Sicily

Arriving in Sicily

Leaving Austria, we were expecting Sicily to feel warm, lively, and full of that classic Italian charm.

We knew it wasn’t summer, but after Austria and the snow, we were expecting summer vibes.

But straight away… it felt different.

And not in the way we expected.

First Impressions — A Bit of a Shock

Sicily was messy.

There was rubbish everywhere.

The drive from the airport didn’t feel like entering a major destination. It felt like we were driving through backroads, even though we were on what should have been main roads.

Everything felt a bit abandoned.

A Place That Feels Untouched (in a Different Way)

The towns themselves are old.

You can feel the history in them. The buildings, the streets, the layout… it’s all there.

But everything felt unkempt.

Like nothing had really been maintained or updated in years.

Paint peeling, things broken, buildings looking like they were slowly falling apart.

It felt like time had just… stopped.

After the Storm

Sicily had been hit by a hurricane earlier in January.

And driving around, it felt like not much cleanup had happened.

Debris, rubbish, things left as they were.

It added to that feeling of things being a bit rough around the edges.

Giardini Naxos — Quiet and Confusing

Or first base was in Giardini Naxos on the east coast.

And it was quiet. Really quiet.

Restaurants were closed, or looked like they hadn’t been open in years.

Streets felt empty.

It didn’t have that lively coastal feel we were expecting.

Then the weekend hits…

And everything changes.

People appear out of nowhere.

Shops open. Streets fill up. There’s energy again.

It was like a completely different place.

Honestly, it felt bizarre.

Riposo - Siesta Time

Most places shut down from around 2pm till 5pm.

And then even after that, not much really happens until later in the evening.

If you’re not used to it, it feels like nothing is happening at all.

Mount Etna — The Highlight

The absolute highlight of Sicily was Mount Etna.

Climbing a volcano isn’t something you do every day… but this was next level.

I had no idea you could ski on a volcano.

We were hiking through snow, making our way up to around 3000 metres above sea level, and then stopping to sit on the side of the mountain… feeling the warmth coming through the ground beneath us.

Snow under your feet.

Heat beneath you.

It didn’t make sense.

But it was incredible.

One of those moments you don’t forget.

Heading Across Sicily

After a few days, we made our way across the island to Campofelice di Roccella, near Cefalù.

And things started to shift.

The drive itself felt different.

Less of that abandoned feeling, and more life starting to show.

Cefalù — A Different Side of Sicily

Cefalù was the turning point.

Vibrant. Alive. Glowing in the afternoon sun.

It had that feeling we’d been expecting when we first arrived in Sicily.

People out, cafes open, a bit of energy back in the streets.

It finally started to feel like the Italy we expected.

Finding Our Rhythm

Once we settled into our new place, everything got easier.

We booked accommodation with more space, and the kids thrived because of it.

We found a rhythm.

Slow mornings at the beach, exploring, getting out and about, and just starting to enjoy where we were rather than trying to figure it out.

Looking Back

Sicily wasn’t what we expected at first.

It was messy, rough, and confusing.

But once we moved, settled, and saw a different side of it… things started to change.

It didn’t become perfect.

But it became real in a different way.

And that’s what made it memorable.

Explore Our Time in Sicily

👉 Read our full Italy isn’t what we expected story
👉 Follow our day-to-day experiences in our Giardini Naxos & Campofelice di Roccella daily journals
👉 View our Sicily photo gallery