I have 11 weeks in Sicily this summer. Which means about 10 weekends plus or minus one to travel around the Italian island. So here are 10 destinations that I hope to make it to in Sicily during my time there. If/When I make it to each one you can be sure that I will be posting some photos documenting my experience!
· Mount Etna
o This volcano to the North and West of the town of Catania is the largest active volcano in Europe! To get even more exciting, it was erupting just a few weeks ago. Even more exciting is that Catania is where I flew into and fly out of and is very close by the base I will be living at. I definitely am planning on visiting this at some point in my stay in Sicily!
· Aegadian Islands
o I’m not sure about this one because it is an island that I will be able to make it there. I do love the views and the crystal clear waters that surround them. Steep white rock cliffs surround several sides. Tiny white walled towns look to dot the island just as the quiet ports host a variety of small aging vessels. This could be a great highlight to the traveling in Sicily.
· Scala dei Turchi
o This is a rocky cliff that can be found in southern Sicily. It is well known for its pure white rock face that dips into the emerald colored Mediterranean Sea. It does look like a great place to enjoy a sunset/sunrise soaking in the views and colors that are sure to be as good as if not better than the ones I found in Greece.
· Valle dei Templi
o Translated into English that is the Valley of Temples and is exactly what you may expect. Or maybe not because it has Greek temples. These temples are from the Greeks that traveled and settled the area before Rome was a dominant force here. They are very well preserved sites and will surely make for a great place to see on my travels!
· Ortygia
o This is a small island that plays host to the historical city of Syracuse. It is a walled historical landmark that is only a short distance from shore. You don’t even need a boat to get there and you can just walk across a small bridge. Castello Maniance also happens to exist here as a citadel and castle. It reminds me of Rhoads in Greece to make me even more excited!
· Catacombe dei Cappuccini
o I have heard about catacombs from history books through school, but I never imagined exploring one. This looks to be a great opportunity to see one of these in Palermo where they buried their dead for centuries. Just not something you see all that often especially for someone that has lived most of their life in Iowa.
· Alcantara
o This is a river. A small river compared to what we think of in Iowa like the Des Moines, Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers nearby. The unique thing is that it is walled up by tall cliffs on either side. Volcanic rock of Mt. Etna was cut through by this river of water that flows off the volcano.
· Ancient theatre of Taormina
o This is yet another destination base around Mt. Etna. It is a Greek amphitheater built early in the seventh century BC. The ruins offer views of the Ionic Sea and Mt. Etna and Catania around it. I really like these sorts of things that are so historic and stunning with their views of everything around them. The Greeks are and were awesome is the moral of this paragraph!
· Cassibile River
o This looks like another river that is going to offer much more than water flowing between two banks. There are waterfalls, step-like cliffs to walk around and climb on. Beautiful backdrops of steep ridges covered in greenery and wildflowers. Combined into it all exiting into the Sea with a fantastic beach surrounding.
· Stadio Renzo Barbera
o This last one represents the fact that I really want to see an Italian soccer/football match while I am visiting. This is the stadium in Palermo, and it hosts what is probably the best club on the island. It doesn’t matter what team or where I see them. I just want to go to a game and experience it which may be difficult because the Champions League final is on the Saturday I left for Sicily, and that marks the end of the season.