Giro Stage 2

Giro Stage 2

The second stage of our tour of Sicily, through the northeast corner of the region, had it all – forests and cities, hill towns and highways, beaches and back roads.

It’s fair to say that over the past few weeks we’ve seen a lot of this unique region, but what have we learned about Sicily and Sicilians?

Well, we could start with a question; if Italian drivers are crazy, what do you call Sicilian drivers? Worse! That may sound like a joke. It’s not. Drivers here are mad – even more mad than those elsewhere in Italy. Overtaking on blind corners is par for the course, right of way is a novel concept and hands-free means holding a phone in one hand and using the other to gesticulate wildly, thus leaving the steering wheel completely free of manual control.

And there’s the speed. Many Sicilians seem to have only two – flat out and stop. And not just when they’re driving. People here talk fast, and loudly. Ordinary conversations sound like full on arguments. Greetings are frequently shouted and opinions are offered for free. There’s energy and passion aplenty. And it’s wonderful!

Sicilians are incredibly proud of their region and want you to love it as much as they do. And really – provided you’re not trying to negotiate a roundabout or cross a road – that’s a very easy thing to do.

This trip began for us in the town of Piazza Amerina in the centre of Sicily

It's an interesting place; an unusual mix of old and new

From Piazza Amerina we doubled back and headed north again

We were so fortunate with the timing of our visit to Sicily

Throughout the entire region, the wildflowers were in full bloom

Fields of daisies and poppies, pretty as a picture

We thought this was striking too; sunlight through the apertures of an above-ground tunnel

Our goal on the first day was the Nebrodi mountains; it was so lovely to be in this high altitude national park

The famous Nebrodi black pigs roam freely here; 'suino nero' is a prized addition to local menus

On the northern side of the forest is the little town of San Fratello; this is the view we woke up to (and that's our car down below)

Having arrived at Sicily's north coast we turned east and then south again (in this country, Mt Etna dominates the view)

We were headed for the hill town of Montalbano Elicona

Montalbano is one of the 'most beautiful villages of Italy'

We spent a really lovely day here meeting relatives of Australian friends (though we were welcomed like relatives ourselves)

Lots of families in the old part of the village display their traditional crests

Unsurprisingly there are many beautiful churches in Montalbano

The view from the village looking north towards the coast

From Montalbano we continued heading southeast; this is the village of Gagliano Castelferrato (there are lots of great hill towns in Sicily)

The last stop on this tour was Taormina on the east coast

Taormina is one of the region's most popular cities

It's often compared with towns on Italy's Amalfi Coast

Looking out from Taormina's public gardens; they originally belonged to an English noblewoman who lived in the city

The gardens also include a number of Victorian follies (a folly is defined as 'a costly ornamental building with no practical purpose' and that certainly seems right in this case)

Isola Bella, just below Taormina, had been privately owned until it was acquired by the region in 1990

'Beautiful Island', a fitting finale to our Sicilian adventure