Due Mafiosi in Sicilia - Siracusa, Noto & Catania (Italy)

Trip Details:

Where: Sicilia - Siracusa, Noto & Catania, Italy

When: 26th - 29th March 2017

We arrived in Siracusa in the afternoon and after we were greeted by Marco, whom I'll tell you about later, we went out for a walk. 

Siracusa

We went straight to the island of Ortygia - Siracusa's historical center, where we found the Fountain of Artemis (Diana) in Piazza Archimedes. The piazza was dedicated to Archimedes (yep, the one with the principle about floating bodies), who was born in Siracusa. 

Fountain of Artemis (Diana) in Piazza Archimedes

With its narrow streets and a bunch of sights, Ortygia is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We took one of those streets, which led us to the sea view.

Ortygia

Ortygia Sea View

Taking another one of those streets, we found ourselves at Piazza Duomo, where, as the name suggests, stood a cathedral - Duomo di Siracusa. The cathedral is an ancient Catholic church. It was built on the site of an ancient temple (as many other churches in Sicily) - the temple of Athena. The piazza itself is the main square on Ortygia and is the symbol of the Baroque reconstruction following an earthquake in 1693.

Piazza Duomo (Siracusa)

Duomo di Siracusa

On one side of it is the church of Saint Lucia, dedicated to the Patron Saint of Siracusa. 

Church of Saint Lucia

As the sun started to set, we found more beautiful sea views and some restaurants in the far, offering that view. There were a lot of small parks and squares with benches where you could sit and enjoy.. for example this art of a tree. 

Ortygia

Ortygia

Those narrow streets looked even better in the evening. There was more to see on the island but we left that for the following day (a few rows down).

Ortygia

On the next day we headed to the archaeological park, lucked out with a free bus ride and noticed some orange trees in the middle of the boulevard, separating the lanes and later lemon trees in the park on our way to Orecchio di Dionisio a.k.a the Ear of Dionysius. It's a limestone cave carved out of the Temenites hill. It was dug in Greek/Roman times as a water storage for Syracuse. After an earthquake the cave became unusable for water storage. The name of the cave was given by the painter Caravaggio. It refers to the tyrant Dionysius I of Syracuse. On the inside it goes 65 meters back into the cliff and is 23 meters high. According to a legend, Dionysius used the cave as a prison for political dissidents and using the perfect acoustics eavesdropped on the plans and secrets of his captives.

Orecchio di Dionisio

The park is divided into three main sections, one of which is the latomie (stone quarries) containing the Ear of Dionysius and many other rock formations. The second section of the park comprises of the Greek Theatre - also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It was first built in the 5th century BC, rebuilt in the 3rd century BC and renovated again in the Roman period. The seating arrangement (cavea) is one of the largest ever built by the ancient Greeks: 67 rows, divided into nine sections with eight aisles. No idea why but they were covering it with wooden benches. It could be to preserve it but it seemed like a loss.

Greek Theatre

The third section of the park is the Roman amphitheater. It was used for gladiator fights. Nowadays, every now and then in the summer are held rock concerts. The amphitheater was partly carved out from the rock and is quite beautiful with all of its green.

Roman Amphitheater

In the evening we went back to Ortygia, where our first stop was the Temple of Apollo. The temple is one of the most important ancient Greek monuments on Ortygia. It is the oldest known Doric temple in Western Europe. An inscription says that the temple honors Apollo, but after Cicero came to Syracuse, he wrote that the temple was dedicated to Artemis. 

Temple of Apollo

Temple of Apollo

We went on and as we were walking, we stumbled upon (a guy, who was peeing at that tree in the back but never mind) a map of the island. We nearly stepped on it - someone must have dropped it but as they say one man's trash is another man's treasure - it was very helpful. We took the waterside streets and enjoyed more of Ionian sea. 

Ortygia

We even found some beautiful rocks a small beach! Of course I dipped my feet in the water! Did you even have to ask? 

Ortygia

Ortygia Little Beach

Pretty, right? Let's see it from afar.

Ortygia 

Ortygia 

Yep, that's our beach! Right under the staircase.. told you it was little. There was another rocky place nearby where you could get in the water but the preferred beaches are a few kilometers away from the town - easily reachable by bus.

We grabbed a beer and french fries in a cone and passed by the Fountain of Arethusa (Fonte Aretusa). According to the Greek mythology, this is the place where the nymph Arethusa (the patron figure of ancient Syracuse) returned to earth's surface after escaping from her undersea home in Arcadia. 

Fountain of Arethusa (Fonte Aretusa)

On our way home, we stopped for some Italian cappuccino made with love. A park near Pantheon Church of St. Thomas seemed like a nice place to have our coffees.

Pantheon Church of St. Thomas

Day 3 - we are going to Noto! 

Noto is a small town an hour by bus away from Siracusa. On our way there, we were a bit anxious about how we were going to get back to Siracusa but then once we got off the bus, a man just came to us out of nowhere and started talking to us in Italian explaining when and where we had to go in order to take the bus back. Weirdly lucky again. He also pointed us to the gate of the city - Porta Reale Ferdinandea. The Royal gate marks the start of the town. The triumphal arch was built during a visit to Noto of Ferdinand II of Bourbon.

Porta Reale Ferdinandea

Walking down the Corso (Corso Vittorio Emanuele) we passed by the San Francesco all’ Immacolata Church.

San Francesco all’ Immacolata Church

We soon reached the Duomo (every town seems to have one). It's construction began in the early 18th century and was completed in 1776. The whole town was rebuilt after being destroyed in an earthquake. The town got a new location and a new baroque look, which made it worth being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Another earthquake made the cathedral dome to collapse in 1996. It has since been rebuilt, and was reopened in 2007. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Myra, and has been the cathedral of the Diocese of Noto since the diocese's establishment in 1844.

Noto Cathedral (Duomo)

Opposite the cathedral lies Palazzo Ducezio, which houses the Town Hall.

Palazzo Ducezio

Down the Corso is yet another church - San Domenico Church. Noto is quite rich on churches. 

San Domenico Church

There's also a theater! - Teatro Comunale Vittorio Emanuele.

Teatro Comunale Vittorio Emanuele

Every May, there is a flower festival in Noto, during which via Nicolaci is covered by flowers all the way up to a church at the end of it. The flowers are placed in a composition, creating beautiful pictures. Just imagine it.

Via Nicolaci

That church at the end of via Nicolaci is the Montevergine Church. Its towers are supposed to have a beautiful vast view of the whole town. Unfortunately, it was closed when we were there.

Montevergine Church

Back in Siracusa, we couldn't skip the dessert. And trust me, this was goooood! (Calimero with ice cream, krokan and whatever delisiousness the ice cream guy included.. yammi!)

Calimero Dessert

On one side of Ortygia, there was a great spot where one could sit by the sea and have a homemade lemonade.. with salt, which they said was a typical Siracusian drink. Piece of advice - do not try it!

Ortygia

We wanted to wait for the sunset, but the clouds thought they'd keep it to themselves so plan B.. explore the camera effects. Since it threatened to start raining, plan B turned into plan C - an Irish pub nearby. It actually wasn't very easy to find a place like that that worked in the evening (at least in March). Most were cafes with gelato and sweets and tiny pizza or fish restaurants. So this one was a win. It even had a darts machine.

Irish pub in Ortygia

After plan C, we went back to the apartment and continued with wine + lemonade cocktails - a newly found fave for me. Speaking of the apartment, it was a really nice place. Remember I mentioned Marco? He was the owner and was so friendly and welcoming. He waited for us at the bus station when we arrived and took us for a coffee before showing us to the apartment. He gave us tips on where to go and had even made his own guide to the city, containing places to visit and even his favorite restaurants and bakeries. He also left some treats for us, including a bottle of wine. Great guy! (We found him on airbnb.)

Marco's Apartment

On our last day, we headed back to Catania (where the airport was). But before that, I had yet another surprising drink. After the lemonade with salt, I started the day with a.. coffee with salt. We mistook the salt jar for the sugar one. Again - do not try that!

Anyway, on the way we spotted Mount Etna, under heavy clouds, probably a result of its recent eruption. Mount Etna is an active volcano, the highest in Europe and a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Mount Etna

We had some time for a quick walk around Catania before our flight. We took a shuttle bus from the airport and got off at via Etnea - it's a really long street that supposedly has some views to the volcano on one side and a Duomo on the other. Surprised? Naturally we headed for the Duomo's square. The Duomo is a Roman Catholic cathedral. It's the seat of the Archbishops of Catania. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times because of earthquakes and eruptions of the nearby Mount Etna.

Duomo Catania

We grabbed one quick ice-cream (the Italian gelato is the best!) and headed back home, impatient for the next trip to come.

La Barcelona (Spain)

Trip Details:

Where: Barcelona, Spain

When: 13th - 17th  June 2016

We, a bunch of Bulgarian travelers, started our first day in Barcelona with a French breakfast at the Spanish Basílica de la Sagrada Família. Eclectic!

Sagrada Família

Sagrada Família

The Basilica is a large Roman Catholic church, designed by (as many other buildings in the city) the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. It's construction hasn't been completed, but despite that, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the time of Gaudí's  death (in 1926) less than a quarter was completed but thankfully, the project wasn't stopped. The completion is expected to be in 2026 and if it is, the basilica will become the tallest church in the world (at 170 meters).

Our next stop was at Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera. 

La Pedrera

It is a modernist building, the last civil project designed by Gaudí. It took six years to build and at the time it raised a lot of discussions, because of its nontraditional design. The most interesting part of the building is the rooftop -  there are six skylights, twenty-eight chimneys and four domes. 

La Pedrera Rooftop

The chimneys were twisted so that the smoke comes out better and some of them are covered with marble fragments  and broken Valencia tiles.  One of them has a top made of glass pieces and it was said that Gaudí did that right after the founding of the building, using the empty bottles from the party.

There is a vast view on all sides  and it's pretty windy, so hold tight!

View from La Pedrera

You can also take a night tour, when there's supposed to be a unique audiovisual show - for schedule and tickets check here.

Under the rooftop is the attic with 270 arches and an exhibition. 

La Pedrera Attic

Casa Milà was originally built for a married couple, but currently it is the headquarters of the Catalunya-La Pedrera Foundation, which manages all public activities at the house. In 1984 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Another one of Gaudi's masterpieces - Casa Batlló was next on the list. Like everything he designed, it follows the modern architecture style guide.  The local name for the building is Casa dels ossos (House of Bones). Can you guess why?

Casa Batlló

Right next to it is Casa Amatller.

Casa Amatller

A little further down we found Plaça de Catalunya.

Plaça de Catalunya

The square is generally considered to be the city center. Some of the city's most important streets and avenues meet there. It is especially known for its fountains and statues, its proximity to some of Barcelona's most popular attractions, and for the flocks of pigeons that gather in the center.

Plaça de Catalunya

29 °C? It felt like way more in the sun and way less when the wind started blowing. Weird weather.

In the old city (Ciutat Vella) the streets were narrow and met at lots of squares. It kind of reminded me of Venice.

Ciutat Vella

I mean Venice, right? There was even a hotel, named Rialto.

Palau de la Música Catalana - a concert hall, designed NOT by Gaudi. The Palau has won a best building built award in 1909. We didn't go in, but I've seen pictures of the inside. It looks pretty nice.

Palau de la Música Catalana

Did I say it was 29 °C? We freshened up at a fountain..

Ciutat Vella

.. and went on to.. okay I know I mentioned Venice, but it's time to teleport to Paris - Arc de Triomf.

Arc de Triomf

It was built as the main access gate for the Barcelona World Fair in 1888. Below it, leading all the way do the Ciutadella Park is a wide promenade - Passeig de Lluís Companys.

Passeig de Lluís Companys

We skipped the park and on our way back to the old city, we found some ruins and benches where we could rest. At this point we'd probably made about 20000 steps.

After our short break, we followed the signs to Santa Maria del Mar. It is an impressive Catalan Gothic church.

Santa Maria del Mar

Santa Maria del Mar

Plaça Novais the place where the old city was born: Barcino.

Plaça Nova

It hosts a Gothic market and the main entrance to the Barcelona Cathedral. The Cathedral is the Gothic cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. There is a dress code (no shorts or bare shoulders), so keep that in mind if you decide to explore it inside.

Barcelona Cathedral

It does look kind of creepier at night though.

Barcelona Cathedral

We found our way to La Rambla - Barcelona's most popular pedestrian street. Beware - prices are way higher here.

La Rambla

Gran Teatre del Liceu, an opera house on La Rambla (of course I took my mandatory photo there).

Gran Teatre del Liceu

Our last stop before going back to the apartment was Plaça Reial. There are a large number of restaurants and some of the city's most famous nightclubs. It is a popular meeting place during the summer, also during the annual La Mercè festival (in September), and other celebrations such as New Year's Eve. It may become very crowded. The street performers we witnessed probably contribute to that.

Plaça Reial

27000 steps later, I'd say I deserve a bite. Chocolate fudge brownie - one of the best ice-creams ever! No product placement intended, I just really love this ice-cream.

After our 'architectural' first day, we decided to devote our second one to nature. First stop - Park Güell.

Park Güell

It is a public park with gardens and architectonic elements. The design was given to Antoni Gaudí. It sits on Carmel Hill (which belongs to the mountain range of Collserola). Hence - the view.

Park Güell

Park Güell is part of a period when Gaudí’s work was inspired from organic shapes. The buildings at the entrance have very original roofs lead the path to Gaudí's multicolored mosaic salamander, popularly known as "el drac" (the dragon).

Park Güell

We didn't get in that part of the park because it has a separate entrance and a long queue to buy a ticket for four hours later but the dragon is right behind that fence.

Park Güell

The park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984, under 'Works of Antoni Gaudí'.

At Plaça d'Espanya, a couple Venetian Towers lead to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Plaça d'Espanya is one of Barcelona's most important squares.  It was built for the 1929 International Exhibition, held at the foot of Montjuïc.

Plaça d'Espanya

Just below the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya is the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc. The Magic Fountain was designed by Carles Buïgas. 

Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

Aside from its beauty, its magic lays in its singing and illuminating abilities at night. (It's not every evening though, so check the schedule). Performances include film, classical, and modern music, such as The Godfather, The Lord of the Rings and modern pop songs. We found our way back there a couple hours later, where a break boy band decided to entertain us while we waited for the fountain show to start.

And then there it was

Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

But back to our earlier walk. Up the hill is the Palau Nacional. Since 1934 it has been home to the National Art Museum of Catalonia. It's also a popular tourist destination and one of the most beautiful places we've seen in the city.

Palau Nacional (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya)

For the lazy ones, there are escalators going up.

And a beautiful view at the top.

At Palau Nacional (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya)

On the hill, there's an Olympic park - built for the 1992 Summer Olympics. The major facilities include the Olympic Stadium (Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys), the Palau Sant Jordi sports hall, the telecommunications tower, the National Physical Education Institute and the Picornell swimming pools.

Olympic park

The Montjuïc Communications Tower, popularly known as Torre Calatrava and Torre Telefónica, is a telecommunication tower built for Telefónica to transmit television coverage of the 1992 Summer Olympics Games in Barcelona. The tower represents an athlete holding the Olympic Flame.

The Montjuïc Communications Tower

From the Olympic park we took a cable car, which runs from a station of the Montjuïc funicular, and climbs higher up the Montjuïc hill to a terminal near the Montjuïc Castle. 

Cable Car

Montjuïc Castle is an old military fortress, currently - Barcelona municipal facility.

Montjuïc Castle

The Montjuïc Funicular connects the city with mountain Montjuïc. It is part of the metro network system and no one is driving it.

Montjuïc Funicular

We went back to the city center later and continued our walk. We saw the World Trade Center - a business park. The building structure was inspired by the shape of a boat.

World Trade Center

Day 3 we called our sports and recreation day. First stop - Camp Nou.

Camp Nou

Camp Nou is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia. It is the home of FC Barcelona. It is the largest stadium in Spain by capacity, also the largest in Europe and the second largest association football stadium in the world in terms of capacity. It has hosted numerous international matches at a senior level, including a FIFA World Cup semi-final match, two UEFA Champions League finals and the football competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Camp Nou

Right next to the stadium is the official FCB store.

Official FCB store

We bought some souvenirs and headed to our next stop - Barcelonita Beach. The Mediterranean Sea is a bit colder than what we're used to, but it's survivable.  As every other place in the city, the beach is pretty windy too.

Barcelonita Beach

Barcelonita Beach

Time for a break with soccer and beer. It's the Euro 2016 after all. We found a typical English bar, where spilling beer, dramatic exits and cursing weren't missed. 

Last day, starting with some metro art. (Speaking of the metro, be sure to check T-10 tickets - seemed like a good deal).

At the end of La Rambla, we foundColumbusoverlooking the sea. The monument was constructed in honor to his first voyage to the Americas. It serves as a reminder that Christopher Columbus reported to Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand V in Barcelona after his first trip to the new continent.

Monument of Columbus

Nearby was Port Vell or Old Harbor - a waterfront harbor and part of the Port of Barcelona.

Port Vell

Can you count the boats?

At some point, we visited the Aquarium. It was located on Port Vell and was Mediterranean themed.

Aquarium

Just fyi, if you decide to go surfing in the Mediterranean sea, keep in mind that you might run into one of these:

Aquarium

In one of the halls, it became colder and we soon found out why - penguins.

Aquarium

See those two in the upper left part - I bet they're a couple!

After the aquarium we had some more time to kill so we went back back to the pedestrian bridge on Port Vell, where we found some company. 

At Port Vell

They were pretty friendly although, they passed on our invitation to go back home with us so after thousands of steps and a very fulfilling time spent in Barcelona we grabbed our luggage and went back by ourselves.