As Italy suffers from the coronavirus, I am looking at my photos from past trips to that beloved country, remembering better days. This time I took a look at my photos from my trip to Sicily some years ago. This trip had special meaning for me because it was my first group tour. Previously, I had always travelled alone or with family members. I was so nervous! I went with the art and history-themed travel agency Arsviva that offers tours in Czech. It turned out I had nothing to be nervous about. The group was made up of wonderful people who made me feel like I belonged, even though I was the only foreigner on the trip. I even made three good friends. Our tour guide was spectacular, and her insights about each magical place made the sights even more special and bewitching. Unfortunately, my photos of the interior of the cathedral in Monreale were on an old Samsung phone, and they did not transfer to my next phone. Somehow two photos of Cefalu got lost in a phone change as well. I thought I took pictures of the interior of the church in Tindari, but I cannot find them. Anyway, here are some of my special memories of that exciting time one May:

Agrigento

Agrigento

Cefalu

Cefalu

Mt. Etna

Mt. Etna

Church in Messina

Tower in Messina

Monreale

Monreale

Monreale

Noto

Street in Noto

Palermo

Cathedral in Palermo

Norman church in Palermo

Crypt of cathedral in Palermo

Palace in Palermo

Street in Ragusa

Church in Ragusa

Segesta

Amphitheatre in Segesta

View from amphitheatre in Segesta

Selinute

View from Selinute

Grotto in Syracuse

Theatre in Syracuse

Amphitheatre in Taormina

View from Taormina

Amphitheatre in Taormina

Amphitheatre in Taormina

View from Tindari

Roman ruins in Tindari

Church in Tindari

View from amphitheatre in village of Polina

View from amphitheatre in Polina

Amphitheatre in Polina

On the way to the amphitheatre in Polina

Villa Romana

Villa Romana

Villa Romana

 

Tracy A. Burns is a writer, proofreader and editor in Prague.