? Well…. heck, we’ll just ramble on about things that caught our goofy attention.
Menfi to SciaccaView of the Mediterranean from Valley of the TemplesAgrigento to Cammarata
Across the country, olives and grapes were constants. From small to gigantic groves and vineyards. And in the north, plenty of apple orchards, but what we didn’t expect was the oranges that were everywhere, especially in the south. Trees and fruit of all sizes! Two-to-fifteen-foot trees and golf ball- to softball-sized citrus! Growing where? Like, every- and anywhere!
Porsche? What Porsche? Look at those oranges!Orange trees line the streets in PalermoSmall. Normal. And “Oh, my goodness, is that an orange??”
We like ambling along in the car, seeing things at our own pace. But boy howdy, does Italy have trains. And they move durn fast – more than 100mph! Interestingly, it’s a network of quiet, efficient electric trains.
Near Trento in northern ItalyNear Cammarata in SicilyA couple of good shots from a moving car, right? The chief photographer was proud of herself.
With all its mountainous terrain, Italy also has an extensive network of tunnels, covering a total length of approximately 1,600 miles. We marveled at the length of many of these tunnels as we made our way through the country. Once we realized there’s a sign posted at the entrance to each tunnel that displays the tunnel’s length, it became a game of sorts trying to capture a photograph of the longest ones as we passed through.
On the way to Trento in the north (2752 meters / 1.7 miles)Exiting a tunnel on the way to LazarroOn the way to Menfi in Sicily (1785 meters / 1.2 miles)& just a few minutes later on the way to Menfi (2784 meters / 1.7 miles)This tunnel in Naples is 5035 meters / 3.1 miles long!
A few random shots just for fun:
Try as we might, we never did adjust to the European timing of meals. Seemed like we always found ourselves looking for a bite to eat in the mid-afternoon, when the restaurants were closed between lunch and dinner shifts. But somehow, we still managed to consume w-a-a-y too many carbs with all that tasty pasta, bread, and gelato. 😉
Todd, however, made a major adjustment. After almost two months, our tea-drinking captain finally gave in and tried Susie’s espresso at a cafe in Alberobello. Declaring, “Hey, that’s not bad,” he went over and ordered his own. By the time we made Sicily, he was ordering doubles!
Sometimes the espresso came w/small treats (not bad for less than $2)We celebrated finding the last gift w/an espresso break!Todd enjoying his new favorite habit, double espresso w/just a few grains of sugarWho would have thought??
Even in Italy, time did what it always does. Flew by!
All too quickly it seemed, our 85-days were up, and we were heading for the “uscita” (exit).
Can’t fight reality, right? Nor can we bring all of our loved ones over here to live. So, we drafted a note in Google Translate to bid “our” fisherman farewell and then packed our bags, including the newly purchased one in which to tote gifts. 🙂
Good luck & happy fishing!Wait. You’re leaving?? 😦
Yep. Sorry little guy. The Olsens are traveling once again.
Before securing the big blue shutters for the last time, we paused for a photo &…got distracted by a line of boats on the horizon!We used the camera’s zoom to confirm, yep, fishing fleetBack on track w/departing, we had our final fight with the sticky lock on the 1st of 2 exit gatesTurning in the rental car at the airport in PalermoAwaiting the 1st flight – Palermo to MilanThe 2nd travel day: Sunrise at the airport in Milan Ready to stay awake 24 hours, for the 2nd & 3rd flights, Honey? 🙂
In our round trip of Italy, we ultimately traveled more than 2500 miles by car.
Mama Mia! That’s a lot of shifting gears!
And there is so much left that we wanted to see.
For now, we will close with, “Farewell and Thank you,” Italy!
Sure, we were staying on the beach in Sicily, but this is “OlsensTravels,” so of course, we took a few sightseeing trips after Christmas. First up, the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. Nearly 500 years before Christ, the Greeks “owned” Sicily and took a liking to a certain hill overlooking the sea. Hence, they built a bunch of temples for their gods. They didn’t build little stuff either; and after 2500 years, some of it is still there!
In the same area is the Scala dei Turkey, or Turkish Steps, named for the Barbary pirates. Kind of weird to think Africa is only 87 miles away! The Steps are white marlstone (a mix of clay and silt similar to limestone) that has naturally eroded into massive, terraced steps on the coast of Realmonte, the beach below Agrigento.
Temple of Concord25′ Telamone recreated in the remains of the Temple of Zeus (Agrigento in the background)For size reference, there is a small town next to the Turkish StepsThe white marlstone Turkish Steps from the other side
Closer to our “home” and perched on cliffs by the sea, the nearby town of Sciacca is a bustling port town. Good luck on that pronunciation! We went there at least 5 times, asked the locals, and still can’t pronounce it right. Ha!
Sciacca from a distanceFishing boats at the Port of SciaccaFresh catch just loaded that will soon be on the way to local restaurants
In addition to the port, Sciacca is known to throw one heck of a Carnival in February, which didn’t work with our timing… this trip. It is primarily known, however, for the ceramic arts, which you can’t possibly miss. There’s colorful evidence everywhere.
One afternoon we strolled through the park near the shopping district to find it was a gathering place for the local gents. There were tables of lively card games (each player claimed to be winning) and a bumpy bocce ball court that’s difficult to describe – talk about your challenging course! It was clear they play every afternoon when the weather cooperates.
Tables of Italian card games – Briscola & Ramino (Rummy)A very precise, practiced rollThis is serious business
Walking and exploring in town is fun, but nothing beats stretching our legs with walks on the beach back in Menfi. We could get about 3/4 mile in either direction before being blocked by a “creek” of freshwater runoff from the nearby mountains. It was fascinating to see how the wind and tide changed the sand dunes from day to day. A particularly brisk storm moved a lot of sand, built a short “cliff,” and brought vast piles of sea grass ashore in one area.
AaahTodd “challenged” the sea by walking the lower level & hoping not to get wet feetIn athletic shoes & socks, we were stopped by runoff in both directionsSure wish we had our water shoes
We were always on the hunt for scarce shells and bits of sea glass. Sometimes we’d find other oddities.
Shel, as our family marine-life expert, if you’re paying attention, just what is that?? Oh, and it floats.
When not walking the beach, we continued with the simple pleasures at the villa. It was amazing to experience the 55 degrees in short sleeves on the sunny “front porch” and be a tad warm. 🙂
Fishing boats would anchor just offshore for the nightFrom sunrise to…Sunset. The view was always pretty.Happy New Year!Laundry Queen sporting a snappy outfit of pj’s w/coat, shoes & socksNo wonder Sam the cat likes Todd! 😉
No matter where we were, whether close to home or up in the mountains, the sunsets were a sight to behold.
When in Menfi, we shared the sunsets with a local gentleman who came out every evening to fish.
Todd tried to engage him in conversation, but our neighbor spoke zero EnglishHe always tossed up a hand & a friendly smile while trying to catch his dinner
Always believing you play the hand you’re dealt, we have embraced our new path of exploring, but we do miss the sunsets over the water. And playing with Mother Ocean has been delightful. Thank you, Lord!
Got one of those stones up to nine hops! Or so goes the tall tale…
In every life, there are years that mark significant change. 2024 was such a year for us. We came to terms with the unexpected, abrupt end of liveaboard cruising and sold the boat, and most importantly, we celebrated the one-year mark beyond Todd’s stroke and having been given a second chance at life together. Why Italy? We sought somewhere where we could recognize Christmas and thank God for His gifts. Somewhat selfishly, we needed “our time.”
Now, since we speak very little (make that practically no) Italiano (or Latin 🤷 ), our options were to select a nearby Catholic church and feel but not understand the words or-r-r… find a church offering English-speaking services. Thanks to Gonzo and Yvonne back in Rome, we learned there are a few. Todd did a little research that led us to the Holy Cross Anglican Church, associated with The Church of England! On December 23, under cloudy skies, we drove a couple of hours northeast to Palermo to check into a hotel near the church.
Off to Palermo!
Palermo was ready for Christmas, and the pretty hotel located among the cafes, restaurants, and shops was quite grand – the Grand Hotel Wagner, in fact. Not even the dreary weather could dampen our spirits once Todd haggled with a street vendor for a couple of umbrellas, making us all set to get about on foot.
Welcome to the Grand Hotel Wagner!Carriages wait in the rain in front of the Teatro Massimo Opera House
Yes, shopping for gifts. Now what about that church??
In the early 1800’s, while Sicily was a British Protectorate, the colony of British merchants attended church services at the British Embassy or by relying on chaplains from visiting warships. By 1840, however, regular services of the Church of England were celebrated in Palermo in the home of the Consul for Sicily.
In 1871 two cousins announced their intention to build at their own expense a church in which Christians, whether residents or visitors to Palermo, could attend services of The Church of England. Many years later, those services included Todd and Susie Olsen and approximately 40 others on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in 2024!
In 1872 the Whitaker & Ingham families began building the ornate chapelThe small Holy Cross Anglican Church opened in December 1875Used by U.S. forces in WWII, there’s a memorial to American soldiers from General Patton
After church we again popped open the umbrellas in a light rain and headed out to find the restaurant the hotel had reserved for us for Christmas dinner. We dried out while enjoying a tasty meal of typical Sicilian seafood dishes, topped off by a Palermo delight originally reserved for Easter, Cassata Siciliana. There are several different versions of the sponge cake dessert in the various areas of Sicily. Ours in Palermo was made with sweetened ricotta, chocolate chips, marzipan, and a sprinkling of candied fruit… along with a whole lot of YUM!
After three grey, drizzly days in Palermo, the skies finally began to clear as we made the return drive to our rental back on the beach in Menfi.
Yeah! Blue skies ahead!
You know what’s fun about celebrating Christmas in a country that’s predominantly Catholic? It doesn’t end on December 25! Festivities continue for the 12 days of Christmas, signifying the time between the birth of Christ and the arrival of the Magi revealing Him as the Son of God sent to earth. As such, the crowds lessen but the celebration doesn’t conclude until the Epiphany on January 6.
Susie and Santa (discussing the gifts in those bags, perhaps?)Even in early January, every little niche reflects ChristmasShopping in Sciacca in January
Beyond Christmas services and shopping, Susie had her eye on getting to one of the so-called “Living Nativity Scenes” she’d read about while researching Christmas in Sicily. One nearest to us was in the mountains east of Menfi in Cammarata. Short road trip time again!
On January 5, we met our host, Salvatore, who guided us through town to find a place to park the rental car so we could join him for a ride to the apartment in the blocked off historic area.
Not only was the apartment located just a few steps from the entrance to the Living Nativity Scene, but it had a fantastic view of Mount Etna off the back balcony.
The other side of Mt. Etna (from what we’d seen while in Reggio Calabria) – wait, you don’t see it?Bet you can see the snow-capped volcano now The steps of our rental where the two roads meet – up to the Living Nativity & down to dinnerW-a-a-a-y down, the one hill measured as eight floors on Susie’s watchTodd stepping out after the streets were closed (hope that car has a good parking brake)
We joined a crowd of more than three hundred or so folks at the top of the first hill, babbled our way through questions in broken Italian and answers in broken English to locate the ticket window and then joined the seemingly disorganized line awaiting entry. Turns out it wasn’t so disorganized after all. In an attempt at crowd control, the folks running the event simply limited how many people could enter at the same time.
Young, white-robed musicians (visible going up the hill) led the magi to the manger
There was the manger scene, of course, complete with live animals. And there were many reenactments of life as it had once been lived, along with samples of freshly made treats. Our favorite part, aside from the man loudly singing while stirring the large pot of Pasta Fagioli, was seeing the local young people getting involved in the demonstrations. Several young boys happily tried to teach Todd how to roll pasta!
After the Living Nativity Scene, we returned to the apartment to don warmer clothes before heading to a late dinner. Well, 8pm is late for us, not so for the Italians. When Susie originally requested 7pm, our host who’d booked the table for us laughed and said they’d just be getting started at 10pm, to which Susie said we’d be at home asleep with full bellies by then. Ha!
At the apartment before dinner – Buon Natale!Now we’re going to walk to dinner how far down there?!
The walk was way downhill… think a short mile down a couple hundred feet! The meal was wonderful. After meeting a family from California who recently bought a house here, Todd had a delicious burger and Susie mowed through pasta with sausage! Then, the hike back up! Burn, baby burn! 🏃♀️
We carried our overnight bags out of town to the rental car parked on a nearby bridgeGoogle took us through town on streets so tight we had to fold in the side mirrors!Don’t do it!Beautiful drive back down the mountain near Cammarata
So, on January 6, the Epiphany, a day of traditional feasting, Todd looked for and found a restaurant in the middle of…? Not sure but somewhere near Agrigento!
THIS is the road to a restaurant?As Susie was skeptically questioning his sanity, we popped over the hill to find an empty parking lotAnd an empty restaurant with a killer view! Not summer, hence no deck use!
Todd chuckled, sweet-talked us into the not-yet-open restaurant, and selected a steak.
This oneNow that’s a feast worthy of a special day!
Good call, Olsen! Because by the time we left, the restaurant was packed, and the parking lot was full.
Not so empty nowLooking back into the now full restaurant where we’d begun dining aloneAnd back down the rutted dirt road
Now that the 12 days of Christmas are over, to our loved ones we missed, we wish you:
We’d intended all along to spend the final month of our Italian adventure in Sicily, and the day before our arrival we finally booked a rental in which to do so. Ha! Some people think it’s easy to plan this stuff! 😀
The morning of December 13 we packed up the car to head for the port and catch the ferry to go just “right over there!” Sicily sits a whole two miles away!
This archaeological museum is a perfect example of “what we don’t know” or if we were taught, “what we forgot.” Walking into the first room, you see incredible things from thousands of years ago. Like a bone or something, right? Sure, they have the tools that very, very early man used. But, for example, how about a ceramic container more beautiful than one can buy today? But wait, it’s from when? 2800 years ago! And they found a factory full of stuff? Yup, a factory from 800 BC! Who’d have thought? Needless to say, it didn’t take long before we were overwhelmed and stunned by the beauty of so many things made so, so long ago.
Todd finally declared it all to be “just too much,” Susie locked up her purse in a special locker room, and we made our way past the guards and through the “man-trap” security doors to the pièce de résistance, the Riace Bronzes.
The two statues were discovered in the Ionian Sea just 656 ft from shore near Riace Marina in southern Italy in August 1972. While diving at a depth of only 26 ft, Stefano Mariottini spotted an arm sticking up from the sandy seabed. (Yikes! What a dive!) Digging down to investigate, he found the large statue and a second figure buried close by. Their loss at sea is thought to be in the 1st to 2nd century BC when the Romans looted large quantities of Greek artworks and transported them to Italy.
The fantastic Archaeological National Museum of Reggio Calabria On anti-seismic marble plinths in their own guarded, environmentally controlled room“Riace Warrior A” stands almost 6’9″ tallThe seemingly older (in appearance) “Riace Warrior B” stands only 6’6″
The incredibly detailed figures – dated to between 460 and 450 BC – are made of cast bronze, a favorite of Greek artists. Because bronze was in such demand for reuse in later periods, few complete sculptures have survived (no more than 12 per some sources). In this case, calcite was used for the eyes – three of which amazingly survived the centuries in the sea. The pupils were made from a glass paste with tear ducts of rose-colored stone. The nipples, eyelashes and lips are copper. Warrior A even has teeth made from a single strip of silver.
Show us a craftsman that can build one today!
Walking out a bit flummoxed, we purchased a gelato, returned to the car, sat there a moment, then laughed! What a world! And so much we have to learn! For now, let’s drive on up to the little town of Villa San Giovanni to catch one of the ferries over to Sicily.
Image of a ship w/vehicles inside – we’re on the right track!And then, aha, a ferry and a linePassing another vessel that has pleasure boats strapped to the deck
After disembarking in Sicily, we made it a whole 45 minutes up the road before pulling over in Falcone to eat at Ristorante da Vincenzo’s! Cheers! We are in Sicily! We enjoyed a wonderful lunch of fresh seafood. (Sorry no pictures – photographing the presented plates in a white-tablecloth joint feels a little too Facebook or TikTok. Geez, we’re old!) Walking back to the car we passed a truck selling veggies, from which we learned about and bought… fava beans!
Oooh, fresh veggies! Yes, we’ll take some favas, please!Mountainous islands off the coast near PalermoMany towns colorfully display the fact that Sicily is known for and proud of their ceramicsAnd, yes, we had to search for the place in the dark. Again.
For our stay in Sicily, we chose a seaside village way over on the other side, in the municipality of Menfi.
“Renowned for its dunes, golden sandy beaches and crystal-clear sea, Contrada Fiori South has received the ‘Blue Flag’ award for years, making it among the most renowned seaside resorts in Sicily,” per the owner of the rental. 🙂 She continued, “Here you can breathe a relaxed and carefree atmosphere immersed in the unspoiled nature of the Sicilian coast.”
And for us, the perfect off-season timing because, save for a few locals, we have the beach to ourselves!
The entrance of Villa Bougainville faces the seaWe had a somewhat inquisitive visitor that first morningWho decided to pop in… and quickly dash for the bushes
Excited about watching the first sunset in our temporary home away from home, we grabbed drinks and chairs and headed for the beach.
When Todd unlocked the two gates to reach the beach, we made an interesting discovery.
A WWII pillbox! 😲
The pillbox outside the villa gateNaturally well-placed with a great view of the shorelineLooking down into what’s left of the stairway & the still solid entry doorGiven its history, “Hello” seems a bit weird
It is, however, a fantastic place from which to watch the sun go down over the Mediterranean!
Beautiful!
As travelers, what do we do to make ourselves feel at home? We cook! Here we had the perfect place to start, with the popular-in-Sicily but unfamiliar-to-us fava beans. Research time.
While Susie shelled the beansTodd brined some chicken &went to the BBQ area to start a fireWhile down there, he once again heard our skittish little visitorHey buddy, you know what curiosity is said to have done to the cat??Of course we didn’t harm the cat, but we did have a delicious homecooked meal!
Domestic chores also help us settle into an area. Like elsewhere in Italy, the laundry is interesting, with very small washing machines and typically no dryer. And then there’s the not-so-simple process of taking out the trash, which carries very specific regulations.
There’s a very small washing machine in the outdoor kitchenSweeping olives off the walk allows access to another washer & the clotheslineReady to deliver the carefully sorted trash to the nearby recycling station
A few days later…,
While Todd was preparing the grill Our inquisitive visitor became more braveCautiously at firstBefore throwing caution to the windAnd adopting a spot among the anklesLooking like Samantha from Bewitched, we call the kitty Sam
Making our way toward Sicily, the next travel step took us southwest back across Italy from Puglia in the “heel” of the boot to Reggio Calabria in the “toe” that seems perpetually poised to kick Sicily like a soccer ball. 🙂
We began the rainy day driving along the Ionian Sea on the east coast10th Century Temple of the Order, Castle of Roseto Capo Spulico, now a restaurantWithout rain, one cannot capture a beautiful rainbow!Halt! Todd, what did you do?? Actually, the German owner is animatedly explaining the ovenAfter lunch, the clouds persisted as we made our way across the middleAnd later drove along the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west coast into the toe
We knew what the villa looked like from the pictures but still drove up and down the street several times with Google confidently announcing we’d “arrived” every time we passed the place we couldn’t see. Aargh. Susie maintained contact with the owner all day regarding timing, and he said he would wait for us on the street, but we’d passed only fishermen. Hmmm…? Another text, and finally, a man stepped onto the sidewalk from a small gate between two garage doors. Roberto? Yes!
That’s our little white Fiat, but you cannot see the house from the streetAccess is through the gate, between the two street-level villas & up the garden pathTo… the villa we’d been searching for!
Sitting atop a small hill, we had a fantastic view of Sicily and the largest and most active volcano in Europe! Mt. Etna. We in the US don’t really hear about it, but heck, they had a big spew 4 months ago! … Didn’t know it, but we do now. The African tectonic plate is bashing into and sliding under Sicily, which is mostly on the Eurasian plate. We say “mostly” because that is where and why Mt. Etna is there and has been erupting for 3500 years. Well, the first eruption jotted down was in 1500 BC. It leaks something every day and is tall enough to have a snowy top from October-ish all the way to May-ish. And what a beauty!
View of the street and sea from the upstairs terraceOpening the gate for access to the seaLooking across the beautiful Mediterranean at Mt. EtnaAnd Sicily!Sunset over the Mt. Etna volcanoGifts from Roberto’s bountiful garden
Having spent our recent time in Puglia sightseeing, we spent most of the few days in Calabria enjoying the view, catching up on laundry, preparing for our upcoming time in Sicily, etc.
While our host Roberto was pleased that we felt at home in the family villa, he highly recommended we at least venture out to catch a sunset from the nearby seventh century BC ghost town of Pentidattilo (a tongue twister from the Greek words penta and daktylos, or “five fingers” because it was built underneath a big hand-shaped rock).
For reasons unbeknownst to us, Google led us off the main roadAcross what appeared to be a dry riverbedUp small, rutted, dirt roadsBack down againPast some abandoned buildings & back ontoA paved road w/a killer view that we could have been on the whole time!Oh, crazy Google Maps…
Nearing the top, we again had to venture off the paved road and were hoping for a large enough area on the cobblestones to turn around and park the now seemingly massive Fiat (eight-point turn, anyone?).
Unexpectedly, a smiling man stepped from, of all things, a gift shop to point us to a tiny indent in the bushes where we could leave the car. He was engaging, friendly, knowledgeable of the ghost town up the hill, and somewhat fluent in broken English. He also had items to sell and very few visitors this time of year. Entrance is free – you to pay to get out! Ha! (Someone we know just might be receiving an item from this little shop…) 🙂
Shop at the base of the hillOne of the many cats, directing visitors up the hillTo the top
The town is undergoing a restoration of sorts, with a few people living there and selling their artistic handiwork in small shops.
There was only one other couple visiting while we were there, and only one shop was open at the top of the hill. (Because of which, one of us had to dash back down the hill to retrieve a bit of cash from the car. More Christmas gifts, perhaps…)
Todd, who is typically ahead of the team photographer (Susie) waited near the top of the hillLa Panchina de Baci translates to “The Kissing Bench” Ha! A spirit of fun in the village
We returned to the car with packages in hand and plans to ignore Google on the way back down.
The promised stunning sunset over SicilyFollowed by festive Christmas lightsAnd a kiss!
Which is the perfect ending for a post backdated to December 12 but distributed on New Years Eve! 😉
Our Travels 