RMS Caronia Timeline: Virtual Spring Mediterranean Cruise - Catania & Messina, Sicily 30 May 1966

Catania Arrival

30 May 1966

The brochure extols…
Held successively by the Phoenicians. the Carthaginians, the Greeks, the Romans and the Moors, Sicily was aptly described by the Moors when they inscribed on the walls of one of their palaces, “Europe is the glory of the World, Italy of Europe, and Sicily, the fairest garden of the Mediterranean.”

This “fairest garden” is the largest island in the Mediterranean, with Mt. Etna dominating its unsurpassed panorama of curving bays, shining cliffs and crowded fishing villages. Its rugged mountains, dark with evergreen, the rounded hills grey-green with olives and terraced vineyards, and sun-drenched plains and valleys carpeted with orchids, iris and anemones prove that the Moors’ description of Sicily is not exaggerated.

Catania 1959

Catania 1961

Catania

At Sea
Steaming North Catania to Messina 48 miles

Arrive Messina 3pm - depart 7.30pm

Messina 1959

Messina 1961

Messina 1964

At Sea
Steaming North Messina to Naples 175 miles

Sicily, A Brief History

Called by the ancients “Trinacria” - Island of the Three Points, and thrown like a bridge into the Mediterranean to link Europe and Africa, Sicily was for centuries an island crossroads, where all the great political powers matched their might.

Sicily was in turn Phoenician and Greek, Carthaginian and Roman, Vandal and Arab before finally being integrated with Italy.

The warmth and dryness of the climate gives Sicily an almost tropical appearance; the plants of the warm countries (agaves, opuntia, cotton) have become acclimatised. The interior known as steppe-country has immense fields of corn or beans - not a tree or house to be seen. The population is gathered together in enormous villages, sometimes reaching twenty thousand. The houses crammed together on calcareous peaks.

Map of Italy
[Image: 1965 Shore Brochure]

In contrast the coastal regions are rich, intensively cultivated areas, well irrigated on the terrace system introduced by the Arabs. This zone which is densely populated is a town region containing Trapani, Palermo, Messina and Catania, all busy ports exporting large quantities of oranges, lemons and vegetables.

Picturesque fishing villages hug her coast and visitors can find places of enormous historical and archaeological interest on this island remarkable the world over for beauty and serenity.

With the powerful mass of Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, pushing her snow covered peak skyward overlooking the plain of Catania, Sicily dominated by this mountain, slumbers on in the warmth and dryness of her climate.

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Sicily: General Information

Language

Italian

Currency

Italian Lire

Rate of Exchange

Approx. 1,730 lire = £1 (Sterling)
Approx. 625 lire = $1 (U.S.)

Capital

Palermo

Situation

Sicily is triangular in shape and lays just off the “toe” of the boot of Italy, separated from the mainland by the Straits of Messina

Climate

Almost tropical, very warm and dry

Average temperature

50-63°F

Transport

Modern Taxis are plentiful and charge on the meter system
Horse drawn carriages are also available for pleasant rides around the cities

Local Food & Wine Specialities

Spaghetti alla Siciliana
Zuppa di Pesce
Cassata Siciliana

Wines:

Mount Etna red and white wines
Sparviero white wine
Corvo-Salaparuta red and white wine

Catania: General Information

Name of landing place

Molo Centrale

Post Office

Via Etnea 215

Principal Restaurants

Pagano: First Class
Excelsior Hotel: First Class
Costa Azzurra: Second Class
Finocchiaro : Second Class

Catania Map

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Principal Cafés and situation

Metropolitan Café: in centre of town adjoining the Metropolitan Theatre. Tea Room, Snack Bar, etc.
Lorenti Bar / Café: Snack Bar, near the Palais de Justice

Principal Churches

Cathedral, Piazza Duomo: Sundays, 3 services, also afternoon
Minoriti Church, Via Etnea, similar services

Shopping Centres

Shopping in Via Etnea (main street) and Via Umberto

Taxi Prices

Starting, 150lire
every additional 100 metres 10 lire
100 lire for every 10 minutes of waiting time

Bathing Facilities

From June to September at the Plaja Beach, wonderful sand beach 20 minutes from town. Buses from centre of town and the port every 5 minutes. Rock beach at Acitrezza, 15 minutes from town, by bus every 30 minutes

Places of interest in the vicinity

Mount Etna: about 8 miles; ½ hour by car, on a good road, up to 4,000 ft
Taormina: about 30 miles; 1 hr. by car
Syracuse: about 45 miles ; 1½ hours by car
Cathedral: 11th Century. Largely rebuilt after the 1963 earthquake. The main façade (Baroque) is the work of Vaccarini

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Castle Ursino: Housing the Comunale Museum. Built by Frederick 11 in 13th Century but badly damaged in 1669 and restored
Greek Theatre: dating from the 5th Century B.C. and adapted in the Roman period. Built of lava stone

Messina: General Information

Name of Landing Place

Vessel will be berthed alongside Colapesce Quay

Post Office

Corso Cavour

Principal Hotels and Restaurants

Hotel Jolly - Corso Garibaldi
Grand Hotel - Viale S. Martino
Hotel Reale-Via Tommaso Cannizzaro
Ristorante Borgia - Via dei Mille

Messina Map

Shopping centres

Opening hours: 9am. to 1pm. and 3.30pm. to 7pm.

"Fratelli de Dominci" Piazza Cairoli
"Fratelli Uccello" Via Garibaldi 42
"Fratelli Sansone" Via Garibaldi
"Sabrina" Via Maddalena. Ladies and children's clothes

Bathing Facilities

Mazzaro bathing facilities available at "Hotel Villa Mazzaro" (throughout year)
Mortelle (27 miles): bathing facilities available at Lido Di Mortelle (summertime only)

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Messina: Places of Interest

Taormina: (33 miles from the quay)
By car, about one hour. By train, about one hour from the Messina main station to Giardini, then one quarter hour from Giardini to Taormina by coach. Hotels and restaurants available
Mazzaro: (29 miles from the quay)
By car, about one hour. By train, about one hour from the Messina main station to Giardini, then one quarter hour from Giardini to Mazzaro by coach
Ganzirri: (5 miles from the quay)
Bathing facilities available throughout the year
National Museum: Containing mosaics and paintings and all manner of things depicting Sicilian history
Messina Cathedral: (3 minutes walk from quay) Containing the largest organ in Europe and an interesting steeple with a curious astronomical clock

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Places of Interest Around Sicily

Taormina: A perfectly beautiful small town at a height of 820 ft. on a terrace overlooking the Ionian Sea. Its picturesque setting and unique charm have made it a world renowned holiday and health resort
Mount Etna: The highest point on the island 10,814 ft, an active volcano whose peak is usually snow covered for most of the year. The slopes contain holiday and winter sports resorts
Mazzaro: Beach resort close to Taormina. Bathing facilities available throughout the year. There is a picturesque route partly consisting of steps linking Mazzaro and Taormina

RMS Caronia Timeline

1966 Virtual Spring Cruise
Sicily

Catania - AM 30 May 1966
Messina - PM 30 May 1966

Luxurious ocean travel aboard a world-famous British cruise liner

Catania Arrival

30 May 1966

Sicily, A Brief History

Sicily: General Information

Catania: General Information

Places of interest in the vicinity

Messina: General Information

Messina: Places of Interest

Places of Interest Around Sicily