You do not come to Taormina to do things; you come to Toarmina to watch the world go by. Perched on top of Mount Tauro, 206 meters above sea level, with the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna as a backdrop, this idyllic hilltop town is every visitors dream and delight.
Discovered by the British aristocracy in the XIV Century and promoted in Germany and France by travel writers, artists and intellectuals, Taormina soon became not just Sicily’s, but Italy’s leading resort. Originally catering for the rich and famous, some with dubious agendas, the resort has gradually changed, but not quite.
Taormina is an expensive place to stay in and although it receives thousands of visitors every year it has never gone down the road of mass tourism. Many come on a day trip; others take the cheap way out and overnight for a few days staying at Giardini-Naxos at the foot of Taormina. Naxos, with its extensive beaches is a resort in its own right and only a few minutes away by cable car, at Mazzaro, from Taormina.
Must see/do:
This Palazzo, at the Porta Messina end of the main street is where the provisional parliament met when Taormina was, for a very short time, the capital of Sicily.
Naxos was the first Greek colony in Sicily and the Greek period in Taormina is today best remembered by the Teatro Greco, second in size in Sicily only to Syracuse. It is a world renowned venue in the summer of the Taormina international Arts Festival featuring film, theatre and music with which, because of Taorminas’s clientele, attracts world famous musicians and artists.
The Teatro, which was modified in Roman times but has remained basically Greek, has a panoramic view of the Ionian cost as a backdrop and is quite exceptional.
The hub of affluent Taormina is the main street, the elegant Corso Umberto, with its up market cafes, restaurants and boutiques attracting the young and old, a bustle of nationalities. The passing musicians with their Sicilian folklore adding magic to the occasion.
No visit to Taormina is complete without a stop at the Caffe Wunderbar at the foot of the Torre dell’Orologio in Piazza IX Aprile. Look over your shoulders for a magnificent and enchanting view of Naxos and snow-capped Etna - look ahead to watch the world go by.
Just past the Torre you come to the oldest part of Taormina near the Duomo, a Norman building that looks more like a castle than a church.
It is worth making your way through winding street to the Giardino Pubblico, a very well kept shady garden, the product of the British aristocracy; you get a magnificent view of the foot of Taormina.
If you have the time visit Isola Bella at the foot of Taormina and Castelmola perched high up above it. Isola Bella is a little island which you can walk to from the beach, if you go there you will know why it is also known as The Pearl of the Ionian Sea. Castelmola is a quaint little hilltop hamlet, forgotten up till quite recently.
It is a tiny place, very few people actually live there, it has the ruins of a medieval castle and a surprisingly large church within its winding little roads with souvenir shops and restaurants. You also get a bird’s eye view of Taormina and beyond.
One thing is for certain about Taormina – once seen never forgotten. The sights and atmosphere linger with you for life.