top of page
2023
Sicily (Taormina)
October 3-17
Planning Notes
-This was a solo trip to Sicily to take part in Italian language classes for two weeks.
-As with previous trips, I used Airbnb and was able to secure a long term rental.
​
-Sicily was chosen from a list of available locations. Sienna was also in the running but in the end I decided on Sicily as my preference is ocean as opposed to city.
Day 1
Day 1: One challenge with Sicily is getting there and then getting to your location. Train service is not abundant like the mainland. I took a red eye into Milan, then a connecting flight to Catania, the southern of two airports in Sicily. Once I arrived, I then had to take an hour long bus to my location in Taormina, which reminded me of the Amalfi coast with its winding, hilly roads. I lucked out with my Airbnb location as it was very close to the bus station and central to the main shopping area and the beach. After a very long day, I settled in with a bottle of wine on my terrace overlooking the ocean.
Day 2: I planned to have this day to explore and get my bearings before starting school tomorrow. I had a short walk to Porto Messina which is the "entrance" to the main shopping street, Corso Umberto. This street is very long and is filled with shops, restaurants, churches and other sites. I was able to locate where my school was, which was a 10 minute walk from my Airbnb. Since I had time, I decided to go to the Greek Theater which wound up having free admission. The theater is definitely worth a visit and has some spectacular views, which I enjoyed with my first Aperol Spritz. Afterwards, I found a market to stock up on some items and had my first dinner at Trattoria da Nino, steps from my apartment. Finished the night with some gelato and preparing for my first day of class.
Day 3: First day of class went well, it consists of other adults from Germany and Switzerland but all can speak good to great English. Our teacher, Marina, is fantastic, very friendly and animated. We start with the basics and make our way into verb tense which is more challenging. Class runs from 8-1 each day and I decide to stay for community lunch to get to know my classmates better. I also sign up for a walking tour at 4:30 to get to know the city better. The tour winds up being almost two hours, but I get a better sense for the size of the city and even see a few areas I had researched, including the hotel where The White Lotus was filmed. Had a very good dinner at Pirandello that included serenading from two guitar players.
Day 3: Second day of class was better than the first, perhaps I am catching on, but our teacher is taking it slow so that helps. I decide to have a rest day after class so I head to the Taormina Gardens, which is a big park with some unique buildings, some great views and places to relax. I find a nice quiet spot and read a few chapters in my book enjoying the perfect weather. I get pizza and arancini for take away dinner and spend my evening relaxing, rewriting my class notes and doing some homework. My Airbnb apartment is perfect for a solo traveller and I realize the building is a mix of locals and rentals. The walls are a bit thin which can be an issue at times, but I still think the location outweighs that negative. The other thing I notice is that I am beginning to feel what it is like to live here as opposed to being on vacation.
Day 4: In class today, I propose that we all go to dinner Friday night as it seems not everyone is staying for two weeks. After class, I go on an adventure to hike to the top of Taormina, which only took about 30 minutes, but lots of steep steps. From the top you can see both sides of the city and even Mt. Etna in the distance. I spent some time in the Chiesa Madonna della Rocca, which was very unique as it is built into the mountain. At the top there was a cart selling drinks so I decide to get a spritz and am treated to aperitivo complete with pizza and olives! After heading back into town, I stop for a quick visit to the Odeon, which was a much smaller amphitheater. For dinner, I hit up a small local place and got a great rotisserie chicken and potato dish for $12 that will be two dinners.
Day 5: I had washed some clothes in the sink last night and learned the hard way that things take a long time to dry, even if hanging outside. Class was good once again, but today I was most excited for my first paid excursion, which was a walking food tour for dinner. I met the group, which had another solo traveler among the couples and our guide, Alfredo. We went to three different restaurants sampling a variety of foods, desserts and wine. I got to know a few of the younger couples which was nice and wound up having a fantastic time.
Day 6: Today was the last day of class for the week and we found out that unfortunately Marina will not be our teacher for week two. My adventure after class was to go visit Isola Bella on the beach. I decided to walk down and back up, which was very very long. There are two beaches in the area, one is similar to other areas in Italy where you rent chairs/umbrellas at. The other is a public area, a bit more rocky, which is where Isola Bella is. It was great exploring the small island, wading in the water and collecting a few stones. Our class dinner was at Pizzeria Villa Zuccaro, a well-known spot for some great pizza, wine and laughs. I ended the night going to another bar with the German crew.
Day 7: With the weekend off from class, today is the first of two big adventures. Ever since I decided to go to Taormina, I knew I wanted to hike on Mt. Etna. I was picked up at the bus station and was in a group with seven other people (three couples and one solo traveler). Our guide, Saro was fantastic and shared a ton of knowledge during the tour. We started at a lava field and moved on to walk up and down some of Etna's craters. The area is very unique as it is full of black sand and white birch trees. After exploring, we got to walk through a lava tunnel and finished off with lunch and wine at the refuge house. The group was pretty bland but it was still a good time and absolutely worth it.
Day 8: The second big adventure started with making sure I got on the right bus for an hour long trip to the Alcantara Gorge. I decided to do body surfing in the river with Sicily Active to extend the day and it did not disappoint. I had a great group of friendly people and got to slide, jump and swim in the Alcantara River. It was more treacherous than I thought, but an amazing time. Afterwards, I walked to the gorge and was able to spend time exploring this amazing formation. I also wound up running into some of my classmates while there. I decided to also walk along the top trails to enjoy the different views along the way. I successfully located the bus stop and arrived back at my apartment to enjoy take away pizza and much needed rest.
Day 9: First day of the second week of class. We lost a few people from the first week and our teacher is definitely not as engaging or fun as Marina. Class consisted of review, which was good and then more verb tenses which is always tough. After class I decided to keep things simple today and do some souvenier shopping. I walked a good bit of Corso Umberto pricing out items and buying a few things to bring back. Stopped for a spritz and was disappointed there was no aperitivo offered. As this is my final week, I am trying to soak it all in and really appreciate every moment I have here.
Day 10: Class was better today and I was able to rewrite and organize all of my notes which helped. After class, it was time for another adventure! I made my way down to the beach (via cable car this time) and did scuba diving for the first time ever. The owner was my instructor and he was fantastic at guiding me through the experience. It was harder than I thought and a few times I had to calm myself under the water. However, it wound up being a great experience to swim with fish and explore the underwater structures. Finished my day with take away lasagna and salad for dinner.
Day 11: Today was the toughest class so far, partly due to the content and partly due to the teaching style. I struggled with adjectives and tense again, as did most, but we got through it. After class, I went to the beach with one of my classmates to relax and enjoy the water. I had pizza and a spritz for lunch and got to swim and read a bit. Stocked up on some supplies to last me the rest of the trip and started to plan out the remaining places I wanted to eat at.
Day 12: I started the day off hitting the famous Bam Bar for breakfast where I enjoyed granita with a brioche and cappucino! Another very tough day of class but we are all doing our best to help each other through it. I have realized that I thought I might learn more in my two weeks and that I will have to continue at home if I want it to stick. Dinner was a very special experience as I got do dine at a chef's house. Once again, my apartment location paid off as Chef Massimo's place was fairly close. The group I was with was fantastic, including four from New Jersey. We had nine courses from appetizers to desserts and too much wine to keep track of. Afterwards we all took a walk and I showed everyone the beach area and the cable car back up to town.
Day 13: The final day of class was better but also a bit sad as it was coming to an end. We finished on a high note and decided to do another farewell dinner that night. After class I picked up some wine to bring home, rewrote my notes again and started to organize things to in preparation for packing. Dinner was at Al Giardino, which was a great time with my classmates. I was even invited to a my classmate's home in Lake Garda when I come visit next year. The night ended with a walk through the city and some sad goodbyes.
Day 14: Today is my last full day in Sicily and as expected, I have been doing a lot of reflecting. I decided to push and hike back up to the top of Taormina so I could eat at a restaurant that was on the top of my list, Al Saraceno. This wound up being my favorite meal during my time here, coupled with amazing views of Mt. Etna. I spend the rest of the day packing, cleaning and writing in my journal about this increcible experience. My final night mirrored my first, on the terrace with a bottle of wine staring at the ocean with the moon overhead.
bottom of page