Italy and Germany 2012: Agrigento to Azitrezza through Syracuse

Got an early start from Agrigento. After driving through near rocky desert yesterday to get here we immediately came upon a very fertile section of Sicily. Lots of crops covered in plastic igloos, look like tomatoes, cabbages, lettuce that sort of thing. Of course there are acres and acres of vineyards as well. Still very mountainous and rocky but most of the country here is farming and city.

Lots of things seem unique to Sicily. There are hundreds of abandoned building sites, most of these have concrete floors/walls and the roof is on many but there hasn’t been any work done on them for what looks like 5 years. Scaffolding is rusty and fences have collapsed. Some of these sites have million dollar views overlooking beaches even. Lots of farm houses have been abandoned for what looks like 50 years. We figure the farmers live in the towns and drive out to the farms.

Still there is rubbish everywhere, all along the sides of roads and around houses. They don’t seem very house proud at all.

Went to Syracuse today and had a look at the Greek theatre and quarry, very interesting. Driving out of Syracuse and Mt Etna dominates the horizon from about 100 kilometres away. We can see steam coming from the crater. Our B&B is at Azitrezza which is about 20 kilometres from the base on the sea side. Hope Mt Etna contains itself for a couple of nights at least.

We settled in and the owner told us we were 5 minutes walk from the beach, no problem. Walked down and got a bit of a surprise. We should have realized, because everything around here is black volcanic rock from Mt Etna; the beach is volcanic rock and they have structures to get you over the rocks and into the water. Everyone wears rubber soled shoes so they don’t slip on the rocks. No swimming for us!!

Got ripped off at tea. We went into a restaurant and there was a group coming in at the same time. The owner thought we were one of the group and told us what we were eating. We had our tea in minutes – hot beer, half a litre of warm white wine, cold baked fish, soggy chips and a salad consisting of two leaves of lettuce sliced. Listening to the conversation it appears the group we walked in with had booked for 4pm and it was now 6pm. They all complained and got better service, we weren’t game and didn’t know the language so we ate it and got slugged 50 euro. We decided we’ll never go back!!!!

Plastic igloos full of vegetables.

Acres and acres of vineyards.

Lots of stone fences, like being in Ireland except the grass is a little browner here.

Abandoned building sites, a regular site in Sicily.

At the mouth of the Greek quarry at Syracuse.

Pam NOT going in any further!!!!

Made it out...is Italy...is no worry!!!!!

Lucky that didn't fall......

At the Greek theatre in Syracuse.

Greek theatre from the stage. You may be able to see a couple of people top left.

From the side. There are those bloody tourists again on the right.


We went over this viaduct near Modica on the way to Azitrazza. We couldn't get a photo so I pinched these from Mr.Google. Driving over it made the stomach churn!!