Taormina Fast Forward

June 2, 2018

Taormina has been a great place to stay for two days but it's time to move on as we still have the north coast of Sicily to cover. We spread the map of Sicily out on the bed this morning and did some route planning to ensure we would actually make it back to Terrasini for our flight home in another 10 days. Our original plan was to include a stay on the Aeolian island of Lipari so we could do a cruise and sunset trek to the summit of the active volcano on Stromboli. We realized that doing so would entail almost 3 days and that there was much more to explore on Sicily so we nixed that idea and made up a ‘back of the receipt’ itinerary that would allow us to comfortably explore the north of Sicily and get us back to our starting point. Had we booked our entire trip in advance, we would not have been able to make the switch so easily and this is precisely why we book daily.

Our bikes had rested safely on the 2nd floor landing in the Hotel Victoria while we were in Taormina, yet another example of how accommodating the hotels and B&B’s are here for cyclists.

The destination for today is Milazzo, the getting off point for the Aeolian Islands on the north coast of Sicily. Our itinerary did not allow enough time for us to ride there so we headed down (a 9-12% grade) to the train station at the coastal village below Taormina to get the morning train to Messina. There’s one catch for cyclists in this situation: the train has to have the storage capacity for bicycles. Lucky for us, bikes travel free on the trains here but not so lucky was that the train we were aiming for did not take bikes. Through the kindness of strangers again, this time it was the conductor, we made it on the train by jamming our bikes in the corridor beside the loo, just inside the back door. We were assisted by a gentleman who happened to be a Bike Friday owner. He was travelling sans-bike with his partner and another couple and I’m pretty sure he was envious of our journey by bike. We had a great conversation with him and found out that he had done a few rides with Margaret Day in Australia, who has been a cycling advocate in Adelaide for several decades and who bought her first Friday in 1996. We followed in her footsteps and bought our New World Tourists in 2001 for the same reason as her, namely that we could fit our bikes in suitcases and they would travel for free on international flights. But, I digress.

We enjoyed the sights from the train as it travelled along the shoreline to Messina. It is a national holiday in Italy today so the scheduled trips are a bit more sparse than usual. The connecting train to Messina was just exiting the station as we hopped off our train and as it turned out the next train was leaving in four hours. As nice as Messina and its train station appeared, we were focussed on our destination so I headed out of the train station to look for another way to get there. Bingo! I found a bus driver who told me there would be a bus leaving in 30 minutes. We made sure we were first in line to secure a spot for our bikes in the luggage compartment and then hopped onboard.

The Autostrada Messina-Palermo ascends quickly on an elevated concrete highway as it leaves Messina and then penetrates directly through the Peloritan mountains via the Galleria Baglio tunnels to emerge on the north side. The mountain slopes were all forested and it looked as though it would have been a great cycle through here. We arrived at the Milazzo bus station next to the ferry dock by 1:30, then strapped on our panniers and headed off to find some lunch on the way to our B&B near the Castello di Milazzo in the Borgo Antico district. The Panineria Mas fit the bill perfectly. They were doing a great lunchtime business and were churning out enticing sandwiches like a well oiled machine. Panini’s in hand, we wandered over to the park that borders the seashore and relaxed while we watched the boats buzzing back and forth from the port to the Aeolian Islands. Traditional fishing boats lined the rocky shoreline while the fresh fish, notably swordfish and tuna, is sold on street corners in the old town of Vaccarella just behind us.

Traditional boats, still used today, are pulled up on the rocky shore.

We made our way uphill towards the castle overlooking Milazzo to find our B&B owner out on the street waiting for us. He was concerned we would not be able to find his B&B because it’s located on a street that’s actually a large wide stairway. We were welcomed through heavy wooden doors into the gorgeous home of Antonio and Claudia, located in an old building that they have beautifully and tastefully renovated. Antonio gave us some suggestions of where we could eat dinner and recommended we see the castle which was at the top of the stairs outside the B&B. What he didn’t tell us was there would be a live band playing outside his B&B tonight to celebrate the National Holiday.

The cat enjoys a good view from the roof of its garden villa.

After a cat-nap and a shower we headed for the castle, the Castello di Milazzo located in a fortress at the summit of Capo Milazzo. The site is spread over an area of 7 hectares with 360 degree view: the Gulf of Patti to the west, the Gulf of Milazzo to the east and the Peloritan and Nebrodi mountains to the south. There is evidence of this site being populated as far back as 4000 BC and being such a strategic location, it’s been the location of centuries of struggle. As of 1880, the castle became a prison and in WWI it was used as a prison camp for Austro-Hungarian soldiers. The history told today at the castle is of its use during the fascist period as a place of detention for those convicted of political crimes. It was chilling to learn the prison remained open until 1970. A restoration campaign was started in 1991 and today it is a National Monument that's used for the occasional cultural event.

View back to the Milazzo Refinery and ferry terminals to the Aeolian Islands.

View to the north tip of the cape, overlooking the Gulf of Patti.

The Old Cathedral of Milazzo, construction began in 1607.

Facing the west wall of the duomo is an abandoned outdoor theatre with a stage and seating for several hundred. The trees and shrubs have grown up and through the structure so it appears to have been untouched for well over 10 years.

I can only describe passing through the arched door into the citadel as other worldly. Without knowing its history but just knowing it has a long and tumultuous story that my mind cannot grasp, I feel privileged to walk where the past inhabitants have trod. One becomes quiet with wonder in places like this.

We made our way to a small bar not far from our B&B for a drink before dinner. Of course we would have had dinner right away, but they don’t really begin serving before 8pm. So, beer it is. As we sat outside the restaurant, cars began pulling up and inching past us on the tiny alley towards the citadel. It was really too small a road to drive on, so some parked and the stylishly dressed couples walked past us to make their way to what we presumed was a wedding photo shoot. I was ready to jump up and catch the women several times as they picked their way over the large uneven cobbles in their stilettos and narrow chunky heels.

Eventually, we were seated for dinner at the only open restaurant in the old town. We both ordered pasta and as always it was sublime. We both have a long history with pasta (we lived on spaghetti and fettuccine so we could come up with a down payment for our house), but this experience takes pasta to a new universe. I can’t wait to get home and delve into this amazing new culinary awareness.

We’re always the first ones in the restaurant it seems!

This is maccheroni alla norma. Just sublime.

It was a beautiful evening as we strolled back uphill to our B&B at about 10pm. We both fell asleep quite easily even though we hadn’t done much cycling today. By about 11pm, we began to hear music. The first thing that comes to mind in these situations is whether it’s ‘good’ music, live music. If it's live and it’s good, is it worth waking up and getting up to join the party? I hated to miss a live band but we were both sufficiently zonked that we couldn’t budge, so we drifted in and out of sleep until about 2am when it went quiet. In the morning we were surprised to learn that the party had taken place in front of the B&B, only about 30’ from our room! The thick walls in this centuries old building really insulated the sound well. Antonio, his wife and daughter met us in the morning for breakfast at 8am and by that time everything was completely cleaned up and there was no evidence there’d even been a party. So civilized!

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Today's ride: 10 km (6 miles)
Total: 763 km (474 miles)

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