“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen,” the nineteenth-century British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, once said.
The above words perfectly describe what happens to people when they set off to new places. There are so many different scents, colors, languages, cultures, and more when a person finds his or herself away from home. It would be impossible to assimilate all of the impressions on the brain, and that is one of the marvels of travel.
But with vacation comes change and, maybe for some, even a step out of their comfort zone. One of the things that impacts us the most is where we stay and the kind of rest we get. Let’s face it, getting something in the realm of seven to nine hours of sleep per night is what the human body needs to function. Without it, you see less than you remember and forget more than you have seen.
If a person is exhausted no place will seem enticing.
Sicily is ‘there’ but in the mind not so really ‘aware’. Wake up on the wrong mattress and the aforementioned will truly come to the foreground.
This Mediterranean island has been the heart and crucible of culture and the fate of empires in the area for hundreds of years. After the Phoenicians came, it was the Greeks and Carthaginians until Roman power usurped their positions. For many years, the island changed hands. And for a period, the Moors dominated followed by the Normans, until it became a kingdom in its own right and finally a part of the Italy people recognize today.
This vast heritage can be seen all over the island in its Greek temples, Baroque style palazzos, and Norman churches, all of them weaving a rich tapestry of unique history. Visitors can almost feel being a part of the past when they roam the streets of Syracuse, the birthplace of the renowned mathematician and inventor Archimedes.
In parts, the island of Sicily is on the same latitude as the Northern African coast, providing for a mild climate during most of the year. Autumn and spring are the best times to visit, as the summer tends to get rather hot. There is probably nowhere else on the planet that has the same amalgamation of ancient, medieval, and recent history fused with Riviera-style chic and weather.
Sounds enticing! But none of it will register in your mind and heart if you wake up feeling grouchy. Vacations involve a lot of planning. And that does not only include what clothing and footwear to take, flights, hotels, etcetera, but also the mattress is essential. A good night’s sleep is the ticket to having an epic holiday.
Keep these mattress hacks in mind to make sleep easier and more re energizing. Blogs like Mattress Matchers can provide further advice:
- Research is everything. Thoroughly check the hotel room online before booking. Some hotel websites might have information on the mattress and bedding. If you are a really fussy sleeper, phone and ask about the mattress in advance.
- Stick to your bedtime routine. Nothing can disrupt sleep more than a strange environment. If you meditate before bed or drink warm milk with honey, continue doing so when you are on holiday. If you are used to having a photograph of your loved ones near the bed, why change that? If you feel that everything is similar to home, the chances are that you will drift off far more likely.
- If you still didn’t get a good night’s sleep, make the hotel bed softer and cozier – if the mattress is too hard or unbearably lumpy, ask for another duvet and place it under the fitted-sheet on the mattress for extra softness.
- This one is the Crocodile Dundee version – sleep on the floor. Some people prefer a hard surface, so this option may be ideal.
- For the practical and easy-going individual – purchase an egg crate mattress-topper and place it under the sheets.
- Last but not least – if nothing works, there may be no other option than to change accommodation.
Now that the sleeping arrangements are taken care of, it’s back to the enchanting beauty of Sicily. There is so much to see on the largest island in the Mediterranean, the Mare Nostrum, or “our sea” as the Romans used to call it.
Palermo, Catania, and Syracuse are all musts. The northeast where Mount Etna, an active volcano, resides is home to some of the most beautiful wine country on the island. Taormina is where bling-bling chic meets ancient Roman heritage, while Ragusa and Modica are quaint honey-hued Baroque towns in the south.
Piazza Armerina is home to the most incredible ancient Roman mosaics that are still in mint condition. The Greek temples of Agrigento, Segesta, and Selinunte are some of the best preserved in the world. Not only are the beaches and small islands around Sicily enthralling, but also the food is to die for. Overall, Sicily has it all.
Let nothing destroy your time away from home, least of all your mattress. There’s always something you can do eliminate that problem and fully enjoy your time traveling abroad!
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