Photos by Michelle DiPiazza and Luke Sawh

Check out this trip of a lifetime. Arrive in London, travel by motorcycle around London through the Midlands up to Newcastle, back to London. Then hop a plane to Naples and explore Southern Italy and the Islands by train, ferry and foot. This is the trip my cousin Michelle and her boyfriend Luke took this past summer and it was amazing! Luke is originally from England and our family finds its roots in Southern Italy and Sicily. So it was a “going home” adventure for both of them – one they will remember for a lifetime.

Many people travel to Italy and England. There is so much to see and do in both places. If you don’t have a lot of time, and have never been there before, it is hard to know where to go, what NOT to miss. I interviewed Michelle and asked her, out of all the places they visited, what were her top three choices. What made them so special, how difficult it is getting around various places in Italy if you don’t know much Italian, and what are the must do things in each place. Here are her answers and suggestions.

Top 3 Places:

Alia, Sicily.

Alia is about 75 km by train south of Palermo. It sits 750 meters above sea level and is home to about 4,000 people. When you depart the train there is nothing for miles around you. Michelle and Luke had to walk most of the way to Alia on foot. But it is worth it as this place holds special significance for my family – this is the village that my Grandfather was born in, so it was an emotional visit for Michelle. She said once they got there, she fell in love with it immediately. The hospitality there is unbelievable. People are extremely helpful and since they do not get many tourists they are also very curious. Even though it was hard to communicate (only about 5 people in Alia spoke English), they managed to get around and really get a feel for the place, even meeting some relatives. She said they really enjoyed the challenge that the language barrier brought and even ended up learning to communicate a little in the dialect spoken there. Apparently she and Luke were kind of celebrities while they were there – being a long lost relative in a place with little tourism.
Things to do: Hands down it is the eating. The best things to eat there are pizza and seafood. They recommend chaplin’s di chiaramonte rosalia for seafood (c/da svuchi 27 alia pa tel 091 8219368). The proprietor, Giacomo and service are great and the food is delicious!
She also recommends walking. Alia is very steep and hilly so it is a great place to relax and get some fresh air and exercise.

There are also the Gurfa Caves, which were carved out of the stone in 5000 BC and inhabited for thousands of years. Gurfah is an Arabic word meaning cave used as a dwelling.

They also visited The Church of Maria SS di Tutte Le Grazie (Our Lady of All Graces) where our great-grandparents were married and where my grandfather was baptised. The church was built between 1630 and 1639 by Signora Francesca Cifuentes Imbarbara, wife of the town founder.

Pompeii, Italy.

Pompeii is located outside of Naples in the Italian region of Campania. Pompeii, for Michelle, was a living history experience like none other. You get to bear witness to the town in its prime, which was buried alive in a violent eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. The city was lost for 1, 600 years until it was accidentally discovered in 1748. Its excavation has unlocked the very details of life in this city, many of the homes, artworks and people are still intact. One thing to watch out for when visiting Pompeii is that none of the sites are marked. Therefore it is hard to get around and know exactly what you are seeing as site maps are available but hard to follow. Michelle said they had the hardest time getting around Pompeii not knowing Italian.

The most meaningful stops in Pompeii for Michelle were the House of the Faun where there is an intricate and statue which has been completely preserved. It is an amazing marvel that so much has been recovered and preserved. She was also moved by the brothel where the beds were still there as if everything just stood still in time. The final thing she took back with her from the trip to Pompeii are the dogs. There are many who just live at the site, keeping watch almost guarding this powerful place.

Matlock, England.

Matlock located in Derbyshire England, became a spa town, when thermal springs were discovered in 1698. The town lies on the River Derwent to the east, and sits between 2 mountains High Tor and Cat Tor, which almost vertically from the river’s edge in places as the river cuts its way through the limestone rocks. You can check out the breathtaking views from a cable car on the Heights of Abraham
Matlock is a quaint and touristy town full of chip and traditional english food shops as well as great for other shopping.

So if you are looking to go to England or Italy, these places should not be overlooked in your travel plans. Check out my Plan Your Trip Page to check flights and accommodations!