Days 3 and 4: Sandwiches and Swimming in the Tyrrhenian Sea

We enjoyed sleeping in late the next day eventually getting ourselves ready for our first day traveling the Sicilian roads. First, we had to roll our bags a few blocks to pick up our car at the rental office. I got us their biggest SUV which was the size of a Honda CR-V except with incredible power! I would soon learn that the agility and power of this car was exactly what we needed for the next 12 days.

We grabbed some breakfast sandwiches, plugged in the GPS coordinates to San Vito lo Capo and jumped into the stream of crazy fast driving in Palermo. I can say there were some sort of lane partitions in the road but nobody cared. Two lane roads somehow became three lane roads, pedestrians darted across unexpectedly as if they were invincible, speed limit signs were merely suggestions, and Italians leaning on their horns played like a symphony throughout especially from cars in my rear view mirror. I had to adapt and quick. My muscle memories of driving in Juarez, Mexico back home came back to me. I was just glad my credit card provided insurance on the car......knock on wood we wouldn't need it.

For our first phase of travel, our road trip journey would take us westward to the towns of San Vito lo Capo, Trapani, and Selinunte. We stayed on the coastal highway as long as possible until the GPS started us on very narrow mountainous roads leading to the northern most point of Sicily where most local Sicilians go for beach time vacations. The cliffs of San Vito were gorgeous and the coves were filled with the clearest water I've ever seen. We made our way into a beach town lined with narrow 2-story stone homes right along the Tyrrhenian Sea. We were early for our AirBnB check-in so we found some public parking and grabbed much needed lunch while we waited for our place to be ready. I ordered
a cacio e pepe sandwich that was packed with pepper and cheese. I loved it! Christina's was loaded with mouthwatering thin slices of mortadella with ricotta and pistachio spread. This would become Christina's favorite sandwich throughout Sicily. The beach town was sparse with people and so we were the only ones sitting in the outdoor café at 3 in the afternoon. We expected as much since the main tourist season for Europeans was over.

After lunch, we met up with our AirBnB host who gave us a special pass to park so we didn't get towed. She and her mom were very proud to show us the place including the rooftop with a shower to wash off all the sand from the beach. The view was beautiful. As soon as she left, Christina and I knocked out for a few hours to nap.

When we woke up from our slumber, we got dressed and headed out for dinner along the water. Again, we indulged in seafood cuisine which included an extraordinary pistachio encrusted tuna steak with a honey sauce. Man that was good. We also ate tuna tartar, a seafood mix couscous (a specialty of the area), a black garlic risotto, and an unbelievably rich and creamy cannoli for dessert.

We walked off our calories along the beach-side promenade listening to the waves of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The beach area was very peaceful at night and locals were enjoying the warm evening weather. We eventually found our way onto the main strip of town and out of nowhere we found where all the people were! The street was packed with tourists eating dinner, sipping their aperol spritzes, and licking up gelato. We enjoyed a bit of people watching as we walked along and we met many furry cat friends along the way. There were actually quite alot of them. It was a fun relaxing evening in San Vito and we were looking forward to our beach time the next day.

Back in our AirBnB apartment, we could hear the partying continue all night long but we managed to fall asleep just fine. Our lazy bum selves rolled out of bed very late and first thing to do was eat once again. So I found a sandwich place around the block that set the standard for all sandwiches we would have in Sicily.

With appetites satisfied, we threw on our swim suits and headed for the beach. The beach was packed with people sitting under their umbrellas and the body positivity was prevalent and refreshing! Tiny swimsuits on both the men and women of all ages and sizes. We were all there just to soak in the sun's rays and relax. Christina and I were a bit nervous leaving our stuff on the beach so we simply took turns enjoying the crystal clear water. There was just a slight whiff of sulfur but not bad. It's an island with alot of volcanic activity under water and on land so no surprise there. The water was unbelievably warm and the mountain views in the background were incredible. It almost reminded me of El Paso except you know with a crystal clear ocean.

After soaking in the rays, we headed back for another glorious nap before getting ready for another night out. This time we opted for some Sicilian street food consisting of fried sea food mix, arancini, and potato croquettes. Of course we then grabbed ourselves some gelato; pistachio being my favorite every time we come to Italy.

We went for one last evening stroll along the beach and said farewell to all our little cat friends. San Vito lo Capo was such a chill and relaxing vibe. Exactly what we needed before our long car ride to Agrigento the next day.