Milazzo to Capo d’Orlando

June 3, 2018

Just like every other morning, we started the day by packing up our panniers so we could leave as soon as we were finished our breakfast. Today, Claudia and her daughter served breakfast to us and two other guests at their kitchen table overlooking their garden. Afterwards, we got a picture outside the front door with Claudia and Antonio and said our good-byes. It looks like I’m hip checking Claudia but really it’s just that I seem to have difficulty standing up straight for a picture.

We carried our bikes up the stairway to the cobbled street and headed off. The cobbles were ancient and very difficult to ride on (save for a narrow centre line of new evenly laid bricks that help with drainage) so I walked down the street until I came to a more rideable road surface. David bumped his way down the hill. We meandered through the old town following a circuitous route suggested by the gps. It was clear that there was a much more easier route that didn’t wiggle and waggle through tiny alleyways but we were following the gps this morning. The upside is that we see the neighbourhoods from the inside.

Along the way we picked up some fresh cherries at a fruit/veggie vendor and stopped to watch the fresh catch being butchered at a small neighbourhood fish market. The swordfish and tuna have a long history in Sicily and are deeply engrained in their culture and cuisine. These photos offer a glimpse of the traditional theatre associated with the sale of these fish in the markets. Although we did not wish to photograph them, swordfish heads are placed prominently in the stalls with their swords pointing up. The fish are essentially displayed as trophies, symbolizing the fishermen’s victory over the wild ocean. With the advent of modern fishing methods, the latter is more in question than in the days of yore, however. Of note here is the designation FAO 27 on these signs, which means they were caught in the North Atlantic. Fresh fish in western Canada would sell on par with this price in the peak of a normal season.

The tuna and swordfish butchers were muscular like this guy.

OK, so this is about fish. These were sold in slabs, huge slabs.

We soon exited the old town and were on the coastal road that eventually leads to Palermo. It was another gorgeous day with comfortable temperatures and a very light breeze from behind. For the second time on the trip, we saw Sicilians (males only) running and riding bicycles for fitness. Most were weekend warriors out for a Sunday ride with their buddies.

This beach is deserted today but lookout come summer.

This is the second group of recreational riders we’ve seen on this trip.

The north coast of Sicily is a recreational playground in summer and this particular beachside town had created a lovely beach park that could handle a crowd.

As we carried on along the coastal road we crossed an wide river bed. Judging from the erosion, it had at one time carried a raging torrent of water but today just a trickle remained. A local shepherd was taking advantage of the meagre water source and had allowed his herd to wander the rivulets to cool off while he watched over them. The scene had a third world look to it.

There was just enough water to keep the cows happy.

We had been eyeing the headland of Tindari since we departed Milazzo and soon we were climbing the 180m hill as the bells in the bell tower chimed out from the huge cathedral at the summit. The wind had died off and the sun beat down on us as we slowly made our way up the hill.

Meanwhile, the autostrada poked through the hillside and out the other side, diverting all the traffic from the beautiful scenery in this part of Sicily.

View back from Mt Tindari towards Milazzo.

Little did we know at the time, but we cycled right past one of the jewels of Sicily: the ancient city of Tindari dating back to 396 BC with its Greek Theatre and Sanctuary of the Madonna. Within the sanctuary lies a Black Madonna that is still worshipped today.

Alas, one cannot see everything and choices are made whether or not we are aware of them. We swooped downhill from the summit. The views of the Aeolian Islands seemed to get better and better as we rode the coast today.

Vulcano is the closest of the Aeolians in this shot.

After passing through Patti, we cruised along a beach area where there were camper vans enjoying the pre-tourist season. We stopped at a gelateria for cold drinks and a snack before riding over the next headland. Here we discovered mini ice cream cones for the first time in the freezer at the small pasticceria. They went down extremely well with a Coke, cherries, and good old cold water. Gulp...did I really eat this for lunch? Yes! Honestly there wasn’t much else available so this had to suffice.

The ride from here was fabulous as it hugged the cliff with the Tyrrhenean sea and its Aeolian islands on our right. We rode around Cape Calavo to find a small secluded resort on the beach below.

After leaving the Gulf of Patti, the road was in great condition and the traffic was light. Those who were driving it were equally gob-smacked by the scenery judging from their cautious speed. Breathtaking vistas accompanied us all day.

Aeolian Islands, Vulcano, Lipari and Salina.

The north coast of Sicily is rugged and beautiful.

As we approached the tunnel in the shot below, we had to wonder what we were about to enter. Would it be 10m or 100m? David had seen a series of tunnels on this route on his gps and had been quite wary of what was in store. Since the entrance is a sharp 90 degree turn, drivers also approached it and exited with caution. It turned out to be 118m so I lit up (that is, I mounted my headlight and tail lights) and we zoomed through to emerge through the light at the end of the tunnel.

In the distance we can see what I thought was the mountain that overlooks Cefalu, tomorrow’s destination. In reality it was the cape of Capo d’Orlando, today’s destination. As we travelled west, we came upon a large resort with big pools and brollies on the beach.

Just looking at the sea water is therapy for the eyes.

The SS113 route continues along the coastline, near Gioiosa Marea.

One of the reasons we love to travel by bike and that we move on each day to a new destination is our insatiable curiosity about what’s around the next corner. This photo of the road hugging the cape ahead with nothing but the cliff to our left and right captures the spirit perfectly, especially since it’s just the right temperature and the winds are in our favour. Times like this I get an overwhelming feeling that there’s nothing I’d rather be doing and nowhere I’d rather be.

It’s a little hazy but this is Isola Salina, an Aeolian Island.

The Aeolian Islands are less than 20 km away from the coast here. They are popular destinations for those wanting to get out on the water and see the volcanic features of the islands although we only saw one or two boats on the sea today. The majority of people leave from Milazzo to get to the islands but they are also accessible from the mainland of Italy.

Approaching Capo d’Orlando we came upon a brand new marina. It’s lightly used at the moment but it’s apparent they are expecting large crowds.

We rounded the final corner past the faro to find our hotel facing the beach in Capo d’Orlando. It was the quickest find on the entire trip!

The light from the faro strobed into our bathroom all night.

Capo d’Orlando is a lovely, clean town with a wide pedestrian friendly center. We were welcomed at the Hotel Faro and led to the secure garage to store our bikes, then to our second floor corner room-with-a-view. We threw open the windows to let in the breeze.

Our room and the bathroom were very nice at this hotel and since we also had extra time, we took opportunity to do a bit of hand laundry. David hung his clothes out the bathroom window where there was a line for such things but in the morning, his socks were missing. Oops. Our room was directly over the patio where breakfast was served. I peered out but didn’t see them so I said ‘I bet they’re in the garbage can’. Sure enough, we checked the garbage when we went down for breakfast and there they were. So glad it was only the socks that got dislodged!

After a rest and a cleanup under the rainshower head (it was hard to get out of this shower), we went exploring for some lunch. We stopped in a square where people were noshing on brioche and granita’s and settled in for a cold Fanta and a snack of sfincioni, sicilian pizza. Three young children, two boys and a girl, kept us entertained as they showed off their soccer skills. The oldest boy was a star and the little girl knew how to control the ball too, but the little boy who was probably 3 yrs old stole my heart. He could stop the ball, direct it, keep it away from both siblings and kick it just where he aimed it. Ah-mazing and adorable.

The pedestrian street was lined with orange trees.

We had sussed out all the restaurants in town well before 8pm, the earliest seating, but managed to weazle our way into a restaurant at 7:45 with the promise we weren’t in a hurry. David ordered a salad and a calzone and I ordered the caprèse salad. When the salads arrived, David knew he was in trouble. They were huge. Here is my caprèse salad. The mozzarella ball in the middle of the plate was ginormous....and yummy. Notice how simple the food is here. They do not dress their salads as a rule but instead they offer salt & pepper, wine vinegar and delicious olive oil for you to drizzle over your salad as you like.

Insalata Caprese with fresh tomatoes and a huge mozzarella de buffalo

This restaurant was a pizzeria and their calzone was certainly delicious, albeit a bit oversized for our appetites. We washed it down with a couple of glasses of Nero d’Avola, our new favourite red wine as the sun set over the Tyrrhenian Sea. As always the restaurant and all the others in the square was absolutely buzzing. And so ended another fabulous day of cycling in Sicily.

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Today's ride: 67 km (42 miles)
Total: 830 km (515 miles)

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