The next day, we were off to explore another area in Italy: Sicily and the towns of Taormina and Messina. For this cruise stop, we had booked an excursion with a driver to tour the hilltop village of Taormina, nestled along the Sicilian coast with breathtaking vistas and cute restaurants and shops. I LOVED this stop on our tour! The Taormina area was quintessential Italy to me, just an adorable town with colorful storefronts and quaint cobblestone walkways. The hillside views were absolutely stunning! We walked around a bit, enjoyed an Italian lunch, and then the boys took off toward some sights while Kaitlynn and I did some shopping and photos in the area. The weather was once again sunny and gorgeous, a truly picture perfect Italian day.
After some time in Taormina, our driver continued our tour with panoramic views on the way to Messina with some stops along the way to taste some famous street foods. Although we were full from our Italian lunch, we were each handed a street food unique to Messina called the Pitone. It was a crescent-shaped, deep-fried turnover generously stuffed with a savory filling, absolutely delicious and none of us could finish it. Another snack we enjoyed was the Cannolo Messinese (cannoli) which is a locally famous and delicious sweet treat. Such a fun way to experience the local culture and cuisine on our way to the Messina sights. Our driver was proud to share some unique history in Messina with us, and we ended up at the Piazza del Duomo, Cathedral Square. The driver informed us that it was the cultural heart of the city with the spectacular Messina Cathedral, one of the most beautiful and incredible church we visited during our entire time in Europe (which is saying a LOT because we even visited St. Peter's Basilica). What was really unique about this church was the individual statues of each Apostle, meticulous in detail and design, absolutely breathtaking! I'm not sure how I managed to skip photos of the interior, but it was truly a special visit and we were so happy to have experienced Messina.
Back at the ship, we were really enjoying our family time. The kids played several rounds of euchre, and our nightly family dinners were incredibly fun and always an experience in trying new cuisines and dishes. After dinner, we usually tried to enjoy a show or head down to the casino to try our hand at the poker and craps tables. Kevin managed to win $400 on his first night playing poker, while Jeff, Collin, and Connor were losing a little more money night after night but having a blast along the way. This family time, while enjoying the fun amenities on the ship, is what these trips are all about and we soaked in every second!
No comments:
Post a Comment