I belong on the island of Sicily

     This weekend, we went on a school study trip to Sicily. We left Rome Thursday afternoon, took the train to Napoli, and from Napoli, took an overnight fairy to Palermo. On the fairy, we had an overnight cabin with rooms similar to cabins on a cruise ship. It was so fun to be on a huge ship with all of my friends, about to adventure through Sicily.

     Friday morning, we arrived in Palermo. We walked through the streets and had cappuccini in the main square. After breakfast, we visited Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral. Every image in the cathedral was made out of mosaics. From there, we went to the Cloisters, which had a beautiful center garden outside. 

     We left Palermo and headed for Segesta to visit the temples and ruins. We were supposed to see the temples of Selinunte as well, but a major bridge collapsed, so we could no longer get there. Therefore, we walked around the temples of Segesta and then left for Agrigento.

     In Agrigento, we stayed at Hotel Amici. It was a quaint European hotel, with comfortable beds and a homey feel. We went out to dinner as a group Friday night to Trattoria Dei Templi. I was so happy to finally eat fresh fish from the Mediterranean!

     Saturday morning, we woke up and headed to see the ruins of Agrigento. The temples and ruins were surrounded by gardens, and the weather was perfect. We ate lunch in a pizzeria near the temples and then left for our third town of the trip, Taormina. On our drive to Taormina, we saw Mount Etna, the volcano. It erupted a few days before we arrived, so we were able to see the lava flowing down the side of the volcano! I felt like I was in a movie.

     We arrived at Hotel Andromaco Palace around 7:00pm. We quickly got ready for dinner and headed to Ristorante La Piazzetta. Our walk to the restaurant was on of my favorites. Even though it was dark out, I already knew I was in love with the town of Taormina. The architecture, the little streets, the culture and the people rope you in and make you feel Sicilian.

     Our dinner at La Piazzatta was one of the best meals I have had in my life (tied with my cousin's cooking). We had pasta con melanzane, brasciola con palate, gelato and endless pitchers of house wine. It was a meal that I will remember forever. 

     Sunday morning, we woke up and ate breakfast on the balcony of our hotel, overlooking the Mediterranean. Then, we walked to the ancient Greco-Roman Theater. This theater had a perfect view of Mount Etna and the Mediterranean Sea. 

     The theater was our last group site, and we had free time after to walk around and explore Taormina. We shopped and walked down the picturesque streets, stopping at a trattoria to have lunch. After snapping some last minute pictures, we left Taormina for the airport in Catania. I was so sad to leave Sicily. In my opinion, Sicily is not talked about enough as one of the places to visit in a lifetime. I had the time of my life and hope to come back and visit one day.

Baci,

Nikki