Sicily and Naples

Ep 17: Sicily & Naples

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In this episode, hosts Christopher and Ashleigh recap their time in Sicily and Naples during their trip to Italy.

Sicily

Some highlights from Sicily:

• They picked up a rental car in Catania which ended up being a larger SUV, making driving on narrow roads a challenge
• They stayed near the towns of Aci Castello and Aci Trezza on the Mediterranean coast
• They visited wineries on Mount Etna known for wines with volcanic minerality
• The beaches were rocky due to the volcanic landscape
• They saw the impressive Norman castle in Aci Castello built into the volcanic rock
• Food highlights included pistachio everything, fried rice balls called arancini, fish dishes, and stuffed pizza unique to the region
• They took a day trip to Taormina, a popular resort town with beautiful vistas and medieval architecture
• Hiking Mount Etna and seeing the active craters was a highlight

To book your own tour of Taormina or a Guided Volcano Hike, check out Viator!

Naples

In Naples, they experienced:

• Very crowded streets and a chaotic energy typical of the city
• Walking tours of historic churches and areas like the Spanish Quarter
• A pizza making class with a chef named Danielle where they learned techniques and enjoyed delicious appetizers
• Tasting fresh San Marzano tomatoes, a key ingredient in Neapolitan pizza
• Indulging in the cuoppo, a cone of mixed fried treats
• Visiting the archaeological site of Pompeii and seeing a city frozen in time from 79 A.D.

Overall, Ashleigh and Christopher found Naples to be one of their favorite destinations in Italy with incredible food, fascinating history, and an authentic energy. To book your own Neapolitan Pizza making class, check out Viator!

Wine Break

They sampled Juculano, a light, floral sparkling Catarratto wine from Nicosia Vineyards in Sicily that perfectly embodied the island. Christopher provided background on the IGT designation in Italy and why it allows for expressive winemaking.