It’s been a month since our Easter trip to visit our friends Jon and Amber in Naples and I am finally sitting down to write about the bulk of our travels. Our ventures in Naples were… well, a little bit creepy at times, but overall, fun!
Jordan had a long weekend off from work for Easter and so we decided it would be a good time to explore mainland Italy. We booked our trip about a week (or less in advance) and didn’t really have much of a plan, except to have fun. And, we did.
We had a really big wish list: Pompeii, Positano/Amalfi Coast, and Naples. The very first day we visited both Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast and on days two and three, Naples. I already talked about day one in two other posts, so I’m going to talk about days two and three here.
Day 2
We woke up EXHAUSTED from day one, but early because we had things to see!! Jon drove us into downtown Naples and while trying to find parking, we drove into a street market. Common in Italy, but distressing none-the-less. Once he was able to navigate out of the tiny little market streets, we found a parking garage (with no market) and set out to explore Naples.
The first thing we did was take in the general atmosphere of Naples downtown and do a little window shopping! We had planned to go to the National Archaeological Museum, but the entrance line was down the street. We also attempted the Veiled Christ, but again, the line was wrapped around the block (because, Easter). As much as I love lines (I don’t love lines AT ALL), I was happy not to have to wait in these. So, if we ever go back, we will attempt again.
While window shopping and taking in the general scenery, we saw a man singing beautiful Italian songs from his balcony (see top, right photo). It was fun and romantic!
After our stroll and shopping, we stopped in at a little bar (aka pastry shop in Italy) to have a rum baba (small yeast cake filled with cream and saturated in rum syrup). We had eaten them before – but never in Naples. And, they were amazing. I had the pistachio filled one!
Note: not the only sexual statue we saw in Naples.
After our pastry stop, we stopped to check out the random little chapel
And the Naples Cathedral
And then things started to get a little creepy! We decided to make a stop at Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco (Saint Mary of the Souls of Purgatory)- also known as the church of the dead. Surprisingly, there was no line for this one! Upon walking in, it looked like just another church. Once inside, we had to pay an entrance fee to go to the church’s hypogeum, or underground crypt… Yep, that’s right – underground crypt. Here, the “Neapolitan Skull Cult” filled the crypt with the remains of the poor and unfortunate for whom were not able to be afforded a proper Catholic funeral. It was believed without a proper burial, their souls would languish in purgatory, so people went here to pray for them.
Photos were not allowed here, so I can only tell you about it – but basically there were skulls everywhere lining dark hallways and an alter – with skulls 🙂
We did however, visit two catacombs and a cemetery on day two. More on that soon.
After visiting the underground crypt, we visited Naples underground, where we got to check out the historic old city of Naples, which just so happens to be… underground!
At the end of that tour, we checked out some art and then headed out for dinner.
Day 3 – Easter
My main mission for this day was to check out the catacombs, because ever since I took an art history class in college, I’ve wanted to check them out! Luckily Amber and Jon were down, so the Catacombs of San Gennaro was our first stop.
San Gennaro is an underground burial site that consists of two levels. There were once three separate levels, but now, to my disappointment, there were no bodies there. So, we just explored the crypt space and art.
After visiting San Gennaro, we decided to walk a few kilometers to Catacombs of Saint Gaudiosus. I know sounds really different. Kinda was though.
The Catacombs of Saint Gaudiosus is located under the Basilica of Santa Maria della Sanità. So, as we walked into the Basilica, we actually walked into Easter mass.
Because it was a church service, I only snapped a couple of photos.
We stood in the back for the service. Even though I had no idea what they were saying, It was still a pretty amazing experience to be in one of the largest churches in Naples for Easter service! It was definitely a moving experience.
After the service, we went down into the catacombs for the tour.
These catacombs were WAAAYYY different than San Gennaro. Because there bones were of aristocrats and ecclesiastics… and well, the skulls were cemented in the walls, while the rest of the body was frescoed…. yep.
After that fascinating tour, we ventured to the last stop of the day before Easter Dinner – Fontanelle Cemetery.
This was a cemetery a little different than those I’ve been to before… it is in a cave that is filled with bones of victims of the plague and anonymous remains. Another place for “The Neapolitan Cult of the Dead” to come and pray.
The cemetery was HUGE and holds between 250,000 and 300,000 bodies, apparently.
After our busy day, we decided to head back to Amber and Jon’s car. Once we made the uphill trek back, we realized the garage we parked in was closed. So, we ended up going to the hotel next door to inquire. It was currently 3pm and the garage was scheduled to open again at 7pm. Odd hours right? Well, we had an 8pm flight to catch. So we ended up walking to the train station and quickly buying a ticket and r u n n i n g to catch a train. We then had to switch trains (this was our first time taking a train, by the way) and get a cab to John and Amber’s place. They were nice enough to find us a ride to the airport with a friend. So, we made it to the airport and they were able to get a ride back to get their car later that evening.
So, all that’s well that ends well, right?!
We have called Sicily home for T W O whole months now! Our first month flew by. Month two has felt so much longer and so much shorter all at the same time.
We have:
- Received our household goods!!! I finally have clothes, towels, pots, pans, and a couch!! Thanks to the kitchen supplies, I was able to finally bake again and I celebrated by making fresh lemon cupcakes with some amazing Sicilian lemons.
- Traveled to the west (but not the west coast) and visited towns on the north coast (Palermo & Monreale) and south coast (Agrigento, Realmonte, & Centuripe). Posts coming soon… I hope 🙂
- Traveled off the island to mainland Italy. While on the mainland, we visited Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano.
- Gotten hair cuts (but only mine is on the blog).
We still want to:
- Visit the west side of the island
- Learn more Italian!
- Travel to a different country
- Create a “bucket list” of countries/cities/towns to visit
- Spring clean our home and get rid of some “extra stuff”
- Blog travel excursions faster…. We’ve visited almost 10 places I haven’t blogged about!
Backstory
I try to get a hair cut every six to eight weeks, but it had been more like six to eight months since my last chop when I impulsively decided to make an appointment at an Italian salon. I wanted a long bob since the fall, but my hair was the longest it had ever been, so I was nervous to go for it. My hair is also super fine and you can see the lines of every cut, so it’s also really important to me to find the right stylist.
About a week ago, I threw caution to the wind and decided to just go for it. Considering I don’t speak Italian and I’m new to the area, I decided to put my faith and trust in none other than Google. And it didn’t let me down.
I searched hair salons in Catania and looked for the highest rated one with online booking. I found Michela Fareri Hair Spa and it looked amazing. I booked my appointment over Facebook messenger using Google translate. Perfection. I was set.
When Jordan came home from work that day, I told him I needed the car to get a hair cut tomorrow. He laughed at me and asked why I didn’t make it for a day when he could drive me (driving is seriously crazy here)! But, I was feeling wild and free (more like scared to death) and decided YOLO I’m getting a hair cut and imma drive myself.
To a place I’ve never been before.
And throw myself in front of someone with scissors who doesn’t speak the same language.
OK.
He was also skeptical that I failed to mention in my reservation that I don’t speak Italian, but like I said YOLO. What would be, would be.
The Michela Fareri Experience
So, I dropped him off at work the next day and set out on my own, for better or for worse.
The drive to the salon was all highway, so super easy. It was in an area of Catania I have never been before, that was very residential and luckily not even as close as crazy and hectic. I arrived early as I know parking would be a bitch. It was. Because it was a residential section, there was no paid parking, and because I couldn’t read the signs…. need to work on that. So, I parked somewhere with no lines along with a bunch of other Italian cars and crossed my fingers I wouldn’t get towed.
When I arrived at the salon, Michela was there to greet me, by name, along with several other members of her staff. It was a welcoming I have never had before! The owner of the salon was here to greet me. Whhhhat? After shaking my hand, I admitted that I didn’t speak Italian and I think everyone was a bit surprised, but since I was fine with it, they were too. Michela guided me over to her luxurious styling chair, and asked me if I was there for a hair cut. How did I know that? She said some words in Italian and one of them was “taglio.” Cut. Yes, I want a cut. I showed her two photos on my phone and she discussed the process with her staff that were all looking on. I just sat there, fully trusting I would look fab afterwards!
After they discussed the cut, one of her staff members took me back and washed my hair. I thought, okay, this must be my stylist. I was wrong.
Once I got back in the chair, Michela herself came back and started cutting my hair! I assumed since I made an impromptu hair cut and did not request the “type” of stylist I wanted (e.g. master stylist, etc.), that I was going to get someone who did not have 30+ years of experience. I was so wrong. Her staff again looked on as she cut.
They also brought me a cafe (espresso), in which I freaked out and took like a shot while steaming hot because I was trying to hurry to get back to the hair. I should have known it’s Italy. They ain’t in a hurry. But alas, I digress.
While getting the cut, I brought out my translator app which was fun because we could now communicate! “Talking” to everyone was exciting and they were all so nice and friendly.
After the cut was finished, Michela had another member of her team complete the dry and style. The style I wanted was a wave, and instead of using a curling iron, they whipped out a small circular brush, and curled my hair via brush and hairdryer. It was really cool and the style lasted all day, which NEVER happens when I use an iron.
Once everything was over, they gave me some adorable little product samples and thanked me for coming in. I was there for almost and hour and a half, so I had no idea what the whole process might cost. I was surprised to find that it was only 35 euro! I paid more than $70 (plus tip) for way less customer service and experience in the US. I mean, I had an entire team and expert stylist helping me, for goodness sakes!
Final Review
My hair is now 8″+ shorter and the entire experience made my day. Everyone there was still so kind and accommodating. I got the best service and honestly, probably the best haircut I’ve ever had. Well, I think so. But you can be the judge!
I’ll definitely return because it was the BEST experience I’ve had at a salon!
Oh, and I didn’t get towed. So, bonus!
If you read about our trip to Pompeii, then you know about our first trip to mainland Italy where we visited Pompeii, The Amalfi Coast, and Naples. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, then you should because this post would make a lot more sense to you 🙂
After visiting Pompeii, we hopped in Jon and Amber’s car and headed on down to the Amalfi Coast.
I guess the scenery was okay… I mean, if you like sparkling blue waters, cliffside towns, and sheer drop-offs that might make you pee your pants a little. I like those things, so I was glued to the window like WOWWWW pretty much the whole time.
Our first stop was in Sorrento for a gourmet lunch at Restaurant Bagni Delfino. Bagni Delfino is a fresh seafood restaurant that is located waterside.
Here is our view from the table and a few shots of our food:
After our amazing lunch, we hopped back in the car and made our way to Positano.
The drive there was breathtaking.
Once we made it to Positano, we parked near the top, which meant we had to walk down to the bottom. There were A LOT of stairs and they were fairly steep.
Once we made it to the beach, we enjoyed the general splendor while walking around and hanging out on some seaside rocks.
We grabbed some snacks on our way back to the car and then headed back to Naples for some much needed sleep.
You might remember that little lemon tree that hangs over into our yard. Well, I actually haven’t made any lemonade yet, but I did make some delicious lemon cupcakes!
We finally received our household goods last week and our house is almost put together. Let’s be honest, I still have tons of crap laying around. But, it feels so good to have the necessary tools to be able to cook again!
So, somewhere between the hours of midnight and 3AM this morning, I decided it was time to break in the oven. Lemon cupcakes, here I come!
The cupcakes actually turned out pretty well considering I was baking in Celsius, and ya know in the middle of the night. I have to admit, I couldn’t have done it without my best helper around to supervise, bark orders (to drop ingredients), taste test, and guide my photo set up.
She really is the best little helper!
If you’re up for squeezing a few fresh lemons into these spring delights, I’ll post the recipe down below (adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction).
Fresh Lemon Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 medium eggs
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
~1/4c fresh lemon juice (approx. 2-3 lemons)
lemon zest
————–
1/2 stick of butter (room temperature)
8oz cream cheese (room temperature)
2 cups powdered sugar
~1/8 – 1/4c fresh lemon juice (approx. 1-2 lemons)
Zest for decoration
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Line cupcake pan with baking cups (12).
3. Toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
4. Mix the butter (room temperature) and sugar together for 2 minutes on medium-high speed using a mixer. Add in eggs and vanilla extract and mix for 2-3 more minutes.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Add in milk, lemon juice and zest and mix just enough to combine.
6. Fill up the cupcake liners and bake for 18-20 minutes.
7. Cool before frosting.
————–
- Mix butter and cream cheese for 2 minutes before adding in the lemon juice.
- Mix in the lemon juice and then add the powered sugar and mix until creamy.
- Add in more powered sugar if too thin. Add more lemon juice if too thick.
- Pipe or knife onto cupcakes.
- Decorate with zest
- Refrigerate
*As a note, I forgot to refrigerate them and left them out due to sleep brain. Buuut, I had one for breakfast this morning and I’m still alive so, yolo.
There ya go! I’m sure they won’t taste like mine since I used fresh Sicilian lemons (omg so good!!), but let me know if you give them a shot!
It’s been a minute since I’ve posted, but that is because we have been super busy!
Last weekend we flew up to Naples for our first trip to mainland Europe. It was very fast paced, as I had a whole list of things I wanted to see and places I wanted to go, and we only had three days. After we returned from that trip, Jordan started working nights. If you or a family member have never worked nights before, the best way I can describe it is… confusing. Ha. He doesn’t work every night, and when he does work, he sleeps before he goes to work and then when he gets home. So, we are always confused about what day it is, and when he is supposed to work, and when we should sleep, and what we need to eat, and when. Bleh. It’s just exhausting to type out.
So, other than our trip to Naples and Jordan’s new schedule, we also got our household goods!! This means I now have a couch and clothes and alllll the other things I have missed so much. However, after living out of a few suitcases for the last few months, I now feel quite overwhelmed with all of our “stuff.” It literally just feels like a lot of “stuff” and not things we need. So, I’ve decided to purge a bunch of things just to clear out our home and feel like I can breathe again. As we are putting things away, we are tossing things we don’t use frequently into the “goodbye” box(es), and they will go on craigslist ASAP.
So, that has been us for the last two weeks.
As for our trip to Naples (and surrounding area)….. it was a blast!! We had three main stops we wanted to make while in the area:
1. Pompeii – Who doesn’t want to see Pompeii?!
2. The Amalfi Coast – Probably one of the most popular places on Instagram (if I were to guess)
3. Naples – Duh!
Thanks to our amazing friends (from Virginia that now live in Naples), Amber and Jon, we were able to see everything we wanted to see and more! We can’t thank them enough for hosting us. They really went out of their way while we were there and we can’t wait to host them in Sicily!
When I uploaded photos from our trip, I had 900+!! So, that means each of the three main stops get’s it’s own post.
First up, Pompeii!
Beautiful right?!
There’s a lot I can say about Pompeii, just as there is a lot to see in Pompeii. Pompeii is around 25km (15ish miles) from Naples, so Jon and Amber drove us there early on Friday morning. You could definitely spend the entire day there, walking around and exploring the city. But, because I also really wanted to see the Amalfi Coast, and there was supposed to be only one solid day of our trip without any rain (Friday), we decided to conquer BOTH in one day, What a task.
Like many of the places we have previously visited, Pompeii has a couple large amphitheaters. The weather was perfect that day, so Pompeii was slammed with tourists (like myself, obvi). Here is the first one:
Pompeii is famous because the massive volcano in which the town sits at the foot of, Mt. Vesuvius, erupted in 79 AD, destroying the city (along with Herculaneum and other nearby towns) by submerging them under volcanic debris, and killing t-h-o-u-s-a-n-d-s. It really is a site to behold considering the eruption wiped such a big city off the map.
We got to walk around and explore some of the homes that had been unearthed, along with shops and streets and squares.
Don’t worry – he didn’t actually drink from this “street” fountain.
Apparently these holes were for “fast food”: terra-cotta bowls went into the holes and contained snacks for the locals.
We got to tour the inside of homes – some still had original frescos and mosaics!!! Some were also quite large.
During our exploration, we got to check out the city center which was overwhelmingly impressive.
Mt. Vesuvius in the background.
There were also casts of people (and animals – also seen here is a dog in the elevated clear box. Sad.) that were taken from their bodies of those unearthed there. We were told that the volcanic eruption was so hot, it sucked the moisture out of the bodies of the people there before the volcanic debris ever reached them.
Incredibly tragic.
I did tell Jordan, that based on the number of terra-cotta pots that survived, they look like a rather safe place to crawl into…
Here is some actual bread (charred, ofc) from 79 AD. Wow! Still actually looks kinda good.
They also had some lovely gardens, in which I got to capture Jordan and Jon twinning it up. Just observe.
I am also incredibly bad at selfies. Oh well.
The second amphitheater was HUGE, but missing most stairs, and unlike most of the others we have visited, you could not enter (or climb to) the top.
We did not get to see the Villa of the Mysteries or Herculaneum (which is apparently better preserved), but I was satisfied with what we did see.
Just standing on the streets and thinking of all of those who walked there before me…. It was quite surreal.
After Pompeii, we journeyed to Sorrento and then Positano…. Which is a post for another day! 😉
We have called Sicily home for O N E whole month now!!! Reflecting back, it’s been quite a whirlwind.
We have:
- Said goodbye to Virginia Beach and Ciao to Sicily in less than 24 hours
- Moved into a beautiful little Sicilian home.
- Traveled up and down the east side of the island to remarkably beautiful towns including Catania, Tenuta San Michele, Taorimina, Siracusa (coming soon!) and Motta (coming soon!).
- Picked up our car!!!
- Ventured out on the town with our friends and then on our own.
We still want to:
- Visit the west side of the island
- Learn more Italian!
- Travel off of the island
- Travel to a different country
- Receive our household goods (including our furniture and my closet!!)
- Create a “bucket list” of countries/cities/towns to visit
What are the places you think we must visit while we are living in Europe?? Leave us a comment and let us know!!
Last weekend, our friends Justin and Maddie took us to Taormina, which is located about an hour away from where we live, on the north-eastern side of the island.
Taormina is the cutest little hilltop town that has incredible views of Mount Etna and becomes a huge attraction in the summers. After visiting, I can see why!
After arriving and parking, we walked through the town toward the Teatro Antico di Taormina, which is another ancient Greco-Roman theater. While walking through, we stopped at many shops and churches along the way and enjoyed the general splendor of the town, weather, and atmosphere.
The wall that surrounds the old city, and a mosaic contained within it.
Duomo di Taormina
The old town.
The village itself is perched on a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea. When walking though the old town, we noticed that there were many, many stairs and tiny little alleyways.
One thing I love about Italy – all the dogs! Unlike in the US, dogs are welcome almost everywhere. My favorite place I’d seen them might be in the Apple store at the mall. We saw this cute little one all dressed up with its owners in the old town. I’d take more photos of the dogs here, but I’m waiting until I know enough Italian to ask permission first!
Along the way to the Teatro Antico di Taormina, we stopped at Bam Bar for a granita. A granita is a dessert that is somewhere between sorbet and Italian ice. It has may traditional flavors including strawberry, almond, mandarin, and lemon. I had mandarin and Jordan had strawberry. They were incredibly delicious.
Eventually, we made it to the Teatro Antico di Taormina! They offer discounts based on age and citizenship for entry into a many historical sites here, and there was quite a debate at the ticket counter about Jordan’s age… it must be the mustache!!
The Teatro Antico di Taormina is the second largest ancient theatre in Sicily. The fact that it is a brick structure dates it to Roman times, but the plan and arrangement of the structure are Greek. Thus, it is assumed that the current theatre was rebuilt on an older theatre of the Greek period. It overlooks the ocean, which is quite a site to behold!
On the way back to the car, we checked out some art and stopped by La Pignolata Guinness Cannoli for the best cannoli I’ve ever had!! And, Maddie picked us some fresh clementines straight from the tree.
Once in the car, Justin drove us down the hilltop a bit to an amazing overlook.
After the overlook, Justin drove us up the hillside to Bar Turrisi. The walk to the bar was beautiful.
Walking in, it looked just like any other restaurant, except for all of the discreet decorations of… well, penises. From the floor tiles to the menu, there were penises everywhere!
We selected a table on the top floor and watched the sunset with a traditional appetizer and drinks (I had a “kamasutra”).
After our drinks and snacks, we then went to Catania for dinner before retiring for the night. We were exhausted, but the trip was SO MUCH FUN!
Look out for our next post to hear more about our first solo day trip. We chose to check out some place new.. and I can’t wait to blog about it!!
Our first weekend in Sicily, we explored Catania. For our second weekend, we joined our friends Justin and Maddie at Murgo for Maddie’s 23rd birthday! Murgo is a winery, restaurant, and B&B that sits at the foot of Mt. Etna just north of Catania. The drive there was quite beautiful.
Once we arrived, we located our table and then took a walk around the grounds to take in all of the general splendor.
Our table, specially reserved for Maddie!
The grounds were breathtaking! And, there were plenty of dogs to go around, as is typical in Sicily.
We then moved inside for lunch. Murgo’s resturant features agriturismo style food, which is freshly made food served family style. They served course after course (I think there were 5 all together), along with their speciality crafted wines.
And those were just the second course!
The third course was pasta.
And fourth, meat!
The last course was dessert, which was yummy, but the real favorite was Maddie’s cake from Caroline’s Soulfood. Not only was it beautiful, but it was DELICIOUS!! The cake was unicorn themed toped with a vanilla bean Swiss meringue frosting, pistachio Macarons, fruits, and cotton candy.
After lunch, we took some empty liter water bottles to the barrel room for a fill up (seriously, straight from the hose). For 2€ each, we got to bring back two liters of wine for later! We also got a tour of their cellars and factory to see where the wine is made. However, it was in Italian, so don’t ask me a lot of questions!!
Maddie and Jordan also took turns getting weighed on an old school scale.
Hopefully, it was a birthday for the books for Maddie! I know we had a great time.
This weekend, our wonderful friends Maddie and Justin showed us around Catania. Catania, the most densely populated metro of Sicily, is also known as “the black city,” as it’s buildings have been dyed black as a result of ash and soot from volcano Mt. Etna over the centuries.
Naturally, I was so excited I neglected to bring my camera. So, iPhone photos will have to do for this trip.
Our first stop was at the archaeological area of the Theater and Odeon in Catania.
The theater was built in the first century A.D. (that’s somewhere between years 1 to 100 A.D. in case you were wondering) and seated approximately 1,500 of Sicily’s most elite.
It was actually built over at one time (with buildings) and was “discovered” in the eighteenth century. Subsequently, the buildings that covered the theater were removed in the twentieth century.
The Odeon was off to the side a bit, and was used for poetry, music, and rehearsals for the Theater. It was also once covered by houses that were later demolished.
Many apartment buildings and a church actually surround the Theatre.
It was quite a site to behold… and my first of many theaters!!
After exploring the Theater and Odeon, we headed to an adorable little cafe to grab a snack since we still had five hours or so before dinner.
Justin and Maddie took us to an amazing little pastry shop, Savia, in which we purchased sweet pastries (they also had savory ones).
After enjoying our pre-dinner snack, we headed back to their car, where we were greeted by the parking police. While you may have heard traffic here is crazy (if you haven’t heard, now you have – there are basically no rules), parking is strict. Luckily, Justin was able to talk to the attendant and she let us pay the meter, so no ticket was had!
p.s. McDonalds delivers here.
Next, Justin drove us to Aci Trezza to see the Cyclopean Isles. If you’re familiar with Greek mythology, these are the stones thrown at Odysseus in The Odyssey by the Cyclops.
Here, we stopped for a drink (which is served with a small board of food) and then drove to back to Catania for dinner. It was dark by this point, so I didn’t take too many photos. We plan to go back another day, so I will update this post then!
Once we got back to Catania, we explored the main square, Piazza del Duomo, and the city center. Here are two photos I managed to take: one of the old city (in which in new city is built on top of, as is the way here), and me on the smallest set of stairs E V E R. Okay, so I don’t really know if they were the smallest set of steps ever, but I had to get a photo just because.
After seeing the city at night, we had dinner at Alvicolo Pizza and Vino – where I had both pizza AND wine. Here is a photo of our pizza, and a snippet of the menu, in which you see the word “cavallo” in #39…
…meaning “horse”. We didn’t try that one yet, but maybe one day!
