4 minute read
Sicilian Holiday
from Range - Volume 4
by Ensemble
Armed with her camera and accompanied by her husband, parents and mother-in-law, photographer Chiara Zonca set off to explore the unspoiled nature reserves and sun-dappled coastlines of Sicily.
Photos by Chiara Zonca — Words by Dominique Lamberton
For photographer Chiara Zonca and her husband, Armando, traveling home to Milan from Western Canada — where they’ve lived for the past five years — is time-consuming and, for the two born-and-bred northern Italians, not terribly exciting. So, instead of visiting Chiara’s parents and Armando’s mother in their home city, the whole family decided to start meeting up in different European destinations — ones that were new and appealing for everyone.
For their first trip, the group of five began close to home, in Italy’s Valle d’Aosta. Next, it was Iceland. Then, the Canary Islands. And this year, Sicily. It was a place where Chiara’s parents, who are hiking enthusiasts, could find enough trails to satisfy them; Armando’s mom, who cooking and visiting villages, wouldn’t be too isolated; and Chiara and her husband could lose themselves in the wild settings they’re drawn to. “Sicily has this unique mixture of ancient architecture and culture, as well as beautiful landscapes, which is what made it all come together,” says Chiara.
The group spent one week in Sicily’s northwest, and a second week in the southeast. Days filled with sightseeing and trekking were capped by evenings spent cooking, eating and laughing together. When the two weeks were up, Chiara and Armando ventured off on their own, island-hopping through the Aeolian archipelago, on the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily, on a hired sailboat. It’s become a ritual to extend the trip after they’ve said goodbye to the parents: “We use it as a launching pad to go somewhere else that’s close and convenient.”
During their stay, they visited three of Sicily’s 74 regional nature reserves — Zingaro, Mount Cofano and Cavagrande del Cassibile.
Mount Cofano, which is a 1,300-acre expanse of hilly trails and craggy cliffs that drop into the sea, was Chiara’s favorite — the verdant landscape, home to more than 300 plant species, was a surprise: “I pictured Sicily with olive trees, sure, but not the type of plants we saw in Mount Cofano,” she says. “There were tons of different palm trees, and it was lush, like New Zealand.”
On hikes with her parents, Chiara’s father, Roberto, was often leading the way, with Chiara trailing behind. “When you travel with a photographer, it takes forever.”
In the Aeolian Islands, Chiara found the Sicily she had envisioned, awash in romantic villages, colorful ports and waterfront seafood restaurants.
The archipelago is made up of seven main islands, with Lipari, the largest and most populated, being the starting point for most Aeolian adventures. Each island has its own distinct feeling, from the glitzy nightlife on the smallest island, Panarea, to the active-volcano-crowned Stromboli. “If there’s an island that stole my heart, it’s Stromboli,” says Chiara. “The beaches are all black and the houses are all white — it’s an incredibly beautiful and sophisticated place.”
While Sicily offered something for everyone, traveling as a multigenerational group is not without its challenges, no matter the destination. There were moments of compromise, says Chiara, but in the end, it’s always worth it:
“Time is so precious. You especially notice that when you live far away from your parents. To be able to spend meaningful time together is so important.” Next year, the family will meet again in either Istria, Croatia or in Arctic Norway — they’re still deciding.
