FUN-travel: Ragusa to Terrasini, Sicily
November 15, 2013 by Susan Clarke
Day 42 – Sunday, October 27 – Ragusa to Terrasini, Sicily – full sun – high 75 – low 59
Valley of the Temples
What I LIKE
Monreale
- *7:35 – lukewarm cappuccino
- **8:30 – checkout
- 8:50 – hit the road
- 9:45 – 2nd gas station has no attendant but people filling up
- nice man shows us how to put money in & get gas out
- ***10:45 – arrive Gela w/gas station open
- good hot cappuccino too!
- full of locals – clearly the place to be on a Sunday morning
- 12:10 – arrive Agrigento & Valley of Temples – $10 Euro pp
- +1:15 – lunch @ restaurant there – 1 slice pizza, 1 cold pasta salad, 1 diet coke – $15 Euro
- 1:45 – drive to Monreale
- rolling hills – green & brown – rocky mountains in distance
- lots of small Quonset hut like green house growing zucchini & vineyards dot the landscape
- ++3:30 – arrive Monreale – big beautiful church on top of grand hill just outside of Palermo & free!
- 4:00 – beer & cappuccino break
- +++4:15 – off to Terrasini/Cinisi for Palm Beach Hotel – only 20 miles
- 5:05 – finally arrive – Giancarlo (front desk) very nice & helpful – carries our bags up
- internet works & they have CNN!
- 5:30 – down for bottle of wine (only have carafes) – $12 Euro for liter Nero d’ Avola – not bad
Valley of the Temples
- 7:50 – walk 2 blocks to restaurant recommended by Giancarlo – Primafila
- #1 TA rated plus have Michelin sign
- 8:00 – arrive
- staff eating dinner outside family style – tell us 10 mins
- 8:15 – menu arrives
- order Adènzia 2009 Christo di Campobello di Licata – syrah, cab, nero d’avola blend $18 Euro – tri color salad, mozzarella balls, iceberg, tomato – risotto w/veggies – fresh pasta (like really long macaroni) w/fish (typical/local dish) – tastes fishy $53 Euro
Valley of the Temples
What I DON’T LIKE
- *no breakfast or server – have to go down to lobby – person on duty doesn’t speak English or know how to make a cappuccino
- **no one to help w/the bags
- need gas and no stations open
- 9:30 – go to self serve – won’t take credit card
- put in $10 Euro & no gas!
- miss turn & detour out of our way – road signs not clear
- ***take credit card inside but attendant outside has to put money in to get gas
- +the worst & most expensive so far!
- ++outside & terraces closed on Sunday afternoon
- +++once again GPS is confused – turn around & stop for directions – didn’t go far enough
- elevator is broken
- missed the eruption of Mt. Etna on the 26th – left Taormina one day too early!
Mt. Etna – What We Missed!
FUN-fact – The Valley of the Temples is a large sacred area on the south side of the ancient city where seven monumental Greek temples in the Doric style were constructed during the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Now excavated and partially restored, they constitute some of the largest and best-preserved ancient Greek buildings outside of Greece itself. They are listed as a World Heritage Site.
More FF – The Monreale church is a national monument of Italy and one of the most important attractions of Sicily. The impressive glass mosaics covering the interior make this church so splendid.