May 15, 2007

Hello from Sicily: My Last Day in Catania

My three week language learning adventure in Sicily had officially come to an end: my last full day on this island had arrived. My explorations in the Milazzo area were over and early in the morning I started packing my suitcase and organizing myself. Around 10 am I went straight downstairs to the offices of Laboratorio Linguistico, the language school where I had spent the last 10 days, which included a once-in-a-lifetime experience of sailing around the Eolian Islands off the coast of Sicily. I thanked and said goodbye to Francesca, Sonia and Franco, a few of the team members who had made my stay here so pleasant.

Milazzo's modern church

Then I was already late for my bus to Messina from where I would need to catch another bus or a train to Catania, the second largest city in Sicily. The bus ride was comfortable and let me catch another glimpse of the verdant north coast of the island. We drove down the hills towards the downtown of Messina, the third largest urban area of Sicily and one of the island’s main port cities. Ferries run from here across the Straight of Messina to Villa San Giovanni and Reggio di Calabria on the Italian mainland. At the narrowest point the Straight of Messina is only 3 km wide.

Classicist architecture in Catania

Like most places in Sicily, Messina looks back on thousands of years of history. It was founded by Greek colonists as a city called Messene in the 8th century B.C. Many civilizations followed suit: the Mamertines, Carthaginians, Romans, Goths, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Spanish and the French. Messina is said to have been the port of entry of the Black Death when a Genoese ship arrived on a journey from Palestine in 1347.

Baroque splendor in Catania

Messina’s biggest chapter in history arrived on December 28, 1908 when an earthquake leveled the city almost completely. About 60,000 people were killed and most of the ancient architecture was destroyed. During World War II Messina experienced massive bombardments by the American Air Force. Today the city’s main economic driving force is the port and surrounding areas feature extensive cultivations of citrus fruits, vegetables and wine.

A view of Mount Etna from the train

I unfortunately did not have time to explore Messina. Upon arrival I decided that I would take a train instead of a bus to Catania and walked a few hundred meters to the train station. I generally prefer trains over buses since you have a lot more space and can get up and walk around. A few minutes later I had my ticket (which had cost just a few Euros) and was ready for my two-hour train trip to Catania. I settled in comfortably and rolled past some of the places I had gotten to know so well: Mazzaro, Taormina, Isola Bella and Giardini Naxos came into view. Mount Etna made an appearance and provided a solid cone-shaped anchor in a fertile spring landscape.

Fountain next to Catania's train station

Around mid-afternoon I arrived at Catania and found directions to my abode for the last day: Holland International is a very simple hotel located about 10 minutes from the train station, an affordable budget accommodation which was going to be good enough for the night. From the Train Station at Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII I pulled my suitcase to Via Vittorio Emanuele where I found an imposing baroque building with an interior courtyard. Holland International is located at the back of the courtyard up the stairs. I briefly talked to the owner, who is originally from Holland, and he gave me the keys to my simple 35 Euro room. Basically furnished with a shared bathroom down the hallway, this room would do the trick for tonight. He also provided me with instructions of how to get to the bus stop for the airport bus tomorrow morning.

Catania, a city of baroque buildings

Located at the foot of Mount Etna, Catania has been buried seven times throughout history and the remains of the Ancient Greek and Roman Cities can still be found in layers underneath today’s city. Many of the buildings are baroque and Catania has many imposing churches and palaces.

The Teatro Massimo Bellini, made of two-coloured stone

I dumped my luggage and started on my exploration of Catania. I started walking the along the major thoroughfare and cut into some side streets where I found the famous Teatro Massimo Bellini. The composer Vincenzo Bellini was born in this city, and this theatre, inaugurated in 1890 and highly renowned, was named after him.

Hidden courtyards

My stroll continued and I had a peek into some of the hidden courtyards. The streets were fairly narrow and people were congregating in the streets to chat and do various chores. On this rather hot day I was looking to cool off and desperately wanted to find some green space to sit down and relax in. The houses in Catania are built very closely together and there are hardly any trees or small parks to be found. I was fortunate though and located Giardino Bellini, the city’s largest park. Its elevated terraces feature beautiful city views and a central Art Nouveau band stand anchors a public place that features refreshment booths and benches along the edge. Looking north I caught a great glimpse at the imposing silhouette of Mount Etna.

The bandstand in the Giardino Bellini

After a brief rest I walked down some stairs, past the Teatro Metropolitano, to Via Etnea, Catania’s largest shopping street. On this rather expansive thoroughfare, designer store after designer store are located next to one another and the locals are busy shopping. On the Piazza Stesicoro, an extensive public space with many vending booths, I walked eastwards past a row of modern buildings back to the train station. There I decided to just hop into a local bus and see where it might take me.

Eastward view from the Giardino Bellini

I love to use public transport in any foreign city because you get a real flavour of the people and you cover more ground than walking. It’s a great and affordable sightseeing tool. Seniors were returning from shopping, office workers were on their way home and teenagers were enjoying their freedom and playing rambunctious games on the bus. The ride took me through downtown, on Via Etnea into the residential areas in the foothills of Mount Etna, where there was a bit more space between the houses. Trees and shrubs were starting to make an appearance and it felt that there was more breathing room compared to the narrow grid of streets downtown. About an hour and a half later I hopped off the bus and found a nice little table in a café right opposite the Teatro Bellini. I had a light snack and enjoyed watching the passers-by from my little perch in front of this historic theatre.

Fountain at the eastern entrance of the Giardino Bellini

Rather exhausted from my many days of adventures I decided to retreat back to my hotel room and get organized for my 6:20 am departure tomorrow morning. I downloaded my pictures and went through the photos that I had shot over the last three weeks and thought that Sicily is a true feast for the senses. This extended Italian language study trip was definitely worth it: from my first 8 days in beautiful Taormina and my excursions to Siracusa and my drive around Mount Etna to my 7 days on a sailboat, cruising through the Eolian Islands, to my local discoveries around Milazzo, Cefalu and the Nebrodi Mountains, I concluded that Sicily is definitely one of the most diverse and beautiful places I have ever visited. I’ll be back for sure…

Interesting and useful books about Sicily:

seful links:
Sicily Tourist Information
Eolian Islands Tourist Information
Laboratorio Linguistico Italian Language School

Related articles:

My Italian language learning adventure in Sicily in 2007
Hello from Sicily: Arrival in Taormina
Hello from Sicily: An interview with the Sciglio family from Hotel Villa Nettuno
Hello from Sicily: A hike to Castelmola and a taste of Sicily
Hello from Sicily: An excursion to ancient Siracusa
Hello from Sicily: A leisurely Sunday at Isola Bella
Hello from Sicily: Language studies in Taormina and a walking tour
Hello from Sicily: A country driving tour around beautiful Mount Etna
Hello from Sicily: A private lecture about Sicily and the Mafia
Hello from Sicily: A Sicilian cooking class in Taormina
Hello from Sicily: A hike up Mount Etna a few days after an eruption
Hello from Sicily: Goodbye Taormina - Hello Milazzo
Hello from Sicily: Starting my sailing trip through the Eolian Islands
Hello from Sicily: Discoveries of Lipari and Salina
Hello from Sicily: A driving tour of Salina and Italian studies on a patio
Hello from Sicily: Explorations of Stromboli, featuring an active volcano
Hello from Sicily: Beautiful Panarea and a nice dinner in Lipari
Hello from Sicily: A driving tour of Lipari and arrival at Vulcano
Hello from Sicily: Conquering Vulcano and a final dinner in Milazzo
Hello from Sicily: Discovering Milazzo, its long history and architecture
Hello from Sicily: An excursion by train to the medieval treasure of Cefalu
Hello from Sicily: Discoveries in the Nebrodi Mountains
Hello from Sicily: My final day in Catania
Presenting: The Babilonia Italian Language School in Taormina
Presenting: The Laboratorio Linguistico Italian Langauge School in Milazzo