Accommodation, food, tours and markets

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the largest province in Italy. The island is home to the highest volcano in Europe, 3300 meters above sea level. (Many people get confused and claim that Etna is the highest mountain in Europe, this is not true. The highest mountain is Elbrus in Russia, 5,642 meters)

Sicily has a population of 5 million and its area is slightly larger than the area of ​​Israel before the return of the territories.

You can imagine that Sicily is the stone at the end of the Italian boot, (or the pizza triangle)

The island’s location, 150 km north of Africa, makes it an excellent destination for visits all year round.

All the peoples who ruled it left their mark on it, and this only adds to its wild character.

It’s in the middle, between Europe and Africa, not only geographically, but also mentally. Great island, great people, great food, views, beaches…and the list goes on.

The writer Goethe wrote, “To see Italy without seeing Sicily is not to see Italy at all, for Sicily is the key to everything.” And from Sicily came the world of ice cream, pasta, the good wine “Marsala” and many other wonderful things.

“Northern” Italians see Sicily as a hardened region, I was fascinated by it. I loved its hardcore (the hard core, the rough, the authenticity)

In short, I invite you to fall in love with authentic, beautiful and fun southern Italy. I invite you to fall in love with Sicily.

Catania

The flight to Catania takes three hours one way (and two and a half hours return). You land at the city airport and from there the distance to the city center is only 15 minutes. A taxi should cost 20-30 euros. The bus stops are to the right of the airport exit, further on are all the car rental companies.

Parking in the city is not an easy task, you are not allowed to park in the yellow, it is only for residents. Parking in the blue is paid (there are meters here and there, and there are paid parking lots, find them on Waze or park with flashing lights, put your luggage in the hotel and ask the employees to explain to you where to park.

Our first meeting with the hospitable Sicilians was in the parking lot. I didn’t know how to start a hybrid car (what? Where’s the key?…strange) The hotel cleaner tried to help, passersby, one of the men on the street called his mechanic, who arrived within 3 minutes and explained to me how to start it. Only later, when everyone was sure that I had managed, did the demonstration of support disperse. By the way, no one beeped, no one pressed. Unbelievable! Is this the mafia’s Sicily?

The first hotel I chose for us was chosen because of its old, baroque look. A period building on a narrow, ancient street, with tiny balconies. I wanted something authentic because regular hotels are plentiful and everywhere.

What I didn’t notice was that you have to carry your luggage up 3 floors!! Not bad, we survived, and the receptionist was helpful. But be aware, if you’re into elevators then you should book the other excellent hotel we stayed at in Catania (link to book at the end)

We stayed in the center of Catania. Walking distance, 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there. All the buildings here are period, cathedrals, palaces, markets, restaurants, cafes. I loved this area of ​​Catania very much.

We were starving and found a restaurant called OSTERIA PANECALDO, which is located near the Bellini Theater (the famous opera composer Vincenzo Bellini was born in Catania in 1801 and is even buried in the church of Santa Agatha in the city center. He died at the age of only 34 and left a very serious legacy. It’s no wonder that many places on the island in general and in Catania in particular are named after him).

Aktzer, the large, modern restaurant is adorned with wine bottles on most of its walls and is highly recommended. We ate there several times at the beginning and end of our trip and enjoyed every dish. On the last night, for example, I ordered a special pasta dish, my husband ordered a pizza (huge) and four drinks, including 3 beers. The whole thing cost us only 16 euros!!! A ridiculous price.

Afterwards, we walked around the beautiful, clean city and went to sleep.

The next morning we had an authentic Sicilian food tour waiting for us and we didn’t want to nap during it.

We booked the food tour while still in Israel. It cost us 39 euros per person.

We met Aureliano, the guide, in Piazza Duomo, between the elephant statue, the symbol of Catania, and the church of Santa Agatha, the island’s patron saint.

We were a group of six people (from France, England, Germany and us from Israel) and we reached several stations of the most Sicilian foods and drinks.

Some of the dishes were not simple (cow intestines and stomach) but they were stunning in taste and along the way we learned about the history of the city and Sicily. Three birds with one stone.

As mentioned, a very successful tour. I won’t tell you everything, go and discover for yourself. The tour lasts about three to four hours and it’s not worth eating before.

The guide was excellent, friendly, and his English was simple and understandable to everyone.

At the end of the tour, we got in the rental car and drove to the beautiful town of Taormina, which I will write about in the next post.

I visited two markets in Catania:

One of them during the food tour, the fish market in Shis Ben , which also has much, much more (vegetables, meats, cheeses…) On the last day in Catania, I went back to stock up on all the delicacies we ate during the trip. We bought anchovies, cheeses, sausages, honey.

The fish market is right next to Piazza Duomo, the church of Santa Agatha. This is the center of the city. You can’t go wrong. At the entrance to the market is a fountain and below it is the river that runs underground. It used to run through the city itself, but the Greeks, who ruled here for quite some time, built the city over it. This is the only part where you can actually see the river.

In the fish market there is a workers’ restaurant that feeds the vendors in the market. It’s not really a restaurant, it only has 2 tables, but the food here is fresh, tasty and cheap. We had an excellent lunch here that included three courses plus one dessert and two drinks. We paid 13 euros. The restaurant is run by a woman who everyone here knows and her son helps her.

In the picture below you can see the address. I took a picture of the bill because they don’t have business cards.

On our last day in Catania, Gabriella, the owner of the second hotel we stayed in, who is full of great tips and recommendations, suggested that we hurry to a huge market that looks like the Carmel Market multiplied by 100, only without the food. They sell clothes, shoes, housewares, performance goods and more for next to nothing. She sent us straight to a Basta that sells “Superga” shoes, a very expensive Italian brand. Although the shoes we bought for my wife Tal were from the previous season, they cost 15 euros. The shoes I wanted to buy for her at the brand’s store, until I saw the price and fainted, cost 170 euros!!!

In this market I bought Sicilian jewelry that I had wanted to buy the whole trip, but their prices were crazy. A necklace and bracelets cost me 35 euros, about twenty percent of the price they were asking everywhere else.

Eric bought some incredibly comfortable leather loafers for 30 euros. Besides that, I bought a bunch of nice Pitchforks.

The market is called FERA O’ LUNI and is located a 3 minute walk north from the hotel. Just ask passersby. Everyone is nice and happy to help.