A Mediterranean offer you can't refuse
Sicilian men are hotter-looking than Mount Etna, enthuses Andrea Byrne
POOLED RESOURCES: Sicily ticks all the boxes with sun, good food, fine wine, culture, activity and natural beauty
Sunday February 01 2009
A recent holiday in Sicily helped me to re-examine what it is exactly I want from a sun holiday. Previously, I often returned from my annual sun pilgrimage more exhausted than when I left.
In Sicily, however, stumbling in at six o'clock every morning is not what you do. It's much more relaxed. You won't find loud-mouthed, loutish lager-swilling eejits, Sicily attracts a much more refined, sophisticated crowd -- which, snobby though it may sound, suited me perfectly.
As for sunbathing, while I do love it, I need to know there is an option to do more. I need activity, culture and places to visit, other than the inside of a watering hole. Furthermore, I'd rather not be bumping into a fellow Paddy every time I turn a street corner. Once again, Sicily didn't let me down in that regard. In fact, Sicily ticked every box -- sun, good food, fine wine, culture, activity, natural beauty, friendly people, shopping and incredible-looking men (natives, of course).
It was night-time when my friend Suzanne and I approached our hotel, and Mount Etna was violently bubbling in the background -- which unnerved a few people on the bus. While it certainly looked rather angry and unruly, we were assured otherwise and told to simply marvel at the sight -- one which defines and dominates the Sicilian landscape.
We visited in mid-June, so the weather was perfect; hot but tolerable temperatures and a blanket of blue skies. Sicily's proximity to Africa means that you're almost guaranteed great weather, though, like anywhere else in the Mediterranean, July and August can see temperatures reach almost unbearable levels.
We stayed in the Hellenia Yachting Hotel, in the pretty fishing village of Giardini Naxos, a few kilometres outside Taormina, the hub of east coast part of the island.
The hotel boasts a private beach (get out good and early if you want to ensure a sunlounger), a fab pool, friendly service and a piano bar (the object of our affections for much of the week).
Having loved the book Cosa Nostra, I was keen to see as much Mafiosi action as possible. Sicily is, after all, its home. For fans of Coppola's Godfather movies, or for anyone who simply wants to escape the mass- market tourism, and exper-ience a raw, unspoiled side of Sicilian culture, I would highly recommend the Godfather Tour.
As part of this half-day excursion you'll visit the village of Savoca, high up in the rolling Sicilian hills. There you'll have a drink in Bar Vitelli, where Corleone asked Vitelli for his daughter Apollonia's hand in marriage. The bar is still a fully- functioning establishment, and thankfully remains as quaint as in the film.
In Savoca, you'll also get the chance to visit the church where Corleone and Apollonia wed. Even if you've dragged a reluctant partner along on this tour, you can rest assured that his/her moans will be silenced by the views on offer.
The Mount Etna tour is also well worth checking out. But be warned, it's not for those with altitude issues, as even the ascent to the base of the volcano was daunting for some. The bus had to stop twice on the way up, so we could acclimatise.
Despite the best efforts of Suzanne and myself, we didn't quite get to fully mount Etna. Truth be told, we actually weren't allowed to. Apparently, bejewelled flip-flops and a floral maxi dress isn't appropriate costume for a molten volcano trek. Who would have thought, eh?
Other excursions that leave from Taormina and neighbouring Giardini Naxos include the Aeolian Islands, the capital Palermo and historic sites such as Stromboli and Syracuse.
My only gripe with Sicily was the extent to which it was so pedestrian-unfriendly. Try though I did, it proved impossible to go jogging. A lack of paths and an impatient driving population meant that I nearly got knocked down on several occasions. Serves me right, you might say, for exercising while on holidays, but given the amount of food (and Prosecco) I consumed, I had to do something.
The food in Sicily is special. We tried to sample as much as possible, but found ourselves gravitating back to the Italian classics of pizza and pasta followed by gelati for dessert. I loved the fresh fish, too.
Driving etiquette aside, Sicilians are a very hospitable bunch, who were at all times warm and more than happy to assist with directions and offer recommendations. Speaking of which, we were told that Caffe Wunderbar in Taormina is the favourite watering hole of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, (aka the D&G boys). It's located in the piazza, facing out on to the bay with Etna roaring in the background, so you can see why the flamboyant duo like it. Be warned, however, you will pay above the odds for drinking in Taormina's trendiest establishment.
As for the best nightclubs, the locals advised us to head for Marabu in Giardini Naxos. And while an open-air discotheque full of hot men with a fondness for shedding their T-shirts was undoubtedly appealing, we had signed up to visit Etna early the following morning and feared that altitude would probably heighten the effects of a hangover. Anyway, sense won out in the end and we decided to call it a night.
The extent of Sicily's colonisation (Arabs, Greeks, Brits and Romans to name but a few) has meant that the country's architecture is varied. Bizarre though it may sound, you'll see some of the most beautiful Greek amphitheatres in Sicily -- one of which is located in Taormina and is worth checking out. Even our hotel pool looked as if it had been transported straight out of The Odyssey. I'd never really seen the appeal of foreign weddings until I holidayed in Sicily. It seemed any time we walked Taormina's pretty cobbled streets, we stumbled upon a wedding party in all its uncomplicated and picture-perfect glory.
If you are thinking of heading to this beautiful region, whatever you do, don't refer to the Sicilians as Italians. I made that mistake early on and given the frosty reception it received, it was a mistake I made once, and once only.
