Our landlord had reserved a cab for us this morning, and we arrived at the station in Trastevere in short order and were soon on our way to Fiumicino Airport for our flight to Palermo, Sicily. It's always hard to leave Rome, but we have another month to explore more of this beautiful country, and that does make it easier.
We picked up our rental car and drove about an hour southwest along the coast and through beautiful countryside to Marsala, home to the wine of the same name, and the westernmost point on the island of Sicily. We have a beautiful, modern two-bedroom apartment in a 17th-century building in the old centro storico, where the streets are about eight feet wide. We did some grocery shopping in a nearby market, had an early happy hour and dinner and headed out.
We were not alone as we walked through the old town, as the locals were out for their evening passeggiata, the stroll that Italians -- northerners and southerners alike -- take every evening. The old town is a lovely, pedestrian-only area, paved with travertine blocks -- a perfect setting for the passeggiata.
We stopped in the 12th-century Mother Church (cathedral), which is dedicated to St. Thomas Becket. The large square in front of the church, the Piazza Loggia, was set up for a small reception following the Mass that was just ending.
We continued down Via Garibaldi, lined with churches, shops, wine bars, and restaurants, and through the grand city gate. The street ended a couple of blocks later at the sea, where we were just in time to enjoy the sunset from the park along the coast. We'll be staying in Marsala for four nights, and we'll certainly be heading west at sunset again while we're here.
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