Okay. I’ve covered the citrus side of my Sicilian excursion – with bits about Ciaculli mandarins, Ribera oranges, blood oranges, Interdonato lemons and Syracuse lemons – and now I want to talk about some of the other equally fruitful aspects of my trip. So in the next few posts of my Le Vie della Zagara series I’m going to highlight a handful of the more remarkable sights encountered while touring Sicily. First up is the quaint and scenic mountain village of Palazzo Adriano.
Palazzo Adriano was worth a looksee for the scenic-on-the-verge-of-epic mountain drive from Palermo taken to get there alone (sorry no pics – I was crammed in the back of a coach). While there though, more wonders were to be discovered.
Did you ever see Cinema Paradiso? It was filmed in Palazzo Adriano, There’s a sweet little museum dedicated to the movie in the town hall where guided walks visiting shooting locations can be organised. From what I saw, the place seemed not to have changed much at all since the film was released in the late 80s.
Largely unaltered since well before the 80s (but gorgeously restored) is the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in the heart of town. A 16th century Greek Orthodox Cathedral built by Albanian refugees who were the first people to settle in the area now known at Palazzo Adriano, the church is majestic and unless you’re an expert on Sicilian history somewhat incongruously set.
Albergo Ristorante Pizzeria Del Viale
For my one night in Palazzo Adriano, I stayed at the humble three-star Del Viale albergo. It provided a good night’s rest in a simple but comfortable – and spotlessly clean – accommodation. I was up a few floors, my room was extra quiet, and I slept soundly (word is the rooms on lower floors might not be as buffered from street noise though). I was too stuffed from an excellent meal served just outside town at the rustic L’Azienda Agrituristica Casale Borgia and sorely wished I’d had room for a bite of the perfectly baked pizzas coming out of Del Viale’s wood-fired oven. Run by Nina Barbata and her son and daughter, service during my brief booking was warm and kind. The location is ideal for walking around town. Considerably more basic and downmarket than the rest of the places where I checked in while on the island, Del Viale was nevertheless my favourite. Find out more at the albergo’s Facebook page: facebook.com/pages/Albergo-Ristorante-Pizzeria-Del-Viale/408943315912805.
Please keep an eye out for more juicy tales in my Le Vie della Zagara series of posts.
