SEASIDE FUN Marina di Modica is located on the seaside in between the cities of Sampieri & Pozzallo in Sicily. It is only about a twenty minute drive from the Baroque city of Modica. In the old days the drive would take forever but there is now a direct highway that gets everyone to the water faster. High season at Marina di Modica is in August. Everyone in Italy is on vacation during this month and they all go to the beach. This little beach town comes alive and gets over crowded with over 16,000 locals. If you come here in the winter, then it is a ghost town. In fact, a few of my cousins live here year round and tell me that only 30 permanent people live here in the winter. I find it amazing that people wouldn't live by the sea year round because water views are priceless. Near the beach is the Piazza Mediterraneo which is the central location of Marina di Modica. This area is always full of action in the evening. There is a stage set up for bands and various acts. Tonight we watched a show of young children singing. There was even a judges panel scoring the singers just like American Idol. The recorded music the singers used was really bad. They were all singing to Muzak which is simply the worse recorded midi music ever made. The kids were cute but none of the songs were familiar to us. The real busy nights are Friday, Saturday & Sunday. People walk along the board walk of the beach talking and meeting with friends. There are even food trucks selling panini sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, gelato, fries, water & beer. One food truck called the Auto Bar has a porchetta sandwich. The porchetta was actually a stuffed whole pig which they sliced the meat off for the panini. I must also make a statement and say that I do not agree with the french fry sandwiches. This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen and I am not ordering one for research because I don't think it's right. The beach is always packed in August. This is the most southern place in Sicily. The beach is protected by a large bay with some great sand dunes. This is one of the most active beaches I've ever seen. Everyone is playing some kind of beach game. Honestly I've never seen so much action. The beach also has many restaurants that offer food and drink. These places have great views. You can also find more places to eat just up the road in town. I've also seen people selling fruits, vegetables and fish along the beach. The fish guy was really cool because the back of his van was loaded full of ice and fish. People were buying fresh fish directly out of a van down by the sea. It was so much fun to watch. So if you find yourself in Sicily then it is worth it to make a trip to Marina di Modica as long as it's summer. The beach has a lot of action and it is a great place for people watching. I could sit here all day drinking my cappuccino by my favorite bar and watching the beach show. read more

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