Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily

Corsica, Sicily and Sardinia

In August 2013 we headed to Italy to spend three and a half months "Island Hopping" in the Mediterranean. Our plan was to visit Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily and then cruise up the length of Italy.
We spent four nights in France and three in Italy, including one night in Pisa, all on free aires, before taking the ferry from Livorno to Bastia. There was free overnight parking by the ferry terminal in Livorno, convenient but very crowded.
Found a nice quiet spot on the beach along the coast from Bastia for our first overnight in Corsica.

Next day we drove up into the mountains. Visited the Etang de Biguglia, the Memorial on the Col de Teghime and the Golfe de Girolato.

Driving further into the mountains we visited the Col de Vergio and the Gorges de Spelunca.

After two weeks of free aires and wild camping we decided it was time for a campsite. It was now the First of September and the end of the main holiday season, so campsites were a little more affordable! We spent two nights at Camping Abbartello in order to visit Filitosa.
Approached down a track through an ancient olive grove, the megalithic site of Filitosa dates from the end of the Neolithic period up to Roman times. The monument consists of various hut platforms, a stone alignment of five megaliths set around the base of a 2000-year-old olive tree and the quarry where the megaliths were extracted from.

Known as the "most Corsican of Corsica's towns", Sartene is an ancient place steeped in the traditions of superstition and vendetta. The town has a long history of piracy, banditry and gangsters.
Set high on a hill, the perfectly preserved Old Town has high granite walls, tall townhouses, with steep steps to guard against unexpected attack, and a maze of narrow passageways.
Nearby there are more megalithic monuments, the Funtanacci Dolmen and Renaghju and Santari Alignments.

Spent three nights at Camping Arinella Bianca, Ghisonaccia, visiting the menhir alignments at Palaggiu and enjoying spectacular coastal scenery, before heading to Bonifacio.

Stayed two nights at Camping Pian del Fosse, Bonifacio, exploring the old town, harbourside and castle before taking the short ferry crossing to St Theresa di Galluri in Sardinia.

Our first night in Sardinia was at Camping Baia Blu, La Tortuga, a large holiday park not at all to our liking. Next night was on a carpark in Arborea but we then found a delightful sosta in Buggerru. We spent the next three nights there.

Drove to Cagliari Airport. Our daughter Ally had taken a week off to join us. Work colleagues had teased her, reminding her that she didn't eat fish, and certainly not sardines, so why was she going to Sardinia on holiday!
Slept overnight on the airport carpark before returning to the sosta at Buggerru.
Visited Nora to see Sant 'Efisia Church and the archaeological site. The Phoenician city of Nora was "named after Norax, son of Erytheia, the daughter of Geryon with Hermes for his father." An extensive site with some magnificent mosaics. A wedding party were taking photos on the beach.

The seventeenth century BC settlement of Su Nuraxi is considered to be the most impressive expression of the Nuragic civilisation. We spent a day exploring the archaeological remains.

Had a disagreement with the car park attendant at San Giovanni di Sinis. She wanted to charge us extra for a motorhome but I pointed out that we took up no more room than a car. She then said we could stay overnight but we didn't want to. She allowed us to park and said we should pay when we left. After our visit she wasn't there anymore so the parking ended up free!
Visited the archaeological site and the exquisite sixth century church.

A two night stay at Camping Mariposa gave us the opportunity to visit the seaside towns of Bosa and Alghero. It was Ally's birthday and she was delighted to discover a "Pick and Mix" sweet shop!

Visited the fortified town of Castelsardo before continuing our drive down the coast road, passing the "Roccia dell Elefante" (Elephant Rock) and the mural and La Rocca Tombs in Sedini.

The megalithic Nuraghe of Santu Antine date back to the 19th century BC. The main tower originally reached a height of twenty four metres. Near the Nuraghe lie the remains of a Nuragic village.

Next day, we took a boat trip to the Grotta del Bue Marina before heading to the airport for Ally's flight back home. We then spent a few days relaxing at Camping Spiagge del Rise, Villasimius. These days, after a holiday with Ally we need a rest!

Took the overnight ferry from Cagliari to Palermo.
We had not reserved a cabin, hoping that "Camping on Board" would be available but this was not the case. All the cabins had now been booked so we had a very uncomfortable night.
There weren't even any sofas or comfortable chairs, only hard seats and tables! The floor was very hard, those in the know had brought sleeping bags or duvets.
A short drive took us to Camping La Playa, Isola delle Femminne in order to recuperate before starting our tour of Sicily.

Parking in the old town of Monreale was unbelievably difficult but we managed it eventually. The cathedral, built in 1174, is considered to be one of the greatest examples of Norman Architecture. The road to Piana degli Albanasi was a little scary!
On a hill just outside the site of the ancient city of Segesta lies an amphitheatre and an incredibly well preserved Greek Doric temple, built in 420 BC.

A long, steep drive with many hairpin bends took us to the top of Mount Erice and the town of Erice. Parked overnight on the bus car park. Spent the next day visiting the historic town with its ancient stepped streets, churches, palaces, monasteries, two castles and Phoenician walls.

The ruins of Selinunte rank among the most impressive archaeological sites in Sicily. The vast complex of fields and ruined temples sits on a high plain overlooking the Mediterranean.
Selinos (as it was known to the Greeks) was once one of the richest and most powerful cities in the world, with over 100,000 inhabitants and an unrivalled temple-building program. It was established by a group of settlers from nearby Megara Hyblaea in 628 BC. The plains surrounding the site were overgrown with celery (selinon in Greek), which served as inspiration for the new colony's name.

Stayed at Camping Valle dei Templi in order to visit the archaeological site in Agrigento. The Valley of the Temples is the largest archaeological site in the world and includes the remains of seven Doric temples.

Built on a steep cliff overlooking the surrounding countryside, the Castello di Caccamo is among the largest and best preserved Norman castles in Sicily.

Stayed two nights at Camping Costa Ponente in the old city of Cefalu in order to see the cathedral and Saracen Wash House. Then headed to the town of Piazza Armerina to visit the Villa Romana del Casale. Built in the first quarter of the 4th century, the villa contains the richest, largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world. Gave the museum car park attendant a tip and he allowed us to park overnight.

Noto Parking was in a lovely orchard setting with wc and toilet emptying but cold showers! The old town, Noto Antica, was known as Netum in ancient times. The current town was rebuilt, after an earthquake, on the left bank of River Asinaro and was planned on a grid system. Noto is famous for its early 18th century baroque architecture and has many magnificent religious buildings and several palaces.

The 2,700-year-old city of Syracuse played a key role in ancient times, when it was one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world. The city is notable for its rich Greek history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and as the birthplace of the preeminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes.

Parked two nights at Refugio Sapienza in order to visit Mount Etna.

Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea provide the backdrop for the resort town of Taormina. Twisting mediaeval streets and a second-century Greek theatre add to its romantic air, which inspired the writings of D.H. Lawrence and Truman Capote.

Our last two nights in Sicily. We parked at the gated Garage del Isole, Milazzo and took a boat trip to Isola di Volcano and Isola di Lipari.

Took the ferry from Messina to Villa San Giovanni, Italy. On the crossing we got good views of the volcanic island of Stromboli.

Visited Alberobello to see the trulli houses, traditional Apulian dry stone huts with conical roofs. Their style of construction is specific to the Itria Valley. They were constructed as temporary field shelters and storehouses or, as permanent dwellings by small proprietors or agricultural labourers. The golden age of trulli was the nineteenth century, especially its final decades, which were marked by the development of wine growing.

Stayed at Agritourism, Matera in order to see the ancient town, "Sassi di Matera". The Sassi originated in a prehistoric troglodyte settlement, and these dwellings are thought to be among the first ever human settlements in Italy.
The habitations are dug into the calcareous rock, many of which are really little more than caverns, and in some parts of the Sassi a street lies on top of another group of dwellings. The ancient town grew up on one slope of the rocky ravine created by a river that is now a small stream.

Sue had visited Pompei many years ago, before we met. The furthest south I had got, on previous visits to Italy, had been Rome.
We stayed three nights at Camping Spartacus in order to visit both Pompei and Herculaneum.

Visited the tiny republic of San Marino, staying overnight on car park 10.

Our last night in Italy was at Camping Butterfly, Peschiera. Drove home through Germany, visiting Garmisch-Partenkirche, Sulzemoos, Nurnberg, Zell am Mosel and Trier.

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