AUTHOR Robert Gillespie

Discovering Sicily

When discovering Sicily there are the two most popular cities, Palermo and Syracuse; the most famous landmark Mount Etna; the Val di Noto with towns like Noto, Ragusa and Modica; and the far more remote Sicily of the Aeolian Islands.

Arriving in Palermo from Punta Raisi airport, buses run regularly into the city and as all the major attractions are within walking distance of each other, you may want to delay renting a car until you’re ready to move on from the capital. But before you go, book with Indigo for a car to go on this thrilling road trip to remember.

There are many sites of historical interest in Palermo such as Palazzo dei Normanni with the stunning Cappella Palatina; and former mosque San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the tiled dome of Chiesa del Carmine and the Baroque façade of the Chiesa del Gesù. Or you can take a roof-top tour in Quattro Cantia.

At Piazza Verde is Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy, and there are the fine collections of the Museo Archeologico Regionale A. Salinas to explore. On Via Alloro, the chic Galleria d’Arte Moderna Sant’Anna displays 19th- and 20th-century Sicilian art and has a lovely café – or, one of Palermo’s best restaurants Osteria dei Vespri, is right across the street.

Noto is a Baroque town with the wonderful architecture of the Cathedral, Palazzo Ducezio and Palazzo Nicolaci Villadorata to be accompanied by ice creams famous throughout Italy. Explore Scicli, with many Baroque buildings; and Modica – famous for the manufacture of chocolate according to an ancient Aztec recipe.

On to Ragusa and with its old quarter, Ibla and its main piazza is dominated by the Duomo, a three-tiered Baroque wedding cake of a cathedral. Drive via the rarely visited towns of Chiaramonte Gulfi and Vizzini, to Caltagirone, renowned for its ceramics.

In nearby Syracuse you can see the superb relics of the city’s days of Greek glory. Parking up at a spacious car park just over the bridge into Ortygia you can then explore Ortygia’s Piazza Duomo; the Baroque façade of Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco; and head underground to the Artemision.

For the Mount Etna tour begin on the Ionian coast in Taormina, and build up to a breathtaking climax at Europe’s highest and most active volcano. You’ll need your Indigo hire car to explore this area and be prepared for steep and winding roads. There is a magnificent view of Etna from Taormina’s Greek Theatre; and if you buy provisions, including meat and charcoal, there are designated picnic areas with barbecues on the mountain.

From Linguaglossa take the circular road around Etna’s north slopes, to see extraordinary lava fields and views that stretch to Calabria on a clear day. And for wine lovers go to Passopisciaro where you may have time to enjoy a winery tour and tasting. Then Rifugio Sapienza on Etna’s south side serves as the departure point for the cable car that climbs to a height of 2,500m.

For the more adventurous there are the Aeolian Islands to reach which you can take your Indigo hire car onto a car ferry from Milazzo or Messina. The island closest to the mainland is Vulcano and on descending after your climb there is an opportunity for wallowing in mud baths and swimming above natural springs around Porto di Levante.

Visit Lipari to see the collection of the Archeological Museum; and if it is not too hot, take a bus to the Cave Caolina and walk to the thermal baths of San Calogero. Other must-do activities include taking in Pollara, a remote hamlet where the Italian cult classic Il Postino was filmed. And one final tip is to see Stromboli where in summer (well, the temperature is 30°C for four months of the year),you can laze on one of the black sand beaches, Then have lunch in town, and make the ascent of the volcano in time to arrive at the summit at sunset.

So Sicily offers culture stemming from medieval cathedrals, to the paintings of Antonello da Messina and the music of Vincenzo Bellini, and from the birth of Italian literature under Frederick II to the poets and novelists of the 19th and 20th centuries. And the natural wonders of its coastline, the vastness of Mount Etna and the curiosity of the Aeolian Islands. Plus architecture that boasts Classical, Medieval, Baroque and Modernist styles.

Finally, it may be worth noting that Sicily’s splendid cultural life is juxtaposed against poverty, backwardness and the spread of the Mafia which, despite all attempts to curb its activities, had, at one point, become a veritable state within a state. However, thanks to the perseverance and courage of public servants and growing public awareness of the problem, the Mafia seems to be less powerful than before. So other than spotting some scenes of cinematic interest (like Scorcese’s The Godfather) this really will not concern a touristic visitor. On the contrary, Sicily oozes with escapism from our sometimes hectic way of life to connect with history, culture and nature perhaps more than any other European destination.

Having worked in the car rental industry for over 15 years, he really knows his stuff. Rob heads up our marketing department and as a keen traveller, always has a new location to talk about. Particularly if there is a golf course nearby.

Robert Gillespie

Traveller