Explore Blogs

Etna is now exploding!! Pressure is building up so I’m waiting patiently for The Big One!!

Despite the wonderful variety of vegetables in the local markets they are not served in the restaurants! It is considered peasant food. However surprisingly we were offered raw broad beans for breakfast in one of our hotels!

When asked where I live back home many people (my generation & older) know the Isle of Wight as a 60’s Italian band called ‘Dik Dik’ released a popular song about the Pop Festivals of the late 60’s/1970 & every other word is Hippies!!

Sicily now has a new president, Berlusconie. The last one was a naughty boy & his term finished two years early. Elections were held peacefully on 13th & 14th April.

The sirocco wind has been blowing from the SE (Sahara) which brings with it a fine pink coloured sand which obscures the views but brings the heat. Fortunately it doesn’t often last for long. Then the Mistral blows from the NW bringing clearer but cooler weather.

Since I first arrived I’ve been asked directions in Italiano! Must be that tour leader look on my face! The other day I discovered how to say nudist beach as I was asked where the spiaggia nudista was!!

May is the season of weddings. Couples get married every day of the week except Sundays. Saw several weddings in Syracuse & Taormina with brides wearing beautiful dresses & bridegrooms in flashy Italiano label suits.

On Oritiga Island (the original settlement of Syracuse) we also witnessed an Initiation Ceremony in a church for the Knights of St John.

The durum wheat which is grown everywhere is now being harvested so the lushness of the island is disappearing. The spring flowers are also beginning to fade although the poppies are now at their best, such a vivid red.

Although it’s been a great time of year to visit Sicilia with the flowers, blossom, lushness & reasonably good weather it’s also the time of incredibly noisy school groups!!

The education system in Sicilia is the same as mainland Italia except the schools have a longer summer holiday due to the long hot summers so they break up end of June for 3 months!! This means they have shorter Easter & Christmas holidays & no week off in February for skiing!

Several Greek theatres are used from May. In Syracuse the season of Greek plays began on 8th May until end of June. In Taormina the famous Film Festival is held from June plus many different concerts for all musical tastes. In recent years Elton John & Lisa Minelli have performed here.

Occasionally the audience is treated to an amazing concert in a Greek theatre with Mt Etna erupting in the background!

Went up Etna again Saturday morning. The guide told us how a week ago the volcanoligists thought there may be an eruption due to the build up of pressure but she had calmed down. There was a lot of white steam being emitted but we were told when it’s white it’s OK. You only start panicking when it turns blue!

Later that evening we enjoyed our Last Supper on the seafront of Giardini Naxos. At 21.30 volcanic ash started raining from the sky! Etna was erupting!!!

What a finale!

Just had an email forwarded to me from one of our customers (sorry haven’t got a name) pointing us towards the Free Poverty site, where they are donating water via a great geography based game. Its a great test of you knowledge. Considering I’m an E-Commerce manager I thought my score of 246 wasn’t too bad. Let me know what you managed to score and the top one above 246 (you’ll need to show the badge somewhere) can have a moleskin diary!

Thanks to Lucy in our Reservations department for sending it on!

Update: I’ve managed to score 285 - - just a bit off on Pacific islands unfortunately!

Have just enjoyed a wonderful week off exploring the Aeolian Islands.
There are 7 islands in total & are located off the north coast of Sicilia.

Stromboli & Volcano are still active!
Lipari is the largest island at 37.6 sq km, where I based myself for 4 days.

Pumice quarries are still an important part of the economy.
The tourist season doesn’t really begin until June so everywhere appeared very sleepy as if everybody was still waking up after a winter of hibernating! Or maybe it’s a chilled out atmosphere all the time.
I was impressed by how uncommercialized & unpretentious the islands are. Reminded me of Turkey 20 years ago.
From Lipari I took the hydrofoil across to Vulcano, known as the Island of Fire by the Greeks & therefore called Vulcano after the God of Fire. The smell of sulphur is very noticeable when you arrive on the island. Trekked up the smoking volcano, Vulcano della Fossa. The views are great from the top looking across to all the islands & the Sicilian mainland.

Next I relaxed in the smelly sulphur mud pools. By the time I returned I was stinking of sulphur too!
The next island I explored was Salina, the second largest at 27 sq km & the most fertile. Quality Malvasia & Black Corinth grapes are cultivated to produce Malvasia sweet wine.
Caper cultivation is also very important to the local economy & are exported worldwide. Did you know the caper is the unclosed flower bud! They are hand-picked & preserved in salt. Before being eaten they are soaked in water to remove the saltiness & to restore their taste & aroma.
Salina is the highest island in the archipelago so I trekked to the top of Fossa delle Felci at 962m. More incredible views over all 7 islands.
The Italiano film Il Postina (The Postman) was filmed on Salina.
On to Stromboli the furthest away from the Sicilian mainland & 4th largest at only 12.6 sq kms. Stromboli is known as the Lighthouse in the Tyrennian Sea due to the constant eruptions which create a natural light. The volcano erupts every 15-20 mins! I heard the explosions throughout the night!
After the very strong eruption in 1930 many locals emigrated, mainly to Australia then returned with their Ozzie accents! Many abandoned buildings have also been bought by wealthy Italianos as holiday homes.
Transport around the harbour town is by ‘golf type’ buggies known as Moto Apes! They are in fact Piaggio Ape 50’s which have lots of character.
Saw the house where Ingrid Bergman & Roberto Rosselini filmed Stromboli in 1949 & fell in love!
Returned to the mainland via all the islands for a last look before I hopefully return again one day!

Have completed my first tour in Sicilia. Despite the mixed unseasonable weather (we also had snow in the mountains) everyone had a great time.

The tour started in Syracuse on Good Friday where we went along to see the evening Good Friday procession. We were the Good Friday procession!! As we followed the priests around the town carrying the cross!!

Onto Noto, one of my favorite Baroque cities in Sicilia. We were there on Easter Day morning in the sunshine with locals all in their Easter Sunday best. It was a great atmosphere but not an Easter Bunny in sight! Instead they make Easter sheep out of marzipan.

Piazza Armerina has an oldie worldie atmosphere especially in the evenings as we wander down the cobbled back streets with the impressive cathedral up on the hill all lit up.

The Roman Villa at Casale has some magnificent mosaics. Was once the Hunting Lodge of a wealthy local.

Next to Agrigento & the Valley of the Temples. There is supposedly more Greek temples in Sicilia than Greece! Temple of Zeus was the largest Greek theatre in the world & three times the size of the Pantheon in Athens!

The Greek site of Selinunte (with more temples) is the most extensive Greek site in Europe & overlooks the coast. Buggies are provided to tour around the site for those with weary legs!

Next stop Marsala where I tried a selection of Marsala wines ………… almond & even crema which has egg added to it to make it creamy!

Took a 10 minute boat ride across to San Pantaleo island & the Punic/Carthaginian settlement of Mozia. Visited the Tophet where children & animals were sacrificed to the God Baal Haman (similar to the one in Carthage).

Next to the medieval hill town of Erice. Another of my favorite visits on Sicilia. Climbed up King Frederick 2nd’s tower for some amazing views of the coast below & nearby islands. Tried some canolli, a local rich desert made with ricotta cheese by nuns!

Onwards to the Greek settlement of Segesta & guess what?? Another impressive temple in an amazing location.

On to the capital of Palermo, home to 1 million inhabitants. That’s a 5th of the population of Sicilia. Went to a Puppet Theatre which is one of Sicilia’s traditions. A medieval version of Punch & Judy with goodies & baddies.

Further along the coast we visit the medieval harbour town of Cefalu. Another of my favorite spots with its Norman cathedral.

Finally to Letojanni where we stay in an ex-convent still run by 5 nuns. The information on the back of the room doors advises what to do WHEN there is an earthquake, not IF!!

Arranged our Last Supper at Victor’s on the seafront plus a special celebration meal for Mary’s 50th birthday. Asked for a gateau for 21 people. They seemed a little surprised. Said it needn’t be too large just enough for everyone to have a little bite. I then discovered to their relief ‘gatto’ is cat in Italian!! Torta is gateaux!! Whoops!!

The Highlight for me was my first ascent of Mt Etna. One of the most active volcanoes in the world. Three times the size of Vesuvius at 3345m. Due to all the snow we took the cable car up to 2500m then did our own thing wandering around in the sunshine with amazing views 360 degrees. Should be on everybody’s ‘must do’ lists but it’s more impressive in the snow & sunshine. We were so lucky & hardly anybody up there first thing in the morning.

Find out more about Explore’s Classical Sicily - a 10 day tour of Sicily

Ciao from Sicilia!

The largest island in the Mediterranean.

Where everything is so green, the blossom is out & the spring flowers sway in the gentle breeze!!

My first impressions of Sicilia are good. Not only does it boost one of the most active volcanoes in the world, Mt Etna last erupted in September 2007 & I’m hoping it will erupt for me whilst I’m here!! There are many quaint medieval towns with Baroque buildings (17th & 18th centuries), cobbled streets & piazzas to enjoy a cafe whilst watching the world go by & some of the most important classical sites: Agrigento, Selinunte, Segesta & the Roman villa at Casale to name a few.

Sicilia has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any where else in the world so there has been a lot of restoration & excavation work in recent years.

Thanks to Euro money there are some amazing roads with some of the highest bridges in Europe spanning across vast valleys & long tunnels through the mountains.

Sicily was one of the breadbaskets for the Roman Empire & still today the island is famous for its citrus fruits, almonds, pistachios, wines & olives.

90% of all Italy’s pistachios are grown on the northern & western slopes of Mt Etna.

The best almonds are grown around Agrigento & when the trees are in blossom in February an annual Almond Festival is held.

Ever tried the sweet Marsala wine? Discovered by an English man, John Woodhouse in the late 18th century. Made in a similar way to sherry in Jerez, Spain. Salute!!

Sicilian cuisine is renowned for being amongst the best in Italia.

Plenty of pasta, pizza, tasty meat, fish & seafood including sea urchins. The swordfish is particularly good at this time of year. Oranges & lemons have three crops a year so they are always in season.

Ice –cream may have been invented in Sicily as snow was brought down from Etna to which honey & orange & lemon juice were added to create a wonderful dish.

Another local delicacy is brioche con gelato, basically an ice-cream butty which business men & children alike love to have for breakfast &/or lunch!!

Everything stops for the afternoon siesta then everybody comes out for the ‘passeggiata’. Men are seen sitting/standing around watching the world go by!

Plus for the time of year 20 degrees & sunny is very pleasant & it’s only going to get warmer!!

We owe a large proportion to our success as a company to our Tour Leaders. They are a fantastic asset, so much so that our current MD, Product Director, Operations Director (amongst others) are all ex-tour leaders (not to mention the founders of the company).

As a little bit of a celebration of Tour Leaders we have a series from a good friend of ours, Michele Cook, one of our experienced tour leaders. She has written a few pieces on her recent stint of tours in April - and we also have some interviews with tours leaders coming up too.

Its great to see tour leaders get recognition for the work they do and that’s why we are very pleased for Diego Torres Garzon, who has been nominated for Wanderlust’s Paul Morrison Guide Award.

Carrying on our Family podcast season - here is myself, Amy and Tadhg talking to Alastair about our trip to Iceland (which I’ve covered here before) - Land of Ice and Fire. Can’t emphasise how much we loved it, but if you don’t believe me, listen to the children…

 

 Land of Ice and Fire - Paul, Amy and Tadhg Goodison [6:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Dionne and Hannah Penfold discuss their Atlas Adventure in Morocco on one of Explore’s teen departures.

The High Atlas has stunning views

Aside from the incredible views, the great food and wonderful company - Hannah quite liked it, and as Dionne works for Explore maybe she’ll get her wish to go to Nepal???????

I know my tribe would be up for joining her?

 

 Explore's Family Atlas Adventure with Dionne and Hannah Penfold [4:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Some long overdue podcasts recorded last year by Alastair about the Explore Family Holidays are starting with this great piece from Cheryl McDonald and her son, Daniel, on Egypt. Includes some thoughts as to why adventure travel, especially Explore’s specialist approach to family tours, is a great way to get to know a destination and, more importantly, your family.

Take a look at all our family holidays in Egypt

 

 Egyptian Adventure: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We can at last offer new Antarctica tours. I’m relieved as our website had a big zero where the Polar region tours should be for some time.

The new boat we are using is the MV Polar Star - you can read more about it on the website. Its actually an Ice Breaker so its very safe indeed and we are now offering 5 different versions of the Antarctica focused tours - it would certainly be a different experience.

(Although personally I think I’ll have to wait until I retire!!!!)