Our first trip through IES – to Catania, Sicilia- was interesting to say the least. I’m not sure what to make of Sicily. Our hostel was in Catania, which didn’t give me the best impression of Sicily as a whole.. but was still an experience and fun. It was much more urban and loud and not as scenic as the other cities (Taormina and Siracusa). The nightlife in Catania was the best part of the city, but don’t expect anything fancy. We found a dollar shots place that we ended up at both nights, and danced and sang to 90s rock all night, and had the time of our lives. Once we traveled to those other cities however, I felt like I was really experiencing what I expected of Sicily, between the sea, the food, and the views. The diversity we experienced in Sicily, from going out in Catania, to hiking up Etna, to swimming at the beaches of Taormina, was what really made the trip worthwhile.