Sicily: Catania, Taormina and Palermo

I'm leaving on Saturday for this adventure and would love to hear about favorite experiences.

Please, take me back to those places that have taken up permanent residence in your mind!

I spent 2 days on a tight budget in Catania and found some excellent cheap eating. I can't give you recomendations for fine dining but I can help with some good street food.

First thing about Catania is that it is home, as far as I know, to arancini; which are fried, stuffed rice balls. There are 2 bars that compete for the best in the city and they are located right next door to eachother on via Etnea.

The other discovery I made was a guy grilling under the train tracks near my hostel with a few plastic picnic tables set up. I can't be more specific on directions, the guy was literally under the train near my hostel. He had a meat case like in a butcher shop, a charcoal grill, and a bucket full of cold beer. I had a grilled pancetta-wrapped scallion sandwich that was among the greatest things ever. It was nothing more than a kicked up blt, but then again, it was so much more.

In Catania, in the fish market (la Pescheria), Trattoria La Paglia (Via Pardo 23) makes very good food. It's the first place I'd try. I also liked La Siciliana, in Viale M. Polo 52/A.

Lots of good places in Palermo, but I urge you to try pane ca meusa (a sandwich made with spleen and a little caciocavallo cheese) at the eponymous Pane ca Meusa (Via Cala 62) or in one of the shops near the train station. For excellent Palermitani food, I like Capricci di Sicilia (Via Istituto Pignatelli 6). A great place to stop for some quick sfinciuni or panelle is Antica Focacceria San Francesco (Via Paternostro 58).

And perhaps pick up some of Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano mysteries to read on the flight over. The inspector is a serious eater.

Buon viaggio in Italia.

Last time we were in Palermo, our moat memorable meal was at Sant'Andrea, where we left ourselves in the owner's hands, without regrets.

Here's a Frommer's review, with which I am in accord:

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides ... 4654635468

And be sure to spend some time in the Vucciria food market. It can be especially haunting in the evening hours.

Other fond memories of Palermo:

Palermo's catacombs and the amazing mosaics in the Monreale cathdral (an interesting bus ride from center city.)

I liked Capricci di Sicilia in Palermo, but it didn't stand out as much as the pizza in the Plaza Bellini or the experience of the market.





A day trip from Palermo to Eriche and the Pasticceria Grammatica Maria was worth it for some marzipan - and her canoli will always be my standard.





Also the trip to nearby Mondello for seafood at da Calogero - octopus and spaghetti con ricci. To go to Sicily and not eat sea urchin would be a shame.





Here's a vanilla gelato right in the plaza of the cathedral in Monreale.



While in Taoromina, a trip to the Benanti winery on Etna for a tasting was a standout (http://www.vinicolabenanti.it/). We stayed at the hotel at Capo Taoromina - amazing views and excellent food.

In a Palermo, we found a hip restaurant with outdoor seating in an historic square(which I can't remember) called Mi Manda Picone. The bread and circuses were great.

I don't know if you have time to go to Agrigento, but it's unbelievable. It's called the Valley of the Temples and there's some perfectly preserved Greek temples to see. It's a truly magical spot. We stayed at Villa Athena, with a view of the Sicilian Parthenon out the back deck. We had very good pizza and pasta and Lion d'Or.

Mi Manda Picone ("Picone sent me", named after the 1984 Nanni Loi movie with Giancarlo Giannini playing an accidental cammoristo) is in the Kàssaro section of Palermo in the Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi. Try the pasta con sarde.