Sicily

A 9-day trip in South-Eastern Sicily

For our 2021 summer holidays, I decided to bring Clement to an italian region he had never visited: Sicily. Not only this island has amazing food, wonderful sea and great beaches, but the cultural and historical vail covering all of the region is incredible.

We started the roadtrip in Catania, where we arrived with a direct flight from Paris. We rented a car at the airport (be careful which one you choose; many agences will not even try to run your card if there is not written CREDIT CARD on it), and we drove to Taormina (58 km-1h). After the day spent visiting the city and Isola Bella, we organised an evening ike on the Etna (37km-50 min). We loved the hike, but remember that the temperature drops, so do not forget to bring one (or more) sweaters with you. You would not believe how cold it gets. Moreover, bring with you something to eat, so you can have dinner while the guide tells you some legends about the Island. The next day we drove to Ortigia (102 km-1h30) and we also visited the beach in Ognina. Ortigia is the old part of Siracusa, famous for its Castle (Castello Maniace), and its wonderful Neapolis. 

After Siracusa, we drove to Noto with a quick stop at the “Feudo Maccari” (48 km-50 min), where we had a wine tasting experience. After the tasting, we reached the Baroque’s capital, Noto. You have probably already seen many pictures of this magnificent creamy city, and trust me when I tell you that a stop is mandatory. After Noto, the roadtrip took us to Ragusa/Ibla (48 km-58h). We slept in Ibla, the old town, and we walked to Siracusa to see the stunning Cathedral. Ibla is really nice, and you can honestly spend the entire day just walking up and down the city. The following stop was Caltagirone (62km-1h), famous for its ceramics and churches (more than 40). We loved staying in the city, but honestly it can be done in a day, without the need to sleep here. The next morning I took Clement to see Villa Romana del Casale (36 km-45 min) and its unique mosaics, and we drove to Scala dei Turchi (92 km-1h20) where we had lunch and where we spent the afternoon, and then to La Valle dei Templi, where we arrived right before sunset.

When we got back to Catania (158 km-1h54), we decided to go to the beach in Aci Reale (20 km-30 min), and then we walked downtown Catania to discover the wonderful city.