Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Bus Tour up the Sicilian Coast

Catania to Aci Trezza

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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To be truthful, we really aren't tour people.

However, a friend recommended this Sicilian Coast Bus Tour that is a hop-on, hop-off ride between Catania and Aci Trezza, a little over 9 kilometers away.

This stretch of coastline is known as the Riviera dei Ciclopi and is steeped in Greek mythology. After all, Greece is just over 400 miles away, and at one time ruled what is today known as Sicily.

People waiting around for the tour bus to arrive

If you go downtown where the Cathedral is located (not far from our apartment), you will see several tours available. There are historic and cultural tours of the city, hiking tours and tours up the coast, for instance.

In the photo you see people waiting for their particular bus to arrive.

Colorful painted side of the tour bus

This is our particular bus, painted bright red so you can see it from a distance when it arrives to hop back on again.

It's a double-decker bus to give you the option of top floor in good weather or covered first tier if it is blustery or rainy.

Round trip tour tickets

The price for our round trip tickets was $15 Euros each, just over $16USD.

Map of the tour bus route

This Google map shows you where we caught the bus and where we got off the bus to walk to Aci Trezza.

After having a lovely lunch in Aci Trezza, we we caught the bus back to Catania.

Fountain in the City of Catania

Saying goodbye to the city traffic and noise, we head to the coast.

This fountain is right on the outskirts of town, and we took a left to travel up the Ionian Sea.

The black lava rock coast line

9 kilometers north of Catania is Aci Castello, known for its black lava rock beaches.

Lava has come up from the seabed (Mt. Etna is not quite 20 miles inland) and over the centuries that sharp, crusty lava has been smoothed out by the action of the sea waves.

This is a dramatic and visually striking coastline.

Aci Castello

The Norman castle, also known as Castello Normanno was built in 1076 on a lava stone outcrop.

However, the area has been inhabited for much longer, with evidence of settlements dating back to the 7th century BC.

The first castle on the site was built by the Byzantines, and the Normans built upon its foundations.

As "the powers that be" changed, so did the occupants of the castle.

This residence was later used by the Aragonese and then became the property of the bishops of Catania.

In this photo, Billy is smiling beautifully, while I'm struggling because I'm looking into the sun!

Rugged coastline

The city of Aci Castello is built up on a lava ledge, creating superb views of the rugged shore below.

A wider view of the town

This photo was taken from the castle itself with a stunning view of the Gulf of Aci Trecci in the Ionian Sea.

Swimming isn't recommended here due to the rocky terrain, but it's a popular spot for sunbathing, taking photos, and enjoying the views.

The harbor area

Colorful fishing boats are dry docked on the shore here until the next time they are taken out.

You can clearly see the Faraglioni formation in the background. Greek legend has it that these rocks were thrown by Cyclops in a battle with Odysseus. Actually, they were formed around 500,000 years ago due to volcanic activity.

The heart of the Cyclops Riviera

These boulders are a result of the erosion of the volcanic rocks that once formed the coastline.

Mt. Etna is a major player in this area of Sicily, with eruptions happening frequently even to this day.

The clay sea beds opened up and released lava flow which created the coastline.

The hills behind the town were formed because the land itself sank, due to the movement of the magma underneath.

A painted surfboard style of fence

From where we left the tour bus we walked up the coast towards Aci Trezza.

Sometimes the coast line would not allow us to freely continue and we found ourselves a little further inland giving us a different view.

This fencing is a decorative way to use a painted surfboard.

Sunbathers on the volcanic shelf

There is no sand here on this part of the coast. However, the shelf makes for a convenient place to lay out in the sun to get some warmth, color and Vitamin D.

If you choose to go into the water, it's a good idea to wear rubber water socks so as not to cut your tender soles and toes on the sharp volcanic rock.

Beautiful panoramic view

The whole area has been a marine reserve since 1989 and has become a protected area since 2004.

Under the sea of Aci Trezza, at the Lachea Island, a crustal fault is expanding which increases by a few millimeters every year.

Billy and Akaisha

The Faraglioni formation is seen clearly behind us.

The sky is blue, the sea is blue... and we're dressed in blue!

Young couple from South Korea

We stopped and had lunch at a sea view restaurant in Aci Trezza which was wonderful.

Afterwards, we caught the return tour bus at a designated location and headed back to Catania and our apartment.

This young couple were from South Korea. In our travels we often meet people from South Korea - it seems the culture likes to travel!

Would we recommend this tour bus?

Sure! Why not?

You could also hire a driver or rent a car or motorbike yourself. No matter what style you might choose, the coastline is gorgeous and worth seeing. It makes a perfect destination for a day trip or a relaxing escape from the city

Put it on your list!

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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