From Cefalu to Catania

Tonight we are in Catania, just south of Mt Etna. It's well known for historical earthquakes, having been destroyed by catastrophic shakes in 1169 and 1693, and for several volcanic eruptions from Mt Etna, the most violent of which was in 1669. Many of Catania's buildings are built from black lava stones.

After breakfast at our hotel in Cefalu we got taken in an electric vehicle to our car at the port.

Then we drove to Catania, initially on small, rough and very high roads so that we could get a glimpse of hilltop villages like Pollinia.

Then we joined the motorway and drove through very dry looking country - we even saw a grass fire which was being fought from a fire engine on the motorway - and always out the left hand window was Mt Etna with a puff of smoke billowing from the top.

We arrived in Catania and did some sightseeing, visiting the Cathedral and some of the Roman ruins. Catania is Sicily's second biggest city and one of the ten biggest in Italy. It's on the east coast, south of Mt Etna which can easily be seen from the city.  

 From our B and B we have a glimpse of the Ionian Sea, the name given to the Mediterranean between Southern Italy and Sicily and Greece.

 Tomorrow we fly to Rome, meet up with Cherry and head to Orvieto in Umbria for 3 nights.