This year for the Christmas holiday we met up with the Norman family in Italy, where we had chosen Sicily as none of us had been there before. We flew directly from 3 fantastic days visiting Jen, Chris, Susanne, and the kids at their gorgeous new home in Thousand Oaks, California.
On day 1 we arrived to Palermo, got loads of food for dinner, and enjoyed a night in at our amazing penthouse right in downtown. The Sicilians were quite excited about New Year’s Eve so the fireworks were literally already starting.
Overall the town was super festive, with endless streets of beautifully strung lights, and everyone out and about in their winter parkas (we thought it was pretty warm!).
On day 2 we explored Palermo, walking through a very busy street market to get to the Norman Castle (obviously had to check that out!), a highlight of which was the very gold-lined Cattedrale Di Cefalù and pretty outdoor gardens. A simple (but of course delicious) lunch on square next to Palermo Cathedral rounded out the afternoon. The kids climbed on the walls and played in the cathedral gardens, while the waiter yelled our orders to the upstairs window where the kitchen was.
In the late afternoon we went wine tasting out in the countryside at Quattrocieli. The hostess was informative and charming (I learned so much about the actual process of making the wine). The kids (and, who and I kidding, I) spent a lot of time admiring and trying to pet the many cats. At the end we got to each bottle our own small bottle.
The third day we took a private tour to the countryside town of Corleone with Umberto. Admittedly I’ve never seen The Godfather, and David isn’t a huge fan, but Chad is and a countryside tour is never a bad thing. The countryside was indeed gorgeous and we learned a lot of history about mafia (I had no idea exactly had dangerous it had been in Italy) and their impact on Italy. After stopping for a photo op of the town before we drove in, we then proceeded for a tour at the Godfather’s house an absolutely unforgettable tour guide. This man was a retired professional bike racer who purchased the home and made it into a museum over the last decade. He was incredibly enthusiastic and his mastery of the English language (syllables and volume in particular) is difficult to describe without sounds liking I am making fun of him, which I would not do because he certainly speaks much better English than I speak Italian! Worth every penny.
Next Umberto took us to get delicious cannoli from its birthplace (they fry and stuff them in front of you, using real ricotta) in a very old-fashioned shop that seemed to sell cannoli and dusty bottles, and was certainly not tourist-centric.
From there we drove to Monreale up above Palermo and had a great lunch, explored its cathedral, and took in the amazing view of Palermo and the Tyrrhenian Sea.
That evening I took a nice long walk around the Marina on my own and then the grownups went out for a fancy dinner at L’Ottava Nota minus the kids (and thank God because it was a 4-hour meal in a quiet place that they would NOT have enjoyed).
On the fourth day, we again explored Palermo, starting with breakfast from market (healthy pizza, cannoli, and fruit that Chad mightily overpaid for). The market was incredibly hectic, with shouting vendors, mopeds dashing through, and so very many fish of different types. We then actually explored the main cathedral (which had the most detailed and mechanized nativity scene I’ve ever seen) and just enjoyed walking around. After yet another delicious lunch at a charming street-side outdoor location, we walked around the Marina all together, where everyone (adults included) showed off our cartwheels.
Dinner that evening was very special. We all did a cooking course at Francesca’s. Francesca was an actual Italian grandmother who teaches cooking classes to tourists. She was delightful and welcoming, and everyone had an amazing time learning to make 3 different pastas and sauces together. Also very thoughtful, it was all vegetarian, she had GF for Sue, and she was so patient with the children. I was particularly touched by how much Will enjoyed it, and how he told her!
The fifth day was New Year’s Eve. We drove out to the Temple of Segesti. It was a truly glorious day - blue skies, perfect temperature. Unfortunately for the ancient Grecian relics, but fortunately for us, there were no restrictions so we all had a blast climbing around on millenia-old ruins, followed up by yet another good lunch in a nearby town.
We celebrated NYE quietly at the apartment and I only made it to midnight because there were SO MANY FIREWORKS 360-around the rooftop patios.
The final day in Palermo we tried to go to the beach (apparently the “beauty” side of the island is the south side) but the kids (and, let’s be honest, I did as well) enjoyed throwing rocks into the sea and building things.
From there it was a stunning drive up to the walled village of Erice. Erice itself was enshrouded in fog, which, along with the New Year’s Day relative lack of tourists, gave it a ghostly feel. We wandered the narrow streets, shivering, and were not able to find any restaurant that would seat us (this is when we learned that Sicilians all go out for a big family meal on Jan 1!) so we quickly ate some sandwiches and fries outdoors and tried not to take it personally. The town was beautiful, but in spite of the fact that tourism is likely what keeps it alive, they certainly weren’t the friendliest Sicilians we met.
We grownups finished up the day by heading out for nearby drinks and enjoying the evening vibe of the city. Sue and David continued to bond over their love of the aperol spritz, while Chad and I disdainfully judged their poor taste.
On day 7 we flew back to Rome, had a good lunch overlooking the Coliseum, explored said Coliseum, and then randomly ate Hot Pot for dinner (kids had pizza of course, which they declared the “best they’d ever had.”).
We bid the Norman family “ciao” and on the final morning we explored the Pantheon ourselves (learned so much on that tour!) before heading home.
Overall Sicily was a big win. Everyone was so friendly and it is absolutely beautiful but I do not understand how a culture so interested in beauty leaves such vast quantities of trash everywhere. Every street and roadway and sidewalk was just filled with debris. It made Rome look pristine (and I remember previously thinking Rome was very dirty). Also the driving in Sicily was insane - essentially like a video game with no evident rules of the road. I’m pretty sure the kids ate their body weight in gelato, and we probably drank ours in wine.
Next time - beaches and volcanoes!
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