We came to Ortigia from Catania and parked onthe island in the Talete parking garage. Then the fun…read morestarted. Whether it is the Tempio di Apollo, the fountain, the cathedral, the small backstreets or the tour around in the three wheelers, this place is amazing with a mix of historic buildings from an array of different periods. A great visit.

This was our "slow time" after 6 days in Roma. It is a…read morewonderful small town. Quaint narrow "streets". I think most "vias" should be labeled as "viccolos".

We stumbled by accident on the Teatro Antico behind a plain facade. Turns out, between two streets…read moreand underneath some housing there is a whole Roman theatre hiding as well as an odeon. A very nice surprise and very interesting to see. Very well worth the visit. As with other sights, an amazing job is done harmonising the old with the new.

The remains of this castle well preserved in the middle the city lead you to the top of its turrets…read morewhere you have a very special 360ﾟ view of the city best to be enjoyed at dusk or at night when the city lights twinkle, the ocean sparkles and the vibe and sounds of the people below energize a romantic view out on to the South. This is a working museum and although it has very few artifacts about the city it does have plenty of pictures and a well designed model of the original castle which stood on these grounds hundreds of years ago. This museum is free to visit and the elevator or stairs are modern instruments that allow you to roam through the old halls and see the old original walls of a masterpiece that was built to protect the people of long ago. Please take your time to speak to the museum host and security guard who has plenty to say about the museum the region Italy and life itself. Very clean restrooms are available for both men and women on the ground floor so don't be afraid to hang out a while and talk with the locals but most especially to enjoy the view.

Visited Castello di Mola while in Castelmola and was really impressed. The site wasn't crowded and…read moreoffered fantastic views, rich history, and beautiful architecture. We spent about 30 minutes exploring, enjoying the high vantage points and plenty of great photo opportunities. Entry was free, access was easy, and the short walk up was scenic and very manageable. Overall, it's absolutely worth the stop and a must-see if you find yourself in Castelmola. Saluti

I can't say I've come across many ancient castles in my lifetime but this place is stunning. The…read moreviews from up here are unbelievable and overwhelming. You have a wonderful view of Mt. Etna as well as the Sorrento coastline. Definitely work the trek up here.

Considered the most active volcano in Europe. We visited this place on a rather hot day and we were…read moreexcited to get to the higher cooler temperatures at the top. With a tour group we got to skip the first long line and got directly onto the rail cars. These were a lot of fun, sailing over the landscape in and out of the clouds. You can walk directly up the mountain but that would take to much time for our group. Up next we got on a off road buss that takes you further up. This bus is great bouncing all over the place. We walked around seeing over the edge as the clouds came in and out. Because of the weather this is as far as we could climb today. Back down the mountain we visited Crateri Silversti, walked up and around it. Very cool, so much black rock and surprisingly it doesn't dirty up your shoes.

Mount Etna is extraordinary. It is an active volcano and has some of the most beautiful landscape…read moreyou will ever see. There are many ways to get to your destination. There rail cars to go part of the way as well as buses, off-road buses, rental cars and private tours. I normally do not recommend private tours, as I like to do what I want when I want. Because this area was unfamiliar to me and I had never been I thought it best to take a private tour with the family and it was an excellent decision. The area is magnificent and you will never see anything like it. The locals as well as a tourist are ever so friendly and will help guide you. This is not a trip I would take if I was unwell, I suggest it for people who are relatively healthy. There is just so much to do it's so much fun. I cannot recommend it more highly. Have the most magnificent time.

My Viking Cruise arrived to the port city of Catania, in Sicily, Italy for a few hours and had to…read moreback to ship by 4:30pm to set sail for next ocean port. My walking tour took us around to explore and gave us about 45 minutes to explore and come back. So I decided keep walking and explore further down the long street and I ended up at Piazza Stesicoro which a rectangular city square in the historic center of the city of Catania, in Sicily, Italy. There was a flea market going on on one side of the street and Statue of Vincenzo Bellini there in middle and on the other side is where the ruin theater is with the Chiesa di San Biagio in Sant'Agata alla Fornace Catholic Church overlooks it. The Roman Amphitheater of Catania, was built in the 2nd century AD, was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles, with a capacity for 15,000-16,000 spectators. Located in the center of modern Catania in Piazza Stesicoro. Most of the amphitheater remains buried beneath the city, with only a small portion visible, revealing its construction from lava stone. It is considered the second-largest Roman amphitheater in Italy after the Colosseum. So this is very important part of history that I just stumbled upon on. Glad I was able to walk and explore this section and took all the photos I could. Eventhough my tour bus took us around this area without stopping it was hard to take photos from the bus. So, I was glad I spent what time I had on foot to walk this area on my own.

We are staying in the Relais Anfitheatro, so you think, where is this theatre. Turns out, you are…read moreliving in it. It must have been huge and the ruins are an impressive reminder of that. However, in itself, maybe not worth the detour.