compás int •
compass int
74
·amura·
long and 36 (118) wide and has columns 20 meters
(65 feet) high, half in the form of caryatides.
From Porto Empedocle to Falconara
That day we sailed a short distance and anchored
in the small bay dominated by the Falconara cas-
tle, where we lodged and were received by the
count, its owner, with superb Italian elegance. In
this area, where the best ports established by the
Greeks are located, such as Gela and Licata, we vis-
ited themost outstanding attractions of the island
such as Noto and its ochre stone mansions,
Ragusa, which is beautified by its sandstone man-
sions bedecked with handsome balconies, angels
and mythical creatures, samples of unique Sicilian
baroque art; the Roman Villa de Casale, built at the
end of the 3rd century and which conserves
extraordinary mosaics with hunting, circus and
mythological scenes as well as of women in biki-
nis. We also visited Piazza Armenina, Caltagirone,
Enna, Calascibetta and Modica, beautiful towns
that lie scattered in this gorgeous scenery.
From Falconara to Syracuse
Leaving our palace, we followed the flat southern
coast of Sicily, lapped by the Mediterranean, pass-
ing by some excellent marinas, going around the
south point, heading north and entering the
majestic Port of Syracuse. Colonized by the
Greeks, it rapidly became the queen of the sea and
enjoyed great splendor in the 5th and 4 th cen-
turies BC. After some conflicts with Athens, the
city suffered military defeats, which weakened
la mitad en forma de cariáátides, el soberbio
Templo della Concordia y el Templo di Hera Lacinia.
Desde Porto Empedocle hasta Falconara
Navegamos poca distancia ese día para anclarnos
en la pequeña bahía dominada por el Castillo de
Falconara, donde nos alojamos, recibidos por su
dueño, el conde, con toda la elegancia italiana. En
esa zona, donde existen los mejores puertos
fundados por los griegos, como Gela y Licata, visi-
tamos los más destacables puntos de interés de la
isla: Noto y sus palacetes de piedra ocre; Ragusa
que se embellece con palacetes de arenisca ador-
nados por apuestos balcones y angelitos o criatu-
ras míticas, muestra del arte barroco siciliano,
único en el mundo; la Villa Romana de Casale,
construida al final del siglo III, que conserva sus
extraordinarios mosaicos con escenas de cacería,
de circo, de mitología y las famosas damas en bikini;
Piazza Armenina, Caltagirone, Enna, Calascibetta,
Modica, unos bellos pueblos dispersos en un magní-
fico escenario.
Desde Falconara hasta Siracusa
Dejando nuestro palacio, seguimos la costa plana
del sur de Sicilia lamida por el Mediterráneo, pasan-
do por unas excelentes marinas, doblando la punta
sur para tomar la dirección hacia el norte y entrar en
el majestuoso Puerto de Siracusa. Colonizada por
los griegos, se volvió rápidamente la reina del mar,
gozando de un gran esplendor en los siglos V y IV
a.C. Tras unos conflictos con Atenas, la ciudad sufrió
derrotas militares que la debilitaron para finalmente
3
4
1. Atardecer al pie del monte Etna
antes de su erupción.
Sunset at the foot of Mount Etna
before its eruption.
2. Castel Di Tusa
3. Costa Basilicata
4. El teatro griego de Taormina fue
ampliamente usado por los
romanos y sigue presentando
espectáculos.
The Greek theater at Taormina
was widely used by the Romans
and continues to stage
performances.
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