North or South? Hawaii or Mexico?

SANTA CLAUS SWIMS IN SICILY!!!

Letting all your worries float away in the Sicilian waves...

When people in the United States hear the word “BEACH,” they immediately begin to list off places like Hawaii, California, or Mexico… picturing white sand, palm trees, and warm water.  Rarely would one ever say, “SICILY!”  However, after living here now for 4 months and having the 6^th sense to sniff out a good strip of sand, I must say that Sicily ranks right up there as an ultimate beach location.

Beautiful Playa Beach, only 5 minutes south of Catania.

While the locals prefer the ‘rocks’ (shoreline with black lava rocks that have the clearest, cleanest water), North Americans are suckers for sand.  Specifically in the last week, we have discovered two ‘gems’ of the Sicilian coastline that allow the members of the Malibu condo to ask ourselves one simple question every morning: Do you feel like Mexico or Hawaii?

Giardini-Naxos.

Giardini-Naxos, aka ‘Hawaii,’ lies a carefree 35-minute drive North of our Aci Castello home, occupying the calmest part of a half-moon bay at the base of Taormina.  It is the cleanest beach we’ve come across in Europe, and is protected by a large sea-wall making the water as flat as a lake.  Mainstreet runs along the water, passing cheap pizzerias and fine seafood restaurants.  In the summer cruise ships stop in the harbor, while private boats for hire lead their own local excursions.  If you close your eyes, you could easily feel that you are in Maui.       

Our version of Mexico is called Capaninne (or ‘little huts’), one of countless private beach destinations on the 15-mile-long stretch of sand just south of Catania known as Playa Beach.  (Yes, I know that ‘playa’ in Spanish means beach so it is a little redundant to call a place ‘BEACH BEACH’)  The road along Playa is littered with abandoned buildings, cheap Panini stands, and has the whole “wouldn’t surprise me if a truck full of armed Mexicans drove past me” feel... Yet the water close to shore is a brilliant Caribbean blue color and the sand is among the softest in the world.     

Capaninne on Playa Beach with Catania in the background.

Capaninne itself is one of many private beach clubs along Playa Beach, boasting hundreds of thatch roof huts and comfortable beach chairs to rent.  It also has a dozen volleyball courts, beachside bars, windsurf rentals, restaurants, and at night, a dance club.

So the next time you are trying to decide whether to go to Mexico or Hawaii... think SICILY!    

~ J. Twice