Malta Arrivederci Sicily, Hello Malta

Friday, August 28, 2026

Malta

Sicily, Hello Malta

We spent most of the day on the road. It was the day we would bid goodbye to Sicily (very sorrowfully, I should add, as we’d had such a grand time together there) and move on towards our next destination—Malta—as our travels were starting to wind down.

Breakfast in the Garden in Ragusa:

But first things first: Breakfast. We woke after a good night’s rest in the charming B&B that has stood on its foundation since the 1600s. In fact, it was so quaint, being clad in white sandstone (think hewn blocks of it) under a curved stone ceiling that I could not stop taking pictures of it. It was also on the ground floor, so we were saved having to haul up our baggage to the higher floors where there was no elevator. We washed, showered, dressed and packed up as right after breakfast, we had to start looking at leaving Ragusa and moving on.

Conchita had breakfast under an awning for us in her garden as the fierce sun was already strong at 8.30 am. Her other guests had just finished (apparently, they had an early start to their day) and were just leaving when we arrived. Conchita looked as elegant as ever in her morning frock as she took our order for scrambled eggs. Meanwhile, there was thick crusty sliced bread which we sampled with a selection of her home made fruit preserves. There were all sorts and I tasted cherry, apple, pear, lemon—all amazing. There was also a selection of cheese and I tried those as well. Freshly-baked pastries filled with apricot jam and Nutella also stood ready for our eating pleasure. Plus, she had fresh fruit (figs and peeled cactus pear) ready for us. After we had eaten well, we thanked her profusely.

It was at this point that we asked her for her advice on getting to Pozzallo Porto to take the ferry to Valetta in Malta. She looked surprised as she probably does not get many guests who make such a journey. Most come by car or have their own conveyance. Anyway, after discussing two options with us (taking the bus to Pozzallo from Ragusa or taking a ferry directly to Malta from Marina de Ragusa), we came to the conclusion that the former would work better for us as the ferry from the latter venue left rather late (7.30 pm) and would arrive in Malta at 10.30 pm. Although it seemed straight forward, there were some glitches involved. Conchita suggested that we wait till 10.00 am and then go to the main square (Piazza de San Giovanni) and find out from the Tourist Information counter there, what our best option would be.

And so, fifteen minutes later, we strolled up Corso Italia, the main arterial road in Ragusa Superior, and were at the Tourism Info counter. There, the lady (whose English was very slight) helped us find out the bus timings to Pozallo Port and so, armed with those options, off we went. We knew we had a long and complicated journey ahead of us but we hoped for the best

Taking the Bus from Ragusa to Pozzalo:

Conchita helped us call a taxi to our digs and by 1.00pm, we were saying goodbye to her and entering our taxi that cost us 20 euros to get to Ragusa Bus Terminal. There, we discovered that a bus would be leaving at 2.10 pm to take us directly to Pozzallo with no changes. It was worth waiting for the good one hour it took before the good-natured driver told us to enter. We bought our tickets on the bus (about 7 euros each) and were soon off. The bus was almost empty. The driver told us it would take about 2 hours to reach. We had also found out that the ferry from Pozzallo Port to Valetta would only be leaving at 7.30 pm. That would leave us with several hours in Pozzallo but again, we had no choice and would make the most of the down time.

I must comment on the panoramic scenery we encountered as we left Ragusa. From the highway, the scenery of the city perched on the hill and built in tiers, was simply spectacular. The shades of soft beige that make up the color palette is distinctive to these little towns in Sicily. As we drove further, we saw lots of signs on the highway for Siracusa, Catania, etc. Sicily is beautifully connected by a network of roads and we were most impressed by their speed, efficiency and cost (very economical indeed). En route, we passed through the equally lovely town of Modica, which is a neat day trip from Ragusa (if one has the time). This too is a Baroque town, but we’d had our fill of Baroque churches in Ragusa and were not sorry to have missed this. Modica too is built in tiers on the mountains and presents the same sort of staggered look—except that while Ragusa has a far more rustic appeal, Modica is much more sophisticated in the elegance of its buildings.

Before long, we arrived at Pozzallo and the sweet driver told us where to alight if we needed to get to the Port. It was about 3.30 pm by this time and the sun was hot and merciless. To get out of the AC bus and step on to the road in the glare of the sun was daunting. The driver also told us that all we needed to do was walk a little ahead and make a left and we’d come to the Port. Carting our baggage behind us, this was not a happy prospect—so we wondered whether we should look for a taxi to take us there. Just then a middle-aged woman stepped out of a car and I approached her to find out if she spoke English to see if she could help us find a taxi. She understood more English than she could speak and when she heard that we wanted to go to the Port, she told us to wait. She went back to the car from which she had alighted and spoke to the lady driver inside. It appears that she requested her to give us a ride to the Port. She told me that it would be hard to find a taxi and that the lady would be happy to drive us there! Can you imagine? Complete strangers stepped forward to help us at a time when we were so worried about the journey ahead.

Well, into the car we stepped after stashing our bags in the hold. It turned out that the driver, Christina, a lovely young woman, probably the lady’s daughter, could not speak a word of English, but she used Google Translate on her phone to communicate with us. She asked us if we would like her to take us all the way to the Port. And we said, Of course—if it was not too much trouble for her. She smiled, said, No Worries, and we set off. Well, I have to tell you that the journey was long. And I mean Long. Far from it being just a few minutes, it was miles away! There was simply no way we could have walked that far and a taxi would have set us back a handsome sum too. We seemed to be driving right through Pozzallo before we left the town behind and drove towards the Port which also seemed to be miles away!

Anyway, about a good 20 minutes later, we reached the spot. The sun was blazing and there was not a bit of shelter. We told her that we needed to buy tickets for the late evening’s ferry but the ferry booking office was closed. It would probably open again closer to the time of the sailing. Christina suggested we sit in a restaurant close by so that when it was time for us to board the ferry, we’d have only a short walk to get there. This seemed like a most sensible idea. Fortunately for us, one restaurant was actually open and with deep gratitude, we entered it. It was like entering a small haven. It was air-conditioned, we could use the toilet facilities, and we could get something cold to drink with a meal. So, we ended up ordering cold beers and a ciabatta sandwich filled with tomato, mozzarella and prosciutto. Yummy! It was a massive sandwich and we shared one and kept the other half for dinner on the ferry. Then, we gave ourselves a nice long rest, played games on our phones, people-watched as they came in and out of the place and soon, it was time for us to look for the booking office. At 6.30 pm, Llew took a walk outside while I kept watch with our baggage and after booking two tickets on the ferry, he returned to tell me that boarding had begun Well…what a relief it was to know that all had gone smoothy for us (more than we had expected) and that we would reach Malta that evening, as expected

On the Catamaran to Malta:

So, on the dot of 7.30 pm, our vessel sailed off. It was not just a conventional ferry but a high-speed catamaran—a very sophisticated-looking sea craft that was built in tiers and on which vehicles could also be boarded. Lots of folks were on board but it was, by no means, full. This explains why there is only one sailing per day run by a company called Virtu Ferries. The journey cost us about 110 euros each and with a restaurant on board, we sat down, ordered another beer and ate our other sandwich. This was a more than filling dinner as twilight gave way to darkness and the vessel plowed on.

About two hours later, the faint and distant lights of Valetta came into focus and we got ready to disembark and begin the next lap of our travels—this time in Malta.

Entering Valetta Harbor:

I must say a word about entering Valetta Harbor because it was so spectacular. One of the reasons I have always wanted to visit Malta and had placed it on my Bucket List was because of the pictures I had seen of this amazing place which is completely encircled by thick walls and because of the long, vast and exciting history of the Knights of St. John and their contribution to Malta.

Well…the town is beautifully illuminated at night and long before our vessel berthed, we could see the lighted outline of the dome of the Cathedral of St. John and a bunch of other churches that are intrinsic to the life of this community. We took many pictures of the town as we approached the harbor. I really felt sorry that we were arriving in the dark as it would have been sensational to see the place by daylight with its forbidding bastion walls that were built for defense

When the catamaran docked, the disembarkation began. Our landlady at our B and B, Iana, had given us detailed instructions on how to get to her place and inside her home. It was about 11.00 pm when we arrived there—so we did not expect to find her there. She had told us to take an Uber or Bolt and they were actually half the price (12 euros) of the waiting taxis (25 euros). We called for an Uber and about ten minutes later, one of them pulled up. He took our baggage, placed it in his trunk and began the ten-minute ride to our place.

Finding and Settling Into our B and B:

I must make it clear that we did not use Air B and B anywhere. All our bookings were made through Booking.com, an app I have used for at least 15 years. Our B and B was located in the Old Town of Valetta on St. Dominic’s Road. Valetta too is built in tiers and there are hills and steps to be negotiated if you wish to do any sightseeing at all. Reaching our B and B after 11.00 pm was not very pleasant. We were fortunate to find people still around who were able to direct us to the place at the end of a long flight of shallow, wide stairs. Once at the door, we used the key box code to find out key and let ourselves in.

We’d rented a studio apartment that was actually quite nice. At that hour, after a whole day of traveling, all we could do was wash and change and get ready for bed. Best of all, it was mercifully air-conditioned as the Sicilian heat had followed us to Malta and even at close to midnight, it was muggy and humid.

It had been an adventurous day involving a taxi at one end, a bus, a ride from a good Samaritan (or good Sicilian), a ride across the Mediterranean Sea in a catamaran and a taxi at the other end! We were knackered and ready to call it a day!

Until tomorrow, ciao…

Exploring Ragusa in Sicily on Our Wedding Anniversary

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Ragusa, Sicily

Exploring Ragusa on our Wedding Anniversary:

We devoted the day to discovering Ragus Ibla. This is the other portion of Ragusa that sits across the ridge in the mountains. It is referred to as Lower Ragusa and it takes at least half a day to see it all. But first, breakfast—and what a delightful breakfast it was!

Breakfast at Conchita’s Family Mansion:

Just a minute to the left of the main door of our Locanda Le Meridiana, we found Conchita’s unique family home. It is an old mansion of three-stories in which she was born and where she now lives with her sister and brother’s families. She had set two tables for us in the garden and as soon as we entered it, we were engulfed by the pleasing fragrance of jasmine—a really glorious touch. Conchita sat us down at a table beautifully set in navy blue with heirloom pieces (silver sugar pot, monogramed china) and took our order for coffee—con latte caldo. Pastries, freshly baked that morning by her and filled with apricot jam and Nutella spread stood waiting for us. There was also freshly baked sliced bread, the largest variety of jams and preserves that I have ever seen (all made by her!) plus lovely fresh fruit. Apart from figs that I love, I was delighted to see cactus pear, all peeled and ready to be eaten. It has the color and look of passion fruit and when you cut into it, similar seeds too. But it was really incredibly and unexpectedly sweet. There was also a platter of Italian cheese, one studded with whole peppercorns, another was a parmesan and a third provolone—all very tasty and I know because we tried them all. As if this were not enough, Conchita asked us if we would like scrambled eggs and we gladly opted for them too. We really did enjoy our breakfast thoroughly and were deeply grateful for such a good meal that fueled us fully for the day ahead.

Exploring Ragusa Ibla:

And so our exploration of Ragusa Ibla began. We followed Conchita’s instructions to the T and went down steep flights of narrow stairs—down, down, down—until we arrived at the stunning panoramic point that offered views of the entire city right opposite us complete with cupola, domes and turrets of the many churches and the cathedral in this part of town. At every step, we stopped to take pictures as the uniformity of the colors (a monochromatic palette of shades of beige) was so enchanting as to leave us breathless. Soon, we found ourselves in a piazza where we first visited the Church of Our Lady of Purgatory

The Church of Our Lady of Purgatory:

After the earthquake levelled the town in 1678, Ragusa was rebuilt in the Baroque aesthetic. Most of its churches have the fulsome interiors of this style, i.e. Over the Top-interior Neo-Classical elements (Corinthian columns lavished with acanthus leaves at the top—heavily gilded), a variety of oil paintings in each of the side chapels, silver candlesticks galore, domes that are painted by renowned contemporary artists depicting versions of Biblical scenes. This one was no exception. In most cases, we walk around the churches, take pictures, read curatorial notes, then pause prayerfully before exiting. We did the same here.

Our map of Ragusa, thoughtfully provided by Conchita, took us into the narrow, honey-colored stone streets of the town, characterized charmingly by old-fashioned street lamps and gas lights, flights of steps carved curvingly along a passage or corridors. In this town, we found Baroque splendour even in the plainest residential buildings: wrought-iron balconies were supported by stone columns featuring the faces of gnomish characters—like flat gargoyles. We tried to visit the Church of our Lady of Il’Tria (of the Steps!), but it was closed tightly. At every turn I was clicking photographs as the landscape (natural hill country) seen against brilliant Neo-Classical arcades, passageways, etc. was impossible for a camera’s lens to ignore. We stopped in one of the arcade shops and bought a few souvenirs to give away as gifts and to have an ice-cold Coke as we really craved something cold and carbonated. The humidity took its toll with every step and my body was simply covered with moisture.

The Cathedral of Saint George:

We finally arrived at the Cathedral of San Giorgio (Saint George). This was another rust-colored church set high up on a hill and reached by a number of steps. Inside, its Baroque elegance was striking: hot pink altar backdrop was rather unusual but made a good contrast with the austerity of white marble statues scattered around. A very distinctive aspect were wooden carved choir stalls, so minutely worked that they reminded me very much of the rich carvings of the English Tudor, Grindling Gibbons, whose work I love and instantly recognize. The amin altarpiece presented St. George killing the dragon. The church’s reconstruction began in 1839 and finished in 1891. This church contains a large silver reliquary containing the remains of Saint Cascia, popular in these parts and I was struck (and photographed) a stunning luminescent statue of Our Lady of Glory, resplendent in a royal blue robe.

Our Walking Tour Continues in the Guiardini Ibleo (Ibla Gardens):

The sun was torturous, I should add, and we were consuming bottles of water like they were going out of style. We badly needed to rest somewhere in the shade. Eventually, following a meandering path, we arrived at the ornate Baroque gates of the garden and happily sank down on one of the benches as we pulled out our sandwiches (ham and cheese) and ate them—both of us were peckish by this point (it was almost 2.00 pm). When we’d rested a while and people-watched, we got up again. In front of us was a church and we could not resist entering it.

Visiting the Church of St. Francis:

This is a little gem of a church—the sacristan, who let us in, informed us that it is very popular with couples for their weddings. Indeed, it is picturesque and small and attractive. It has the most beautiful wooden painted ceiling (looks like a carpet stuck on the ceiling) and painted dome. There is lavish gilding on the walls and on the sculpted altarpiece presenting St. Francis. I was particularly struck by a frieze depicting God the Father surrounded by a bevy of angels—all in embossed stucco. Outside, in the garden, there was a lovely War Memorial honoring the dead patriots of Ragusa, playful fountains that arose in spikes from the ground to offer children the opportunity to frolic gleefully and in relief. We encircled the garden and then left to look for the final highlight of Ragusa Ibla—the Portale (or Gate) of San Giorgio.

The Gothic Gate of Saint George:

We found the Gothic Gate of Saint George just a few feet ahead of us. It is all that remains of a Gothic cathedral that was destroyed by the earthquake. It reminded me a bit of the main door of Chartres Cathedral in France—same carvings, similar set of bas-reliefs, etc. When we had photographed it, we moved on.

It was almst 2.30 pm and we were tired—I mean really exhausted by the heat, humidity and our rambles. We had found out that we could get a bus from this spot—we waited more than 45 minutes for it, but eventually it did show up and took us to the place we wanted to hop off. In our B and B, we sank down gratefully in the cool shade and took naps and we both needed the rest. I had to teach an online class (to Vikram, my student in Bombay at 5 pm) and at 6pm, we had scheduled a zoom chat with our friend Annalisa in Padua. Llew was chatting with her after ages and wanted to find out all about her current life and that of her town boys whom we knew when they were little and of whom we are really fond. After an hour of chatting with her, it was 7.00 pm—we said Bye and decided to look for a place for dinner. It was, after all, our wedding anniversary and we wanted to mark it.

Celebrating Our Wedding Anniversary in Ragusa Superior:

Both of us had carried a nice set of clothes to wear for our wedding anniversary dinner and were glad that the day finally dawned when we had a chance to use them. Dressing in travel style, we walked up Corso Italia (the main artery right outside our B&B) and arrived at the Piazza of San Giovanni. There, we started to look for a place to eat and after surveying the many offerings at a few places, we settled down for a side street and a small Mom and Pop place (rather than a place for fine dining which we’d had last night) called Mama’s Trattoria. This time we finally tasted the Arancini (Fried Rice and Cheese Balls) for which Sicily is famous (it is featured on their magnets too), had Spaghetti Carbonara for a Primi (First Course) and finished with Roasted Pork served with a delicious gravy and pureed spinach for a Secondi (Main Course). Again, we were too full to have dessert, but our meal was really delicious. We then took a few photos and left.

Until tomorrow, ciao…

Ragusa, Sicily: Arrivederci Agrigento and Buongiorno Ragusa:

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Ragusa, Sicily

Arrivederci Agrigento and Buongiorno Ragusa:

We spent most of today traveling—but indeed, it could have been worse. According to the tickets I had booked (by bus, long layover, then train), we’d be leaving Agrigento at 1.15 pm and reaching Ragusa at 8.00 pm. Alfonso and Pinuchia, his wife, discouraged us from going that route. They suggested an alternative route that would get us there faster and earlier. We decided to let go of our tickets and comply with their advice. Accordingly, after another sumptuous breakfast at their B and B, we were ready to get going. We had done our packing and were ready to move.

Our breakfast consisting of typical Sicilian pastries (cannolis, croissants with ricotta cream) and a variety of bread rolls with ham, plus yogurt and fruit and coffee, was enough to fuel us well for the day. So off we went in Alfonso’s car to the main bus station. There, he left Llew standing at the bus stop with our luggage and drove me to the SAIS company bus ticket office so that I could buy our tickets to Catania (about 11.00 euros each). The bus was leaving in 10 minutes (at 10.00 am) and we had no idea when it would reach Catania. We thought it would take no more than 2 hours. In point of fact, we reached at 1.00 pm (3 hours with a couple of stop in-between). At Catania Airport, we went to another bus station ticket office (ETNA) to get a ticket to Ragusa. That bus was leaving in 10 minutes and would take 2 hours to get to our destination (ticket cost 7 euros each). We had discovered, by this point, that the buses are not always prompt—often times they are late in arriving and boarding passengers.

Anyway, the long journey to Catania was not too bad as we were on the upper deck in a lovely, comfortable bus with AC. The passing landscape was also interesting and highly agricultural with every variety of fruit plantation in evidence including miles and miles of vineyards. Eventually, after Catania, our short ride to Ragusa was also good. We dozed off briefly and before we knew it, we were at Ragusa bus station. We had been in contact with our new landlady Conchita in our new B and B, Locanda la Meridiana, and she told us to take a taxi to her place. Luckily, there was a taxi waiting at the bus stand and we hired him, showed him our address and set off—for 10 euros he said he would drop us. But the jerk dropped us at least 2 blocks away (God knows why) and left us to manage our baggage till we got to the place. Luckily, he did call Conchita to let us know we had arrived and she did meet us and let us in.

A New B and B (Locanda la Meridina) and a New Landlady, Conchita:

Conchita is old—but very elegant (like all urban Italian women). She spoke beautiful English (turns out she had lived in London where she had studied English). She put us through the drill—showed us our room and bathroom, gave us keys, gave us a map and showed us how to find our way around. She also recommended what she called a ‘non-touristic’ restaurant for us to eat our dinner. Of course, we thanked her profusely and she went on her way (she lives nearby at 5 Via Scole) and we got into bed for a much-needed rest and afternoon siesta. In the evening, we would use her map and directions and go out to discover Ragusa Superior (Upper Ragusa).

Discovering Ragusa Superior:

Ragusa is an old medieval city that was all but destroyed in an earthquake in 1678. Completely leveled by the subsequent destruction, it was used as an opportunity to rebuild the city in Baroque style as was the fashion that day. The result is that Ragusa is a famous venue of tourist interest as it contains some of the best-preserved Baroque monuments in Sicily.

It was very easy for us to begin exploring Ragusa Superior which we began doing at 5.00 pm. All we had to do was make a sharp left and walk along Corso Italia until we arrived at Piazza San Giovanni where the Duomo is located. Along the route, we passed by the Poste and Telegraph building which was a mix of architectural styles: Baroque (beautiful carved statues at the top) and modern (a contemporary bronze sculpture at the bottom) co-exist on this building.

Inside the Cathedral of San Giovanni:

The Cathedral of San Giovanni is Baroque, of course. On the exterior, it has the same look as so many of the other churches in this part of the country—nothing really unique about it. Once we stepped inside, we were taken by the many side chapels (although the main altar is fairly plain). There were a number of sweet bouquets of red anthuriums at the altar (reminiscent of the Pentecostal tongues of flame). San Giovanni Battista (St. John the Baptist) is a revered saint in Italy and there are two large floats on one side of the church that are obviously used in annual processions (perhaps on the Feast of San Giovanni) around the city. One features a large silver casket, the other a standing replica of the saint. Other interesting aspects of this cathedral is a silver casket or reliquary containing the relics of Saint Cascia. I was particularly struck by a painting of St. Gregory, the originator of the Gregorian chants which I rather love. The background color of the interior is a soft dove grey with gilded Rococo highlights in stucco which remanded me very much of the glorious Baroque churches we had seen in Vienna and Salzburg, Austria with their endearing curlicues. There are also beautiful pairs of stuccoed angels holding up plaques with Latin inscriptions on them that made the church look important. When we stepped out of this church, we saw a Uni-Credit Bank just across the road—we were able to use Llew’s global debit card through CHASE (he was testing it) to withdraw more euros. And with that money in hand, we decided to continue the walking tour route that Conchita had drawn up for us.

This walking route then took us to one of the side streets from where we found the three bridges that span a deep ridge in the mountains that divide the city into two halves. On one bridge, the night market was being set up with all sorts of sweet treats. One of them is called the Ponte Vecchio—it is the oldest of the three (and not to be confused with the far more famous Ponte Vecchio in Florence). It actually reminded us very much of the Pont du Garde, the famous aqueduct in the South of France, near Provence, which I had seen at least 40 years ago, while touring with Genevieve, my French friend. Using the map, we found our way to it and were able, while standing on in it, to see the other two bridges on either side of it (far more modern in style and age).

Dinner at Circolo Italia Restaurant:

That done, we made our way back to the Pizza San Giovanni. As twilight was rapidly falling over the city, we decided to go looking out for dinner and we found the place that Conchita had recommended right under the stairway of the Cathedral--it was a lovely upscale restaurant called ‘Circolo Italia’ and when she said it was not touristic, she was right. But it was an upscale restaurant, a fine dining place, which might have been better suited to our anniversary dinner tomorrow. Anyway, we were seated inside in the air-conditioning as I simply cannot abide the humidity you deal with when seated on the pavement tables.

Llew ordered a glass of the house red wine, I ordered an Apero Spritz (and it was delicious). Then, for dinner, we decided to go with one Primi (First Course) and one Secondi (Main Course). We chose Pasta a la Norma—a dish made with very thick tubular pasta in a tomato sauce with eggplant and grated cheese. This dish is named after Bellini’s opera of the same name, ‘Norma’, and the colors are said to represent the various colors of the Mount Etna volcano: eggplant’s black for the lava, Tomato sauce red for the fire erupting, spinach green for the trees at the base and cheese’s white for the volcanic ice-cap. This dish had no spinach, but it was very tasty indeed. For our Main Course, we took the waitress’ advice and ordered the Beef Tenderloin served with shavings of Parmesan cheese and a balsamic vinegar reduction. It was really delicious. Once again, we had no room for dessert—so we passed up on it. After paying our bill, we got up to leave and found the square outside just buzzing as a musical festival seemed to be on and people had occupied seats in front of a stage to listen to a rock group belt out a few favorites. We walked quickly past the square and made our way downhill along Corso Italia to get back to our B and B at about 11.00 pm.

As soon as we reached home, we got ready for bed and lost no time crashing—as we were exhausted. But, it had been a day well spent because although our arrival in Ragusa had been kind of dicey, in the end we made good time and were able to make use of the entire evening in seeing Ragusa Superior. Tomorrow, all we have to do is see Ragus Ibla and we’ll be all set.

tomorrow, ciao…

Agrigento in Sicily: Exploring the Valley of the Temples—Agrigento’s Highlight—and the Birthplace of Nobel-Prize Winning Laureate Luigi Pirandello

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Agrigento in Sicily:

Exploring the Valley of the Temples—Agrigento’s Highlight—and the Birthplace of Nobel-Prize Winning Laureate Luigi Pirandello

It was another scorching day here in the Mediterranean Sea and I have to state that I am struggling as I deal with the heat and the relentless humidity. But we did sleep well and awoke to the delight of a magnificent breakfast served by Alfonso and his wife, Pinocha, in their Liola B and B.

Breakfast in Liola:

The breakfast room at Liola B and B is charming. It is all decorated in red and yellow—two cheerful colors that charm and whet the appetite. There are three rooms here and so three tables. Each was beautifully laid and with two couples already there before us, we took the third table and sat down to a magnificent repast. Alfonso had taken an order for us last night and when we sat there, there were massive pistachio and chocolate croissants awaiting us and I have to say that they are probably the best we have ever tasted. This is super high quality served in this place and no corners are cut. Llew and I had also order omlettes and those arrived soon enough. There was a small bread basket with a variety of rolls. There was butter, jam, a variety of yogurt pots, crisp bread, and so much fruit—we could help ourselves—plus three thick slices of cantaloupe which I ate with the prosciutto wrapped around them as this was also provided. In addition, we had decaff Americanos with hot milk which made for one of the best breakfasts I have ever eaten.

Off for the Day to Explore Agrigento’s Highlight:

Then, as kind Alfonson had informed us that he would, as a special service (because we have no car) drive us to the Valley of the Temples, we were ready, right after breakfast, to move. We were there in about 20 minutes, The heat was already intense and I was really afraid I would get dehydrated. I had carried two bottles of water and I made short shrift of them. In no time at all, we were at the Ticket Office and booking 2 tickets to cover the entire site which consists of three main and about three minor Greek temples. The former are in a very good state of preservation, the latter are in ruined or excavated state. Still, it would be a long and tiring morning as the ‘road’ along which they are located in very lengthy and the sun was simply merciless.

When we realized that there was a taxi that could take us to the site for just 3 euros each (most people came in their cars), we took it, of course, and were deposited at the first site—the Temple of Ginnone, formerly and incorrectly attributed to Juno. We were not allowed to get anywhere close to any of the temples as all of them are being preserved by thick red rope barriers. Still, once we took our pictures and read a little bit about each place, we moved on.

That was when our long walk began. There is not a bit of shade along this walkway that is littered with ruins of every kind—a cemetery, several temples, etc. As you walk on, plod really, from one temple to the next, you can read (in various languages) the significance of each site. I also had my own travel notes from Lonely Planet and those helped enormously in making us understand and appreciate what had gone on in these places around 500 BC when the Greeks had occupied Sicily and before the arrival of the Romans. The architectural bones of all Greek structures is clearly in evidence here and we understand the principles of Classical design from these remnants of a glorious past.

And so, we made our way to the Temple of Concordia, the best preserved of them all and one that is regularly photographed. It was all quite lovely. Then we walked on and sauntered in a Garden—the Garden of Kolumetra. This was filled with olive trees (and I also saw my first ever walnut tree here!), cacti of every kind and aloe and other dry-climate species of succulent trees. Yes, there were also citrus trees like oranges and lemons and there was finally a patch that offered some shade. I also saw a pomegranate tree for the first time, simply loaded with fruit. It was fascinating! And any number of fig trees! Finally, when we had rested, we arrived at the last significant temple—the Tempel of Eracles (Hercules), but this was only a collection of tall and very evocative pillars or columns rising up to touch the sky. In this place, people were walking all over the stones and I could understand why the rest of the temples are barricades. The last temple to Zeus Olympius is almost entirely in ruin—so while we did stroll around those massive remaining stones, there was really nothing particularly striking about what seemed like a load of rubble.

Interestingly, we also saw a breed of very strange and rare goats—called Capra Girgentana. Agrigento is famed for them because they are native to these hills. They are pure white, have beards and are distinctive for their extraordinary horns that are so high and so uniquely shaped that they look like antlers. We took a few pictures of them as they are extremely photogenic.

Fernando Botero at Agrigento:

I must say a word about the special Fernando Botero exhibition that is currently on display at this site. Brazil’s best-known modern sculptor has created a series of bronze sculptures inspired by Greek myths. There is Leda and the Swan, for instance, and Zeus with a Woman, etc. I believe that there are machetes—small versions of the colossal sculptures for which he has become famous. But it was interesting to see them in situ, as it were, as Botero seems to have spent a good deal of time in Sicily. There is a collection of his work at the Museum of Contemporary Art at Palermo too. He has a most distinctive style and it is very easy to recognize his work that his highly realistic and instantly recognizable. And so we had this lovely bonus art exhibition too as part of our tickets—which was lovely. Each sculpture was enclosed in a plexiglass case to protect it while allowing easy viewing.

Return to Agrigento:

Having seen the highlights of the Valley of the Temples, I really did feel as if I was walking in the year 500 BC and not in 2026 AD. The ambience is highly evocative and is reinforced by the sparse vegetation mainly in the form of low-growing olive trees. But I have to say again that the heat and humidity were doing a number on me and I felt deeply fatigued. It was with gratitude that I felt the sightseeing was over and we could return to our hotel and get some much-needed rest.

Well, we were told to wait for Line Number 1 bus—but when it arrived at the bus stop, the driver told us to wait for Line Number 2. This took ages to arrive, but finally it did. And when we hopped on, guess what? We went on a see Agrigento Tour that took us to every corner of this city—including the beach where Llew got to see the stunning beautiful blue of the Mediterranean. I also dozed off on the bus because the journey to the City Center was so long. The driver also told us that we could then take the Green Line to get back to the Duomo and our Liola B and B from the bus depot. That meant waiting for another 20 minutes for the bus—not a picnic in the heat, I can assure you. But eventually, that bus came too and we reached Liola just grateful to be back and to have the chance to rest.

And rest we did! When we had napped for a bit, Alfonson returned to the B and B to ask if we were ready. He was willing to give us a ride to the next item on our agenda: a visit to the home of Luigi Pirandello.

Visiting the Home of Nobel Laureate Luigi Pirandello:

Luigi Pirandello is one of Italy’s best-known writers. While he wrote in many forms, he became famous as a playwright and his best-known work is “Six Characters in Search of an Author”. I became aware of his work through my doctoral adviser at St. John’s University in New York, the late Dr. Anne Paolucci who was a well-published Pirandello scholar and who made sure we, her students, became well acquainted with his work. So it was a no-brainer for me to decide to visit his home which is just outside Agrigento. This was very much his family home—he was born here, grew up here and after he left and went out to find his fortune in the great big world, he did return her frequently to spend time with his family.

Alfonso dropped us off and showed us where we could wait to get the bus back. It was about 4.45 pm by this time. The house itself remained open till 7.00 pm. We bought our ticket—as an educationist, I was granted free entry. Llew had to pay 7 euros to see the home and his tomb. We asked the clerk to find out what time was the last bus back to Agrigento and she told us to go ahead with the visit and she would make the inquiry.

Well, we entered the house and were only in there for two minutes when she came running out to tell us that we had just 15 minutes as the last bus would be leaving at 5.02pm. There was no way we could see anything in that time—so we simplyt decided that we would take a taxi back. This is often a problem when one does not have a car—the buses in these small remote towns are few and far between.

So, explore the house we did. Not much to see on the ground floor—just two small rooms with some audio-visual program playing on the walls. However, just when we thought this was all, we made our way to his Tomb (gravesite) by following directions. It turned out to be a long, really long, walk in the burning heat of the sun, along a walkway that snaked its way along a cliff with a sharp drop beneath us. We wondered why his gravesite was so far away from his house—it made no sense. Later, we discovered that Pirandello himself had chosen this spot in his will: under an olive tree that overlooked the hills ahead. The gravesite is really unremarkable—there is a large stone in the ground and another large boulder in front with a metallic sculpture of the twin symbols of tragedy and comedy on it. And that is it—Pirandello’s name is not even on the site!

After the long walk back along the walkway, we returned to the house—a lone house standing sentinel on the hillside. It was then that I noticed people upstairs at one of the windows and I realized that we had seen only half of the house. So, of course, we trooped up the staircase (outside the building) and arrived at the top floor—which was much more interesting. In these rooms, we saw whatr appeared to be a bedroom area and a family living space and an important room which had a Grecian Urn and another casket close to it. This Grecian urn was a family heirloom and Pirandello, who chose to be cremated, willed his ashes to be placed in it with a few more placed in another urn and buried in the site on the hillside outside. So, that was what we saw. There are also a couple of sculptured busts of Pirandello in the same house. After we took a few pictures, we made our way downstairs.

By this time, it was about 6.30pm and we needed to find a way to get back to Agrigento. I had to work my magic and get someone to give us a ride from the parking lot. Well, again, I used Google Translate and showed my written request to two sets of people, on my phone. On the third try, we found a man who took one look at the message and immediately said, Yes. His name was Leonardo—he gave us a ride back and struck up a fairly good conversation in English with us. We had a lovey time chatting with him even as we thanked him profusely for the favor. He dropped us right on Via Athena—the heart of Agrigento and with that, we began our own return to our Liola B and B by climbing the many flightw of stairs, slowly but surely, to get to our destination.

Llew said that he was keen to have a glass of wine and I remembered that Alfonso had told us that there was a bar at the end of our road—Via di Duomo—and that was what we did. We went in search of it and presto…there it was. Llew was pleased to find that they poured him the largest glass of house red wine he’d ever had! I had a beer (as I was really hot) and we also had a plate of stuffed sandwiches—with ham and cheese and spinach and cheese. And with those, Llew made a meal for himself as I still had some of my Pasta con Sarde (with Sardines) in the fridge together with some caponata. Half an hour later, after twilight had fallen over the city, we walked slowly back to our B and B I found my food in the fridge and ate it and felt quite full again.

It had been a long day and we were both ready to hit the sack really early. It was not long before we got ready for bed.

Until tomorrow, ciao…

Agrigento--Sicily’s Antique City: Arrival in Agrigento and Becoming Acquainted with the Antiquated City

Monday, August 24, 2026:

Agrigento, Sicily’s Antique City

Arrival in Agrigento and Becoming Acquainted with the Antiquated City

Today we said Arrivederci to Palermo and embarked on the second part of our Sicilian Exploration: this time, headed to Agrigento. But first, upon waking, we showered, dressed, packed our bags and had our last breakfast in il Pachetto Charme e Design B&B in Palermo: It was toast with honey, Nutella and cherry jam, honey yoghurt and coffee. I made us sandwiches with the cheese and cold cuts provided and with that, we had an Italian guest at our B&B call a taxi for us to Central Station (for 20 Euros).

It took us a while to find the exact spot for boarding our bus to Agrigento, but luckily, we had arrived at the station at least half an hour early and remained unstressed. When we did find the spot, at the side of the massive Central Station, we boarded it together with about a dozen other passengers and were on our way. It took us three and a half hours to get there and we passed by uniformly boring, dry and very undulating landscape before the city made an appearance. It is built entirely on a hill (which I did not expect), and led to us using staircases that snake up and down the length of this place to get you from one tier to the next—each tier punctuated with a piazza or square. As it turned out, our Liola B&B is located on the topmost one—to get to the happening city center (at the bottom), you need to descend steep flights of stairs (it reminded me a bit of Positano on the Amalfi Coast—but I was then at least 20 years younger and not riddled with lower back and knee issues)!

Arrival at Agrigento:

We were fortunate to have our landlord from our B and B, an Italian named Lorenzo, speak fluent French. Thank God for my French—I was able to communicate effortlessly with him. He had told me that he would arrive to pick us up at the bus stop when we alighted at Agrigento—but, of course, he was nowhere to be seen. When I called him, he said he would be there in five minutes. This gave me a chance to leave Llew standing with our luggage as I went about five floors down a massive marble staircase inside the train station, to try and find the Ticket Office to buy our tickets for Ragusa where we will be traveling the day after tomorrow. I was able to find a clerk who spoke very good English and she guided me through the process of reaching Ragusa (which was far from easy). It involves almost a seven hour journey, one bus, a two hour layover wait and then a train! I am not looking forward to it

When I took the elevator and reached the main concourse, I found Llew in conversation with a man who turned out to be Alfonso—it appears that we had alighted at the wrong stop—the train station. We needed to go one stop further to the bus station—but we did not know that there was another stop ahead; we assumed this was the last stop as a bunch of people were alighting here. Anyway, Alfonso whisked us off in his little car and took us uphill to his Liola B&B which is right at the top of Old Town and right opposite the Duomo (or Cathedral.

Getting to Know Liola B and B:/

Liola B and Bturned out to be a charming place. It is beautifully decorated with saffron as its main color in a warm Provencal country cottage style. We have a massive double bed and a single one in our room with a painted armoire, a desk, a little round table and two chairs. On the round table, is a little glass bottle with a very sweet liqueur. The en suite bathroom is in the same color scheme with delightful tile work. After we stashed our baggage inside, Alfonso put me through a thorough drill, all in French, explaining every aspect of his home (the dining area—so quaint and alluring—is down one narrow flight of spiral stairs). This is the breakfast room and it is where we found a fridge, a water cooler and a kitchenette which is available for our use. He gave me maps, explained everything to us, while Llew got on to the wifi/p> He also took our order for breakfast tomorrow from a very impressive menu that offers everything to us from scrambled eggs and prosciutto to sweet pastries, yogurt, fruit and beverages. It will be quite a magnificent breakfast tomorrow for sure. Finally, he offered, after breakfast, to drive us to the biggest attraction of all in Agrigento, the Valley of the Temples—however, we will have to find our own way back on the bus and he gave me a detailed explanation. He also told me that it was possible to get a taxi to bring us up the hill if we are right down and I was glad he did because there was no way I could climb at least 10-12 storeys to get up to the top at the end of another long day.

When he left, we changed into more comfortable clothing. The heat was at its most intense—it was about 2.00 pm and we decided to stay indoors until at least 5.00 pm when we would venture out. Accordingly, we had a nap and then left our B&B at 5.00 pm after being well rested to begin our exploration of Agrigento at the Cathedral (Duomo) of St. Gerland which happened to be exactly across the road from where we were located. Amazing.

A Word About Agrigento:

Agrigento is probably one of the most interesting parts of Sicily for many reasons: Being in the Mediterranean, Sicily sits at the crossroads of all maritime activity from the beginning of Western civilization: the Greeks, then the Romans, the Etruscans, Arabs, Normans and Spanish have settled here, leaving their mark upon the city. It has its origin in the year 582 BC when the Greeks settled here, built the incredible Valley of the Temples (which we shall explore tomorrow) and named it Akragas. They were followed by the Romans who arrived here during the Punic Wars in 210 BC and gave it the name Agrigentum. From this name, we get the present-day Italian name of Agrigento. Once Christianity came to the island, a constructing frenzy ensued as churches representing the various architectural styles of the centuries, were built. In the 18th century, powerfully wealthy families used their money to build and decorate churches in the Baroque style. The best part is that many of them were built on the foundations of early pagan Greek and Roman churches—excavations into their bases have unearthed entire settlements that lie beneath.

Beginning our Sightseeing in the Cathedral of St. Gerland:

We climbed the stairs to the main entrance of the Cathedral of St. Gerland (also called the Duomo) where we were expected to pay 7 Euros per head to tour the premises. I was given free entry with my Met ID card. Once inside, we climbed up one of the bell towers (about 50 steps) and went through really narrow stone stairwells to arrive at a chapel dedicated to a nun, Maria Tommasi, whose brother was a bishop. She, a medieval mystic, had reported that she had been instructed to write down a thick journal under instruction from the devil. Her journal, the thickest book I have ever seen, is on display in this room. Yes, it is certainly mysterious but that is why these women (like Hildegarde of Bingen and Sr. Julian of Norwich) were called Mystics. I had taken a graduate doctoral course at St. John’s University in New York at one time which had introduced me to the writing of these mystical women—so I do not find this occurrence completely bizarre.

We then climbed a few more steps to arrive at a look out balcony that offered us wonderful views of the Agrigento countryside sweeping all the way down to the sea. We took some pictures here and then climbed up higher to arrive at the point from which we could admire the timbered (wooden) ceiling that was completely painted in Medieval times. To see it from that angle was awesome, plus just behind us was the more modern stained glass round window (executed in 2005) which cast beautiful, jeweled reflections on the columns and pillars below in the nave of the church.

We then made our way down to the main level and began our exploration of the church. Because it is so old and has its original in Medieval times, it was added to, over the years, and one can see the changing face of decorative sacred interiors. One wall, for instance, is covered with 18th and 19th century mortuary sculptures (similar to the ones in St. Thomas’ Cathedral in Bombay). In a little niche, is a gallery devoted to the four sarcophagi, dating from Greek times, that are marble coffins whose sides were often covered with deep bas relief sculpture. The most striking one here tells the tragic Greek myth of Hippolyta and Phaedra in such a well-preserved manner as to be breath-taking. A smaller sarcophagus presents a bust of the person buried within together with a row of cherubs wearing laurel wreaths. These came to the Cathedral in 2001 through the local Bishop—they were probably in a museum prior to this time. A true treasure in this space I recall seeing a similarly impressive example of this kind in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. It really was amazing.

Our tour around the Cathedral continued with a visit into its various side chapels and finally our arrival at the main altar, a Baroque confection of exuberantly painted ceiling depicting Paradiso (or Heaven), stucco figures and cherubs superimposed on the painting and all sorts of decorative gilded borders, etc. The ceiling in the front part of the church is Baroque and features bosses as well as a splendid, gilded Hapsburg eagle as it was created during the reign of this powerful Austrian dynasty. It truly is amazing when one tours European churches how much there is to see and take in and understand in these venues. With this venue done, we could move on next door to the Mudria or Diocesan Museum along the same street—but since it was already 6.30 and all the places for which we had paid the entry fee closed at 6.45 pm, we decided to go first to the Church of St. Mary of the Greeks, down about twenty stairs, and to keep the museum for tomorrow as our ticket is valid tomorrow as well.

Exploring the Church of St Mary of the Greeks:

This is one of the most unusual churches I have ever seen. It was built, in the 5th century, entirely on the foundation of a pagan Greek Temple to Athena. The ancient massive foundation stones are easily evident, as soon as you enter the little garden, immediately giving the impression of the site’s antiquity. Inside, in the church, which is rather plain, but faced entirely in orche sandstone, you walk on a glass floor that enables you to look deep beneath into the former Temple of Athena. It is remarkable that they have retained the original temple although they have built on top of it. Here too, one can climb up to the bell tower for rooftop views of the Old Town. There is also a antiquarium (small museum) which houses archeological finds from the site as well as a black and white photographic exhibition that delineates the history of this church and its more modern construction activity/p>

By the time we reached downstairs again, the church was closing as it was 6.45 pm. We decided to follow the map Alfonso had given us and go downhill to the Church of Saint Francis, get some dinner (hopefully in one of the restaurants he had recommended) and then return by taxi upstairs. That was exactly what we did, except that the map was very sketchy (an artist’s impression really) that made it very difficult for us to find the place. Eventually, when we did reach the spot, the church had closed for the day. Agrigento is filled with churches from the ancient to the 19th century and one has to make choices about which ones to explore. Searching for the church, however, took us to another look out point, where we could rest our feet and take in some stirring views of the plains lying below us. It also enabled us to see Old Town pretty well for as we turned each corner, there was something architecturally exciting to look at and photograph. Also, by the time twilight made its appearance, tourists and locals had started to come out for the evening and the streets leading up to the Piazza Purgatorio was buzzing. There we found that the door to the Church of San Lorenzo was open—so inside we went.

Exploring the Church of San Lorenzo:

This is one of the most important and most beautiful churches in Agrigento. From the outside, it looks like any other Baroque-style European church but once inside, it is glorious. The church was constructed and decorated inside through the wealth of the families of this town. It is characterized by life size stucco sculptures by Guiseppe and Giacomo Serpotta (part of what is called the Serpottian School) who have created a range of them to represent various human virtues: Fortitude, Patience, Temperance, etc. There is also a magnificent Crucifix Chapel with real gold decorating the periphery and the most moving portrayal of the crucified Christ within.

They had a special Sacred Art exhibition inside as the church is no longer used for religious worship. Of the many paintings inside, at the altar is the Shroud of Agrigento—a long piece of linen fabric that is said to have been one of the cloths used to wrap Jesus after the Deposition. The entire item is exhibited at the altar and it is stunning in terms of the visual impressions that have been created on it through time. Using scientific methods, they have been able to identify areas where the crown of thorns, the blood shod wounds of the scourging, the mark left by the carrying of the cross on the shoulders, the wound in the side, the impressions of the nails on the palm and the ankle, etc. are all evident. I found it both fascinating then deeply moving. For me, this was definitely the highlight of a day in which we saw so many artistic treasures and stirring sights that it is hard to pick one.

Once we were out of this church (for it closed at 8.00 pm), we went out in search of dinner and eventually decided to eat at a small side alley place called Il Vincolo where the prices were very reasonable, the location charming and the number of patrons quite encouraging. As we’d had pizza last night, we decided to have pasta today and I chose the Linguine con Sarde (as I had made it, a few months ago for my Book Club meeting and wanted to find out how it compared). It was really delicious but very different from mine. Llew chose spaghetti with shrimp and asparagus and we also chose a very nice contorno dish (side dish) of caponata which was also lovely eaten with bread. The meal was really wonderful and we did justice to it plus took home a small doggy bag.

Getting Back by Taxi:

I requested the waiter at the restaurant to call us a taxi and he did. For 15 euros, we were carried up the hill in comfort and style, much to my relief, and dropped right outside our B&B as I simply could not face the thoughts of climbing up all those flights of stairs! We were tired and sleepy but had enjoyed a very satisfying day. We looked forward to exploring the Valley of the Temples tomorrow.

Until tomorrow, ciao…

Palermo, Sicily: More Pass Times in Sicily's Incredible Capital City

Sunday, August 23, 2026

Palermo, Sicily

More Palermo Pass Times:

Today, we undertook some more serious sightseeing in Palermo. First of all, I have to say that both of us slept well. Our B&B was ideally located in a very central, very happening part of the city, but it was not noisy or crowded at all. Our ‘il Pachetto Charme e Design’ B and B owner, Sylvia, made herself known to us this morning after breakfast so that she could undertake all passport formalities, payment settlements, etc. Breakfast was a lovely affair with a basket with our names on it kept in the fridge for us. It contained individual bottles of orange juice, two tubs of yogurt, plus cheese slices and cold cuts and marmalade and jam and butter. Bread was available on the sideboard for toasting with a variety of jams and spreads. There was also a coffee machine and we were able to make ourselves cups of coffee with all the fixings. So, overall, we ate well and had a chance to communicate with other hotel guests who also came out for breakfast from their rooms.

Sunday Mass at the Church of Saint Joseph (San Guiseppe):

So, as it was a Sunday and I had found out yesterday that Sunday Mass would be said (in Italian, of course), at the Church of St. Joseph which was ideally located at Quattro Conti at 9.30 am, I told Llew that we should try to make it in time. Accordingly, we left out place at 9.15 and walked briskly through fairly empty streets (everyone was having their lazy Sunday lie-ins) to arrive at the church where there were about 20 (if that) elderly people waiting for Mass to begin. The priests here are always older than the hills as are the congregation. There is nobody under the age of 60 here in these churches. St. Joseph’s is a grand Baroque church and I had the opportunity to admire every nook and cranny of it at Mass and the exceptionally long sermon that went on and on. It was also dreadfully hot and humid and every single member of the congregation had a hand fan that they were desperately using. Yes, there were two pedestal fans, one on each side of the aisle and these were expected to keep folks comfortable! It was a laugh! Of course, these gorgeous old churches cannot install ceiling fans—that I do understand. But why on earth provision cannot be made for more pedestal fans to be installed is beyond my comprehension. Mass and Communion over, we hastily trooped out of the church.

At 10.30 am, crowds were just starting to appear at Quattro Conti which is the most popular congregating point for tourists in Palermo. The four different Baroque marble facades with fountains at their base offer endless photo ops—so it’s not surprising that everyone and his brother was posing here. This crossroads, by the way, of the Via Maqueda and the Via Vittorio Emmanuelle is called the Theater de Sol (Sun Theater) as a result of the play of the sun on the four different facades as the day progresses. The marble sculptures on the four sides are the work of Julio Lasso.

Visit to St. Catherine Of Alexandria’s Monastery and Bakery:

Since we were just next door to it, we decided it would be a good time to visit another big tourist interest here in Palermo: the Monastery of Saint Catherine which dates back centuries. It is no longer a running monastery, but it is still a working bakery (and a highly successful one at that) and a place of tourist interest for its magnificent church, its nunnery quarters and its baking facilities. The good nuns (like the good monks of yore) used their talents for commercial good—they had to stay alive, after all. And while the monks made the world’s most famous liqueurs (Drambuie, Amaretto Di Sarrono, Frangelico, etc.) in their monasteries all over Europe, the nuns turned their hands to confectionery and made the most sought-after pastries. Here, at St Catherine’s, the canoli are legendary—but they also make other pastries and cakes.

First all, we visited the church which is just gorgeous. After a point, I have to say that the interior of one church blends into the other…but this one was simply outstanding, The pietra dura work, in the Florentine tradition, was so thick and so colorful as to be visually arresting. There was also a variety of marble statuary featuring everything from statues of saints to animals such as regal lions. Lavish paintings on the ceiling, an extraordinary marble floor fully encrusted with marble inlay work, walls, pillars, columns, altar with a central crucifix surrounded by four pillars made of lapis lazuli and amethyst, were just simply stunning. There are simply no words…Each side chapel was more arresting than the other. Marble sculptures of God the Father in His glory were so spectacular as to make it impossible to leave the space. It was truly one of the best churches we saw on a trip in which every church simply blew us away.

Leaving the church, we were led to the Museum (as our entry ticket covered this treat as well). This a series of rooms that were only opened to the public recently as they were the private quarters of the cloistered nuns of the convent who spent their days and nights in prayer and labor (baking). Now that their former quarters are open to visitors, we were able to walk down their long and quiet corridors, all stark and unadorned but for the occasional crucifix on the wall or statue in a niche. We saw a number of beautiful jewel-encrusted monstrance and other sacred implements used on the altar. Eventually, we arrived at the most private part of the property—the individual cells or rooms in which the nuns had actually lived. Each nun had a single bed, a desk with two chairs, a small closet, a kneeler (for praying) and a washstand with ewer and basin. It was spartan and utilitarian and would have served the needs of each nun in a place in which one had given up all worldly wealth and vanity to live the monastic life. I love exploring these spaces because it helps me understand the kind of religious zeal and fervor of a past age that has all but vanished.

Visiting the Monastery Bakery:

The tour route did eventually reach the bakery. For those who had stronger limbs and were adept at climbing heights, there was a more expensive ticket to take you to the rooftops for apparently really grand views over the city. But I did not have the stomach for it and instead chose to wend our way down towards the bakery on the ground floor. This is a very popular part of the tour as almost everyone comes here hungry to sample some of the fine baked goods that were once baked by nuns but are now baked by lay women to the original recipes.

We had to stand in a line for a few minutes as only a handful of people are allowed inside at a time…but once in, we saw a number of women working hard at ovens and kitchen counters to turn out the delicious baked goodies. There were also glass cases full of cakes, cookies, pastries, etc,. and one could order those and take those home. But the most popular items were the giant canolis whose shells were visible. You could pick your filling (usually a sweet ricotta cream filling) and select your topping (chocolate chips, candied fruit, crushed pistachios, etc.) and then take your treat, pay for it and go outside with it. The most popular spot to enjoy it was the orange orchard right outside where there was a large crowd of people sitting in the shade offered occasionally by the low-growing orange trees that brought a delightful fragrance to the place. But, as we had just eaten really large breakfasts neither one of us felt hungry enough or tempted enough to try one of the pastries or canoli. So after taking a few pictures, we left.

By this time, the sun was hot. It was midday and we were both fatigued by the merciless sun. It has become our custom to return to our hotels for the afternoon to rest away the hottest part of the day. We did this while also picking up a few souvenirs from the stores (scarves, socks, magnets, etc). until we reached our ‘il Pachetto Hotel’ which was very conveniently located right off Via Maqueda. Our naps, in the cool air-conditioned interior of our room which was covered with walls sporting famous Italian recipes, was just delightful. We decided to set off again about 5.00 pm when the fury of the sun would have passed.

Evening Stroll through Parts of Palermo:

When we awoke, the first thing we did was return to the Theater Massimo, at the end of the street on which we were staying, as we had discovered, by this point that its steps are the venue for the last scenes in ‘The Godfather III’ trilogy of films which were shot by Francis Ford Coppola. Naturally, I felt we had to take a picture on these steps. So back we went to this venue. The evening crowds had not arrived yet although there were some visitors making the rounds. We climbed up the steps and I tried to get a glimpse through the glass doors…but there was really nothing of the foyer to be seen. Guided tours are given in this space throughout the day, that take visitors into the opera house. Had we more time, perhaps we might have taken this tour too. But, alas, we had to be content to see it from the outside. Yes, we posed for our pictures and when we were done, we walked along Via Maqueda and then, following our map, we reached the waterfront. We spent more than an hour making our way to the many watercraft scattered in the harbor and there were dozens of boats very neatly lined up in their slips. Posh hotels and upscale apartment buildings lined the waterfront. We sat there for a while to people-watch and take in the slanting rays of the setting sun gilding the seascape. It was a lovely place for pictures. Yes, Palermo is beautiful and has many different faces. In this spot, we were reminded of its sea-faring history and the numbers of invaders who have, through the centuries, docked here and made this island their home. This waterfront, by the way, is known as La Cala.

Off to the See the Centuries-Old Banyan Tree:

And then, we followed the map again to walk along Via Garibaldi to arrive as Guardini Garibaldi (Garibaldi Garden) in order to see the centuries-old banyan tree that has spread its massive root system (both embedded and hanging from the branches) most luxuriously across the park. We found it within a ten-minute leisurely stroll and posed under it for pictures. There were only about 4-5 people in the garden and they too were photographing the tree as, believe it or not, it is on the tourist track as one of the sights not to be missed!

Time for Dinner and some Cucina Siciliana (Pizza):

And eventually, when all this was done, with dusk well and truly upon us, we stopped at the many souvenir shops along Via Garibaldi to pick up gifts as there were shops galore, most run by Bangladeshis. We decided to use ‘Lonely Planet’ to find a pizza place as close to our hotel as possible (as last night we’d had pasta). It recommended a place called ‘Osteria Maqueda’ and that was where we made a beeline. I need to say that all restaurants lining Via Maqueda have touts standing outside trying to entice you into their place. Competition must be severe and now that it is almost September and the tourist season will end shortly, I suppose they must be as eager as possible to make as much money as possible.

We arrived at the place and were seated inside (as I still feel the great need for the AC as the nights are muggy too). We always start off with a bottle of sparkling water here in Italy and after looking at the drinks menu, I decided to have a Limoncello Spritz (which I did not like at all—it was too bitter for me) while Llew had a glass of the house red. There was a vast pizza list with at least 25 different types of pizza on it, most named for ladies! We chose a Pizza Emma—going strictly by the list of ingredients in it: prosciutto de Parma, thinly-slice potato (yes, a somewhat unusual ingredient on a pizza but actually quite common in Italy), mozzarella cheese. Our waiter had informed us, when we ordered it, that it involved a shot of brandy and that it would be flambed at our table! Wow! All the better, I thought. And so, there was a bit of drama at our table when the pizza arrived. It was flambed, table-side, with much fanfare, the flames leaping up in a golden glow as all other patrons turned their attention to our table. The folks next door even said, “Congratulations!” to us! Well, it was very good pizza and we enjoyed it immensely.

And with that, our day came to a wonderful end. Tomorrow, we will leave Palermo after breakfast and make our way to Agrigento. Palermo had been amazing—a totally wild ride through a capital city that had so much to offer—from the grandeur of royal palaces, the baroque splendour of astonishing churches, the austerity of nunneries and monasteries, the opulence of delicious luxurious pastries, an opera house that stopped one’s tracks, gourmet dining in Michelin-quality fine dining restaurants, etc. The quaintness of military and royal history plus the messiness of contemporary society with its illegal immigrants and stowaways co-exist in this ages-old environment and fills the visitor with such a sense of awe and wonder.

Until tomorrow, when new adventures await…ciao.

Palermo, Sicily: Pottering Around Sicily's Captivating Capital:

Saturday, August 22, 2026

Palermo, Sicily

Pottering Around Palermo:

What a day we have had in Palermo! Everyone who had visited this city previously had told me how wonderful it is. But, you have to see it to believe it!

Anyway, allow me to tell you why both Llew and I fell in love with this place. First off, we woke up, after a good night’s sleep, in il Pachetto Charme e Design B and B on Via Donizetti in Palermo, where we had arrived last night at about midnight. Did not have much of a chance then, as we were both so exhausted, to really appreciate how wonderful this hotel has turned out to be. It is both the things it advertises in his name: charming and beautifully designed. The walls have frames on them that contain illustrated Italian recipes! I have taken pictures of each of them. Donizetti is one of my favorite opera composers and his ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ is one of my favorite operas! This owner might have seen me coming!! Anyway, the side streets are named after Verdi and Bellini and Rossini—if you can believe it! When I awoke, I discovered that when I stepped out on my lovely little wrought-iron balcony and turned my head to the left, I was staring right at the dome of the Teatro Massimo, the gorgeous opera house of the city between the plain buildings of our street. It was such an unexpected sight! But so uplighting!

Once fully awake, we showered, got dressed and went to the little eating area (like a small café) for breakfast. Sylvia, our hostess, had laid everything out so well—so organized and systematic. There was a little basket in the fridge with the name of our room (Nifra) on it. In it, there was a small box containing slices of cheese and cold cuts (salami and ham). We used these to make take-out sandwiches (with the sandwich bread she had provided) as there was so much else available. There were also pots of yogurt, jam, marmalade and bottles of orange juice. On the buffet, there was a sweet (a lemon tart), sliced sandwich bread, butter (in the fridge), honey, marmalade, Nutella—a toaster, a coffee machine with coffee pods available), tea bags with sweetener and sugar. Sylvia had thought of everything. It was amazing! Our places were well set with crockery and cutlery. We made ourselves coffee and then created breakfasts for each of us, according to our taste. Quite replete, we left for our first stop: a visit to the Stazione Centrale (Central Train Station) to buy tickets for our trip to Agrigento the day after tomorrow.

Using online resources, I discovered that a free shuttle bus was available from the Piazza of the Teatro Massimo, but I was mistaken. Instead, we were directed to take the public bus Line 101 along Via Roma to get to the station and this we did—paying 1.30 Euros per head for the ticket to the driver. We were there in about 15 minutes and in no time at all, we were in the line waiting to buy our tickets. The clerk was able to speak perfect English and he informed us that there was no train to Agrigento but a bus that left from right outside the station. We settled for the one that would leave at 9.30 am (after breakfast) and with 2 tickets in our bag (11 euros each), we were off. Mission Accomplished! We could now begin our sightseeing for the day. We reversed our journey and took the return Line 101 to the same spot at the Teatro Massimo. En route, we made a slight detour to arrive at the Oratorio of St. Sebastian where we made a swift, prayerful visit.

Viewing the Teatro Massimo:

On arriving at Teatro Massimo, we had a chance to appreciate its architectural bones—like the Opera Garnier building in Paris, it presents various faces as you circumnavigate it. It is a celebrated building, the third largest opera house in Europe and one that is known to present some of the world’s best-known opera companies. Also, the building has gained notoriety as Francis Ford Coppola shot the last scenes from his film, Godfather III, on the massive and very elegant stairs leading to the main lobby. All the more reason to stop and take a picture standing on those steps. There were large numbers of walking tours being conducted in various languages all around us as we followed instructions and returned to our B&B to meet our landlady, Sylvia and to do the entry formalities with her (as it had been too late last night).

And once those were carried out, we began our walk along Via Maqueda to get to the center of the city—a place called Quattro Conti (the Conti Quarter).

Strolling Along Via Maqueda:

Via Maqueda itself deserves a sightseeing word. It is an old Roman Route—once used by traders and their customers and, two thousand years later, this is still its chief function. Both sides of the narrow street are lined with restaurants. Because it is so hot at this time of year, every place is a café trottoir—a pavement café, with tables and chairs spilling out and adding to its craziness. There are also souvenir shops galore filed with the most enticing wares and if you have the time and the inclination, you can completely empty your pockets here. We walked smartly ahead to Quatro Conti.

Viewing the Four Corners of Quatro Conti:

Conti is a most unusual and interesting junction. It is the intersection of four streets—each marked by completely sculpted facades that feature a fountain at the base with a well-known Roman deity and graduating upwards to present nobles and aristocrats of Palermo’s historical past. The sun plays games on the four corners so that, at different times of the day, different portions of it are highlighted. This is where most tourists congregate or pose for pictures. It is probably one of the oldest parts of the city and continues to attract with its architecture and artistry. Quatro Conti also makes the perfect spot from which to begin sightseeing along Corso Vittorio Emmanuel, the main thoroughfare that contains some of the city’s biggest attractions. So here are the items we ticked off our To-Do List (thanks to the lovely little map that Sylvia gave us).

The Praetoria Fountain Near By:

Just a block along Via Maqueda is the famous Praetoria Fountain—so called because, in Roman Times, the Praetoria was located here. Apparently, the fountain is similar in design to one found in Messina on the other coast of Sicily. It is a massive architectural achievement consisting of concentric circles in tiered heights. In the center is a Roman deity (water gushes out from the top) and all around it are nude nymphs, Tritons, etc. in sculpted marble. It presents a lovely place for posing opportunities as you get the dome of the Church of St. Joseph, at the back, depending on where you position yourself and the dome of the Monastery of St. Catherine on the other. So, the fountain is sandwiched between the two of them. Llew and I encircled the fountain on foot and took pictures to our heart’s content, before moving on. I have to say that the map informed us that most of Palermo’s attractions are to be found on one street—Corso Vittorio Emmanuel-- so that all you have to do is walk along it to see most of them.

Next Stop? No Mafia Museum:

One cannot really visit Palermo without coming to terms with its Mafioso past. And the city makes sure you remember the deadly days of the Cosa Nostra, the families of organized gangsters who ran the city through racketeering in drugs, prostitution, extortion, etc. All these aspects of it (and they continued until the 1980s—if you can believe it) are documented in the No Mafia Museum which is free to enter. Of course, most of the world first became acquainted with the Sicilian Mafia through Mario Puzo’s fiction and Coppola’s trilogy of films that documented the role, contribution and activities of three generations of the Corleone family—in The Godfather series. But here, in this museum, you leave fiction behind and enter the real-world of the gangster families, through mainly photographs and some video coverage. Although most signage is in Italian, there are some notes in English, but honestly, it would take at least half a day to do justice to this museum—and we did not have the luxury of that kind of time. Instead, we went through the few galleries that comprise this museum really quickly. Your blood will run cold as you read details about the activities of the Mafia and the manner in which they eliminated any and everyone who stood in their way. The church, the state, the police…veryone was in their pockets. Everyone was making money from their activities and if you did not comply or attempted to bust their operations, you were eliminated in such a way as to make it look like an accident. I mean, there is just so much to write about this museum. There is also a whole section on the Seven Bandits—but I know too little about them to be able to comment. This museum made me want to go back home and do some more reading to educate myself about their place in this horrific saga. I became familiar with the family names of Falcone and Borsalino. But for lack of space and time, I will simply say that every visitor to Palermo should stop by and see this monument to the past. It is still hard to believe that law enforcement was finally able to end these sinister operations and that the families (as in the case of the Mafia in Chicago in the 1930s and 40s) were finally crushed.

Stopping Off Briefly at the Museum of Modern Art:

En route, we passed by the Museum of Modern Art. We entered and found that it was in a palazzo but, as we did not have the time to explore it (it seemed to have a lot of work by Botero), we merely looked into its rather lovely museum shop and moved on. The square in which it is located is also picturesque. It has a sculpture in the center and is surrounded by quite evocative buildings on all four sides. We continued along the main street and then popped into the quadrangle of another palazzo—these homes of the rich and famous are studded all along the street. The architecture of each of them in unique and highly photogenic. Finally, as the heat mounted, we arrived at the massive Cathedral of Palermo.

Exploring the Cathedral of Palermo:

The Cathedral of Palermo is one of the city’s biggest attractions. It is a massive building made of rust-colored stones that extends for about two New York City blocks. It is also highly decorative on the outside so that you cannot stop taking pictures from its various angles. The gardens in front are also quite lovely and provide the only pops of colors in a monochromatic palette. The building has turrets and spires, a long walkway and a dome—it has all the ingredients of ecclesiastical architecture. After taking a whole lot of pictures, we moved inside, eager to get away from the glaring sun and the heat that was steadily building up.

We learned inside that this building was built in the 1100s on the foundation of an Islamic mosque that stood here from the 9th century. There is a small inscription from the Koran that is still visible on one of the grey granite pillars to the left of the main entrance—the only visible sign that this was once an Islamic place of worship.

Inside, you enter a vast and very cool space—cool in the sense that you find relief from the merciless sun outside. As in the case of all European Baroque sacred structures, it has an exuberantly painted ceiling depicting scenes from the Bible, tons of marble statues of the various saints high up on plinths lining the main nave, an abundance of side chapels, each devoted to a different saint (each more decoratively adorned with variegated marble), a grand main altar (this one is entirely in silver and is dedicated to St. Rosalie (the patron saint of Sicily) whose relics are on display in a silver casket on the altar.

Yes, there is pietra dura everywhere as Marble is the magic ingredient used in the most artistic and creative ways to make the interior visually stunning. After we saw the entire cathedral, with all its altars with their painted altarpieces and their sculptures, we walked to the back of the cathedral where we saw the tombs of the four aristocrats of Sicily who are buried here—Frederick II, Roger II and two others. Their tombs in solid porphyry (the rarest and most expensive marble in the world—deep purple in color and used for the mausoleums of all the popes) is the reason why it has become extinct—it was once quarried in Egypt, but there is none of it left in the world! We took pictures of all these aspects as well as of the pillar with the Koranic inscription before leaving the Cathedral and walking out again in the blazing sun. By this time, it was about 1.30 pm and we were ready to eat some lunch. We had carried sandwiches (cheese and cold cuts) and looked for a shady spot in which to consume them

Having lunch in a pretty garden and Arriving at the Grand Royal Palace:

We did find a shady spot and we sat down and enjoyed our sandwiches—which gave our feet a chance to take a break to as we had been on them for such a long while that fatigue was beginning to creep up on us. However, as we had come almost to the end of the main road, where the main attraction is, in fact, located, we pressed on.

Not a couple of blocks later, we arrived at the precincts of the Palace and, my goodness, how huge it was! This was really the piece de resistance of our sightseeing day. For a ticket of 17 euros, we were led inside, but not before we stood outside and took pictures of its massive girth, all stone in rust-shades with crenelated turrets to which one is led along wide stairs to the main entrance.

Viewing the ‘Monet and Other Impressionists’ Exhibition in the Palace:

It turns out that some of the kingly rulers of Sicily descended from the Norman rulers of France and since Monet and the Impressionists spent so much time in Normandy, they saw it fit to hold a huge exhibition of the art works of Monet and his contemporaries in the palace. The 17 Euros ticket included entry to this collection and, needless to say, I was thrilled.

So, to begin with, you enter a space where you are fully given in to the magic of AI. About a dozen paintings and photographs depicting the Impressionists on the beaches of Normandy were used to create an AI program to show the visitor how they painted ‘en plein air’ (outside, in the open). It was quite lovely indeed. Just adjoining it, was another small cubicle where, through the use of mirrors on all sides, the viewer felt as if he or she was actually in the space surrounded by Monet’s paintings. These moved and changed and presented such a lovey experience (similar to the ones of Monet and Van Gogh’s work that I have seen in Bombay). This seen, one moves into the main exhibition space where paintings, large and small, are exhibited under thematic sections: By the sea, on land (all in Normandy, of course), by the harbors of Le Havre, Arromanches, Honfleur, etc. There were works by such recognizable names as Renoir, Monet, Cezanne as well as Pissarro, Sisley, Bonard and one by Berthe Morrisot plus a bunch of other names that I did not recognize at all. It was amazing to me that so many painters of the period were imitating the style of the Impressionists and were doing it reasonably well. As an artist myself, I know now how difficult it is to produce this style, so I am doubly impressed by the efforts of these contemporaries.

Seeing the Roman-Punic Archeological Remains:

This done, we were directed to the lower level were the excavated remains of Roman-Punic Palermo can still be seen in beautifully delineated walls, rooms, etc. The Palace, it is hard to believe, was built in the 15th and 16th century and added to in the 18th century, upon the ruins of this entire city that once stood tall and proud in the age of the Romans. I found its long history just amazing.

Entry into the Palace and Visit to the Pallatine Chapel:

Finally, we were in the Palace where we had to climb two high floors along extremely wide and very shallow marble staircases to get to the top. I know from my visit to Bologna, a few years ago, that these types of staircases were designed for horses to climb them! This allowed the animals to get to the very chambers of their royal owners so that they could be brought downstairs or be riden upstairs! Anyway, by the time I arrived at the first floor, I was breathless and so we decided to see the Palatine Chapel first.

And oh my goodness…I had no idea what to expect and I have to tell you that I was taken straight to Ravenna, on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, which I had also visited a few years ago. Ravenna is noted for its many Roman-era churches and chapels that were designed in the Byzantine style by the use of the most visually stunning mosaics. Well, this Palatine Chapel was exactly the same. The entire chapel (and it is huge) is covered with these mosaics—many of them in the glorious gold tile that actually glitters and gleams in candlelight. The depictions on the walls were of scenes from the Bible and of Biblical figures of Christ and the saints—so large and so realistic that they are breathtaking! I mean I cannot even find the words to describe what we saw. Plus there are motifs on the marble walls whose decorative elements seem to derive entirely from the Moorish or Islamic influence of its erstwhile past—there are geometrics that are only distinctive to Islam. I found all of this simply fascinating and I would say that this was, for me at least, the piece de resistance of our visit to Palermo.

Visiting the Royal Apartment:

Once we finished our visit to the Pallatine Chapel, we climbed one more flight of wide stairs to arrive at the Royal Aparment. However, I have to say that, having seen the Byzantine mosaics, one floor below, there was really nothing here to compare. It is a series of rooms, royal of course, but run-of-the-mill, I guess. Some paintings, a bunch of antique furniture pieces (many from the 18th century), some decorative items (sculpture, lamps, chandeliers)—the usual paraphernalia of aristocratic living. There are some interesting paintings on the wall, done in imitation of those found in Pompeii—but truly, by this stage, nothing to write home about. Also, as we were quite visually and physically fatigued, by this time, we were ready to call it a sightseeing day. So, we retraced our steps back along Corso Vittorio Emannuel and decided to get back to our hotel for a much-needed rest.

Visiting the Spectacular Church of St. Joseph (Guiseppe):

Just as we reached the spot called Quattro Conti, we discovered that the Church of St. Joseph was open to visitors. For 2 euros each, we could enter it, and goodness, how pleased we were that we thought it wise to spend the 2 euros and go inside. It was a confection of the most magnificent decorative details: a splendid Baroque painted ceiling that stretches the entire length of the nave, an abundance of figurines (angels, cherubs, etc.) that are sculpted and then attached to the ceiling and sides of the church to appear as if embossed—they are three-dimensional and the only time I had ever seen anything like this was at the Chateau of Fontainbleu outside of Paris, a few years ago. The decoration was simply exuberant and was seen all over the church—in its many side chapels and on the main altar. One of the items that really moved us deeply was an unusual depiction of the adult Jesus with his foster father, Joseph, in his arms as his mother Mary looks on. Neither Llew nor I had ever seen Joseph and Jesus depicted as adults—we have seen many images of the Baby Jesus in Joseph’s arms. This was deeply moving. It appears as if Joseph or sick or dying and Jesus was cradling his head tenderly as he offered care. So lovely!

I also found out what time the masses were, the next day, as it was Sunday and we wanted to begin our day with Mass. Turns out there was a Mass at 10,00 am and so we resolved to return to this church tomorrow to attend Mass.

En Route to our Hotel for a Long Nap:

You can guess that, by this point, we were fairly falling with fatigue and decided to go back to our hotel for a rest. En route, however, we stopped at a few souvenir stalls to buy some scarves as gifts for female friends as they were so beautiful and we really loved the depictions of citrus fruit (mainly lemons) that are symbolic of Sicily. With these in our bags, we arrived at our B&B and bedded down for about three hours. We would emerge again at about 6.00 pm to find a place for dinner close to our base as we simply could not fathom the idea of walking again for miles. Lonely Planet online was a great resource, and it suggested a place called DOBA—so there we went! And Boy, was it gorgeous!

Fine Dining at DOBA:

DOBA was hard to find although we used our Google maps app to find the place. It happened to be on the third floor of a building off Piazza Theatro Massimo—we had to use the intercom to get them to open the main door, after which we took the elevator upstairs. At the main door of the restaurant, we were greeted by the owner-chef himself who said, “I am Doba”. Well, he was just lovely. We were seated on the terrace with the huge dome of the theatre just behind Llew’s head. It was time to take a look at the menu.

Llew had a local Sicilian red wine (after consulting with Doba himself). I chose a negroni and thought of my friend, Sangeeta, who loves them. It was delicious. As we awaited our drinks, we were presented with three amuse-bouches: one was a parmesan crisp with a dab of hummus on it (delicious), another was a small croquette with a touch of basil in the sauce and the third was a tiny bowl of caponata which is probably the best I have ever eaten (even better that London’s Antonio Carluccio’s offering in his restaurant—which I often order and take away home because I love it so much). Next, we decided to have a pasta dish as our Primi and we opted to share it. The kitchen divided it quite easily into two plates with Fussolini pasta (corkscrew pasta) in a pistachio pesto (instead of walnuts)—the flavor was far more subtle. Chopped and roasted pistachios finished off the dish, but the highlight was that it was topped with a raw langoustine (similar to sashimi and just as delicate in taste and flavor)—we loved it. Next, for our Main or Secondi, we chose the Beer Pork Neck (which turned out to be pork neck cooked in beer for 12 hours). It was so tender that it was literally falling off the bone and not too fatty as most of the fat had rendered during the slow cooking process. The gravy that came with it was scrumptious. This dish was served with thrice-cooked potato fries: first boiled, then dried out in the oven for an hour, then fried and well seasoned. And finally, there was a dollop of pesto on the side. The whole experience was simply superb and after we congratulated DOBA who told us that his full name was Domenico Basile—and that he derived his name from the first two letters of each name—we posed for a picture with him. Who knows but someday, he might become one of the world’s most celebrated chefs. Anyway, the entire experience cost us about 100 euros and I thought it was great value for money.

Dessert was eaten outside on the square; for the Piazza was simply heaving at about 11.00 pm. Most people have an afternoon siesta as the sun is simply so intense at that time that they extend their day well into the night. There were diners, walkers, buskers, etc. even at that time, all congregated around the stairs of the massive Teatro and offering real-life theater. We found a gelateria that offered no less than 50 flavors of gelato and opting for Dark chocolate with cinnamon and chilli powder and gianduja (hazelnut chocolate), we had ourselves an absolutely memorable dessert.

And on that happy note, we were delighted that our B and B was just a block away on Via Donizetti. We made our way upstairs in the elevator and as soon as we entered out rooms, we brushed our teeth, changed for the night and crashed. It has been a sensational day and we were just delighted with Sicily

Until tomorrow, ciao…

Cagliari, Sardinia and Palermo, Sicily: Arrivederci Cagliari and Buona Sera to Palermo:

Friday, August 21, 2026

Cagliari, Sardinia and Palermo, Sicily

Arrivederci Cagliari and Buona Sera to Palermo:

Llew and I had such a wonderful day together. So wonderful that we did not realize we walked almost 16,000 steps today! We covered quite a bit of Cagliari and then some…we went far outside the city limits to Poetto Beach for a very special treat. But first things first…

Llew slept right up to 8.15 am at which point I woke him up. I was up by 6.00 am and started blogging as well as reviewed all my tourist notes to find out where we should go today and how we should plan our day. It was important to set out early and grab as much of the cool morning temperature as possible as the mid-afternoon heat is truly oppressive

Right after I showered and got dressed, I woke Llew up. He then had his shower and we set out of our B and B (after leaving my bag out in the corridor—Llew’s had yet to be delivered by Air France), and went off to meet the day. Since we had covered the right hand side yesterday, we turned to the left today. Our idea was to explore those parts of Cagliari that we had not seen yesterday. Accordingly, we walked along narrow and extremely quaint Via Alberto Lamarmora, where our B and B is located, past the Basilica Square and arrived at another look-out terrace offering stunning view of the city. Then, we carried out, using a map to arrive at the City Arsenal, marked by a ceremonial. This is one of the oldest parts of the city and the interior has been turned into a Museum Quarter. We went past it towards Pizza Independenzia, all the while keeping our eyes open for the possibility of breakfast. We found it in a little kiosk called Una Camino where we each ordered a pastry (mine was a chocolate donut and Llew’s was a chocolate croissant) and with cafe lattes for each of us, we had ourselves a lovely light breakfast—a welcome change from the massive breakfasts I have had for the past 8 mornings in the hotel in Oristano. We had the company of a bunch of British tourists who had gotten off the P and O Cruise Liner that we could see berthed in the harbor just beyond the massive medieval city walls.

En route to the Benedetto Market, we passed again by the Arsenal and decided to step inside to the see the Museum Quarter—it is a modern space housing three museums: archeological, art and ethnographic. However, as we did not want to spend time in the museums and preferred to explore the city itself, we took pictures and left.

Then, we passed under the medieval Porta Pancrezias which is a towering structure with a small stone gateway. We had to go past the gate and walk downhill all the way to the entrance to the Botanical Gardens from where we had to go still further south. It bothered me that we would need to climb back uphill again and we had to do it by 11.30 am as our landlady had told us that newer guests would be coming and she wanted our stuff out so that she could clean the room. She was kind enough to allow us to stash our bags in the corridor outside until 6.00 pm when she also called us a taxi to take us to the airport (for 23 euros).

Visiting the Benedetto Market:

We took a few pictures and then, following our map, we walked downhill for half an hour at least as we had decided to go to the Benedetto Market (which is apparently one of the big attractions of this city). This turned out to be a bit of a disappointment as the actual market is closed as the piazza is being renovated and the vendors have moved to Piazza Nasari, close by. This market did not at all have the feel of an old community market. It was a series of little stalls, each manned by a vendor in various sections: fish (stinky), meat (they actually sold horse steaks and plenty of beef), pig’s head (for porchetta—pig’s cheek dishes), etc; sections for fresh produce (I had never seen a fresh prune and bought one just to taste—it was super sweet and very flavorful), veg (loads of it and it actually had a fresh vegetal fragrance), cheese and cold cuts—the Italians sure love their charcuterie and there is so much delicious variety that it is mind-boggling. After a quick turn around the market, we decided to leave the market and start the long and very arduous trek uphill back to our B and B. It was about 11.00 am by this time and the sun was already hot and the climb was not my favorite thing to do in the heat! Anyway, we got there by 11.30 am and left our bags outside and then set out again with the idea of coming back to the corridor to pick them up by 6.00 pm.

Return to Piazza Yenne and off to Poetto Beach:

Going by my Lonely Planet notes, and since we had seen quite a bit of the city of Cagliari yesterday, we decided to take an excursion outside the city to Poetto Beach. Following online instructions, we arrived at Piazza Mazeotti where we had to wait for a while before we got the bus that we thought would take us there. It really was way outside the city but, in the process, we got to see way more of Cagliari that we could have covered on foot. Talking to folks on the bus, we realized we had to get off soon and when we did get off in the middle of nowhere, we realized that we were nowhere near Poetto Beach. Long story short, along came another bus and we set off on it for the beach. Once we got there, it was about 1.15pm and since we’d both had a light breakfast, we were ready for Lunch. We found a restaurant right on the sands with a stunning view of the jade green Mediterranean Sea, and once seated onside, we had lunch there

Lunch at Poetto Beach:

Both of us were dying for something cold by this point as the sun was simply merciless. Hence, we ordered a 50 cl draft local beer and drank it thirstily after also ordering the Seafood Fregola--this is a typical Sardinian pasta dish which uses tiny pasta pearls as a base, cooked in a seafood broth and studded with small clams, large mussels and diced shrimp. It was really delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was also good we decided to share it as we were both quite filled by the end of it. This done, we were ready to see the flamingoes and the salt pans—they were the reason we had ventured so far out of the city

Well…that’s where our adventure began. The lady at the restaurant gave us directions to go to the stop to see them. But, I think she had no idea that we were on foot—she probably thought we were in a car! We walked for what seemed like forever in the blazing sun until we realized that we would need to ask for more directions. Anyway, passersby suggested we wait for the PQ bus and that was an interminable wait. By then it was almost 3.30 and Llew was worried that we would not reach in time for our 6 pm taxi at Cagliari. Just when I thought that we should abandon the plan and return to Cagliari, a PQ came along. We hopped into it bought our tickets on the bus and rode in it for what seemed like forever until we arrived at the lagoon where the flamingoes congregate. Long story short, we saw a few of them in varied groups and we got some pictures—so our mission was not entirely in vain. But it was too much time and too much effort and too much anxiety waiting for buses to make the mission seem worthwhile.

On the way back, we waited for the bus to take us back to Cagliari (the PQ) where an African passenger (also waiting with us) told us it would take another 15 minutes or so. And he was right. When the bus eventually arrived, we jumped into it, retraced out steps, got off at the Stazione Centrale and walked back to Piazza Matteotti and climbed the hill back to Piazza Yene. We stopped to buy a cold Coke en route as the heat was quickly depleting us of all our energy. In the end, we actually had some time to spare and so we sat down at Piazza Yenne and did some people-watching before making our way back to our B and B.

Luckily, the elevator to take us up to Castello (Old Town) was working and we were able to get up to our B&B quite painlessly, although by this time, we were both exhausted

to the Airport to Retrieve Llew’s Baggage and Fly to Palermo, Sicily:

We were able to make our taxi (with time to spare on the doorstep of our B and B) and speed out of the city to Cagliari Elmas Airport. We’d given ourselves ample time as Llew had to get to Lost and Found to pick up his bag (they had called me at about 1.00 pm and confirmed that his bag had arrived and was awaiting pick-up). At the airport (ride cost us 23 euros), we used the facilities and then Llew went out in search of his bag. He got it quite easily (in about fifteen minutes) and joined me in the Arrivals Lobby. Then, the two of us climbed up to the Departures Lobby where we thought we should get a full meal as our flight on Ryanair would give us no food or water at all and we’d reach Palermo at nearly midnight.

And so, after charging our phones for about 20 minutes, the Ryanair counter opened (two and half hours before departure), we checked in our bags and were off to grab dinner. McDonald’s was the only place offering a full meal in this part of the airport—I got a Fish burger meal and Llew got a Big Mac and with that in our bellies, we went through Security (the long line moved really fast) and made our way to the Gates where we found absolutely loads of duty free shops and eateries. We browsed a bit and then went to Gate 1 where, in a few minutes, at 9pm, Boarding would begin. All went well, our flight departed on time and we were airborne at exactly 10.00 pm. I had a window seat but it was dark and there was nothing we could see either at take off from Cagliari or landing at Palermo.

Arrival in Palermo, Sicily:

Yes, we did find our bags with no problem on the conveyor belt and with those in hand, we posed by a sign that said, ‘Welcome to Palermo.” We had arrived in Sicily and we were excited. They taxi touts outside looked at the address of our B and B and told us it would cost us 65 euros to take us there. We had no choice at 11.30 p and so off we went. The cabbie sped through the city (the ride took about 40 minutes) and dropped us right outside out building. We paid him by credit card and were at the main door downstairs. Just when we were about to follow instructions to get in, another couple were also entering the building. We simply followed them to the third floor—they were also, coincidentally, guests in the same B and B. I have to say that we were both really exhausted by this point and were waiting to simply crash on our beds. The door to our room was left open, no Receptionist was around (but Sylvia had left us ample and very clear instructions) and we easily found our room, switched on the AC (there was no fan—so it was unbearably stuffy until it got going) and with that, we simply put on our night clothes and got straight into bed. I have to say that we loved our first impressions of the B and B (Il Pachetto Charme and Design B and B) which had the exact ingredients in its name (Charm and Design). But we would really only appreciate it when we were better rested.

Until tomorrow, ciao…