What is Your Favorite Destination?

By: Michelle (Livingston) Mettler, Vice President of Business Development, Intercontinental Travel Company (ITC Italy)

For anyone who travels regularly, you know friends and family often ask “What is your favorite destination?”  For me this is a challenging question.  As I think through my travel experiences to answer this, I remember, with smile after smile, highlights from each adventure.  There are so many favorite destinations, each in its own amazing memories.  There is my favorite from a cultural stand point; there is the one that has the most romantic beach; the “extreme” destination where I bungee jumped for the first time; the destination where the warmth of the people surprised me the most; the destination that took me away from my comfort zone, in a surprisingly wonderful way.  In the end, it seems that each travel experience has its favorite moments that can make it a favorite destination in its own way.

Sicily - One of My Favorite Destinations

Today, I am happy to share my thoughts on one of my favorite destinations, Sicily, which is within yet another one of my favorite destinations – Italy! To me, Sicily is still one of Italy’s best kept secrets, as the perception of the destination and the reality are in such contrast.  Sicily is a dream.  There, everything that makes Italy amazing is packed into one stunning island.  The history is fascinating.  Imagine the footprints of the many conquerors – the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Normans and more - that have passed through the island in the centuries before your visit.  Each has left its mark.  Incredible!  The people are warm and inviting.  You will feel like family in your interactions with the locals. The wine and food must be tasted to understand it.  Here you will not only have a meal, but an experience.  Then there is the scenery.  You know those destinations, where the pictures can’t even begin to capture the beauty.  This sums up the problem with Sicily; you can’t describe it to family and friends, nor can you show it to them in the photos that only captured glimpses of what you have lived.  They have to see it – or shall I say experience it - to believe it.  And the best news of all, Sicily offers a great value not found everywhere in Italy.  This may have to do with the fact that while many of the other destinations in Italy are highly demanded by visitors, Sicily has not been.  But no matter the reason, it is just one more reason to be drawn to Sicily!
  

Favorite Hideaway: Taormina

My favorite hideaway on the island is the charming town of Taormina.  Just North of Catania, from where most guests arrive, Taormina sits on the coast, nestled on a hillside with views of the ever-active Mt. Etna.  A memory ingrained in my mind for life is the view from Taormina’s Greek amphitheatre.  Imagine standing on the precipice of an ancient amphitheater, dreaming of the events you missed throughout the centuries, all the while looking down the edgy coast of Sicily with emerald waters on one side and Mt. Etna smoking in the background.  This moment, standing immersed in history with a breathtaking view, confirmed my love of this destination.  This was the moment.

Taormina is an easy town.  You own the transportation to tour this jewel – your feet!  To walk and wander is a must.  The charm will embrace you, while the food invites you into one of the many dining options.  And after a day or two of exploring and shopping in quaint stores, it is time to relax by the seaside!  The beaches are as enticing as the waters!

But once you have fully enjoyed Taormina, and after you have rested and relaxed in the sunshine, you are just beginning!  There is an island of adventure at your fingertips, with only one barrier: how far you wish to travel.  An adventure to Mt. Etna is at your doorstep, while history is everywhere just waiting to be experienced.  A jaunt around the island takes you from remote oases of pure relaxation, to destination after destination where you can barely scratch the surface of the history each holds.  Siracusa, one of the most important cities of the ancient Greek world; bustling Palermo on the Northern Coast, located close to magnificent Monreale; scenic Cefalù, the unspoiled seaside town, which was once the site of the Temple of Diana; Modern Agrigento, once the site of an important city in ancient Greek history called Akragas; Segesta, with its massive temple; Selinunte where you will find some of Sicily’s most important ancient ruins; and so much more.  Sicily is so generous in the historical sightseeing it has to offer.

Take your time exploring, as the pace of Sicily reflects the attitude of the Sicilians - that life must be enjoyed and lived.  This is the life, and I love this life!

Wishing you great adventures in Sicily one day soon!

michelle.itc@sbcglobal.net  ▪  www.intercontravel.com