Travel tips. Sicily is certainly more than The Godfather, but it keeps a small village alive. Here I'm going to take you on a little trip to one of the locations for one of the filming, namely the wedding. The rest of the trip is about the historic area south of Catania, where we landed with Norwegian. I was excited to see what Sicily would bring us, as this was our first trip to this historical “treat”. Many say Sicily is fantastic, but not everyone agrees. I will make up my own opinion and try to give some tips, which in any case can turn your trip into something very positive.
It is also important to remember that Sicily is a large island, so if you are going to experience the whole island at once, you need at least four weeks. We had the pleasure of only being here for a week, which is at least what we did.
Text and photo Ingar Næss. (c) (90% translated to English from Norwegian by Google)
Our plan was to travel north to get some Godfather history and further along the coast to the county of Messina, but on the way we got some tips that almost changed the entire itinerary.
We landed with Norwegian in Catania and drove north as planned. We had planned an overnight stay and after some searching online we had found The Lemon House. We were looking forward to this so very nicely. The Lemmon House is a small but modern Bed and breakfast offer where you can easily enjoy yourself.
Our plan was to travel north to get some Godfather history and further along the coast to the county of Messina, but on the way we got some tips that almost changed the entire itinerary. We landed with Norwegian in Catania and drove north as planned. We had planned an overnight stay and after some searching online we had found The Lemon House. We were looking forward to this so very nicely. The Lemmon House is a small but modern Bed and breakfast offer where you can easily enjoy yourself.
Christel had a lot of knowledge about where we should go, and what we had to see and experience. Since we had no direct preferences, we were easily convinced. We were here to learn and get to know Sicily. We changed the plans a bit, but first, we were going to take a look at The Godfather story.
If you've seen the films about The Godfather, then part of episode one was filmed in this area. We were ready to "go to the cinema" and then we set the Google map to Savoca as our first destination. It is not a far drive, but parking can be a bit difficult, as this village is very small and the roads are narrow. It's easy to find, so you don't have to think about it.
There is an important episode filmed here and it is the daughter's wedding. If you haven't seen the film, take a look before you travel, or on the plane, so you get everything a little closer. Almost everything is about this story up here and the story hangs right on the walls, in the small museum. It's a bit of fun to see how they try to stay alive in the "moment"! Here you see a picture of the house from that time and where the famous wedding was filmed. In connection with the small museum, there is a small cafe. You will also find some souvenirs if you want to take it home as a memory.
They really appreciate it if you take the time to go in and have a look and ask questions, - of course in Italian, if there is no one nearby who can translate. In any case, there is sure to be someone who will be happy with a T-shirt.
.After a bit of hiking and a visit to the "hotel", you might start thinking about lunch up here in the mountains? Then I would rather recommend a beer and or a coffee and have lunch down by the seafront. There are actually several good restaurants there, but one very good one and our recommendation goes to Aloha Mare, if you like fish and seafood. This was very good and here everything is fresh. Enjoy yourself. I'll be honest and admit that we weren't the most active the first few days, but used the time to walk around and enjoy ourselves. We were here a bit early in the summer so there wasn't much life on the beach as it was a bit windy. For us it was not that important, we had traveled from 15 degrees, so getting to over 19 was a joy. We took some drinks with us because we had decided to use the pool area at the hotel.
I promise that sometimes silence is a luxury and that's what we got for a couple of hours by the pool.
As mentioned, we got tips from Christel. I think she really appreciated guests who had the time and interest to listen to her. We were convinced and the next day we set course for Noto.
It's a bit of a drive, but what wouldn't you do to experience one of Sicily's old capitals and lots of history. Before we set our noses south, we had booked a unique hotel. This hotel had received top scores on all the reviews we checked. The hotel is called Tenuta Olive Alive and we were a little unsure if this could be correct. Because how often have you experienced that a hotel only gets top scores from everyone, - could it be that good? We were happy, but with a little wonder. It would take just under three hours to drive, but if you choose to drive directly from the airport in Catania, then it will take about an hour and a half, on good roads.
A real gem!
Click on the link to Hotels.com below for many great photos.
Let me immediately recommend this great place.
This only got better and better, we had checked both on TripAdviser and Hotels.com and, as I said, became very curious about the top marks they had received all along. Speaking of the road. Don't be intimidated by the road on the last stretch. It's just to make the experience at the hotel even better! Now it has been a while since we were there, perhaps it has been improved. If not, drive slowly.TripAdvisor
Recommended!
Honestly, this place is a gem, although the building itself is not particularly beautiful, but the atmosphere is absolutely beautiful. Take the time to talk to the host and get him to tell. This is his dream come true! Ask about the history behind the place, and what dining you can get by the pool! Let him talk about the wine choices. He offers transport to Noto and or the beach. Then you mustn't forget the brand new spa facility in the hotel! As mentioned, feel free to look at the pictures on Hotels.com, and you will get a good idea of the rooms, which are large and nice. Our bathroom was newly renovated and great, and the beds were good. Nice simple reception and lounge. Believe it or not, we started to believe that the 10 points might be deserved.
Breakfast is always important Then I have to praise the breakfast, it was absolutely wonderful. Here I also got the best coffee I've ever had for breakfast! Of course, we ate outside in the cool, lovely air and after breakfast, we could enjoy the beautiful garden with all the sculptures and not least the pool which was just lovely. If or when we ever go to this part of Sicily again, yes we will stop by here. Highly recommended - preferably more than one night! Remember it's just living like a satisfied guest.
Our experience from this place was that the more we used the facility the nicer it became. Although it is not a large hotel with many staff, efficiency and service were top-notch. In addition, something that suits me well is that it was not too rigid at the same time. It means that the atmosphere was as it should be when you are a guest in a hotel where expectations are high, in a simple way. The only thing you have to deal with is when you wish to use the transport. After all, there is no regular bus that runs every half hour. In any case, it will be able to use the spa facility, enjoy the garden and the pool or use your own car to Lido de Noto, or the larger city of Siracusa. We chose to be real tourists and visit the city of Noto both during the day and in the evening when we had to eat. Otherwise, we had a great time at the hotel. If you're on holiday, you're allowed to relax a bit too.
Then the trip goes to Noto. This is a great little town with its sights and several good restaurants. It all depends on what you do during the day, whether you don't just enjoy the garden and pool at the hotel or take a trip to Lido de Noto, or the larger city of Siracusa.
This is what Wikipedia says: Noto is a city and municipality in the province of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy. It is located 32 kilometers southwest of the city of Syracuse at the foot of the Iblean Mountains. It gives its name to the area around Val di Noto. In 2002, Noto and the church were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We stayed two nights at the hotel and enjoyed ourselves a lot.
Click for - I'll include a bit of history as well:
Siracusa neste stopp.
After two nights in Noto, we moved on to a new hotel in a special class, a little closer to Siracusa.
We always spend a little extra time when we have to find a new hotel, and this day we took the trip to a hotel in a special class, a little closer to Siracusa.
The hotel we chose is located in a former nobleman's residence approx. one km from Arenella beach and seven km from the center of Siracusa. This is an elegant 4-star hotel located on the Plemmirio peninsula. The hotel offers free bicycles, a spa, a botanical garden, and two outdoor pools. The rooms are stylishly furnished.
We used the restaurant Hibiscus, which serves a mixture of Sicilian and gourmet food, with an extensive and wonderful wine list. Here I found some real gems, as I said the article was written afterward and I did not have the name of these wines. However, you will have some surprises in store when you visit this hotel.
The breakfast, which is always important, was actually also good with a continental/Italian buffet with organic ingredients.
For those of you who are interested in beaches, transport is offered to the beaches of Arenella, Fanusa, and Plemmirio. (May to October) For us, the pool was absolutely fantastic during the day and then we were free to spend the afternoons and evenings in the old town of Siracusa.
Syracuse Siracusa is one of the most exciting cities in Sicily for those interested in archeology and ancient history. Syracuse was founded as a colony by Greeks from Corinth in the year 734 or 733 before Christ. They settled on the small island of Ortygia – today a headland connected by bridges to the mainland, which includes the old town of Ortigia. Siracusa also has an entire district on the mainland, the Parco Archeologicopresent, which is exclusively devoted to Roman and early Christian monuments. Siracusa is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
We enjoyed the old town, with its narrow alleys and large squares. Lots of small shops and restaurants, cafes and bars. Artists presenting their own works and all the others trying to sell you create memories.
Again, don't underestimate the importance of order if you're going to the best restaurants, and remember Sicilian food is not the same as Italian. The taste can often be more bitter, we took ages to find out why, but experienced it several times. The same applies to the wine, of which you will get an example here, but remember! Here there are questions about what you like and don't like.
Click - Wine, The appassimento method :
ordering Fly to Sicily with Norwegians - we chose Catania. Get flights at good prices, and book early. There are also flights with Norwegians to Palermo.
I think: I think Sicily will be better if you have been there a few times and learned the tricks of what tastes best and where you enjoy yourself the most. I think you will enjoy this route and then maybe land in Palermo on the next trip, which I will do during 2022.
Howdy! Bus travel is very popular among many people, as it helps them to save money significantly, but at the same time without any difficulties to get to the necessary destination. It is worth saying that not all bus companies are the same, and this should be taken into account when buying a ticket! Everyone who wants to have the best possible journey should definitely pay attention to the services of barons bus company, which has gained an excellent reputation among many customers.