We are now booked. Spending one day in each of Taormina, Siracusa and Agrigento. and two days in Palermo. Any suggestions as to things to see or places to eat?
It so happens that I just read "Bella Tuscany" by Frances Mayes, where she included a description of her visit to Sicily. For those not familiar with this author, the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" was
very loosely based on her earlier memoir of the same title.
She and her husband, despite having spent much time in Italy, were so dreaded of the crazy traffic in Palermo during their visit that they decided to park the rental car, and used taxis and other modes of transportation. Outside of Palermo, the driving was much easier.
The archaeological richness of Sicily was overwhelming to Mayes. One could spend days, and not being able to see it all.
Also from Mayes, I learn that the signature Sicilian dish is arancino, deep-fried rice balls with various fillings, the most popular being ragu. Not surprisingly, Sicilians eat much seafood. I have also seen many Italian dishes with the qualifier "alla Trapanese", such as spaghetti alla Trapanese, or cuscus alla Trapanese. Curiously, Trapani is not a prominent locale in Sicily.
A black mark against Sicily is of course the Mafia. Even mainland Italians cringe when they hear the term. Mayes once asked a Tuscan if another person was Sicilian. The reply was "No, he is Italian".
Of course, I would think tourists were safe in Sicily. I did however remember reading in a guide book of the recommendation to be extra cautious at night in Palermo, and not to be too adventurous.
