Italy — Travel Blog — The Check In

If you’re looking for warm weather, nice beaches, and some incredible ruins, look no further than Sicily. We visited the city of Ortigia in the southeast corner of Sicily. Ortigia was a once occupied by the Greeks, so everything there has a lot of Greek mythology influence.

The first night we arrived, we ate at a rustic Sicilian restaurant called “A Putia”. This charming eatery is right near the Fountain of Diana, in the center of the city, so it is easy to get to by foot from most places in town.

We started our meal with some authentic bruschetta. The tomatoes were a crisp and delicious complement to the bread. It was bright and flavorful, matching the atmosphere of the restaurant.

Next, we had pasta. I ate a pasta with tomato sauce, basil, garlic, fried eggplant, olive oil, and salted ricotta on top. It was a delicious combination of flavors. My boyfriend ate a pasta in a pistachio cream sauce with tomato and more pistachio crumbles on top. These dishes were absolutely incredible. While we ate, of course, I had to drink a chinotto, a type of Italian citrus soda.

As we ate our food, traditional Sicilian performers sang and played instruments in front of the restaurant. It was quite an impressive show and great dinner entertainment.

A Putia is definitely a must-eat restaurant on any trip to Ortigia. I definitely recommend checking it out the next time you’re heading to Sicily in southern Italy.

I have always loved getting out into nature, especially the mountains. So when the opportunity to see the Matterhorn in person presented itself, I was incredibly excited. The Matterhorn sits on the border of Italy and Switzerland. If you’ve been to Disneyland, there’s even a ride named after it! This is a famous landmark for mountain lovers everywhere.

I selected an easy hike in Italy that started in the ski town of Cervinia-Breuil and went up to a beautiful turquoise lake in front of the Matterhorn, called Lac de Goillet. This would be our goal for the day.

The day started with a scenic drive through the Italian Alps. We passed tiny mountain towns and winding streams. We even stopped at a local roadside fruit stand to pick up fresh fruit for a snack on our hike.

Finally, we arrived in Cervinia. This town has picturesque views all around it, with a gorgeous stream at the entrance to the town, waterfalls trailing from mountain peaks in the distance, and of course, the Matterhorn towering above us. The buildings are something you’d only see as a replica in US ski towns, but this was the real deal!

First, we had to prepare for a day of hiking. And what better way to prepare than a delicious breakfast outside with Matterhorn views. We went to a local pastry shop called Sweet Side. They had tons of cute little breakfast pastries to choose from, called pasticcini. We picked a few, plus a chocolate croissant, and ate them with a cup of espresso while taking in the fresh mountain air.

Then, we went next door to a little shop with meats, cheeses, and jam called Cervinia Gourmet. My boyfriend had already packed us local cheeses from his hometown, so we just wanted some jam and crackers to go with it. We also got a chinotto, an Italian citrus soda. Then, we set out on our hike.

On our hike we passed fields of wildflowers, mountain cow farms where cheese is produced locally called alpeggi, and even some little creeks along the way. The Matterhorn was a clear and majestic background throughout the hike. As we started to climb higher in elevation, the air got significantly colder. The clouds began to roll in, but it kept us cool on our hike.

Finally, we made it to the lake. We unpacked our picnic and snacked while sitting on a large boulder next to the water. The cheese paired perfectly with the fruit and jam and was the best reward for a successful hike. The Matterhorn was masked by clouds at this point but the views we still just as impressive.

After this, we hiked back down to the town. The hike down was frigid and cold from the cloud cover, so we were very excited to treat ourselves to some nice hot chocolate once we reached the bottom.

This was a day I’ll never forget. Every moment was incredible. If you get a chance to make a day trip from Turin or Milan, this place is a must! Check it out on your next Italian adventure.

A Putia - A Rustic Sicilian Restaurant in Ortigia, Italy

A Hike Below the Matterhorn