Posted by FIRST STOP: ENNA, The geograpic centre of Sicily, or as translated “the umbilici”
Picking up the car from the airport at Cinisi we ventured through the outskirts of Palermo on the A20 before reaching the A19 freeway that crosses the centre of Sicily. The countryside was very dry initially and almost barren with not much happening apart from fields that were between crop cycles. the further we rose in altitude the more green and visibly fertile the coutryside became and the more visible the hilltop towns were seen.
Towns perched mainly on rocky outcrops that had been standing for many many centuries and are accesed by winding roads to their hardly untouched narrow streets. One such town was our overnight stop in Enna where we encountered our first ‘Moors head vases” which will be seen everywhere we went in the coming weeks in various local incarnations.
We had booked a great airbnb that was easy to get around from and were able to discover a fair bit of the town with its fabulous vistas and history in the afternoon before finding an amazing resturant to dine in. This town is not a tourist destination, and is by no means seen as such but the “Bistro Paradiso con giardino” was a rare find. Extraordinary is the best way to describe the food, atmophere and service with a dining experience that was so unexpected but totally memorable. Locally sourced and or grown at thier farm in Agrigento it was magically prepared by the family cooks and we had never tasted food like it.
Keeping the trees warm up on top of the hill with crocheted coverings in the Belvedere of Enna.
At sunrise we were greated with glimpse of Mount Etna hidden in the mmorning clouds but still dominating the region along with the imposing Emma Castello on the cliffs above town.
VILLA CASALE
On our way to Ortigia and Siracusa we stopped into the amazing Villa Casale near Piazza Armerina which from the 1st century AD and located in the heart of Olive and Wine country which have been growing here for over 4,000 years. An agriculture driven region with the Villa being centre of production and export which was evident from the way the Villa was laid out. During the middle ages the Villa was covered in a major flood and mud slide and dissapeared from sight and was forgotten until unearted in the 1700’s. And what a discovery it was with some of the best preserved discriptive Mosaics of the Roman Empire on display. The Villa is extensice with both personal and business areas along with a massive bath house and reception/entertaininfment facilities.
They have recreated the roof of the Villa in light weight materials to protect it and give the sense of the original shape so a very different experience to walk though and imagine the past.
The mosaic floors were unlike anything we had ever seen, and we have seen a lot, but this was next level, with rural, seafaring, military, farming, game hunting, commerce, sports and enertainment in abundance.
Mosaic’s at the entry to spaces depicted what they were used for and in many cases the importance of such spaces and the wealth and status of the Villa owners.
The Baths were really facinating and had extensive pie systems in place to really understand how everything worked.
SIRACUSA & ORTIGIA on the South East corner of Sicily
We arrived in Siracusa and had to wait for the end of siesta time for the c ar hire place to open so that we could drop off the car but of course there was nowhere to legally park but we managed to winf it and handed over the car before getting a taxi into Ortigia and our Airbnb apartment. It was time to explore the town before chosong our dining options and what we found was facinating. the yellow stone is in every building and the limetone is quarried locally from the Greek period which are now gottos of fascination near the old greek and Roman theatres. we were staying at the pointy end of Ortigia near the old Spanish castello which has seen countless battles with invading navies over thousands of years.
The creativity of people to turn thier streets into artplaces never ceases to amaze and this is the first time we have seen suspended lace hoops.
Like so many towns and cities around the med Moreton Bay figs along with Norfolk Island pines have been planted in Public Paks and Palazzo grounds so it always nice to wander around and feel a bit at home.
We were located above one of the big attractions, the Fontana of Arethusa, a unique natural freshwater spring that includes Papyrus plants that only grow in three locations in southern Sicily outside of Egypt. They are all fed by the same volcanic based spring.
The apartment was perfect, comfortable, well prepared and a delight to stay in and wow what a view.
We were spoilt with choices for retaurants and after a nice long walk passing by all the water from resturants we ended up just around the corner in Via Santa Teresa at Oz-Eta Ortigia, a so called wine bar with a fabulous menu. Dining out in the street with great food and service with produce also sources from a family farm again and the local oceans was another delight.
Ortigia is not a placve you go to for its beaches, although we did swim at one just near our apartmnent but they are very rocky and can be a bit weedy but the water is lovely and clean. This has been a defensive town for a very long time and it shows in its make up.
We founf exploring the narrow streets and lanes to be the best part as they constantly revealed cameos of delight and whimsy as well as clever design and execution from the various parts of its history.
From a greek Temple turned into a Roman Basilica turned into a Mosque and then into a Norman Church and then a Spanish cathedral, there was evidence everywhere in small details of the times.
The Temple of Apollo dates from the 6th Century and although not much left it ended up a Spanish barracks in the 16th century before being pilliged of its stone in church constructions and fell into misuse .
The Beautiful Fontana di Diana in the Piazza Archimede is an Art Nouveau masterpiece and is located at the centre of what is seen and the heart of Ortigia, The Piazza, named after the towns most famous son, the master mathmatician Archimides is surrounded by classical Palazzo and municipal buildings along with one unfortunatle Musollini debacle in his brutalist style, but lets just ignore that as it is a beautiful place to be
Every corner you turn there is something to wonder at and stumbling onto this incredible example of a Roman structure from the 2nd century that has been built on during the middle ages and then further altered in the norman period and is now exposed just shows how the real world works around adaptability over time
The Streets around the Duomo and its large Piazza are filled with restaurants and shops and it is clear that this has been a tourist destination for a very long time but we never felt like it was awash with people as the locals dominated the way of life in a very visible way.
Our first of many tastes of Canoli.
We ventured up to the Neapolis Archaeological Park above Siracusa and wow what an amazing place with largest Greek Altar in the world and one of the largest Theatre as well. The whole complex is based around the quarry sites that have been turned into mythological grottos but were once used as prison pens for captured soldiers and sailors from the numerous battles that were fought over this very strategic port.
The excavation revealed cave systems in the Limestone that were turned into extraordinary art installations as well as many locations for fils such as tomb raider. The whole site is now one big Greek and Roman sculpture site and the placements are perfectly executed.
The Roman Ampitheatre sits to the side of the site and was the scene of gladitorial battles towards the end of the empire but was originally a place of theatre and joy in the earlier times.
Back in Ortigia there was still plenty of exploring to be doneas we covered the whole island taking in the fabulous food markets and every nook and cranny we could find and mostly with very few people in sight.
The Palazzo of Ortigia are very grand and very few are accesible so we chanced up PalazzoBonanno Toscana one night and enjoyed a glass of Prosecco as we wandered its opulent rooms. Down below us in the Piazzo Duomo a big Sicilia food and agriculture exhibition was taking place as part of the G7 meetings so the place was buzzing.
We ate at some fabulous places and the food, atmosphere and vibe were so cool everywhere we went which shows the massive resurgence of Sicily from its mafia grip is happening everywhere and is led by the younger generations.
We found this amazing book in a small museum which dates back to the 12th century and all the natural elements in the boarders were facinating.
