Malta was barely out of view from the airplane before I could see Sicily. I saw Mt. Etna puffing away near Catania, Sicily.
After I landed and turned on my Italian eSIM, I found the bus and took a 1.25-hour bus ride to Siracusa for €6.50.
I took a taxi a short distance from the bus station in Siracusa to Ortigia Island and moved into my Airbnb. It was very large and clean, located directly on a cool pedestrian street with shops and restaurants. I took what I thought would be a quick walk, but was entranced by the little island and the extraordinary views all around. It was lucky timing that I saw the sunset from the end of the island. Later I ate dinner outside at a little restaurant on my street Via Dione.
Day 1
In the morning I walked around another part of the island. The streets are adorable and they were loaded with genuinely interesting shops, with artisans at work, making leather sandals and art. I found a tourist stand and signed up for a boat trip later that day. I found the charming fruit, veggie, and seafood market and later ate pasta with clams at a fisherman’s stall/restaurant. Back at my Airbnb, I took a little rest before the boat ride.
The tourist boats circumnavigate the island almost continuously and they start by going under a bridge that looks like it will be impossible to fit. The driver made all of us duck down, then once he was clear of it, he raised an awning for shade. The wind made the boat ride so rough that I thought the shade would rip off but we kept going. We were slamming into the waves and getting soaked but the driver kept going. His idea of a tour was to speak something into Google Translate about what we were seeing, then broadcast that over the boat’s PA system. It was the kind of experience that made me think about my chances of swimming to shore if necessary. The end of the trip made all the splashing worth it when we explored the caves of Siracusa. They were spectacular and the drive used a lot of skill to go in and out of the caves without smashing the boat on the rocks.
On the boat, we passed a swimming area next to Forte Vigliena. I went back there and used the platforms and decks to gingerly get into the sea and swim a little bit. It was refreshing. I chatted with a couple of newlyweds on the dock for a while.
I ate fresh pasta for my dinner at home.
Day 2
Today I took a bus trip to Noto, a town about an hour away from Siracusa. I went there because I was following the recommendations of a travel article. It was too hot and humid to enjoy it and I wish I had spent more time in the sea swimming than going on this boondoggle. And the thing is, I knew I shouldn’t go. I had FOMO.
Off to Naples!
