CefalĂą, Sicily – Water, Water, Everywhere

We have traveled a lot throughout Europe and especially Italy and occasionally you will get a rainy or snowy day. But nothing prepared us for our arrival in CefalĂą, or as we write it in english, Cefalu; a small touristy town situated on the north side of the island of Sicily.

CefalĂą

We arrived by Trenitalia’s Pop train from Palermo, which runs approximately every hour and costs around 6.50€/person. These are normally local tourism trains in the major areas and can be called Pop, Jazz, or almost anything. They provide reasonably priced and fast transportation to the coastal tourism spots. If you need to travel a longer distance, you will most likely have to use the normal Trenitalia or Intercity service.

Similar to other touristy spots in the US and other parts of the world, Cefalu is definitely administered and managed for the traveler. Though quiet during these months, I can imagine it can get a bit noisy during the summer months with its extensive beach and boardwalk beckoning travelers on. With the addition of all the shops and artisans in town, you have the perfect recipe for the tourist trap. So, if you are only interested in the historic aspects of the town and area, it probably behooves you to travel earlier or later in the year, in order to avoid its busy potential. Otherwise, if you are a sun lover, this could be a very good destination for you.

Other than that, we happened to arrive when Sicily was getting one of its worst storm system in twenty years. Not only did it rain incessantly, the wind and the temperatures made for a quite challenging time. If there wasn’t water, water, everywhere, there was always the threat of rain, so you always had to pack an umbrella. We got wet so often, we started debating whether we should go out at all. We were glad we did, otherwise there would have been no way to see everything that we did in such a compressed time.

Monte de Pieta

The Mount of Pity was first funded in the early 1700s by Don Vincenzo Costa. The institution became very important to the economy of the city, but after World War II fell into decline. It has elegantly framed windows and a molded lintel and is an example of the advanced baroque architecture in Cefalu.

Torre Orologio

Not far from Il Duomo and in Piazza Garibaldi, almost next to Ristorante Porta Terra is the Torre Orologio, or the clock tower. Like most other cities, probably the go to place at one time to set your own timepiece to, but now, though it still functions, appears to be in dire need of some repairs. While we were eating at Porta Terra, we noticed the bells do not function perfectly, even though if you paid attention, it appeared to tell the correct time within a few minutes of the actual, even though the ringing was quite muted.

Lavatoio Medievale Fiume Cefalin

This little historic bit, easily missed by the unaware tourist ambling along the via Vittorio Emanuele, is an old laundry.

Made out of stone and fountains, the town’s people in the old days used to come here to do their laundry. It is still in working order, though modern day appliances make its use today superfluous.

Il Duomo

The Cathedral of Syracuse sits on high ground directly under the La Rocca, or The Rock. It has a large piazza and spacious interior and can be seen from some distance. While we were here, it was under renovation inside, so we were unable to see it in all its glory.

Castello di Cefalu

You enter the hike to the caste via the Rocca di Cefalu. It starts out with finely paved stairs and steps, that one would typically find in any Italian town with hills in it.

The entrance fee is 5€/person and the experience will definitely introduce one to the true meaning of Italian bureaucracy. Not only is there a self-service machine, but someone there that actually asks you what you want, takes your money, purchases the ticket for you, then hands it to someone else in the kiosk who is there to tabulate the number in a book. This number is again used when you leave, so do not throw your ticket out. Once your ticket is returned, another person is waiting to take it from you and helps you scan it in the automated turnstile. All in today’s times totally unnecessary. There is obviously either some abstruse Italian or municipal law that probably requires them to do so.

After the turnstile, the hike starts immediately to climb. There are hairpins all along the way up until you enter the first set of walls and gates, which were the first line of defense. This was a perfect point in which to take a few photographs and enjoy the view of Cefalu from above.

The hike then brings you to a fork in the road with a sign, archeological ruins left, castle right, we chose the right route, figuring we wanted to see it first. It then continues and enters a steep area of tree and grass along sheer walls of stone, home to a large number of goats. If you pay attention, you can hear their calls and see them climbing the stone walls as if to mock you.

After what seems like another half an hour of switching back and forth along the trail you enter the area of the castle. Here are the remnants of the once grand Cefalu Castle, Perched high above the town, it had a commanding view of the countryside and in its time, must have been unassailable. From here one can take amazing photographs of the town below, the sea and the beautiful countryside below.

On the way down we bore right in the direction of the archeological site. The path was somewhat muddier and steeper then the other path we ascended upon. However, we descended quickly and enjoyed visiting the Temple of Demeter and an old cistern that is onsite. There is also a cafe here, were you can purchase something small to eat or drink. From here the descent is rapid and soon enough you will be handing the ticket back to the office so they can record your departure, or whatever useful information they derive from it.

One of the many pleasures of the Italian countryside and its parks, are the flowers. Italy goes out of its way not to poison things, so there are numerous flowers and other blossoming things around, where bees and other pollinators can feed. Here is a short slideshow with some examples on this hike.

Hotel Victoria Palace

Our hotel was situated right across the street from the boardwalk and the sea. The views were very nice and we found it especially convenient, instead of being directly in town, where the streets are more confining and more difficult to move around in. The rooms here are fairly spacious and have most of the amenities that Americans are used, with the exception of an ironing board and a few other things. All and all, the staff is very friendly and welcoming and the downstairs cafe has excellent coffee and also a gelato bar, which we frequented more than once.

Restaurants

The White Horse

We ate dinner here the first night in Cefalu. We chose this restaurant due to the threat of rain and because it was right up the street and very close. Unfortunately at the time, we didn’t realize that being in the vicinity would help much staying dry.

The food here is typical Italian pizzeria, very good and very reasonable prices. They have pizza, calzone, spaghetti and pasta dishes, and a wood fired brick oven to cook it all in.

Il Gabbiano

We actually ate here twice, once for lunch and once for dinner.

Ristorante – Al Gabbiano – Cefalu, Sicily

For lunch we ate outside, since the weather was trying to improve and it was rather nice out. I ordered the Zuppa di Verdure and the Spaghetti al Pomodoro and Patti had a mixed salad.

For dinner we ate inside, since the evenings in May can be rather cool, especially with the breeze from the sea blowing inland. I ordered the the mixed salad and the Spaghetti Bolognese, Patti order the Spaghetti al Pomodoro I had the day before. Both were delicious and with wine and water came to a reasonable 35€.

La Siciliana

This is a delightful restaurant for lunch and is located within the town on via Gioeni. It has a full manu and will please seafood and land lovers alike.

I had the Zuppa di Verdura con Legumi and the Lasagna, while Patti finally found here Aranchini on the menu and ordered a sampler plate of that. Both were delicious. With food, a hald liter of wine, water and coffee, it came to a reasonable 37€ for two.

Porta Terra

A fine restaurant located in the Piazza Garibaldi in the upper part of town. We booked our reservations using The Fork and got a free hors d’oeuvres of Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella and Pistachio Cream in a small baked bread cup.

I ordered a glass of a fine red Sicilian wine called Nero d’Altura. Patti had the breaded tuna with Mango and avocado sauce, and I had the baked cod with a reduction of pinoli nuts, raisins and kalamata olives over mashed potatoes, both of which were delicious. The dinner was a bit on the high side at 71€ for both of us, but the food was worth every cent.

Palermo, Sicily – Mediterranean Nexus

Situated on the north coast of the autonomous region of Sicily is Palermo, both the capital of the province and of the region itself. It is an ancient city which has been ruled over its long history by many different powers. It was once a nexus for essential trade routes in the Mediterranean Sea.

Via Bara All’Olivella – Palermo, Sicily

We arrived at the Palermo Airport, which is actually not in Palermo, but in Punta Raisi. There are many options one can take in order to get to Palermo, ranging from the train at 6.50€/person, all the way up to private shuttle service starting at 50€/person. Being from a family of railroad workers, I prefer to take a train when possible. Not only is a far cheaper, but in Italy they almost always run on time.

One last thing, unfortunately our Tickets For Two were electronic, so it does not make sense to show, nor take a photograph of them. Let us just say, we had two tickets on a Ryanair flight from Turin to Palermo at a very reasonable rate.

A Working City

In our contemporary time, I would say the city of Palermo is struggling between its ancient roots, as with many other parts of Italy, and its desire to be modern. This is reflected in many ways as you walk through its narrow alleyways and marbled streets. Some of which are well worn with centuries of wear.

Churches of Palermo

Palermo sports amazing architecture and a church around almost every corner. The Gesu Church and the Palermo Cathedral, may be of particular interest.

The Massimo Theater

On the other cultural side of things, there is the Massimo Theater. An impressive building that is named after the piazza in which it resides.

Other Parts of the City

A few other interesting sites include the Porta Nuovo and several parks, one of which has a magnificent example of an Australian Banyan tree. However, there are many site to enjoy while strolling the city streets, sometimes it pays just to get lost, even if your favorite map is uncooperative.

Hotel Massimo Plaza

Situated in the Piazza Massimo, almost at the start of the pedestrian zone on via Maqueda, was our unassuming hotel, Hotel Massimo Plaza. The staff was very helpful and our breakfast was served in our room, which we often find very helpful, especially when the weather is not cooperating, like it wasn’t on this trip.

Restaurants

In our short stay in Palermo, we found the following restaurants noteworthy. The cuisine of Palermo is typical for a southern Italian port city, most restaurants having plenty of fish and seafood on the menu. However, there are plenty of pizza places and small cafes as well, where one can purchase smaller items for takeout or to eat as they walk.

Ristorante Pizzeria Italia

This restaurant was just around the corner of our hotel and offers authentic and excellent southern Italian pizza. You may see the term pizze in your travels, but do not be deterred,  that is just the plural form in Italian for more than one pizza, it’s the same thing.

We ordered a caprese and a pizza each, I had a glass of wine and we ordered a bottle of water and the bill came to 25€ with 4€ coperto.

On To Cefalu

After our short stay here, it was on to the real start of our trip, Cefalu. Although there is plenty more to see and do in Palermo, our trip itinerary did not allow us any more time here. So using our senior discount cards, we purchased two more Trenitalia tickets and we were on our way.

In the event we do return, we plan to stay here longer and perhaps see more of the western portion of the island as well. Aside from the rain, we still had a pretty good time here and enjoyed the city of Palermo for its sites, cuisine and true grit.

Vienna, Austria – Prague, Czech Republic – A Train Ride

In keeping with our travel recommendation about train travel, as opposed to taking a plane, we took the Ă–OB Railjet train from Vienna in Austria to Prague in the Czech Republic. We just feel it is a quicker solution for short to medium destinations, when you take into account all the nonsense and preparation you must do to travel by air, which usually takes anywhere from two hours on each end. It just isn’t worth the effort to us for a one hour flight, when if you could use the time to enjoy the countryside or read a good book.

Vienna Hauptbahnhof

 

On To Prague

Our next destination was Prague, where we are to meet my daughter and son-in-law. We left our hotel and using a taxi reached the main station in Vienna in about fifteen minutes. The main train station in Vienna is a very modern facility and connected to the U1 metro and the D Line of the Tram network, so there are multiple ways to reach it.

The Bucolic Czech Countryside

Of course, the Austrian and Czech Republic countrysides in this area of Europe are very similar, being mostly agricultural, with some natural reserved areas and wooded areas.

Here are also a few videos I shot while enjoying the ride.

Some Recommendations

Upon reaching Prague, we decided to walk with our luggage to the Imperial Hotel, which is about fifteen minutes from the station. Though it can be done, and we actually did it, I cannot say I advise doing it. The Czech streets, in this area and most walkways in the older part of the city, are paved using a special highly contoured version of Sanpietrini, which is actually very difficult to pull your luggage on. It probably also raises hell with wheels on your luggage. So, a word of caution, what you see on the walkway immediately leaving the train station will last until you reach your hotel. That would be the time to seriously contemplate going back and getting into a taxi. Happy travels!

Czech Republic – Arriving in Prague

 

Vienna, Austria – First Impression

Our flight from Milan to Vienna was rather quick and thankfully uneventful. Though I will admit, if Vienna was within a six (6) hour train ride, I would still rather take a train.

Additionally, I would say, Austrian Airlines would not be my favorite airline to take. It is better than Spirit and RyanAir, but worse than Delta and other larger carriers. It’s meant to be cheap and it feels it. We only took it out of convenience.

Grand Hotel Wien

When choosing a hotel we were looking for something with Wiener charm and found it the Grand Hotel. The rooms are grand, comfortable and the hotel staff and service are great.

The outside is rather unassuming, but the inside and its rooms have that old age charm. It contains a cafe and three restaurants and will meet most peoples needs for their short stay in this very cosmopolitan city.

A Quick Look At Vienna

Our first day or so was spent getting a quick look at the city. Our first impressions are it is a rather clean city for its size, but not as clean as Ljubljana, Slovenian. It has an extensive and very useful commuter infrastructure, including rail, tram, cycling and pedestrian ways all clearly marked and very easy to use. The WienMobile mobile application is also very useful and easy to set up.

Restaurants

Wiener KĂĽche

Vienna – Alt Stadt – Wiener KĂĽche

A small Viennese restaurant on Bräunerstraße, Wiener Küche serves traditional Austrian and Wiener cuisine. Needing our first sample of local food, we stopped here for our early afternoon meal. We both chose the Beef Gulash with Parsley Potatoes.

Trieste, Italy – Miramare Castle and More

Trieste – Main Train Station

Miramare

From the Trieste Train Station it is possible to take a local or regional train for a day trip and visit the Castle of Miramare just north of the city. Tickets are available via the TrennItalia application, at the ticket counter or vending machines.

On the walk to the train station we were able to stop and enjoy some of the monuments and fountains that we missed on our previous walks.

Miramare Castle Park

Before reaching the castle, there is a very beautiful park that surrounds it. Its shade was very welcome with temperatures reaching the mid 90s.

The park is actually very well maintained. Undergrowth is allowed to grow where it should and well pruned in other areas. There are benches everywhere, so feel free to sit down and enjoy the quiet while you can, birds and cicadas notwithstanding.

Miramare Castle

Miramare Castle – Tickets For Two

The Miramare Castle was built in the mid eighteen hundreds by Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximillian and his wife. The castle is rather small, but fits well into the coastline and has some interesting internal features, including a Chinese Room.

Restaurants

A short walk north on the path down to Grignano will bring you to the marina where several restaurants are located. We chose Tavernetta al Molo for lunch and were not disappointed.

Tavernetta al Molo

Grignano – Travernetta al Molo

A small establishment by the marina that has a good menu, including daily seafood specials, drinks and desserts. We spent about two hours eating, relaxing and enjoying a rest during a very hot day.

Interlaken Ost To Luzern

Just a quick post on the train ride from Interlaken to Luzern. We took the regional railroad service from Interlaken Ost to Luzern, a daily service that runs at about thirty minute intervals during regular hours.

InterlakenOst_NachLuzern_09Aug2020
Interlaken Ost to Lucern – North is down

Leaving Interlaken

The trip is divided up into about two parts, one before the BrĂĽnigpass and one after. Here is a quick slideshow of photographs taken before the pass.

Here are a few videos climbing the mountain up to the pass. The regional train on this route is a bit bumpy and swerves alot, so if you are inclined to have motion sickness, it is best to take it before you leave Interlaken Ost.

Arriving In Luzern

Once over the mountain there is a slow descent and the train will stop several places before arriving at the main train station in Luzern.

And here is a final video of the train traveling along the Sarnersee before we entered Luzern.

That’s it! The overall trip takes about two hours, due to the stops and the windy tracks. The train had to repeatedly re-engage the rake, or cog wheel, system as it went up and over the mountain. It seem to disengage at each stop then re-engage when leaving, which tended to slow us down some.

I hope you enjoyed this short traveling version of our post. Next post will be about Luzern.

Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg

At two thousand or so meters above sea level and little Grindelwald, is the small train interchange of the mountain pass at Kleine Scheidegg. Three separate lines run from here and it becomes a busy little beehive in the morning hours, less so in the afternoon, at least during summer.

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Kleine Scheidegg Train Station

We purchased our tickets in Grindelwald station not thinking much about passes, which is actually a mistake, but live and learn. In any case, to get there you take the rack train, or cog train, from Grindelwald.

The way up takes about thirty minutes and there are about three stops along the way, including Grindelwald Grund, to pick up passengers who drive to take the train on a day trip. Since I forgot to take a video going up, here is a short one on the way down.

Note: Investigate getting a multi-day pass that includes the Jungfraujoch and traveling in the area. Especially if you are traveling with family or a group, this may save you serious money. The Jungfraujoch is an inclusive train/experience, so it will be a bit pricey, so any discount you can get may relieve the sticker shock.

 

Kleine Scheidegg

With the Hotel Bellevue, where Clint Eastwood stayed during the shooting of The Eiger Sanction, a movie based on the novel with the same name; Kleine Scheidegg is a collection of hotels, cafes and train lines to other parts, including Jungfraujoch and Lauterbrunnen.

The Eiger Glacier

Next to the imposing Eiger, the Eiger glacier drains its icy contents between itself and the Mönch, while Jungfrau sits idly by, to the right of both.

KleineScheidegg_30
The Eiger Glacier – Eiger Is To The Left, Mönch Is Directly Behind It

The hike from the train station up to the glacier is about an hour and can be quite demanding at time. There is loose gravel and some tricky places where you ascend. But it’s all worth it in the end, the views are amazing. Here is a slideshow of the sights that we saw on our trek up.

Restaurants

I hope you enjoyed our trip to the glacier and the area around it. We actually did eat at a small place here, it’s not much to look at, and at the time they only had window service because they are still in reduced operations.

Restaurant Eigernordwand

This little restaurant has very limited room inside and outside, so first come, first served, as they say. The menu is rather simple, but the food is very good. Like other places around and due to its location, the prices are on the high side, especially for window-only service.

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Restaurant Eigernordwand

If you are traveling during virus restrictions, keep in mind that you have to remain flexible. So prices notwithstanding, we still enjoyed it and felt that we had a decent lunch when we left.

Our day trip ends with a short video of  us pulling out of the Kleine Scheidegg station. Patti and I both agreed we have to visit during winter, to get the full feeling for this beautiful place.