Italy Dreams

Tag: Sicilia

  • Fun Facts About Scicli, Sicily–and What to Do When You Visit A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu

    A view of the hill homes near A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu in Scicli, Sicily, Italy.

    If you’re making your way around Val di Noto in southeastern Sicily in Italy and want a real cultural experience, make sure to visit A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu (The Cave Home of Don Carmelo) in Scicli.

    Here are a few fun facts about Scicli, followed by suggestions for your visit to A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu:

    –The town’s name is pronounced SHEEK-lee.

    –The population of Scicli is about 27,000.

    –Scicli is a 40- to 45-minute drive from the popular destination of Noto, Sicily.

    –Parts of the famous Italian show “Inspector Montalbano” were filmed in Scicli.

    –The town was hit badly by a 1693 earthquake, which also destroyed much of the Val di Noto (Noto Valley). The upside, however, is that the whole area rebuilt itself over the following century in the Sicilian Baroque style that makes Val di Noto so famous today.

    –It’s one of eight towns in the Val di Noto that’s been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    –Amazingly, the town dates back to the year 300 BCE.

    A simple breakfast in Scicli, Sicily.

    Scicli, Sicily: Our First Impressions

    I would have never considered visiting Scicli, not because of anything bad but I simply had not heard of it. However, a Sicily native mentioned it (it always pays to ask locals for advice), and the name caught my attention.

    I made my way there during my February 2026 visit to southeastern Sicily, which you can discover more about here. It was a 45-minute drive from my B&B in Noto, and there were some real twists and turns on the road due to elevation. Stay alert!

    At first I tried to park at the train station (not sure why I thought to do that), but a female police officer chided me as she saw I was about to walk away from the station. As it turns out, the train station and local police station share space. Oops!

    I moved my car and parked much closer to where I actually wanted to be, enjoying a cornetto e succo di arancia (croissaint and orange juice) while sitting outside of a cafe and taking in the view. There was a group of moms nearby chatting about something but with my beginner Italian, I wasn’t sure what.

    Church of San Bartolomeo in Scicli.

    Despite similarities in Baroque architecture, Scicli has a different feel than Noto. For those of you from the U.S., the geography and small-town feel reminded me of the state of West Virginia with its hills and rock formations.

    Also, the people seemed….friendlier. I was happy that the people I met in Scicli were a chatty crowd, even with my just-emerging Italian language skills.

    Now, here’s the scoop on A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu, and I’ll use my next article to tell you about other parts of Scicli.

    Note that I was traveling solo but I sometimes use “we” in my writing to avoid using “I” all the time. Andiamo!

    Go this way to reach A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu.

    A Visit to A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu

    After my croissaint and orange juice and a visit to the historic Church of San Bartolomeo , I made my way toward the Chiafura cave district of Scicli to visit La Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu. Discover more about this interesting cave district here with an article from Slow Sicily, or watch this YouTube video.

    I used my phone GPS to help reach Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu and it kept taking me to the wrong address. As it turns out, Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu was somewhat hidden, but there is the occasional sign as you climb up the hill.

    I remember asking someone for help (did I speak Italian?! I guess I did!), and then eventually came across a sign that told me to walk a little further up in the housing community and it would be there.

    A Rutta is basically a cave home shown off by Signore (Mr.) Carmelo, a charming, inventive man who speaks no English.

    Yet don’t let that stop you from visiting.

    Mr. Carmelo shows how the youngest of the brood slept in this hanging crib.

    Mr. Carmelo’s grandparents raised six children in the small cave home, including his father. Even if you don’t understand Italian, you’ll still pick up a good deal of what he’s saying because there are so many visuals that explain things.

    During the tour, Mr. Carmelo shows creative, efficient tools his grandparents used for cooking, cleaning, and even potty training for the small children.

    A sign that tells you more about A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu, but it’s in Italian.

    As the sign for A Rutta explains (I had help translating the Italian online, which apparently also contains some Sicilian dialect), the caves in town were once used as homes, stables, and to store farming products.

    Life in the caves was difficult because of steep paths and stairs (some of which remain today) and having to walk far for water.

    People lived in the caves until the 1950s, when the government declared they were no longer safe for living.

    It was off-season, so I was the only visitor that morning. Mr. Carmelo lives in a normal home (or normal for the hill homes), located right beside A Rutta.

    After he showed me his family’s cave home, Mr. Carmelo started to show me his many inventions and creations that are for sale.

    He also showed me the area within the cave home that displays his handcrafted nativity scene and a traditional Sicilian village. It’s a lot to take in, but it’s impressive and certainly took a lot of patience to create.

    Mr. Carmelo and me outside of A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu.

    Mr. Carmelo also shared his skill and professional-level ability for using spinning tops. He demonstrated the use of a spinning top with such joy, you could see how the thrill likely started in childhood and never stopped. I’ll post a video of Mr. Carmelo and his spinning top on our Instagram account (@ItalyDreams).

    Next, Mr. Carmelo took me into an adjacent cave area where he had postcards, soaps, oregano, ceramics, and many, many other items that he had made for sale. A TripAdvisor review described this as a sales pitch, and I guess it was–but in the most entertaining way possible. I felt drawn to a small black ceramic vase with a pink flower on it (another Mr. Carmelo creation) that I purchased and later photographed before I left Scicli’s cave area.

    The small vase shown here in the cave district sits on display at our Florida home today. It traveled 5,000 miles from Scicli, Sicily.

    My time with Mr. Carmelo felt like a real connection with a local.

    Whether you seek that local connection, some beautiful views high on the hills, the history hidden in his family’s cave home, or some souvenir shopping that supports someone local, you’ll find it at A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu.

    Black cat spotted in the Chiafura cave district in Scicli.

    Some Tips for Your Visit to A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu

    —Bring Euros. At the time of my visit, Mr. Carmelo didn’t take any credit or debit cards. Apple Pay? LOL, no. It’s 3 Euros to visit per person, and then you may opt for a homemade souvenir as well.

    —Be prepared for a bit of a workout to climb the hill. If you don’t like walking and have a rental car, you can drive most of the way up.

    —Be aware that Mr. Carmelo may ask you not to take photos inside the cave home. There’s even a small sign inside that asks you not to take pics. He allowed me to take one photo that I’ve shared with this story. It’s OK to take pics elsewhere during your visit, like outside the cave home.

    —Call to confirm it’s open. You can find the phone number to call here, and go to where it says “Grotte Museo” (Grotto Museum). Per the website link, A Rutta is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, and same hours but until 9 p.m. on Sunday. Note that many businesses in Sicily take that afternoon break time.

    Want to find out more about Scicli? We’ll post a follow-up story very soon with even more places to visit.

    Buon viaggio!

  • Here’s What It’s Like to Visit Noto, Sicily–in Pictures

    Outside of City Hall in Noto, SIcily. Notice the European Union, Italy, and Sicily flags.

    If you’re traveling to eastern Sicily in Italy and plan to visit Noto, we’ve got you covered.

    You can find our detailed Noto, Sicily, article here.

    If you want to get a better idea of what Noto looks like as you plan your trip–or, you just want a virtual tour of Noto–read on!

    This article tells a story of a journey around Noto in pictures.

    I share some of my favorite pics during a week-long stay in beautiful Noto, famous for its Baroque architecture and its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The visit was in late February, so it was off-season. Hence, you don’t see a ton of people in the pictures.

    You can find more details about my trek through southeastern Sicily here. That article also shares some good tips for your eastern Sicily travels.

    Noto was a great “basecamp” town to stay in and southeastern Sicily. However, you also can find great B&Bs/hotels to stay in Ortigia, near San Lorenzo Beach/Marzamemi, Modica, Ragusa, and other areas.

    The fun pics and captions below share some more background to help you plan your trip. Andiamo/let’s go!

    Here is Noto’s most famous site, its Cattedrale di San Nicolo, or Noto Cathedral. It was completed in the early 1700s, but its dome collapsed and was replaced in the mid-1990s. The cathedral has appeared in various movies and TV shows, including “White Lotus.” You’ll find a lot of activity around this centerpiece tourist site of downtown Noto. It’s beautiful on the inside as well.
    Yum, here are the arincini, or rice balls ordered at MammArincina in Noto’s small downtown area. Rice balls are filled with all types of ingredients, including rice (of course), cheese, meats, and sauces. You don’t have to limit yourself to their restaurant to try arincini. It’s a Sicilian specialty so they’re pretty common.
    “Un cornetto e un espresso, per favore.” Restaurant ordering gave me a chance to practice my beginning Italian. I did good with this phrase for my croissaint and espresso order at Mangiafico in Noto although I didn’t know the word for “vanilla cream.” It was interesting to get there as it first opened, sit and eat breakfast, and watch some locals trickle in. A few noticed that I was not a local!
    Look at the cool lighting on the Royal Gate (Porta Reale) in downtown Noto. In the evening, locals like to have a passaggiata, or walk, in the downtown area. If it’s in-season, you’ll surely find a lot more tourists doing the same. You can also shop at souvenir stores and people watch while you stroll around the downtown.
    Noto has a mercatino, or outdoor market, on Sunday and Wednesday. I was thrilled when my B&B host at Cuore Barocco took me there to pick up some local cheese, and I returned that Wednesday for some Sicilian cookies and more cheese. Make sure to also ask any locals you meet for grocery store and bakery (panificio) recommendations. Cheap, fresh bread always makes things better.
    A random cat from my Noto stay. I have so many cat pics from my Sicily trip; they should become their own separate article!
    Holding a chocolate chip cannolo from Cannoliamo in downtown Noto. Sicily is the birthplace of cannoli so you must try one! They are calorie-free while you’re in Sicily!
    Every May, Noto has a flower festival called Infiorata. Here’s a staircase with some art that remained after the festival.
    One view of the streets of Noto. Make sure to wander around to different streets to look for good photo angles. For some reason, the sidewalk looks wider here than usual. The sidewalks were quite narrow, so walk carefully, look out for cars zipping by, and monitor your children if traveling with them. Also, be careful driving. I was fortunate to have a parking space that was not right on the street for my rental car (ask your B&B host if there’s anywhere nearby where you can park comfortably). Otherwise, you’ll have to deal regularly with a tight parking situation. My B&B was thankfully located near the end of the street and in walking distance to everything.
    A lovely view from the cut-out window at Saint Carlo Church. You can climb to the top of the church and check out a stunning view of the Valley of Noto and downtown Noto. However, be prepared for some stairs (see pic below).
    Here’s what the staircase looks like at Chiesa di San Carlo/Saint Carlo Church in Noto. They are quite steep and old! Only one person can fit on a stair at a time so listen out for others who may be coming. Still, the view at the top is a nice payoff.
    You’ve probably seen the man-and-woman statues that are symbolic of Sicily, but did you know that the pigna, or ceramic pinecone, is another symbol of hospitality and prosperity in Sicily? This one was on the balcony of where I stayed.
    Obligatory pic of a small car on an Italian street. 🙂
    Gelato from Gelati Bianca in downtown Noto. This was Nutella (I think) and the Sicilia, which blended together locally-grown items like raisins and almonds. Molto buono!
    Another view of the arch in beautiful downtown Noto.

  • Here’s What It’s Like to Visit Sicily’s Marzamemi and Vendicari Nature Reserve

    Lovely sun, colors, and decor in Marzamemi, Sicily, located south of Noto in Italy.

    If you’re interested in Italy’s island region of Sicily, you’ve probably heard a ton about Catania, Palermo, and Taormina.

    Yet it’s even more interesting to dig into smaller (but still popular) areas around the island, which is how I’d categorize Marzamemi and Vendicari Nature Reserve.

    Both are located in southeastern Sicily, south of Catania and south of the famous Baroque town of Noto. If you’re renting a car (which you will have to do to reach these areas without a local driver), you’re 20 to 30 minutes or so from Noto to each location.

    Yet they both offer an intriguing glimpse of life in this tucked-in corner of traditional Sicily–Marzamemi revealing history related to commercial tuna fishing and Vendicari Nature Reserve offering a quiet retreat, bird watching, and also some tuna fishing history.

    Here’s what we experienced during our visit in early 2026–and some tips for your own trip planning. Note that I was traveling solo but I use “we” in my article to avoid saying “I” constantly.

    Marzamemi, Sicily.

    Marveling at the Sea and Sicilian Food at Marzamemi

    If you want to see the sea (pun intended), feel a breeze, and try Sicilan seafood in a colorful setting, then head on over to Marzamemi. Although not as large or flashy as Ortigia, it was a picturesque afternoon diversion.

    Although the visit was short, I’d say it was one of my favorite parts of my southeastern Sicily trip.

    Much of today’s Marzamemi is what remains of an old tonnara, or tuna processing plant. Yet the full fishing village has roots dating back to the 1000s when Sicily was under Arab rule (Sicily has been conquered by many different groups, which is why you find a mix of Arab, Spanish, Norman, Greek, and other cultures in its architecture and food). The name Marzamemi is thought to be linked to the Arabic “marsa al hamem,” meaning Turtle Dove Cove.

    The present-day view of Marzamemi is said to date back to the mid-16th to mid-18th centuries and includes San Francesco di Paola Church, the old fishermens’ homes, the tuna manufacturing plant, along with a courtyard. The brownish rustic buildings have turquoise and yellow splashes of color, giving them their authenic Mediterranean-by-the-sea look.

    Living in southwest Florida, I couldn’t resist comparing Marzamemi to our local commercial fishing village of Cortez right on the Gulf. Both have completely different looks but share some similar history, and both welcome visitors to try local fish and seafood.

    Love this colorful door in Marzamemi.

    The GPS first took me to a large parking area that looked nothing like the Marzamemi I follow on Instagram (@Marzememi_Sicily). To avoid the same problem, use “Tonnara di Marzamemi” in your GPS as that should take you much closer to the main village area.

    After parking, I began to stroll, at first along the Ionian Sea (it was windy!) and then closer to the restaurants and shops. I wandered aimlessly for my first stroll, noticing the cats and the colors. I have so many pics of stray cats in Sicily.

    Enjoy some boat watching in Marzamemi in southeastern Sicily, Italy.

    I then strolled out onto a pier that had a metal cross toward the end. This provided a great view of the beautiful Ionian Sea and some colorful boats. On one side of the pier toward the land, I could see a group of workers. When Cyclone Harry hit Sicily in January 2026 and caused more than $1 billion (USD) in damage, Marzamemi received some water damage. I’m not sure if they were repairing post-storm damage.

    A breezy day at Calamaro Portodimare Ristorante/Calamaro Restaurant in Marzamemi.

    As I was there during lunchtime on a weekday, the gift shops were closed. If you really want to shop till you drop, you may want to save your visit for a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, when Marzamemi gets even more visitors and gift shops are likely to be open.

    Instead, I was more focused on the food. I chose Calamaro Portodimare Ristorante for its scenic view, and I sat beside a few other tourists taking their time with their meals. The overall restaurant pace to get the meal and the check was pretty laidback.

    For lunch I chose the Sapori Siculi, a vegetarian pasta dish with Sicilian pesto (yum), sun dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, pine nuts, raisins and almonds, and something called muddica atturrata. That’s apparently a Sicilian version of toasted breadcrumbs.

    Sapori Siculi at our chosen restaurant in Marzamemi. Yum or should we say molto buono?!

    There are mixed reviews online of the restaurant but I must say, it was perhaps my favorite pasta dish of the whole trip. The combination of a scenic view on a breezy day while watching the cats and the sea definitely helped.

    Part of the tonnara (tuna processing plant) left at Vendicari Nature Reserve in southeastern Sicily.

    Finding Peace at Vendicari Nature Reserve

    If you like nature photography, an outdoor stroll, or perhaps just a quiet place to reflect, then consider visiting Vendicari Nature Reserve just minutes away from Marzamemi. In Italian, it’s called Riserva Naturale Orientata Oasi Faunistica di Vendicara.

    The reserve has more than 3,700 acres of beach area and protected wetlands as well as five separate entrances. This website from Trails of Sicily has some interesting history about Vendicari, from its B.C. origins to the presence of its Greek ruins to the tuna processing plant to plans in the not-so-distance past to build an oil refinery or turn it into a tourist complex (!). Thankfully, it became a protected reserve in the 1980s.

    If you’re looking to just wander, no worries. Choose the first entrance you find on your GPS and enjoy.

    If you want a more specific experience, research in advance where you want to go and find the entrance that’s closest.

    For my visit, I chose the main entrance called the Vendicari entrance. It took me down a dirt-and-rock road, but there were signs that assured me I was going the right way.

    One of the lovely cats seen during the visit to Vendicari and Marzamemi.

    I paid the admission fee and asked the friendly man working there about the stray cats that were hanging out near the entrance. He told me how he helped keep watch over them and in fact, the two that I saw were actually mother and daughter. I took pics of the cats and of him with the cats, using my beginning Italian to chat with him.

    I decided to wander a bit, which led me to a bird watching area where you can see flamingoes from afar (flamingoes! we have those in Florida, too). There’s plenty of other bird watching there, including herons and black cormorants.

    Sea view from the small museum at Vendicari Nature Reserve.

    Then, I walked along a boardwalk area that took me on a trail beside the sea and eventually ended up in the ruins of an old tuna processing plant (Tonnara of Vendicari, which was open from 1655 to 1944).

    There’s also a small museum area where you can learn more about the tuna processing plant and some of the other happenings at Vendicari.

    FYI, the restrooms are right beside the museum.

    More of the tonnara area at Vendicari.

    Vendicari Nature Reserve has several beach areas, including Eloro Beach and Calamosche Beach. Since my visit took place in February and not summer, I can’t give you much tea on the beaches.

    From what I read online, the beaches are somewhat less crowded than nearby Lido di Noto or San Lorenzo. However, being in a park area, Vendicari’s beaches don’t have chairs or other beach amenities you’d find elsewhere.

    I actually felt right at home in Vendicari as it reminded me of some of Florida’s state parks, particularly Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg. Fort De Soto also combines history (an old fort), nature, and a beach area.

    With more time or repeat visits, I would have explored other trails.

    One more similarity with the Florida vibe–this little guy! (See picture above.) He was similar to the geckos we often see in the Sunshine State.

    Coastal map at Vendicari Nature Reserve. Some of the English translations on their signs are clunky so you may have to do some decoding. “Mar Ionio” on the sign above means Ioanian Sea.

    Tips for Your Visit to Marzamemi and Vendicari

    —Make a half-day or a full-day trip out of your visit to Marzamemi and Vendicari. These two are close to each other, so it would be easy to take your nature walk at Vendicari and then enjoy a meal at Marzamemi, or vice versa. If you really like to take your time strolling, you could probably turn these two destinations into a full-day experience. If you’re going to Vendicari for beach time, then you could do a beach day there followed by an evening meal at Marzamemi.

    —Plan what time of the day you want to go. Because it’s a park, Vendicari is open during the daytime but closed in the evening. Marzamemi is open during the day and into the evening so you can choose when to visit. We think an evening visit is a great idea as it’s surely more lively, but you may not feel as open to that if you’re a little nervous driving in the dark in a foreign country. If you’re stayiing in a nearby beach area–say, San Lorenzo–this is less of a concern as you’re just minutes away. If you’re staying in Noto, you may not feel confident about nighttime driving (or at least I didn’t), especially if you plan to have a glass of vino or two during your Marzamemi visit. If you’re staying in Noto and want to see a different town in the evening, consider checking out the nearby beach town of Avola.

    –-Expect to pay a small entrance fee for Vendicari. At the time of our visit, it was 3.5 Euros, or about $4 U.S. For comparison, that’s the typical fee to enter a state park in our home state of Florida.

    —Bring sunscreen, water, and maybe a hat to explore Vendicari. This is the same advice we dispense on our Florida travel blogs. Many parts of the walking trails are in the sun, and it can get hot at certain times of the year. If you’re going for a beach day, bring everything you need, including snacks and drinks as they aren’t for sale at the park. Pay attention to where you’re going so you know how to get back. Visit early if you’re going in the summer to avoid the midday heat.

    Enjoy your visit to Marzamemi and Vendicari/buon viaggio! Got questions? Leave a comment and let us know.