Taormina
A three-hour ride up Sicily's east coast takes you to Taormina—a prime tourist resort established by the British aristocracy in the mid-1800s. Facing Mt. Etna and the sapphire blue Mediterranean, this peaceful resort area is exotically breathtaking. The Greek/Roman Teatro Greco, is still the venue for classical plays every summer. We loved wandering the bustling streets for souvenirs and coffee at a quaint cafe.
Mt. Etna is the largest and most active volcano in Europe. The coach climbs to the famous crater through picturesque villages and an ever-changing mountainous landscape. The lower slopes of the volcano are extremely fertile with orange and lemon groves (think limoncello) and grape vines which produce some of Sicily's best wines. She was not emitting much gas that day; however, the grande dame blew just a couple of days later and spewed volcanic ash over the island and the southern portion of mainland Italy.
After a long day of sightseeing, the bus returned to the fishing village of Pozzallo on the southeastern tip of Sicily in time for the late-night ferry to Malta, but we opted to stay a couple of nights in peaceful, nearby Marina di Modica at the modern Modica Beach Resort (solitude decreases in high season—we were there in May during shoulder season).
Albeit quite small, Marina di Modica has a broad sand dune beach (unlike many of the rocky beaches in Italy) with a sweeping boardwalk into "town." We found several charming beachside cafés and a children's park, as well as a pub in the city square serving cheap Moretti's—a fine Italian brew.
The Baroque town of Modica is located a 22-minute drive directly north to a higher altitude. (Side note, you will not find Ubers in these less populated areas in Sicily. So, it is a good idea to get the name and number of a taxi driver at the port.) Modica is a UNESCO World Heritage town built into two rocky valleys and known for its steep, winding streets, and stacked stone houses.
There we found the highly-acclaimed, award-winning Modica Chocolate shop—creating dozens of choices to tempt any chocoholic (myself included). Tour options include guided tours of historic workshops, bean-to-bar workshops, and specialized tastings. We went straight for the tastings!
Souvenirs
You will not want to leave Sicily without buying a few bottles of limoncello digestif—made from those illustrious Sicilian lemons, sugar, and grain alcohol. It is a wonderful alternative to dessert if you have already filled up on Modica chocolates.
If you have room in your suitcase, you may want to purchase the Teste di Moro (Moor's heads). Made popular in White Lotus (season 2), they are the iconic, hand-painted ceramic vases depicting a male Moor and a light-skinned female. These decorative planters symbolize Sicilian culture from the 11th century legend, representing the dramatic tale where a woman turned her lover's head into a basil pot. A little creepy, but an irresistible remembrance of the dark, mysterious side of Sicily!
Virtu offers buses and day tours to Catania and Syracuse in Sicily—
which are a shorter distance from Pozzallo. This ferry route can also be accomplished in the opposite direction—
as a day (or extended) trip from Sicily to Malta with tour guides on the Maltese side.
Whichever direction you choose, this voyage is an immersive cultural add-on to a trip you may have already planned in this Mediterranean region.
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