Sicily
Our Experience
My first International trip post covid was in May 2022. My excitement outweighed the numerous travel restrictions still in play at this time. Rules changed by the day and it was hard to navigate the International Covid passports and fluctuating entry requirements of each country. I spent 12 hours at Melbourne Airport before even taking off, more delays on the European side where I met Liv and together we found out of another 5 hour delay before our flight to Sicily would depart. We ordered pizza and drank wine to pass waiting time and made plans for our first holiday together since just one month before the International travel ban in Australia. We finally boarded the plane around 4am, along with the 9 other passengers and thanked our lucky stars the flight departed instead of cancelling due to the lack of passengers!
The sun was rising as we landed into Palermo Airport, Villa Piscina Sul Mare was absolutely beautiful with the swimming pool looking over the ocean below and rugged mountains framed the backdrop. An outdoor kitchen by the pool, so you didn’t even need to dry your feet to get a drink. Gorgeous cats that we were told not to feed, but did, so they visited us each day. After only a short nap the exhaustion from a longer than usual trip had set in but it was nothing that some fresh Italian pasta and an Limoncello Spritz couldn’t fix.
One of our favourite things about Italy is the food and safe to say the global pandemic hadn’t seemed to impact this. From the simplicity of Pomodoro Pasta to indulgence of of tiramisu and cannoli. Seafood pasta, local trofie pasta and Italian pizza, accompanied by Birra Messina, Sicilian lemon gin and the local wine or an espresso post meal. Despite how beautiful the Sicilian island is, over 50% of my photos are of the food and drinks consumed!
Being the largest of the Mediterranean island’s we were never going to be able to see everything in the week, however, we explored the North West side of the island, taking a boat around the coast from Castellammane del Golfo which took us to the quaint and historical fishing village of Scopello. On the way back stopping at several beaches and in the middle of the ocean where they encouraged us to swim. No one else went in as it was quite cold but I decided I had to – the Italian woman tanning herself on the boat called me brave, although I’m sure I also heard something like pazza – which is crazy!
We shopped, ate, drank and walked our way around nearby towns of Alcomo and Castellammane del Golfo. Found our favourite bars with friendly local owners, unfortunately we can’t speak much Italian and their English was very limited so it was difficult to communicate. It had been that long since I’d travelled overseas that I had even missed the inevitable language barriers.
As we travelled in May it was reasonably quiet and each day become warmer and busier. Restaurants and bars along the beach opened each day, many for the first time since the pandemic, but it still felt local and not over touristy at all. One last beach visit, then pizza and beer at one of these newly opened restaurant on the beach before our flight back to London.