Taormina
Want to experience all the goodness of Sicily in a single holiday and take back lasting memories? Then it's Taormina for you. Sicily's natural beauty and all encompassing history - from water to mediaval streets, gardens to gastronomical delights, you'll get it all here.
Located on a plateau below Mount Tauro, Taormina's provides you a load of ancient Greek splendor, medieval charm and privileged glimpses of Mount Etna.
In Taormina, live life big and in luxury just like the British aristocracy did in the 19th century. Or, just pull out your paper and pen/laptop computer and let your creative juices flow like the self exiled D.H. Lawrence, and write your masterpiece akin to Lady Chatterly's Lover. Which will you choose?
Or, you could be a detective and hunt out gastronomical delights in the restaurants, cafes and ice-cream bars located on the fascinatingly winding medieval streets and passages of Taormina. Check out sea food and local cuisine as you watch the past and present meet to create a pleasant fusion that excites the senses. On Taormina's main streets, buy high quality craft items, jewelry, ceramics, mosaics, puppets and even porcelain dolls.
With shopping done, you could let the gardens of Taormina seduce you for a walk. Hidden behind stone walls, amid terraces that overlook the coast, or in pleasant public squares, these gardens will take your breath away with their inviting greenery and flush of color.
Babble in history amidst fascinating archeological monuments and medieval homes like Palazzo Santo Stefano. Make your day picture-perfect with the breathtaking postcard view of Mount Etna and the sea beyond the Greco-Roman amphitheatre. If you are here during the summer, you could take in a show or two of the dramatic performances in this theatre.
Check out the Saracen castle atop Mount Tauro and hunt out the smaller Roman theatre, odeon (odeum), located near the Church of Saint Catherine (Santa Caterina).
Make history come alive as you study the artifacts in Taormina archeological museum located near the amphitheatre.
If you are hungry for the medieval, you are at the right place. Medieval flavour clings to the streets of Taormina, its churches and residences. Dating from the twelfth century, the city's "Duomo" is a Norman-Arab church, built over an earlier, Paleo Christian structure. You would enter the fourteenth century when you visit the Badia Vecchia (Old Abbey). Under the Clock tower along Corso Umberto I is the perfectly preserved medieval Byzantine mosaic icon of the Theotokos, Mother of God.
Besides checking out medieval structures, you can also visit some pleasant Baroque and modern edifices. There is the charming Anglican church which was the backdrop of many a story written by D. H. Lawrence.
If you are tired and need of relaxation, check out the beaches or stand atop Mount Etna and … steady the once-in-a-lifetime view will take your breath away. Juts a twenty minute drive from Taormina is the Alcantara Gorge where volcanic activity has created the most beautiful basalt formations.
With your day well spent and the evening rolling in, the atmosphere is fraught with enchantment. Spend a peaceful evening strolling stroll down the pleasantly lit streets and dine with the sound and sight of the coast adding a dash of spice to the delectable platter. Light a fire in your soul as you watch the night time eruption of Mount Etna.
