WHERE I WAS: RAGUSA, MODICA, SALINA & CEFALU, SICILY
What I Saw & Where I Ate: Ragusa
I took a half day trip from Noto up and up to this hilltop village:
Then had a wonderful outdoor lunch after a peak inside the Duomo San Giorgio...
...at the charming Cucina Sincera trattori. Another day, another luscious caponata!!
MODICA
What I Saw: Modica
We also stopped here on way home. Detour was worth it just for this shot inside its equally magnificent Duomo di San Giogio (same name, saint and architect as in Ragusa!) …
SALINA
I had been longing to visit Salina ever since I saw the movie “Il Postino,” back in 1994, where much of it was said to be filmed.
So when I saw that we could visit this Aeolian island easily by ferry from Sicily mainland, I booked a ferry and we drove from Noto up to the port town of Milazzo, parked and jumped on the 90 minute ride.
Salina is a rustic island with simple little towns, astounding views to the sea and the nearby Stromboli volcano.
Where I Stayed: Salina
Perched high with stunning views and decor that is both relaxed - with a white washed aesthetic and easy chairs and hammocks - without sacrificing comfort.
This charming hotel is expertly and lovingly run by Anita Motta, who went out of her way to make you feel as if you were the only guest with her abundant warmth and enthusiasm.
Try to book the suite!:
We adored their family style dinner, where guests sit across an outstretched enormous table on the porch overlooking the sea.
What I Saw: Salina
Salina’s various hikes are a must: they are steep and strenuous, but you don’t have to finish them as you are rewarded with stunning sweeping views of the Aeolian islands most every steep step of the ascent! Try the Sentiero 7 hike.
We took the hotel’s motorino and dashed up and around the mountain to see the house from the film- wedged into a dramatic rock cliff- at sunset while our wedding song “Clocks” blasted from our iPhone speaker:
Where I Ate: Salina
AI recommended we’d love lunch at Po Re Po in the neighboring town of Rinella and boy was it right! We loved it so much we came back again the next day via our motorino. The food was beyond fresh and creative and its tiny village setting facing the beach feels cinematic. Their caponata and fish yes incredible…but their caramelized capers granita!…
Make a reservation here: it's popular.
What I Bought: Salina
In the little town of Marfa, even though we were late for something, we couldn't help ourselves and ducked into Ceramiche Salina:
It seemed more distinctive than the dozens of other ceramic places we had passed, even on the mainland.
It was crowded with bowls, platters and other tabletop designed and made by a woman locally there on Salina.
At first I didn't see anything and then…YES! These beautiful blue bowls.
Only 4 were at the store but they called her and she agreed to make 4 more and have them all shipped back to Connecticut. Lucky us and our future guests….
CEFALU
A day later we were back on mainland. We drove 2 and a half hours and arrived in the charming sea town of Cefalu.
This isn’t a quick in and out kind of place. There was the old harbor pier for starters, or the Molo di Cefalu, where sunbathers lounged and read amongst tourists scrambling to capture the photogenic views at every turn which were many!
In fact everywhere you looked - in many shop and cafe windows or at the end of a side street- there was the dramatic peak of crashing ocean.
We shopped a lot unexpectedly: we’d keep saying: “Ok this is it, we really have to leave,” and then one of us would disappear into a seemingly innocuous tourist shop but…wait! it has fabulous this and that… for a song.
As we tore ourselves out of there, I joked to my new husband: “We came, we saw…we Cefalued.”
What I Saw: Cefalu
The Mandralisca Museum is the town’s premier cultural hub and every inch merits it.
Housed in a 19th century noble residence it showcases a baron’s eclectic collection of everything from Egyptian artifacts- casually displayed on open shelves as if in a home! - to glorious Dutch oil paintings. I treasure the wonderful museum ticket of an old portrait of the town before it was developed.
What I Bought: Cefalu
Moda Siciliana Via Vittorio Emanuele, 56, 90015 Cefalù PA, Italy
A seemingly forgettable tourist shop until …you wander back and discover incredibly chic leather bags of every sort: duffels, backpacks all in cool color combos and sizes and all extremely well made locally for price.
Loved the owner!
We bought a Gucci-inspired bag and proceeded to put other new bags in it.
A talented artisan humbly working her craft in a small shop right in front of a window overlooking the ocean. We bought her tile earrings as upcoming birthday gifts.
Le DelizieBergi A wonderful spot on Via Vittorio Emanuele to grab locally-made olive oil and honey.
Where I Ate: Cefalu
Blue cheese pizza! Amazing caponata! Simple and delish. Our accommodating waiter was from central casting.
Zagara Juice Bar
Amazing fresh squeeze juice combos at Zagara Juice Bar Via Vittorio Emanuele, 84
