We have traded the simple life at the agriturismo for the jet-set life of glitzy Taormina. Taormina is a chic little town on the Northeast coast of Sicily that has been a playground of celebrities from the days of Oscar Wilde, Greta Garbo, and Tennessee Williams. And now it’s our turn.

We will be here for one month so have a chance to really settle in. We are starting out in a small hotel overlooking the sea – the Villa Carlotta. I had read about it in a fiction book and loved that it worked out we could stay a few days here.

And they have been wonderful. After having to be so self-sufficient on the boat, we could hardly believe our luck when they whisked us up to their rooftop bar for a glass of wine while the bellman carried our bags up the hill and up the stairs to our room. They didn’t even blink an eye at our basil plant.

We have a fabulous view of the sea and of the big volcano, Mount Etna – we can even see the smoke from our balcony. We have a little kitchenette, so have done some cooking, but also have housekeeping and even a pool! After almost 6 months of apartments, this is a real treat – we are reveling in being pampered – even if just for a few days.

Later this week, we move into a more spacious (and more self-catering) apartment that we rented through VRBO. We love living like locals and the “everyday” life – but this week, we are having fun just being tourists.

We sadly said farewell to the Aeolian Islands and the Sailing Vessel Enrica. We had a 35-mile crossing back to “mainland” Sicily with no wind, but it was quiet and gave us a chance to transition back to shore life.

We had a lay day before our next destination, so I booked us into an agriturismo in the nearby Nebrodie mountains. Italy has a program where local farms can earn extra subsidies by hosting guests. The requirement is that the farm really must be a working farm – not a hotel. These can range from an extra room in the farmer’s house to more upscale villas, but they usually offer a few less “frills” than regular lodgings. You will probably not find a champagne bar or spa – after all, this is a farm first.

Off the Boat

We had to be off the boat my 9 am. We packed, cleaned, and had our check-out with the boat base. By the time we hauled all of our stuff down the plank, up the floating dock, and down the very long concrete pier, we were hot and exhausted. Since we are going to an apartment after this, we decided to take our grocery bags of leftover toilet paper, wine, and pasta. Plus we still have Mirella’s olive oil and had acquired a basil plant from the fruit cart man in Lipari. We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies.

Our taxi picked us up for the 12-mile journey. We quickly left the sea behind and rode straight up, up, up. Before we knew it, the air had cooled, and we could see tiny villages precariously perched on the mountainside. We pulled into our agriturismo and into another world.

Casali di Margello

We had stepped into a magical place. The farm dates back several generations and was centered around an olive press. The current owners inherited the farm from her grandfather and opened the agriturismo in 2000. They have won international awards for sustainability and create their own electricity through solar power, have their own system to capture water, and grow their own crops, oranges, lemons, and olives. They also have sheep, goats, and the famous black Nebrodie pigs (I have read about these in the guidebook).

The owners turned the outbuildings, dating from the 1800s into 10 spacious rooms, which are very nice and all have their own entrances and lots of privacy. There are little nooks and crannies everywhere to read or just enjoy the view, along with a pool that overlooks the mountainside villages in the distance. And there is no WIFI except at one spot in the center of things – we called it “The WIFI Chair.”  So – it was an excellent chance to really unplug and relax.

At first we didn’t know what to do with outselves. After all the rushing around – sailing back, getting the boat back in order, and packing, we were at a loss. No schedule, nothing to do, and no WIFI. So we went exploring. Soon we found Chiccho, who has worked on the farm for 45 years. He was off to feed the pigs, so we followed him. We approached a fence – seeing nothing – and he called out in a sing-song voice. Soon a black head popped out of the trees and a gigantic black hog thundered toward the fence, followed by more. Chiccho kept singing and then a teeny black head peeked out tentatively, followed by about a dozen little piglets all in a line. Chiccho said they were 2-weeks to 2-months old.

We spent most of the afternoon by the pool, swimming and reading. We were the only guests, but soon others showed up from their day-trip travels. Supper was at 8 pm for all (and no lunch), so we were suddenly thankful for our grocery bags so we could rustle up crackers, bread sticks, and white wine for a late lunch poolside. Not bad.

And cena (dinner) was worth the wait – all fresh and organic and grown within the 50 hectare farm. Antipasti included 10 small plates – mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, tarts, cheese, salami, and more. Then fresh-made pasta with a ragu of the famous Nebrodie black pig (hopefully not the ones we had just met!). Then involtini – we’re not sure, but we think maybe goat – rolled in buttered breadcrumbs and lightly fried. Delicous. And fruit and homemade cream puffs for dessert. (And all of this included in our nightly stay.)

Relaxation

It is morning. We have just had colazione (breakfast) back at the main house. I am sitting with an espresso on a sofa next to the old olive oil press. We have a driver picking us up at 1 pm to take us back down to civilization. But we will savor these last few hours of peaceful bliss up on the mountain.

P.S. Sent from our next destination – as I was so relaxed that I never made it to the WIFI chair!

The WIFI Chair

We love the Island of Salina so much that we are still here. It is so peaceful and relaxing. We have noticed that many of the other boats that come with the intention of an overnight also are still here!

Around the Island

We decided to take a look at the rest of the island today. There is a company that rents out teeny rental cars, and visitors take them all over.

Our first stop was Pollaro, which is where “Il Postino” was filmed – breathtaking views over the water, with boats anchored below.

Then on to Rinella – also on the water with a black sand beach. We drove from down from the top of the mountain to the end of the road that stopped at the sea. There was a giant dock with no one around, so we parked there and walked up into the town for a casual lunch. When we returned, the whole scene had changed – the once-a-week ferry was heading our way and toward our car! Frank ran down and consulted with the mooring men, who shrugged and said “Va Bene” (it’s ok). Whew.

And The Most Interesting Beach

We had heard there was a good beach in the town of Malfa and followed the signs to “Spiagga” (beach). The road dead-ended at some curved stone stairs, with no water in sight. So we parked and cautiously walked down. The stairs curved more and eventually opened onto a path that seemed to be carved out of the volcanic rock, then sharply descended even further. Still, we could not see, but by this time were very curious.

Finally, we turned a corner and saw the most impressive and remote all-stone beach with a little tiki hut tucked into the rocks. We weren’t sure that the beach itself looked all that comfortable – those were some big rocks. But we ordered drinks, found a shady spot in the tiki bar, and wiled away the afternoon.

Next Up – Sail Back to Sicily for a Night on the Farm

A quick update on the highlight of our day – Frank finally caught a fish – and we all witnessed it!

As I wrote before, Frank has been diligently trying to fish from the boat. He consults the local bait shop and tries out new types of fish, bread, and cheese every day – even rice cakes (which the fish liked, but were hard to put on the hook). He also walks up and down the dock talking to anyone else who is interested in fish. They all scratch their heads and come up with new theories in a variety of language – Italian, German, and French. (I am beginning to see how NASA collaboration must have worked to come up with solutions to get to the moon.)

He has been using our “day old” bread but today decided to use the good stuff. It worked like a charm. While he was still eating a roll himself, he caught a barracuda! I rushed up to take a picture. The guys on the boat next to us were appropriately impressed – especially that it was a barracuda.

So he tried again and again – and caught even bigger barracuda, although they fell off the hook in the end. He drew quite an audience. Here he is telling them all about the “big” fish that just got away.

We are on the move again – this time to the Island of Salina. This was a much easier passage – only 10 miles and no wind. So we motored, but the day was beautiful, with very nice scenery.

We docked fine, although our plank set-up is a little trickier than in Lipari.

And we are next to some cruisers – on either side of us – who live in Scotland and Ireland respectively, but keep their boats in Malta. They are cruising around Sicily this summer. We were super jealous, but they told us their dream is to cruise the Chesapeake. I guess the water is always “bluer” on the other side.

Santa Marina

Salina was formed from two extinguished volcanos and has fresh-water springs, so has a lush landscape. Santa Marina, the main town where we are docked, has white-washed houses, lots of cute shops, and very good restaurants. The guidebook say the island is built on the fortunes of wine families that produce the Malvasia wine for which the island is famous.

It is very quiet and sophisticated, but in a laid-back way. It is our favorite so far.

Trek to the Beach

In what is becoming our own small world, we ran into our former dockmate – the captain of the boat that took us to Stromboli. He was taking a group to Salina. He told us about his favorite restaurant in the next town over. Since we now consider ourselves pseudo-hikers, we decided to just walk. It was 3 kilometers (although hilly), but on a good road, rather than through volcanic ash. So seemed easy!

Lingua is at the end of the road and obviously THE PLACE to spend a Sunday afternoon. It is on the water with a rocky beach and lined with casual dining places. We went to the captain’s favorite and had the best squid we have ever had – stuffed with breadcrumbs, garlic, and parsley and then cooked in Malvasia wine. We topped off our lunch at a place that we read is famous all over Italy for its granite – a slushy ice drink. I had mandorla (almond) – my new favorite – they have lots of almond trees in Sicily so very fresh. Delicious and perfect for the hike back.

Everyday Life

Today, we are taking it easy and catching up on boat chores. I am working, we are doing laundry, and Frank is running errands in town.

And – I am very happy to report that FRANK DID CATCH A FISH! He has visited the local bait store wherever we are every single day to try something new and has consulted with every fisherman he sees. Everyone else on the seawall stops by to chat, so all the other boats have been rooting for him. On the big day, he was so excited that he woke up at 6:30 – so unfortunately no one was able to witness the catch, since we were all asleep. But I asked him to recreate it in the picture below – “How big was it?”

So that is life on the Sailing Vessel Enrica.

Today we visited another island – Vulcano. As its name implies, it has an active volcano. You can climb to the edge of the crater and see the lava bubbling up. We decided to take the ferry over and give it a try. However, after our last experience – climbing to the pizzeria on Stromboli through the ankle-deep volcanic ash, we lost our enthusiasm the closer we got. Did we really need to climb the volcano?

As we were walking toward the trail and giving each other pep talks – “we can do this, we WANT to do this” – we saw a roadside stand renting out hiking boots and walking sticks. Not a good sign. Then we saw a group trudge into town – with their hiking boots and walking sticks – and NO smiles. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. As we walked further, we saw another roadside stand – Paolo’s – that featured dune buggies. We looked at each other, smiled, and knew we’d found our afternoon’s entertainment.

And we had a fabulous time! We rented a little red two-seater that was very loud (Frank says it had a lawnmower engine) and very jerky, but it took us where we needed to go. Our first stop was to fill up with fuel – it runs on benzene, believe it or not. Paolo had given us a rudimentary map, so we took off and explored the island. We drove around the volcanic crater and up and around to the other side before spying a trattoria literally in the middle of nowhere that Paolo had recommended. We stopped for lunch and met a wonderful couple who were born on Vulcano but live part of the year in Australia – they come back in summer to open the restaurant. We had the place to ourselves – with breathtaking sea views and very fresh fish.

We also ventured past the mud baths, where sulphur bubbles up from the earth (part of the volcano) – people flock to them to wallow in the mud and rinse off in the sea. However, it is slightly radioactive, so there are lots of warnings – I decided I had had enough radiation for one year, so we skipped that part.

We ended at a spot that overlooked all the islands – an incredible view. Wow.

The longer we stay in Sicily, the more we have learned – Don’t try to “do” Sicily – let Sicily “do” you. Be open to new experiences. It is ok not check off all the “must do” items in the guidebook – sometimes you just have to go off the grid and have a little fun.

Well, we haven’t just been climbing volcanos and eating in fancy restaurants. We also have to live our everyday lives – even in the islands.

I have set up my home office in the galley of the boat. I have a huge desk, WIFI, and all of my regulations. If I have a conference call, I move to the v-berth so it’s quiet. No one seems to care that I am calling in from Sicily.

While I am working, my husband is equally industrious in his endeavors – fishing! There are huge fish under the dock, so Frank is on a quest to catch one (which he will throw back – IF he is successful). To achieve this goal, he sought out the local fishermen for advice, looked up on the Internet how to say “bait” in Italian (“esca”) and practiced it over and over, walked into town to buy “esca”, and, when stymied, had further debates with the local fishermen as to the reasons why. It takes all day – he says these Sicilian fish are particularly clever.

We also have done laundry (alas, in the sink, not in a washer) – but it dries very quickly when clothes-pinned to the lifelines.

And have done some marketing, thanks to a local man who comes by the dock with fresh fruits and vegetables (see our latest haul at the top). We even have bought a basil plant so we can have fresh basilico on our pasta. We feel like true Sicilians!

We had another adventure – to the Island of Stomboli, which is famous for its volcano that erupts every 20 minutes! We saw and heard it.

Door-to-Door Service

We were incredibly lucky to be docked next to an excursion boat that takes tourists to various islands. The boat usually picks up ticket-holders at the town marina, but we got to know the captain, who invited us to just hop on board right from our boat. We could ride with him to the town marina to pick up the tourists. We would spend the day visiting the Islands of Panarea and Stromboli – all for just 35 Euro each. Wow!

So we climbed over the lifelines and onto the tour boat and set off. We got to town and went for coffee while we waited for the tourists, feeling very “yachtie.” I had my sail dress, boat shoes, and pink Lily Pulitzer bag.

Well, we got back to the tour boat and everyone aboard had boots, backpacks, and walking sticks. We were on a tour to CLIMB the volcano! Needless to say, we felt a little overdressed. (We did make sure that it was ok to just hang out in Stromboli – we didn’t actually have to climb – whew.)

Panarea

That boat sped off and about 45 minutes later, we were approaching a beautiful cove with rock formations and a beach. The captain flung a rope over a rock, and we enjoyed the view, while some people swam. (It was pretty cold, so we just stayed onboard.)

Then we headed to the Island of Panarea. This is the most exclusive of the Aeoilian Islands and where the celebrities all come in the summer. They say the mega-yachts line up, and there is a heli-port for those without a yacht. Our captain announced we had 2 hours to explore. There were only about 20 of us on our little boat, so a perfect shore excursion.

It was lunchtime, so Frank and I spied a restaurant overlooking the water that looked just the place. We had mussels with limone and fritte misto (mixed fried calamari, alice, and shrimp), washed down with Sicilian white wine. With a breathtaking view. It was very romantic.

Stromboli

But we were still waiting for the highlight – the big volcano. Our hikers were getting serious now – changing into other gear, eating their Power Bars, and checking their bags. We blissfully basked in the sunlight.

We docked, and the hikers set out with their guide, who distributed hard hats and flashlights – we were VERY happy we had opted out of the hike. The captain said to meet him back in 4 hours. I had read about a pizzeria that was supposedly a short, easy walk from town but overlooked the volcano. It seemed a good solution – all the view without the work – and pizza too!

We set out and walked. And walked. And walked. We walked past a beach with black sand from the lava and by signs that showed the evacuation route in case of a tsunami (which apparently can happen after an bad eruption).

Soon the road ended and we were on a black road made out of volcanic ash. We climbed up. And up. And up. By this time, Frank was so exasperated that he wasn’t speaking, except to ask me if this really was the right road. I kept thinking (hoping) the pizzeria was around the next corner, but it never was. Finally, a tiny van hurdled up the hill, and we flagged it down to ask. It turns out it was from the restaurant, so we hopped in for the rest of the way.

I have to say, even thought the road was quite a climb (and a messy climb at that since we were in boat shoes ankle deep in volcanic ash) – the restaurant did have a view right up to the volcano. We could hear the rumble and then see the smoke pour out. I think even Frank would admit it was worth our troubles – but we did get the van to take us back down.

Our Own Private Fireworks Show

We returned to the boat, and our captain had a special outing planned, since we were not hiking. He took us around to the other side of the island, turned off the lights, and then poured us a glass of the favorite local wine – Malvasia – a sweet dessert wine. We were the only boat in sight. Then we waited. About 10 minutes later, we heard the rumble and then saw the most spectacular red fireworks display as the volcano erupted right in front of us. Incredible!  (Unfortunately, we were so mesmerized that we didn’t take any pictures.)

It took us almost two hours to get home, since we had to pick up the hikers and then drop everyone off at the town dock before going back to our home port. It was midnight before we got back to the boat. We were tired, but couldn’t believe our amazing day.

Today was our first sail in Sicily. Our destination was the Island of Lipari, one of the Aeolian Islands off the Northeast coast of Sicily – about 30 nautical miles from the boat base, partly in open water.

We had seen a windy weather forecast early in the week, but the revised forecast had the winds more manageable. So we set out and immediately noticed lumpy seas of about 3 feet. OK – we could handle. Then the seas built a little more – 5 feet. Not as fun, but still ok. Soon, we were in 6-8 feet waves with the wind climbing to the lower 20s. We were experiencing the famous “Aeolian Triangle.” There really is such a thing – apparently the weather here is notorious for being wrong and wind comes out of nowhere. After all – these islands are named for Aeolus – the God of Winds, who was first recorded in Homer’s Odyssey for giving Odysseus the contrary winds tied up in a bag. Odysseus’ curious crew opened the bag, which released the winds and blew their boat off course.

Well, we hunkered down and plowed through. We put up a tiny bit of mainsail to try to steady ourselves and both felt a little seasick at times (which has never happened). We munched on rice cakes and apples.

Eventually we made our way to the lee of the Island of Vulcano to get away from the swells, but then had to turn north directly into the wind, which at this time was gusting to 30. Later, we read a (non-sailing) guidebook that said “seeing Vulcano by boat is both dramatic and exhilarating.” We certainly agree! (The pictures of Frank above and below are around Vulcano.)

But eventually we spied our destination – yay! We called the marina who sent a guy out in a pushboat to greet us and lead us in – whew.

Med Moor

In Europe, they do not have pilings or finger piers. Instead, boats back up to the dock or quay and either drop an anchor or pick up a “laid line” for the bow that is connected to the sea floor and then secure stern lines to the dock. That way the boats end up “cheek to cheek” with only their fenders between them. There is not a lot of room for error. We have done this many times while sailing with groups, but this would be our first time by ourselves. It is a lot to handle with just 2 so we were a little nervous.

I was at the helm. The first challenge is backing in. Carolina Girl is a dream to back, but this was a new boat that was much heavier – and in big winds. I flipped her around and started backing toward the slip. The pushboat helped a little, but I managed to get in straight, right next to a boat with two people onboard worriedly holding fenders for us. But we were fine and never came close to touching. I threw my first stern line, while Frank grabbed the laid line from the dock and hurried to the bow to secure it. Then we did the same with the second line. We made it!

We took stock of our surroundings. We are in a very sheltered spot – Porto Pignataro – about a half-mile from the main town of Lipari. There is a bus that runs every 15 minutes, or it’s a nice walk along the sea. There is no bathhouse, but there is a bar literally on the rocks by the water. We are happy and too tired to care. And there are lots of folks like us – sailors from all over the world to trade stories with about that infamous Aeolian Triangle. We feel right at home.

We are embarking on our biggest adventure yet – renting a sailboat in Sicily!

Frank and I hatched this plan over a year ago and started researching charter companies. We met a group – Kiriacoulis Yacht Charters – at the Annapolis boat show that had a few boats in Sicily and seemed just what we wanted. We chose a 40-foot Bavaria cruiser, which actually was one of their smaller boats. We knew it could be a bit of a challenge – Carolina Girl is 33 feet – but felt like we could handle if we talked through everything , even the tricky Mediterranean Mooring, where you back in to the dock with literally an inch between you and the boat next to you (more on that in the next blog).

Sant’Agata di Millitello

We ditched the rental car (whew) and hired a car service to take us to the boat base. The driver, who takes Americans all over Sicily, had never taken anyone to Porto Sant’Agata di Militello. We drove around a little before spying masts in the distance. We then nervously drove out onto a concrete pier lined with fishing boats (some looking a little derelict). There was a barricade with white tents beyond it and a mobile home-office. Frank got out to check and confirmed this was the place. Our driver looked a little worried about leaving us there, but I told her we would call if there was a problem.

We pulled our luggage through the barricade and under the tent (which had the bathhouse next to it, consisting of 2 port-o-potties). But the people were very nice. Frank and his wife Enrica help run the base and were welcoming and gracious.

Pranzo (Lunch)

Our boat wasn’t ready, so they arranged a local restaurant to pick us up for lunch – Pino’s. Soon a black Alfa Romeo drove down the long concrete pier, picked us up, and brought us to a chic restaurant right on the water. Pino himself said he would take care of us and brought out dish after dish of fresh fish, with an Asian flair. It was absolutely delicious. This was followed by a creamy lemon sorbet to cleanse our palates – it was so good that I suspect it may have contained a little limoncello as well.

Back at the Boat Base

When we returned to the boat base, we had been joined by a large group of Polish men also waiting for their boats – 18 of them on two catamarans. (You really can’t make these stories up.) We learned that the group has sailed together all over the world on their annual “guy’s weekend.” They were all ages and included (if we understood correctly) Poland’s Supreme Court Chief Justice and Attorney General, several lawyers, and a few doctors, one of whom is required to travel with the Chief Justice. They were a very merry bunch.

Finally, we boarded our boat and are getting checked out and provisioned. Thankfully, I had ordered water, wine, beer, bread, cheese, fruit, and a few supplies ahead of time because there is NO market (or anything else) nearby. So we will have to make do until we get somewhere to replenish.

So our adventure has begun! Next stop: The Island of Lipari