Our first port of call in Sicily was Trapani, a town on the western edge of the island. Mainly a place for us to catch up on sleep after the overnight passage from Sardinia, but it was also a good place to get my bike fixed – finally – even if it is now a single-geared bike, so I’ll have extra work on any cycle rides! Moving on, we spent a couple of days in the much quieter resort town of San Vito Lo Capo, taking the opportunity to eat some traditional Sicilian seafood dishes at the local restaurants.
The crystal clear waters tempted us in for a spot of swimming – but not for long: the water is still pretty chilly!
Next stop: the bustling, noisy city of Palermo. We moored up in the SiTiMar marina, greeted by Ben, the owner, who was incredibly friendly and helpful. For our first full day in Palermo we went sightseeing: there is a mix of great culture, from the cathedral to the Palace, and brash street markets, teeming with people and noise. We ate lunch in one of the markets, choosing titbits of Sicilian specialties, such as Arancini (flavoured fried rice balls), and stuffed squid.
On our second day Cate decided it was time to get fit, and went for a morning run, whilst I did the passage planning for our next sail. We found a big supermarket, so stocked up. More sightseeing in the day, then that evening we went out for a fantastic meal: the restaurant (L’ottava nota) is mentioned in the Michelin guide, and the food was definitely worthy of a Michelin star! Lots of delicate seafood – ceviche of shellfish and squid, tuna, raw scallops in a squid ink wrapper, and the inevitable extra amuse-bouche and petits-fours. Delicious, and a lovely way to finish our time in Palermo.
We are now moving on – tonight staying at anchor in Cefalu ready for a trip our to the Aeolian islands tomorrow, and hopefully a chance to see some active volcanos (although, hopefully, not to active)
