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Sicily in spring
Sicily in spring
An island looks colorful
Or yellow, if gorse is in bloom somewhere. And seduces with fantastic motorcycle routes on gravel and asphalt, ancient buildings, a surprising expanse and finally the largest volcano in Europe.
Joachim Deleker
03/26/2009
Stop and go, noise, heat, stench, jostling, honking, gesturing and making calls at the same time, then suddenly bumping into a gap that is not really there, in between scooters from the front, from behind, from above and below. Chaos? Oh what, completely normal in Sicilian. Rush hour traffic in Palermo. An affront to Teutonic virtues such as order, consideration, directional stability or acceptance of the rules. “The driver should prepare, warns an older travel guide. Robert and I are anything but prepared, at least not for the Friday collapse of Palermo. But this is exactly where the La Superba ferry, whose harbor basin is located almost in the middle of the island’s capital, releases you. The crash course is free, inevitable and highly educational.
We try to understand the initially unfathomable rules of the game, somehow swim with them and let the traffic wash us westwards. The main thing is out. What works better than initially feared. The small campsite Sveracavallo at the gates of the city is an oasis of calm, surrounded by old walls and shaded by gnarled trees. Finally arrived, escaped the nasty German April weather. Lukewarm wind sweeps over the tents, carries the heavy, sweet scent of blooming gorse. The spring sun warms the way to the west, we dawdle on almost traffic-free side streets with the enduros through the gently undulating landscape. The hustle and bustle of Palermo has been forgotten, Sicily is now playing a completely different tune: peace, space and surprising solitude. Meadows and fields cover the hills like an intensely green carpet. Shining red clover fields, yellow gorse and roadsides strewn with strong dandelions set the colored accents.
In the meantime, many a side road is renaturing itself and is on the way back from the tarred road to the piste. We come down slowly, take the gas back a little. Only orientation sometimes turns into a gamble. Signs point in the wrong direction or are missing entirely. Often all that’s left is navigating by feeling and the position of the sun, which doesn’t always work right away. After all, in this way we discover paths that are not even marked on the map. And still reach the ancient temples of Selinunte on the southwest coast in the evening after a relaxed and exciting day.
To avoid the onslaught of bus tourists, we wander through the gigantic ruins of the Greek city early the next morning, where over 100,000 people lived during antiquity. Unfortunately, only colossal fragments of jumbled columns, walls and stones are left of the old temples. Only one of the temples was rebuilt and shows the impressive Greek architecture, whose proportions of areas, lengths and widths are considered ideally harmonious to this day. In addition, the Greeks had a keen sense of the perfect location and always built their temples in the most beautiful place. This also applies to the famous buildings of Agrigento, which are enthroned at the top of a ridge above the valley. The 2500 year old Concordia Temple is the only one that has never been destroyed. He survived Carthaginians, Romans, earthquakes and other catastrophes almost unscathed. If the ancient builders could still look at it today, they would certainly be proud of its solid construction. However, they would be appalled by the modern background: The ugly new town of Agrigento grows like an ulcer on the hills behind the temples.
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An island looks colorful
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Deleker
Around Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, the formation of the earth is not yet complete.
Enough ruins, we’re looking for the SS 118 and turning north-west. But the fun doesn’t really come, because many stretches in the west of the island are characterized by slippery, slippery tar. The shinier, the smoother. Unintentional slides in a slight incline not only cause unwanted adrenaline rushes, but also a massive loss of confidence. The reason, explains a local Honda driver, is the addition of marble to the tar. Car tires literally polish the unfortunate but unfortunately very durable mixture over the years – and thus make it steadily more slippery. So concentrate and drive carefully. Gradually the road gains height, curves up into the Monti di Sicani, at least up to 1450 meters high. Forests are in short supply here, the mountains are laid out with fields and meadows. The few places cannot keep up with the wonderful spring landscape, with their sober and colorless functional buildings more reminiscent of North Africa than of Italy. The charm of pastel-colored villages, such as those that predominate in Liguria, is completely lacking in the Sicilian villages. But they often inspire with their panoramic location on mountain ridges high above the valleys. Like Prizzi, made famous by Jack Nicholson’s mafia epic “The Honor of the Prizzis”. Even today, Prizzi with its winding, narrow and steep streets could serve as a real backdrop for the continuation of the film. The “honorable society” of the Prizzis and Corleones in Sicily still has the strings in their hands, even if these have become significantly thinner over the past few decades.
Noon, high time for a snack in a bar. But the search is fruitless. The siesta is strictly adhered to in the country. We can’t even get a cappuccino in Prizzi. We only find what we are looking for much later in Roccapalumba. From there, the SS 285 – finally well tarred – climbs down to the sea.
The north coast road is annoying. Main route of the island, too much traffic, too many places. But before we turn inland again, we stop in Cefalù. The location of the old town on a promontory in the sea is stunning. Narrow, cobbled streets, some not even wide enough for an Ape tricycle, hide between the uniform four-story houses, most of which date from the 16th century. On the balconies reinforced with wrought iron bars, bed linen blows in the wind in dense rows. If things are still quiet in Cefalù at the beginning of May, the bear pounds here in the summer months. The ice cream portions in the numerous gelaterias are certainly smaller. We order five scoops of what is probably the best ice cream in the world, find a free bench between colorful fishing boats on the city beach, while the sun in front of us makes the last orange-colored meters of the day. Directly behind Cefalù the mountains of the Madonie rise into the cloudless sky. Apart from its majesty, the Etna, the highest mountains on the island rise in the Madonie, the Pizzo Carbonara measures almost 2000 meters. The Madonie defies any Sicily cliche, with its dense beech forests, narrow valleys between rugged peaks and crystal-clear wild streams, it is more reminiscent of the Alps than of southern Europe. Even the few roads show an alpine character: the best tar, curves to the limit, 1000-meter passes. And in contrast to some Alpine regions, traffic tends towards zero. Finally unrepentant motorcycle enjoyment again.
South of the Madonie, the landscape loses its alpine character, making way again for the lonely expanse of central Sicily. Treeless hills roll to the horizon, wheat fields swaying in the gentle westerly wind, alternating with flower-strewn meadows. We swing south through the green waves for hours until we reach Enna, which is enthroned high on a mountain ridge, where the Sicilians settled 3000 years ago. However, nothing remains of their culture, the strategically valuable location of Ennas was too often sought after by Carthaginians, Romans or Arabs, who destroyed the city with unpleasant regularity and then rebuilt it in its style. After a tour of the city, museums or ancient ruins, we don’t feel like it anyway, the unique 360-degree panoramic view from Enna’s highest point seems more tempting. From where we hope for a first glimpse of Mount Etna, which is only 70 kilometers away. But it hides in the haze. So start the Enduros and aim for the SS 120, ennobled by the travel guide as one of the finest panoramic roads. But no reward without effort. It is even difficult to escape the labyrinth of streets in Nicosia with its typical Sicilian signage. All roads lead to – no, not to Rome, but back to Enna, at least if you believe the signs. A shield prank? Because men are known to never ask for directions, we wander through Nicosia for almost an hour until we finally find the right exit to Troina, more or less by chance.
Deleker
Mediterranean ambience in the small town of Milo.
Finally the SS 120. The travel guide didn’t promise too much, this road is awesome. Especially when Mount Etna appears on the horizon shortly after Cerami, freshly snowed in, gigantic in size and decorated with a decorative plume of smoke. From this moment on, the countless curves are almost irrelevant, we only have eyes for the largest volcano in Europe. The most beautiful view is from the ruins of the old village of Borgo Salvatore Giuliano. For centuries, residents believed they were on the safe side, 30 kilometers from the volcano. But the mortal danger came from below – an earthquake destroyed the picturesque village. The permanently active Etna is both a blessing and a curse for the people on its gentle slopes, they love and hate it, suppress the ever-present danger that the volcano will only tolerate them for as long as it wants. Mongibello is what the Sicilians call it, beautiful mountain. The fertile volcanic soil is perfect for growing fruit and wine. Lush harvests ensure prosperity. Until the fire-breathing mountain clears its throat again and long streams of lava destroy everything that comes in their way. From Nicolosi a wonderful new road with perfect radii winds through black lava fields up to Rifugio Sapienza, the tourist hotspot on Etna. It was only seven years ago that a lava flow destroyed many souvenir shops, parking lots and the cable car that leads even further up. Everything has now been rebuilt, but the owners of the souvenir stalls and cafes know very well that their existence is a matter of time. The four steaming summit craters loom threateningly high above the Rifugio.
Up here, at an altitude of 1950 meters, there is no sign of spring. Cold wind sweeps over bizarre lava fields, and the remains of snow on the roadside bear witness to the harsh climate despite natural underfloor heating. We rappel down to Zafferana, 1,400 meters in altitude practically exclusively in curves, there are hardly any straights. A dreamlike route like almost all of them that meander around the 3330 meter high giant. The 120-kilometer circuit around Mount Etna is undoubtedly one of the most exciting courses in Europe, not least because of the constantly changing views of the smoking giant and the visible consequences of its eruptions. Completely fulfilled, we roll into Taormina, the island’s tourist stronghold. Rightly so, the old town and the exposed Teatro Greco are indeed worth seeing. But suddenly we don’t care when we discover the black ash cloud over Mount Etna. He breaks out! Too bad that the weather is rapidly deteriorating and that the volcano will soon be covered by thick clouds. After all, the fresh lava flow lights up the sky in a fiery red in the evening. We struggle with our bad luck, because the onset of rain only disappears 24 hours later, when the short but violent eruption is over again. The next day the streets east of the volcano are covered with fresh, black ash that crackles under the tires. At least one more exciting motorcycle route in Sicily was spared from the ash rain, the SS 185 from Castiglione over the Portella Mandrazzi pass to the north coast, where we pitch our tents right by the sea. Tomorrow we will follow the coast to Palermo. Somehow we are already looking forward to the wonderful rush hour traffic in the island metropolis, so incomparably chaotic, loud and flexible. This time we are prepared.
Travel information – Sicily
The largest island in the Mediterranean is a perfect spring destination. When the last bits of snow melt at home, Sicily has long been covered by an intensely colorful carpet of blooming flowers, fields and meadows ?? then is the most beautiful travel moment.
Deleker
Colorful and full of surprises: Sicily in spring.
Capital: Palermo
Area: 25700 km²
Population: 6 million
Highest mountain: Etna, 3330 m
Coastline: 1040 km
Shortest distance to Africa: 140 km
Duration of the trip: 2 weeks
Distance covered: 1500 kilometers
getting there
If you want to drive to Sicily on your own bikes, you should have enough time for the 2,000-kilometer route. The sea voyage from Genoa to Palermo is much shorter. The modern Grimaldi ferries leave Genoa every evening and reach Sicily 20 hours later. Costs per person and motorcycle in the preseason from 114 euros. Information at www.gnv.it or in Germany at www.seereisen-agentur.de, phone 040/18016030, email: info@seereisen-agentur.de. Those who want it even more convenient can take the DB Autozug from Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg or Hildesheim to Alessandria overnight, an hour north of Genoa. A person with a motorcycle pays from Dusseldorf from 189 euros (one way). Information and catalog in every major train station, by phone 01805/241224 and online at www.dbautozug.de.
Travel time
The best times for Sicily are April and May, when spring lets the country bloom. Only the water temperatures are still a bit fresh for bathing. From June the thermometer climbs over 30 degrees and the landscape slowly dries up, changing its green dress first to yellow and finally to brown. In midsummer, Sicily turns into a glowing furnace with temperatures of up to 40 degrees. In August, when all of Italy is on vacation, it is also full. In terms of climate, it will only become significantly more pleasant again at the end of September. Water rats have good conditions until October.
Stay
In the interior of the island and away from larger towns, it is difficult to find accommodation out of season. The pensions and campsites, which are rare there anyway, open in April or May at the earliest. The location on the coast and in the larger towns, where there is a sufficient supply of accommodation, is better. It can be difficult in the Italian holiday month of August, when the coasts are particularly overcrowded. Campsites cost ten to 15 euros per person, pensions and hotels are available in all price ranges.
Motorcycling
Caution is advised by the addition of marble in the asphalt of some stretches in the west of the island. So feel free to approach slowly and check again and again how much grip the road surface offers. Enduro riders will always find nice legal opportunities on gravel roads and unpaved roads. In all cases, orientation is often difficult, signs and map entries are sometimes missing.
Rental bikes / organizer
Finding serious bikes above the typical 125cc “ride-on-scooter category” is difficult in Sicily. The editors have recently known (but not yet tried it out) the company Sicily Moto Rent in Palermo, which offers the Honda CBF 600, Transalp and Suzuki GS 500 E, V-Strom and Burgman. Without a mileage limit, they cost from 380 euros for six days (lower price for km calculation and daily rental possible). More at www.sicilymotorent.it, phone 0039/3402560416. The MOTORRAD action team is offering a 13-day trip through Italy down to Sicily in May. More at www.actionteam.de or phone 0711 / 182-1977.
literature
The Sicily Travel Guide from Michael Muller Verlag for 22.90 euros and the similarly detailed volume of Reise-Know-How for 19.90 euros are highly recommended. HB-Bildatlas and Merian “Sicily” for 8.50 and 7.50 euros, respectively, are suitable as a setting. The general map of Italy, sheet 14, “Sicily” on a scale of 1: 200,000 is also very detailed. If you want to travel by axis, you will find a great orientation basis in the three Italian newspapers of Michelin in 1: 400000. And in MOTORRAD 19/2008 a fully developed route proposal for the entire route Brenner-Sicily. The volume “Motorradrouten in Suditalien” from Bruckmann Verlag is also interesting for 17.90 euros.
Info
The Italian Tourist Office ENIT, Neue Mainzer Strabe 26, 60311 Frankfurt, phone 069/237069, sends initial information. These pages will help you on the Internet: www.enit.it, www.italientipps.de, www.ratgeber-italien.de, www.sizilien-etna.de
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