Layover in Palermo

If your flight stops for at least several hours at Palermo Airport en route to Pantelleria, you are probably weighing the pros and cons of passing time at the airport vs. in town. Here is a low-down on the two options.

Option 1: The Airport

If you are feeling peckish or thirsty you can choose between a self-service restaurant, a wine bar, a couple of coffee bars and a fast-food pizzeria. I have always opted for pizza, as the food at the restaurant has that depressing cafeteria look. Nor am I a big fan of arancini: fried rice balls with meat, cheese and/or vegetables, although Paolo thinks they are pretty good. The food is your standard airport fare; however, we guarantee that the food at this airport is miles better in terms of taste, temperature and price than the astonishingly mediocre food at the international terminal of Charles de Gaulle that we recently had (the likes of refrigerated sandwiches with tuna spread!).

Arancini

As for shopping, you will not find the luxury retail boutiques found at major international airports. There are the airport standards: souvenir & postcard shop, bookshop, and a tiny duty free shop selling perfumes, alcohol and the like. The most interesting shops are the ones selling Sicilian specialties, where the products are thankfully more tasteful than tourist kitsch. There is a wine shop that focuses on Sicilian wines and gourmet pantry products and a pasticceria where you can find marzipan and tasty local biscuits (cookies in American lingo). My favorite are the plain almond flavored biscuits. If you are interested in non-perishable gifts, stop by the shop selling Sicilian ceramics and another shop selling coppolas (the traditional Sicilian flat cap).

The airport website provides more details and photos. In summary, Palermo Airport is small for an international airport and has limited but interesting local shopping options, about an hour or so worth of browsing. Thus, for a 4-5 hour wait between flights, you should bring something to read or games to play.

Option 2: City Center

If you find yourself with a lot of time in between flights, you may consider heading into the city center (approx. 35 km away), where there are many delicious dining options and numerous churches and palazzi to explore. The style of the city is like much of Sicily: a blend of the medieval, roman, arabic and baroque.

Despite the lure of Palermo's rich history and culture, I have always opted to stay at the airport for my layovers because of the time required to get from the airport to the city center and back (1.5 to 2 hours). There is a bus that leaves every half hour and reaches the city center in about 55 minutes. The bus is cheap: just over €5. There is also a Trinacria Express train to the center, which also runs every half hour and takes about 45 minutes to arrive at the city center. The train is slightly cheaper than the bus. You could alternatively take a taxi, which would take about 30 minutes (depending on traffic) but cost ridiculously more (€50+).

If you have time, we recommend staying overnight in Palermo, which minimizes the tedious travel time. However, if you have a same-day layover, the city center option is not advisable if you have to check in luggage.

HELP! Pantelleria Accommodation

Currently there are no more rooms directly available at Hotel Mursia. We expect more rooms to become available over the next month as blocks of rooms reserved for travel agencies become available once more. We have listed various other hotel and dammusi options on our website, www.janeandpaolo.com. To help you choose a place to stay, here are descriptions and more details of the different accommodation options available, including price ranges (per night).

Don't worry, you will find a great place to stay! The process just may require some patience. We are working on Panta time.

Conveniently close to all of the festivities

There are a few rooms available at Villaggio Punta Fram, which is part of the Aurum hotel group. This hotel is conveniently close to Hotel Mursia. The hotel's website is available in Italian, English and German. Guests can book a room directly on the website, but we strongly recommend calling. €70 - €100 per person.

{We will provide an image in mid-June; the website photos are either too small or Flash images}

In the center of town

The Yacht Marina Hotel is a new hotel located at the harbor of Pantelleria City, within walking distance to the castle, our favorite gelateria on the island, La Nicchia's bar & cafe, a fabulous ethnic homewares and furniture shop and numerous other shops, bars and restaurants. The rooms are quite nicely decorated, very clean and with internet connection; however, this isn't a place for pool seekers. €45 - €120 per person.


Picturesque value

Residenza Santa Chiara, located at the periphery Pantelleria City, consists of apartments in a main building and a collection of dammusi with a swimming pool, garden, gazebo and barbeque on the grounds. Guests are offered a free boat tour of the island (lunch excluded). The family that runs this hotel also rent dammusi in Bukkaram and Khamma. Residence: €50 for a 1-person room, €256 for an 8-person apartment. Dammusi: €45 for a 1-person room, €192 for a 6-person dammuso. Extra per-person charges for service for the entire stay. €70+ air-conditioning charge per room.


For pampering & luxury services

Pantelleria Dream Hotel, located close to Arco dell'Elefante, comprises dammusi suites with private terraces. The hotel pays attention to design and has an on-site spa & beauty center and an infinity pool with a great view. €170 - €250 per person.


More sumptuous than Pantelleria Dream, Hotel Club Levante (a.k.a. Pantelleria Gold) is located between Arco dell'Elefante and Cala Levante. The hotel has an infinity pool and on-site restaurant. Guests can book in-suite massages. If you prefer to charter private planes and party with rock stars, football players and the rich and famous, this is the place for you. €180 - €400 per person. 30% surcharge for stays shorter than 3 days.


For design boutique hotel lovers

Santa Teresa is a collection of dammusi located in Monastero and two areas of Sibà, which are close to our house, Chiare Stelle. Except for one secluded location, all other locations have swimming pools. I have run through Sibà, the next town uphill and up the street from our house. Monastero, a valley where they grow capers and grapes for passito, is just a short drive away. If you see the photographs and read the lovely hotel description on designhotels.com, you will see why this would be my first choice for a short stay in Pantelleria.


Short-term dammusi rentals

Dammusi are generally rented out on a weekly basis and the process of renting tends to be easier if you speak Italian. However, that being said, most dammuso owners do speak English and have web pages in English, French and German as well as Italian. If you are patient and willing to do a bit of research, you can find a fantastic short-term dammuso.

For daily rentals, check out the offers on www.pantellerialink.com.

We have listed a few weekly dammusi rentals on our wedding website for those who are interested in a longer holiday in Pantelleria. The dammuso where we would stay if we didn't have a house in Pantelleria and could stay for a week or two would be Casa Nikà. We didn't list it on our website because it books far, far in advance. Take a look at the website, which highlights the beautiful pool and provides a peek into the fabulous grounds with a stunning view of the sea, and you will see why you should consider this place if you are tempted to return to Pantelleria.

Karakuli Day

Photos of our engagement day in 2005 on the shore of magical Karakuli Lake, 3700m above sea-level. Quite different from Pantelleria in July.

HELP! Flights to Pantelleria

Five airlines fly to Pantelleria: Air One, Alitalia, Blu-express, Lufthansa and Meridiana. Below are direct flights to Pantelleria from Milan, Palermo, Rome and Trapani for the week leading up to our wedding. Alternatively, guests may arrive via a number of flights connecting through Palermo.

See our post on what you can do during a same-day layover in Palermo.

Milan Linate
Air One | Sun: depart 07:40, arrive 09:20
Lufthansa | Sun: depart 07:40, arrive 09:20
Air One | Sat: depart 14:15, arrive 15:55
Lufthansa | Sat: depart 14:15, arrive 15:55
Alitalia | Sat: depart 13:30 arrive 15:15

Palermo
Air One | Sun-Sat: depart 07:50, arrive 08:40
Air One | Sun-Sat: depart 15:00 arrive 15:30
Air One | Sun, Fri, Sat: depart 21:00 arrive 21:50

Rome
Air One | Sun, Sat: depart 12:50 arrive 14:05
Blu-express | Mon: depart 14:45 arrive 16:00
Blu-express | Fri: depart 14:45 arrive 16:00
Alitalia | Sat: depart 08:50 arrive 10:05

Trapani, Sicily
Meridiana | Sun-Sat: depart 08:45 arrive 09:25
Meridiana | Sun-Sat: depart 14:25 arrive 15:05
Meridiana | Sun-Sat: depart 17:30 arrive 18:10

Guests coming from outside of Italy will need to connect via Milan, Palermo or Rome. The following airlines fly to the relevant airports.

Milan Linate Airport (LIN): American Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Europa, Air France, Aeroflot, Aer Lingus, Alitalia, Aeromexico, Air Madagascar, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, Air Memphis, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, British Midland, Continental, Croatia Airlines, China Southern, Cubana, Cypress Airways, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, El Al, Easy Jet, Eurocypria Airlines, Egyptair, Emirates, Eritrean Airlines, Eurowings, European Airlines, First Choice Airways, Finnair, Futura International Air, Germania Express, Germanwings, Iberia Airlines, Icelandair, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, KLM Royal Dutch, Libyan Arab Airlines, Lithuanian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Luxair, Middle East Airlines, Mexicana, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Midwest Air, Northwest Airlines, Olympic Airlines, Pakistan International, Portugalia, Royal Air Maroc, South African, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Scandanavian Airlines, SN Brussels Airlines, Spanair, SWISS, Syrian Arab Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Tarom Romanian, Thai Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Tunis Air, Ukraine Int'l Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Varig Brazilian Airlines, Yemenia Airways

Milan is served by two additional airports: Milan Bergamo Orio Al Serio (BGY) and Milan Malpensa (MXP)

Palermo Falcone e Borsellino Punta Raisi Airport (PMO): Air Berlin, Air Malta, Air Nostrum, Air One, Alitalia, Alpieagles, Blu Express.com, Brussels Airlines, Central Wings, Clickair, EasyJet, Eurofly, Finnair, Helvetic.com, Iberia, Meridiana, Myair.com, Ryanair, Sky Europe, Transavia, TUIfly.com, Tunisair, Volareweb.com, Wind Jet

Rome Leonardo da Vinci - Fiumicino Airport (FCO): Aegean Cronus Airlines, Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Algerie, Air Alps Aviation, Air China, Air Europe, Air France, Air Gabon, Air Littoral, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, Air Moldova, Air One, Air Seychelles, Air Vallée, Albanian Airlines, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, Austrian Airlines, Azzurra Air, Belavia, Biman Bangladesh, Blue Panorama Airlines, British Airways, Bulgaria Air, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Continental Airlines, Corsair, Croatia Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, Cubana, Cyprus Airways, Delta Air Lines, Egyptair, El Al Israel, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Finnair, Gandalf Airlines, Germania Express, Germanwings, Ghana Airways, Hapag-Lloyd Express, Iberia, Iran Air, Japan Airlines, JAT Yugoslavian, KLM, Korean Air, Kuwait Airways, Libyan Arab Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, LTU International, Lufthansa, Luxair, Malaysia Airlines, Malev Hungarian Airlines, MAT Macedonian Airlines, MEA, Meridiana, Minerva Airlines, Montenegro Airlines, Neos, Olympic Airlines, Pakistan International, Panair, Qantas, Syrian Arab Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Tarom, Thai Airways, Tunis Air, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine Int'l Airways, US Airways, Uzbekistan Airways, Varig Brazilian Airlines, Virgin Express, Volare Airlines, Yemenia - Yemen Airways

Rome is also served by: Rome Ciampino Airport (CIA)

Trapani Birgi Airport (TPS): Ryanair
Only has a handful of international flights (Dublin, Brema, Düsseldorf and Barcelona)

The Draw of Pantelleria

According to Paolo's father, Pantelleria is a shy island. Its beauty and appeal isn't the awe-inpsiring, spectacular beauty of the the jungles of Brazil, the mountains of the Himalayas, beaches of Seychelles, or the canyons of the southwestern U.S. Instead, Pantelleria has a relaxed, charming beauty that becomes more compelling as time goes by, like a beautiful red wine, just with a hint of wildness.

Church | Chiesa in Sibà

Views from the Sea

Photos provided by Rosario Di Fresco

Pantelleria Island Sightseeing

Pantelleria is the perfect place to do absolutely nothing but sleep, eat and laze by the pool under the bright sun. During a week in Pantelleria, Paolo and I escape our stressful, over-worked lives and return refreshed and rejuvenated to the daily grind. But for those who prefer more active holidays, there is plenty to explore over the course of a long weekend.

Below is a map that highlights some key sights in Pantelleria, as well as the location of our house. Click on the image for a larger map.

Map provided by Rosario Di Fresco

For inspiration on places to visit and things to do on Pantelleria, here are some images of the island's top spots.

Pantelleria measures 9 miles long and 5 miles wide. A non-stop drive around the entire island takes about an hour, with stops, around two. Stop for photos at the following spots:

Montagna Grande: where you find delicious forest fruit, refreshingly crisp air and sturdy pine trees, rather than cacti and capers

Salto la Vecchia: a beautiful vista where the cliff drops 282 meters to the sea

Balata dei Turchi: rare, natural access to the sea, which the Saracens used for stealthy landings

Arco dell’Elefante (Elephant’s Trunk): spectacular, volcanic arch that reaches out to sea

Photo provided by Rosario Di Fresco

Specchio di Venere (Mirror of Venus): shallow lake dotted with numerous bubbling, thermal springs along the shore

Photo provided by Rosario Di Fresco

Schedule of Events

Friday, 4 July | venerdì, 4 luglio
Welcome | Benvenuti
Featuring food and wine from Pantelleria

	Time:	20:00
	Location:	Chiare Stelle, Casa Roncaglia, Zighidì, Pantelleria
	Dress:	Casual | Informale

Saturday, 5 July | sabato, 5 luglio
Optional activities | Possibili attività
Boat excursion, archaeology tour and wine tastings possible

	Time:	09:00
	Location:	Hotel Mursia, Contrada Mursia, Pantelleria [map]
	Dress:	Casual | Informale

Wedding vows
A simple ceremony from the heart for our family and dearest friends

	Time:	19:30
	Location:	Chiare Stelle, Casa Roncaglia, Zighidì, Pantelleria
	Dress:	Semi-formal | Semi-formale

Wedding dinner | Ricevimento di nozze
Late dinner at the seaside hotel of our friends, the Di Fresco family

	Time:	22:00
	Location:	Hotel Mursia, Contrada Mursia, Pantelleria [map]
	Dress:	Semi-formal | Semi-formale

Where is Pantelleria?

Pantelleria is a volcanic island in the Strait of Sicily, 100 km (62 mi) southwest of the main island of Sicily and 70 km (43 mi) east of Tunisia. Due to its strategic location in the center of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa, Pantelleria has been occupied by many different people throughout history: Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, Bourbons, Italians, and briefly during World War II, by Americans.


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