“You give us three weeks of your life, and we give you three thousand years.” Is it a deal, a promise, a pledge of another nature? Whatever you might call it, leave it to a Sicilian to present his country in slightly inscrutable, yet decisively tantalizing terms.
In this case the speaker was Domenico Mirabella, Sicily’s chief tourism officer, and as I listened to him at an animated dinner in Siracusa in May, I couldn’t help but be of like mind. For there are few places as beguiling as this.
I had only a week to explore, but it was time enough to see why everyone from the ancient Greeks to Roman legions to Arabs, Spaniards and even-heavens!-Hohenstaufens had designs on this place. So deliciously different is it from mainland Italy.
Volcanic, strategic, large: Sicily is the biggest island in the Mediterranean, and as such has little island groups of its own. In seven days, it’s possible to visit the pristine Aeolian Islands plus work in a visit to Siracusa (Syracuse), the New York of the ancient Greek world and now a subdued but spectacular gem of the Italian Baroque.
Palermo, Frank Capra’s hometown, is a densely packed port city whose carved stone buildings and nameless byways seem to be in perpetual motion. One look at the colossal Monte Pellegrino promontory, which rises the height of two Eiffel Towers over this city founded by Phoenicians, and you know you’ll never figure the place out. Further east along the Tyrrhenian coast, Cefalu, charming and ancient, demands less cogitation and invites hours of seaside lingering. In that sense, it’s good preparation for what might rightly be considered Sicily’s star attraction-the Aeolian Islands.
Depending on the season, one arrives at the islands via ferry or hydrofoil from Milazzo, Palermo, Cefalu, Messina or even Naples. Homer mentioned these islands in connection with Odysseus’ wanderings. The mythical king of the archipelago was Aeolus, god of the wind. Vulcano, about 15 miles offshore, is where the ancients believed Hephaestos, god of fire, dwelled, and with good reason: its volcano may be dormant, but there’s plenty of secondary volcanic activity to keep things interesting. The other islands are Lipari, Salina, Panarea, Filicudi, Alicudi and, last but definitely not least, Stromboli.
Lipari is the biggest of the Aeolians and in antiquity was the center of the obsidian trade. Its archaeological museum houses some remarkable painted vases and 1,200 terracotta theatrical masks and figurines from the 4th and 3rd century B.C. From Lipari it’s a short but scenic boat ride over to Vulcano, where beyond the draws of mud baths and volcano hikes there are some world-class resorts, including the cheery Hotel Eros and the five-star Therasia Resort.
Salina is where the popular 1994 movie “Il Postino” was filmed. Two extinct volcanoes, Monte Fossa delle Felci and Monte del Porri, form this lush island, much of which is a nature reserve and whose fertile soil produces tons of capers as well as the lion’s share of the Aeolians’ sweet tawny Malvasia wine. It is perhaps the most idyllic of the islands: you feel it in the soft air, or over a plate of spaghetti al fuoco at Portobello in San Marina Salina. The dolce far niente peaks at the cliff side Capo Faro resort, where the guest rooms are plunked down in the middle of a vineyard, and at the Hotel Signum, with its jewel of a spa, in the village of Marfa.
Few islands in the world pack as strong a primordial punch as Stromboli, the most unapologetically hyperactive of the seven Aeolian sisters. Every night, lava erupts from the top of the volcano and pours down the Sciara del Fuoco, the slope of fire, into the sea. It’s a sight no seismically seasoned Southern Californian should miss, and the best way to experience it is on a nighttime boat excursion.
Siracusa has at its heart the ancient urban island of Ortygia (Greek for “quail”). Its gorgeous freshwater spring Fonte Arethusa, is next to the sea, once prized by the Greeks. But the pièce de résistance-other than the grilled swordfish at L’Ancora, behind the fruit market-is the Piazza del Duomo: “Little winding streets lead up to the piazza, and when you suddenly find yourself there, it catches you by surprise,” Sicilian architect Nico Farnedi says. “And surprise is a big element of the Barocco style, so the piazza is a success on many levels.”
Once in the square, you could linger over a gelato or pop into the cathedral, which happens to be on the very site of a 5th century B.C. Greek temple to Athena (the Doric columns are still standing). The sense of history envelops you and won’t let go, and that’s just fine. This, after all, is Sicily.
Info:
Eurofly (non-stop New York JFK to Rome and Palermo); 800.459.4980; euroflyusa.com
Aeolian Island boat tours: www.aliantetour.com;
Customized tours: Sicily Wine Travels (ask for Mirko); sicilywinetravels.com
Hotel Signum and Spa: hotelsignum.it
Therasia Resort: therasiaresort.it
Capofaro Malvasia & Resort, Salina: capofaro.it
La Sirenetta Hotel, Stromboli: lasirenetta.it
Hotel Atlante Star (Rome): atlantehotels.com
Centrale Palace Hotel (Palermo): angalahotels.com
Italian Government Tourist Office: italiantourism.com