Travels in the 2nd half

Mt. Etna hovers over Catania, both literally and figuratively. Its eruptions have shaped the city’s past and influence the decisions about its future. The lava from it have given the area a very fertile soil. So, when you visit Catania, a trip to Mt. Etna is just about required. At 3329 m (10,900 ft.), Mt. Etna is Europe’s tallest active volcano. It is also one of the most active volcanos, averaging at least one eruption a year for the past 20 years. It produces a large amount of lava every year, mostly through its three primary craters at its apex. I won’t bore you with more statistics, but you can read more about the volcano here . Our trip to Etna is on a tour run by Traveler Services, which also runs the red hop-on/hop-off bus in town. Starting from the Piazza Duomo, the bus zigged and zagged through morning traffic, making its way towards the slopes of the volcano. Urban neighborhoods transformed into suburbs. The first stop on the tour is in the town of Nicolos...

Piazza Duomo The Amazing Ms. D , our friend Marge, and I arrived in Catania after spending a wonderful week in Palermo. We came in on the Sais Autolinee bus (€13.5). It was a nice way to travel, because we really had a chance to see Sicily, as the highway passed right through the middle of the island. We weren’t sure what to expect. Palermo had been a beautiful surprise, and we hoped for the same in Catania. Well, we found out that while Catania was not as beautiful as Palermo (in my opinion), it certainly had its own charms that made our stay there just as much fun. Catania is the second largest city in Sicily, and is its economic, industrial and shipping center. It dates back to the 8 th century BCE, but it is also considered a “new” city, an interesting dichotomy. Mt. Etna Catania’s history is tied to the fact that it sits at the foot Mt. Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. The volcanic eruptions have made the area around it one of the most fertile re...

Temple of Concordia  When you visit Palermo, there is one trip out of town that is as close to a must see as anything, The Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. But this trip takes a little planning because Agrigento is about a 3-hour drive across Sicily. The easy way is to use one of the on-line companies that organizes group tours. For about $100 they will put you on a large bus with 50 other people. It will be comfortable, easy and not at all personal. Or you can rent a car for the day. For about $35 you can rent a car. But add in the taxes, insurance (because your home insurance probably doesn’t cover foreign rentals, and gas, which is was $7/gallon in Sept. 2017, and this can cost significantly more. You will control your trip, but not have any guidance other than what you can find on-line. We opted for something in between these two. We hired an individual guide to take us. This cost us $90 each for our group of 3. Our guide was well worth the price. Francesco...