The 16th Etna Meeting of the Fiat 500 Club Italia in Catania from September 9 to 11, 2022
“Garlenda of the South” – the Fiat 500 Meeting in Catania 2022
In 2021, it was held in a scaled-down form due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the uncertain legal situation, but in 2022, the tables had turned: Like its “big brother” before, the Garlenda meeting, it returned to its origins: the meeting in honour of the little Fiat 500 at the foot of Mount Etna in Catania, Sicily. As last year, our colleague Andreas, who drives a Fiat 500 L, also took part in the meeting – this time both in his official capacity as a representative of Axel Gerstl and as a friend of the Catania section of the Fiat 500 Club Italia, headed by section chairman and main organiser Davide Cappadonna. However, not wanting to subject his own Fiat 500 to the long journey from Munich to the southern tip of Italy, he joined a very special friend of Axel Gerstl, globetrotter and journalist Gianluca Fiorentini, as a co-driver in his Fiat 500 instead. Gianluca had travelled all the way from Rome (he recently shared his thoughts on past journeys to faraway places during the pandemic here).
On Friday, day 1 of the meeting, participants could register as usual and receive their welcome bags.
This was followed by a car parade to the central square in the pedestrian zone of Catania's city centre.
Andreas and Gianluca especially enjoyed “the interplay of the street lights with the beautiful evening atmosphere, creating a very special mood,” as Andreas told us.
Day 1 came to a close with a gathering on the premises of a local car showroom.
On Saturday, the whole Fiat 500 trek then moved to a railway museum to immerse themselves, in keeping with the theme of classic cars, in the history of technology of modern times and savour the smell of old machines.
After the Fiat 500 enthusiasts had enjoyed lunch together in a small town at the foot of Mount Etna, the afternoon focussed on a visit to an olive oil producer (www.oleificiosoal.com). There, Andreas and Gianluca gained insight into olive oil production and, after intensive tasting, rated it as excellent and well worth ordering! “In the evening, there was an informal meeting in a typical suburban ‘Osteria’ where everyone was at ease,” Andreas reported. “The enjoyable thing about the club's meetings is that you never feel compelled to attend every single item on the agenda.”
On Sunday, the final day of the meeting, the whole team including Davide Cappadonna, Giuseppe Cuscani, Alfio Parisi, Tommaso Picone, Maurizio Arena, Giuseppe Maglia, Antonino Di Grazia and Tuccio Lizzio wore the Axel Gerstl T-shirts brought along by Andreas and Gianluca, much to their delight. Even Antonio Eranio, Board Member of the club headquarters in Garlenda, who had come down all the way from Turin, had a lot of fun.
“In front of Belpasso church, Davide spoke to the participants and we also had the opportunity to say our thanks for the invitation and the possibility to participate,” Andreas was pleased to say.
The trip to Belpasso had been an organisational masterpiece, as Andreas pointed out. Team members had positioned themselves at the crossroads and showed the way so that the Fiat 500 convoy always knew immediately where to go next when the group had been split. “All in all, the whole team did a great job – my compliments”, Andreas said.
After the welcome speeches delivered by Davide, Gianluca and Andreas, the participating Fiat 500s and derivatives received divine support in the form of a blessing – for many, including Gianluca, a highlight of the Etna meeting.
During lunch, the sponsors, including Axel Gerstl, were thanked. There was a beauty contest and various awards were presented such as the title “most beautiful Fiat 500” or a trophy for the longest journey to the event, which Gianluca received with childlike joy on his face. Another car to marvel at was the conversion of a Fiat 500 by Maurizio Rama, who, as a car sound specialist and expert for conversions of all kinds, was also a sponsor of the meeting and hosted the closing event during the meal.
Finally, the ranks gradually thinned, one after another said goodbye and started a more or less long journey back home. Andreas was simply delighted: “Grazie Davide, grazie Sicilia! Once again, we spent some brilliantly organised and unforgettable days in Sicily!”
Videos: The Fiat 500 Meeting in Catania 2022
