On Friday, we were on our way to the island of Ortygia which is the historical center of Siracusa, Sicily. We also decided to make a side-trip to Piazza Armerina. The world’s most comprehensive set of Roman mosaics is found in the outskirts of this town. The archaeological site is known as Villa Romana del Casale which is somewhat difficult to find due to lack of signage and a confused GPS. Apparently, the specifics of the villa’s history are largely lost to history, but experts have dated its origin to around the 4th century AD. It’s believed to have been either the hunting lodge for the Roman aristocracy or the home of a single politician. Apparently, there aren’t enough clues to indicate the real owner(s).
We walked along on high platforms above the rooms and were able to see a number of rooms laid out with these incredible mosaic floors. We thought that the “Corridor of the Hunt” was the most impressive floor. As you can see in the picture below, soldiers battle with tigers, then lead them onto ships bound for Rome where they fight against gladiators in Roman colosseums. Other parts of the “Hunt” depict a group of soldiers trying to pull a hippopotamus out of the water, and a wounded lion jumping onto a soldier. It is difficult to gain an appreciation of these fabulous mosaics unless one actually sees them in person. No doubt, it took many years to create all these incredible masterpieces.
Our favorite and probably the most popular mosaic was the so-called “Bikini Girls”. In a fairly small, square room, ten wonderfully preserved and scantily clad Roman beauties are engaging in various athletics such as discus-throwing, running and playing with a ball. The girl in the center, apparently the winner, is presented with a golden crown. We were shocked to see women in bikinis depicted in a mosaic back “in the day”.
The Villa Romana (a UNESCO site) was recently renovated and is one of the most popular sites in Italy. In order to view each mosaic floor, one has to almost stand in a slow line. Luckily, the crowds today were manageable. The place must be unbearable during the summer with undoubtedly lengthy lines with many hours standing in a line to view these beautiful mosaic floors.
When we booked out hotel, we had no idea that the hotel was actually a B&B. We booked it because it had almost a “10” rating (10 is tops) on Trip Advisor. This B&B was not your typical B&B because it was not in someone’s home. It was actually in a small renovated building and lived up to it’s high rating. We had a very upscale, modern suite with a sitting room and large bedroom.
