Vacation: ISOLA BELLA and Alcantara Gorges Our travel As I announced in the summer on Twitter , did not end with the return from Castellammare , San Vito the Egadi , Erice, Monreale etc. ...!!! ... In fact, not yet satisfied with the time spent together and in places long dreamed of, we decided to switch the last weekend of August in some great places right in the province of Messina ! ... On our first day out we passed between the ' ISOLA BELLA ... , and Alcantara Gorges ! great weekend ... we just started from one of the most 'spectacular Sicily ... the pearl of the Ionian, Taormina (ME) , which houses one of the beauties of maggiorni my region ... is the ' ISOLA BELLA , a small island located a short distance from the coast at times, because of the low tide, can be reached without diving into the sea! ... Indeed, as often happens, the beauty of you more 'neighbors are those who do not know or that you have not time to see! ... It was the first time we went it! ... It 's been a great surprise, both for me and G., be able to see up close in a place you had ever heard! The island is inaccessible as a nature reserve ... But in the past it was owned Bourbons before and after Lady Trevelyan, grandson of Queen Victoria, that the redevelopment by building a quaint little house rare plants and precious woods (just like the famous Villa Trevelyan in the center of Taormina) ... 
Another beautiful stage of that same day, before reaching our hotel ... were GROOVES Alcantara near Giardini Naxos (ME) ... Situated in the valley of the river Alcantara, are high up to 25metri wide and between 2 and 5metri ... Nate but not by water erosion from seismic events that split the rock of the lava eruptions of Etna making you lodge the river ... The gorges are part of River Park along with a series of ponds and cascades of water very cold even in summer ... the whole area is characterized by a rich flora and fauna. Here ... for me it was a return after more 'than ten years, while G. was the first time ... and I was glad that he was the first to dive "nicely" in the cool waters! :) ... now I post only for a few, our photos on Facebook ... but the story continues in the prox post! :)
Vacation: Monreale and ALCAMO 
... and just like ERICE ... for MONREALE and ALCAMO it was a holiday cultural history in our summer week ! We never miss anything then !!... above all, we were able to visit MONREALE that we were not got to see during our weekend in Palermo (see anke post2) ! MONREALE and 'just 5km south of Palermo ... I could say that it is almost one with the capital city! It 's a major center dating back to Norman times and it is thanks to them that it was built the magnificent cathedral that we visited and that annually attracts many visitors! It is characterized by extraordinary works of art and mosaics of the time making it perhaps the temple with more 'mosaics in the world! ... In the photos in order: ... spectacular facades, interiors, the apse and the cloister of the friars ... all Arab-inspired! ALCAMO instead is on the border between Palermo and Trapani prov.di .. . but the latter is found in the province! ... It 's been our last stop before heading to Monroe! Alcamo also has an Arab-Norman origin and is characterized mainly by its castle on the main square! ... Castle of the Counts of Modica! Monreale, Alcamo are our steps to return ... But the sorrow of leaving beautiful places will soon lead us to leave ... :)
Holidays: ERIC 
... our summer holiday did not stop only to beautiful places of the sea as Castellammare , SanVito , and Egadi ... but I think we could visit one of the most 'beautiful in the world! ERICE ! ... This wonderful town is less than an hour and just 20 minutes from Trapani SanVito! ... Very welcome destination for tourists passing through the province of Trapani! It 'really a surprise visit ERICE ! ... Placed at the top of Mount San Giuliano, the myth is interwoven archeology witnessing the lives of ancient peoples and civilizations! The city is surrounded by massive walls date from the seventh sec.AC. at whose corners stand the Norman castle (Castle of Venus) and Cathedral which houses the fourteenth-century Gothic tower with the bell. The center shows a typical medieval urban layout with narrow, winding streets and squares in which overlook beautiful flower-filled courtyards. Erice hosts more than sixty churches ... and maintains the charm of old medieval village inspired by the workshops of traditional crafts: fine ceramic, the colorful hand-woven carpets, traditional sweets made of almond and fruit candied ... mmm ... :) In the penultimate photo: Trapani, the islands of Favignana, Marettimo Levanzo and views from Erice.
