The Christmas holidays have come to an end, sadly.

However, I still feel quite festive and thought to share with you some of the best moments I had during this break.

I spent my holidays in my hometown in Catania, Sicily.

You may have heard in the news that our Volcano Etna has erupted few days before Christmas causing problems, delays and cancellation of flights for a couple of days afterwards.

However, this Christmas Etna gave us not only ashes, but also hundreds of small earthquakes culminating with a terrifying episode just after Christmas day. It was 3.19am when the earth started shaking under our feet for the longest 20 seconds of our lives.

Dozens of houses have been heavily damaged by the earthquake and some people had to leave their homes and find shelters elsewhere to stay safe.

Earthquake aside, I have to admit, this time I really struggled packing back up and leaving Sicily at the end of my holidays.

The weather has bees exceptionally good, warm, and sunny and I decided to become a tourist for few days, wandering around town and visiting few villages near Catania.

My first stop is the Monti Rossi Park in Nicolosi, one of the towns closest to the Etna. I go to Monti Rossi Park, just outside town, to run or train in altitude (This park is located 900mt above seal level). And to take breathtaking pictures of Catania and its gulf.

“The town of Nicolosi is at the base of Mount Etna and is the gateway for excursions to the famous volcano. Through the centuries, it has been rattled by earthquakes and destroyed by eruptions but the inhabitants have stubbornly refused to relocate, rebuilding each time on their patch of historic land.

Founded in 1359, Nicolosi is named for the monastery of San Nicola that was established here by the Benedictines. A village sprang up around the monastery and the town was established. It was entirely rebuilt following the eruption of 1669. Today, it is a modern city of about 5000 people centered around tourism for Mt. Etna – the volcano that has destroyed the town is also its lifeblood!”~ Summerinitaly.com

My second stop is Isola Bella, in Taormina. Isola Bella is a small island near Taormina. Also known as The Pearl of the Ionian Sea, it is located within a small bay on the Ionian Sea; it was a private property owned by Florence Trevelyan until 1990, when it was bought by the Region of Sicily, being turned into a nature reserve, administrated by the Italian branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature. There is a narrow path that often connects the island to the mainland beach. The island is surrounded by sea grottos and has a small and rather rocky beach which is a popular destination for sunbathers. It’s hard to believe than in all the years I lived in Sicily I have never been on the actual island. It hides a beautiful house, surrounded by trees, plants, flowers and rocks, hardly visible from the mainland.

 

My next stop is Taormina, a tiny village, but very luxurious and traditional, situated a couple of kilometers driving up the hill from Isola Bella.

Taormina is a place worth discovering both in the summer and in the winter. I went over Christmas and I can assure you that if you sit outdoor in the sun it feels like spring!

The best thing to do, to really appreciate this place, is to visit the Greek theatre located few hundreds meters from Porta Messina, one of the main doors to enter this town. This theatre is still used as venue for concerts, fashion events, movies and Greek representations. The background of this open theatre is stunning: the volcano and the beach, both visible from the bleachers will give you the impression of going back thousands of years.

Other than that, though, Taormina is well known for the nightlife and the food scene. Here in fact you’ll find dozens of small bars and clubs just off the main road. Restaurants can be found at every corner. Seafood, pizza, traditional Sicilian cousins, but also sushi and meat places can be found here.

Whatever you decide to go for, don’t forget to finish your meal with a granita or a gelato with brioche. Possibly while sitting on a bench in the main square, Piazza IX Aprile, admiring the bellavista (mirador).

If you stay in Catania, you can drive to Taormina in 35-40 minutes or take the bus from the central station.

One day would be enough to wander around town, but if you want to experience the beach, you may consider staying for a couple of days.

Moving on with my journey, the other places I tend to visit when I go back home are the two villages of Acicastello and Capomulini.

These places are respectively 15-20 minutes drive from Catania.

I honestly tend to run to Acicastello from Catania. It’s a 5.6km run one way, and the coastline is gorgeous.

The name of this village comes from the Castle built on a rock, which has been shaped to resemble a ship.

And it also derives from the name of a man called Aci. “Aci, son of Pan, was a shepherd who was loved by the beautiful Galatea. Unfortunately, the young girl was also coveted by the Cyclops monster, Polyphemus. The jealous monster killed the shepherd, whose body then divided into nine parts, which gave birth to the nine villages that bear the name of Aci in Sicily”. Source: https://travelguide.michelin.com/europe/italy/sicily/catania/aci-castello

Capomulini is also not that far but the road is not that safe to run through.

Capomulini is a village known mainly for its restaurants. Here you won’t find any shop, only bars and restaurants. If you want to buy souvenirs from this area you’ll have to drive up to the main town, Acireale. It’s a 10 minutes drive from Capomulini.

 

The reason why I love this place is the fact that you can literally eat on a platform on the water. And the view is gorgeous. You can see Acitrezza and the Lachea island just sitting at your table watching out from the windows.

 

Last stop of my trip is the main harbour and the sandy beach south of Catania.

There is nothing special about these places but both inspire calm and quiet. I like to just walk up and down the decks where all sailing boats are parked or stroll barefoot on the sandy beach of the Playa. Both places offer (again) another beautiful view of the Etna. Especially this time around, when the Volcano was spitting out smoke and ashes.

Next time you look for a travel destination, don’t go too far. You don’t need to spend a fortune to go to the Caribbean or Indonesia to enjoy the sun in winter. Sicily is only a 3 hours flight from London or any major city in Europe (if that’s where you live). It’s cheap and offers more than you could ever expect.

Amazing food, a volcano, sandy beaches, rocky shores, snow, sun, history, nature, and, most of all, welcoming people.

Reach out to me if you want any info on what to do, where to stay in Catania.

Catch up soon.