Any recommendations vis a vis winery visits, restaurants, sightseeing?
Hi, Robert. I saw your PM and sorry for the delay in responding; I have been getting crushed at work.
I have a handful of recommendations, though I travelled alone so had no one to account to other than my own muse and appetites. I went this last February.
I visited Passopisciaro on Mount Etna and really enjoyed the tour of hundred year old vineyards with stone walls, and tasted 5 wines, 4 Nerello Mascalese and one Chardonnay, for 25-30 Euro. I tasted alone as it was in the off season and would note they were in the process of building out a tasting room, and think the experience will continue to improve. Were I to visit the area again, I would probably try to see if I could get in with Frank Cornellison.
I also visited and stayed at the COS Winery near Vittoria. Very challenging to find but a great tasting experience, as well as an invitation to join the staff lunch, which was very nice. The tour was great and included an explanation and walk through of the amphorae as well as a braod tasting of about a half dozen wines. I was again the only guest in the off-season, but I would recommend this as a visit for a stay in season. Also, one of the founders is uncle to Arriana Occhipinti, whose winery and vineyards are nearby.
As far as sites go, I really enjoyed Siracusa, and the old quarter as well as the Roman and Greek ruins and early Christain catacombs from the first century. The temple at Segesta and Erice were both worthwhile stops, and I really liked the Greco Teatro in Taormina, though the town itself was too precious and touristed for my taste even in the off-seasons. I would not miss the Roman tiles at Piazza Armerina.
I really don’t have any strong recommendations on where to stay or eat, but you will do fine asking around and there were some good recommendations on a prior Sicily thread.
I hope that helps!
Dan
Thanks. I have heard the Gambino winery at Mt Etna is a nice place to visit…good wine, food, views etc… Did you happen to visit there?
Super envious. Have a great trip!
My experience travelling in Sicily is limited but I offer, in the “for what it’s worth” category, my thoughts.
I was there in Fall of 2011, sailing from Palermo along the coast to the Aeolian islands (Lipari, Stromboli (active volcano), Salina and Vulcano). Just gorgeous places.
Some highlights (besides the Aeolian islands):
Palermo
Ristorante Santandrea
Piazza Sant’Andrea, 4 - 90133 Palermo
+39 (091) 334999.
Very good food; this is an elegant, although casual restaurant; very good service and a good wine list. The place is a little tricky to find, though.
Cefalu - A city on the north coast, about 70km east of Palermo. This is a beautiful city, with some nice restaurants, Greek and Roman ruins (high on the hilltop overlooking the city), and fantastic views of the sea.
Ristorante Il Normanno - Via Vanni, 9 90015 Cefalù,
+39 0921 925903
Very good food, great seafood, although wait staff was a bit stuffy.
Ristorante - Al Porticciolomore, Via Carlo Ortolani di Bordonaro, 66
90015 Cefalù, +39 0921 921981.
This has water views and is a bit “tired.” Food was good but not great. I had just purchased some wine from Enoteca Rossorubino (see below) and brought it into the restaurant. After looking at the wine list, I showed the waiter one of the bottles I purchased and in my rough Italian, I asked if I could drink the wine. (The phrase I used, roughly transalted is " “May I taste this wine?”) The waiter looked at me, shooked his head with a look of “what are you thinking?” and grabbed the bottle from me, pulled out a corkscrew and opened the bottle, thrusting it onto the table with a thud and a look that said “Of course you can drink the wine, you idiot. Here!”
Hey - I didn’t know the byob rules of Sicily.
Enoteca Rossorubino, on Via Ortolani di Bordonaro Carlo, 16 Cefalù, +39 0921 423340.
Good selection of Italian wines and many small production wines from Sicily. The gentlemen who helped me was quite knowledgeable (as far as I could understand his Italian), although for a few items he shrugged his shoulder and just pulled out the Gambero Rosso guide. For a few euros more, you can buy a bottle and they’ll serve it on the premises with some small appetizers. They also sell some small production artisan chocolates too.
Enjoy. I am hoping to return to Sicily to explore Siracusa, Taormina and the southern coast.
Robert, my wife and I visited Gambino in May. It’s a pretty drive up from coast and wonderful views in all directions. They has lunch prepared for us and we spent approximately an hour or so talking through the wines. Definitely representative of the area, my favorite being the Draggone, a pure mascalese versus a blend. The others seemed way overoaked for my tastes. With that said, I smuggled some home!
Some of the most amazing things going on in wine are happening on Etna. Read the book Palmento by Robert Camuto. Taormina is a nice town near Etna. Couple of hours to the south near Vittoria is Occhipinti.
I agree about Etna’s wine. In December, you might want to look into booking a day tour, since winter weather can make roads up there a challenge (you might even be obliged by law to have snow chains), and daylight hours are short Taormina has beautiful sights, but the heavy impact of cruise ship tourism makes it less than ideal for quality restaurants and experiencing Sicilian culture. If your travel days include Christmas, you might look into the possibility of staying in an agriturismo near Taormina, where you wouldn’t have to worry about restaurants being open, or paying “special menu” prices on the holidays.