We caught our ferry to Naples the next morning. We had quite a bit of time before our flight, but we were unsure how long we needed at the airport, etc. So, we headed straight to the bus for the airport. Luckily the port is the bus’s first stop. By the time we got to the train station to pick more people the bus was packed.
Our original flight had been cancelled a couple of weeks before. So, we had to change to a flight with a connection in Rome and then to our destination Palermo Sicily. We had delays with both flights so when the host asked if we would like a private transfer option from the airport to the apartment, I jumped on it. That worked out really well as we were all tired from the day of travel and it was already dark by the time we reached Palermo. The apartment was near a small piazza so it was an easy decision on picking a restaurant there for dinner.
So, the next day, we walked to the historic district to check out some of the sights. We first came across the Church of Cataldo and the Church of Santa Maria deli Ammiraglia. It was Sunday so we really were able up just step inside the Santa Maria. The Cataldo is from the 1100’s and is beautiful in its simplicity.
Then it was to the Fontana Pretoria (Fountain of Shame). It has many nude statues of both human and animals. Really was quite beautiful.
Then it was the famous Quattro Canti (the Four Corners). Each corner representing one of the four seasons and one for each of the four kings of Sicily.
We kept walking on down to the Cathedral of Palermo and the City Gate. So, much to see in relatively close walking distance.
That night we had dinner reservations at II Pippio Russo. It’s a seafood restaurant that was recommended by our host. It was really good. We all enjoyed our dishes especially the guys who both got the pork knuckles.
I had read that they have a kind of “Bellagio style” fountain show at the harbor every night. So, we headed down there as it was a nice evening. The show lasts about 10 minutes. It’s free and wasn’t crowded when we were there. That area of the harbor has a number of restaurants and we saw a number of families enjoying a bite to eat overlooking the fountains.
The next day we were on a hunt for a gluten free cannoli. Mine was really good but I guess the regular variety from the same place was extremely sweet. So, if you go to Cannoli, stick to gluten-free ones.
We walked on over to the Ballero Market. This place was chaotic and loud. It was interesting to see the variety of seafood available. The vendors are constantly shouting to get you to buy from them. Truly, the market was an experience.
Our time in Palermo was up. It was an easy train ride to the airport. Where we picked up our rental car to continue our exploration of Sicily. We drove out to Castellammare Del Golfo. It’s a picturesque town along the northern coast of Sicily. We walked around for a bit and had a nice lunch.
We continued on to the Segesta Archeological Park. There’s a Doric Temple built in 430-420 BC that is one of the highlights of the park. The temple was never completed, but still impressive.
It’s a long uphill walk to see the rest of the park and the Greek Theater. It’s well worth the €2.50 to pay for the shuttle to take you up and back. The theater is said to be from the 2nd century BC.
We left there to spend a couple of nights in Trapani. We got a small apartment just on the outskirts of the historic center. We were able to get street parking right in front of the apartment. The Easy Park app made it very easy to pay for the parking and to add time if needed.
The next day Stella wasn’t feeling up to snuff. So, the rest of us had a lazy morning and went off to the Museum of Salt. It’s a really small museum, but the €5 ticket gives you a guided tour. It was very interesting to learn about the history of salt making in Sicily and the “white gold”. Salt was taxed in Italy and there was a black market where women would hide salt in their skirts and act as mules.
Later on, we took a walk down to the historic center of Trapani and the narrow city streets. We stopped for a cannoli. I was able to get one as well. Mine wasn’t as good as it was from the other place but still pretty tasty.
