Winter tour of Sicily

Although it was winter and not the tourist season, we impulsively headed off for Sicily. Our Palermo hotel overlooked the ocean. We were enthralled by the buildings in the area, discovering what appeared to be the original fortifications. A gate was all that remained of the old city walls, and impressive buildings displayed massive pillars in the Greek style.

Touring the older downtown verified our impression that this was a special city. Within short distances were beautiful monuments, impressive fountains, a gem of an opera house, and churches, churches, churches, many right next to each other.

At Palermo’s famous crossroads were four buildings with three stories of statuary fountains and identical rounded detailing. Many of the ancient churches are no longer open, but their exteriors were impressive to behold. By the next day, our tour got underway, and we knew we were in for a special experience.

We headed for the ruins of the Temple of Jupiter at Segesta, then to Erice, a medieval town with patterned cobblestone streets overlooking the ocean. The next day, we toured even more impressive Greek ruins in the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, followed by a visit to the remains of the Roman Villa de Casale, mostly in ruins but with room after room of amazingly preserved mosaic floors.

On day four of the tour, we visited the city of Syracuse, where a large archeological site boasts both a Greek theater and a Roman amphitheater.

Arriving in the port town of Messina, our group took the ferry to the Italian mainland town of Reggio Calabria, where a small museum houses two bronze Greek sculptures dating to the 5th century B.C. They were discovered by accident after resting on the ocean bottom for more than 2,500 years. The two warrior figures were indeed awesome.

Returning to Sicily, we visited the city of Cefalu during a festival featuring singing, fireworks and a sunset parade of a Madonna statue around the square, which reminded me of a scene from “The Godfather.”

Our tour nearing completion, we returned to Palermo, where we saw a cathedral in nearby Monreale and the royal chapel of Palermo. The chapel interior served as a model for the golden mosaics in the church we visited in Messina.

Sicily is an area rich with history, having undergone Greek, Roman, Moorish and Spanish occupations. Every culture left its mark upon this remarkable island. Combining the beautiful scenery, the ancient buildings and towns and the wonderful sculptures, our tour guide educated us on Sicilian history and Greco-Roman myths.

In many places, we were the only tour group, one benefit of making this visit in the off-season. The days were short, but our hotels were mostly downtown, where we could stroll during the evening.

* ANNE AND HERB RING live in Newport Beach.

20060216iur7j3nc(LA)During their winter tour of Sicily, Anne and Herb Ring of Newport Beach visited the Duomo in Cefalu.