We visited last year. I made an appointment by email. Overall, it was an ok visit. The wines are good but not exciting to my taste, though I did find their production methods interesting. It is a long drive from most anywhere you are otherwise likely to be and not a very pretty one (it appears to be a heavy truck route and strangely there were a large number of prostitutes standing along a very rural highway at 9:00 in the morning). No real change in scenery at the property itself (although no prostitutes that I could see). There was a reasonable tasting fee. We did buy a bottle and the tasting fee was not refunded. I did not get the impression that larger purchases were expected.
The most memorable aspect of the visit was the fact that we had underestimated how long it was going to take to get there and arrived 15 minutes late. There was no one else there at the time but our arriving late seemed to be a very bad thing to the woman conducting our tour. The whole visit remained quite uncomfortable after that. I can appreciate a certain annoyance for our being late for a set appointment. That said, the treatment did not engender positive feelings for the winery overall.
All in, I’d say it’s a pass unless you really want to get some tasting in. To their credit, they were one of the only places that I tried in Sicily that responded to an emailed request for a tasting - most didn’t respond at all, so it is possible to get in without too much work. I just don’t think that it is worth the drive unless you are able to find a couple of other interesting places to get in nearby.
If you visit winemakers in Sicily do they typically expect you to buy a few bottles?
If so, how did you bring wine back from Sicily?
I typically travel with a 12-bottle styrofoam packer, but Alitalia officially prohibits wine from checked luggage…and though I’m not sure whether Vueling or Ryanair permit wine I’m not eager to fly them.
Never had a problem traveling with wine, however you can buy a few bottles and go to the nearest Mail Boxes Etc… and they will ship for you. It’s around 10 euros per bottle for delivery in the US
Never any questions from Ryanair about packed wine - they charge for hold luggage and wouldn’t be keen to turn down revenue! Ryanair are tolerable if they fly to/from the locations that are most convenient for your trip, and you work out their charging structure to avoid stumbling into extra charges. If you want to eat, take your own.
They aren’t as openly hostile to customers as they used to be, but are starting to enforce (sensibly IMO) the cabin bag limits again, due to plenty of people pushing their luck. I’m happy to pay for hold bag(s), these days one on the way out and two on the way back (one bag packed inside the other on the way out). This allows me to take a relatively light carry on bag, that goes under the seat in front with any delicate items (bags are typically rammed into the overhead lockers by either customers or flight attendants). In doing so, no need to pay for seat choice (the limit on cabin bags means only early boarders are guaranteed overhead locker room).
Hi Doug
Lest I sound like the Ryanair fan club , if the price is broadly comparable, flying between airports that are as convenient, then I’d fly with pretty much any other airline instead (though Alitalia are a different sort of basket case and I’d be worried they’d still be in business by the time the flight came around).
In general we’ve flown Ryanair for a convenient location at this end in the UK, plus a wide range of airports in Italy, often having their use of smaller, more obscure airports as a positive aspect, because we’re often heading a little off the beaten track in Italy anyway.
It really depends where you are going and the time of the year. Ryanair fly to some more remote airports as well i.e. Comiso or Trapani and flight can be super cheap in the off season, I’ve gone Pisa to Trapani and back for 30 euros per person…
However in peak season flights are more expensive and super full, keep in mind that they are usually short flights so not too unbearable.
Alitalia is more your normal flaghsip carrier , more expensive but definitely more comfortable
Are there some good English-language sources for restaurant info?
I read (probably on wineberserksers) that one should actively avoid Michelin-starred places in Italy unless seeking nice napkins - true for Sicily?
Itinerary is below…would welcome any suggested restaurants or hotels!
Taormina - 2 nights
Mt Etna near Presa - 2 nights
Syracuse - 1 night
Ragusa or Modica - 1 night
around Agrigento - 1 night
Erice or Scopello - 1 night
Palermo - 2 nights
Doug, I assume you are driving. Factor in extra drive time between towns. It’s not difficult to drive in Sicily but anything not on a major autostrada, and there’s only a few, are very local type roads with slower speeds, local traffic, and plenty of “hey, what’s that? Pull over” spontaneous moments.
Hi Doug
If you are happy using mobile phones, there are a number of apps available for Italian menu decoding. Some small dictionaries / phasebooks have a section, though even holidaying Italians may occasionally need to ask what the dish is, due to the tendency to use dishes in the form al/all’/alla i.e. it’s just called the regional version of a generic dish.
If you have some basic (food) Italian, then a very useful phrase is “Cosa c’è in dentro?” (what’s in it?), though if you don’t know your pomodoro from your cipolla or maiale, then the phrase won’t be as useful.
regards
Ian
I would counter that Michelin advice relative to Sicily. We really struggled to find some good restaurants there last year. We had been avoiding Michelin places because of expected cost but found only late in the trip that virtually every restaurant we visited in Sicily (high or low) charged about the same. If I were to go back, I would focus on the Michelin guide. We tried virtually every on-line recommendation source that you could think of and didn’t find any that were helpful in finding good spots for Sicily. Even the local recommendations weren’t helpful. Our worst experience of the trip came highly recommended from our tour guide at Azienda Agricola COS - the food and service were so bad that I literally didn’t even want to go out to eat again the next day.
I can, however, offer two recommendations - both in Syracuse. Don Camillo is excellent. We went for dinner and it was easily the best meal of our trip. I’m not sure when your trip is scheduled but note that they close for a month about this time of year. For lunch, try Caseificio Borderi. Amazing Italian sandwiches and, if you are there when the guy who owns the place is making them, the construction of the sandwich is entertainment in itself. Visit here on a day that you don’t have a big dinner planned as it will be a long time before you are hungry again.
It really depends from the resturants. Sicily in general has probably some of the best food you can find in Italy (and the world). Especially seafood is amazing and you can have great food pretty much anywhere.Of course if you want nicer environment and wine list there are very good higher end restaurants, such as La Madia in Licata , Il DUomo and Locanda di don Serafino in Ragusa. Also good Le lumie in Marsala. In Mt Etna I stayed at Shalai and it’s very nice, also good food
On our recent trip to Sicily, we booked flights to Paris from Palermo and from Paris to Catania on 2 airlines I never heard of before. I booked through Kiwi.com. It was great. No foul ups and several days before each flight they pre-boarded us (checked us in) and forwarded boarding passes by email. Very efficient. I would check them out on flights within Europe. Puts AA to shame.
Brig - I’ve been using Googlemaps times in planning…I’m assuming they are relatively accurate. For instance, Modica to Piazza Armerina takes 1hr 39min to go 113 km…not too fast!
Thanks Riccardo - I’ve made a reservation at La Madia and might make one for Shalai.
Eric, thanks for the rec…Don Camillo looks excellent.
If you have time, take a ferry to the Aoelian Islands. Toured several. Lipari has fun shopping and tasty dessert wine, Vulcano for sulphuric springs, and Stromboli for the volcano. We spent a few nights on Panarea. We stayed here http://www.hotelraya.it/en-index.php
We also took a helicopter from the islands to Reggio on departure. One of our favorite trips.
Hi Lori
Yes we very much enjoyed them, and this despite we not normally being comfortable with the specific type of fragrance of Vulcano I even had a pleasing wallow in the thermal mud bath. Amusingly when drinking one of Hauner’s reds (Hiera) recently, I’m sure I detected a hint of that mud bath!
I guess the problem is time, as a week seems a good period to hop around the islands, but logistically a day trip would only make sense from Milazzo or perhaps Palermo.
Definitely agree that the islands are very enjoyable. We stayed on Lipari and it certainly makes for a practical base, though I expect Salina is also usefully placed. I still fondly remember the sesame seed coated arancini in ‘Kasbah’ restaurant, transforming a pleasing comfort food into something a little more sophisticated.
We had just an hour or so on Panarea as part of a trip to Stromboli, but I get the impression it would appeal for it’s relative quiet / serenity.
Hi Ian, Yes the aromas on Vulcano are quite strong. We’ve been twice - once as a “cruise” from Tropea where you stopped at each island for 1-2 hours and then back. Another time for two nights only on Panarea. It’s quiet but surprisingly a lot to do, snorkeling, shopping, sightseeing (church, scooters, etc), lounging, etc. A nice break sometimes from touring and moving place to place, particularly in a dry, hot landscape. And yes great dining - I can still imagine the grilled lamb kebabs wrapped in lemon leaves. Cheers, Lori
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, if the price is broadly comparable, flying between airports that are as convenient, then I’d fly with pretty much any other airline instead (though Alitalia are a different sort of basket case and I’d be worried they’d still be in business by the time the flight came around).![[barf.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/8943c0ebb2703c20afa757f7ca84a099bb9de70d.gif "barf")
I even had a pleasing wallow in the thermal mud bath. Amusingly when drinking one of Hauner’s reds (Hiera) recently, I’m sure I detected a hint of that mud bath!