Taormina Favorites

Favorite thing: Just wonder thru the mase of small narrow streets. Apart from the main artery of the town that cuts it into two half, all other streets, especially in the lower part, are just splendid! One may discover so many hidden corners with beautiful views, balconies and flower beds.

Favorite thing: Piazza IV Aprile




This the largest square in Taormina where families gather Sunday mornings after church. All children were dressed in their Sunday suits and playing around while parents were having coffee and ice-cream at Wunderbar


I must had a try as it is said that ice-cream might have been invented in Sisily during Roman times, when a relay of runners would bring snow down from Mount Etna to be flavored and served to wealthy patricians! True or not pistacio and moka ice-creams were...I'll let you guess the rest :-)!

The above picture shows on the right the church Chiesa Di San Giuseppe (built in the 17th century) with its bulb-shaped belltower. On the left, La porta Di Mezzo (clocktower) where Wunderbar can be found.

Favorite thing: Etna from Parco Duchi di Cesaro

This parc (Giardino Trevelyani) was near the hotel and I used to go through it when going to the center of Taormina. From there you can admire Etna and the surroundings towns cuddled by the sea!



This is the Convento di S. Domenico- church and convent. It has designs from 1374 (when it was started), sixteenth and eighteenth centuries!



Artists from all ages and nationalities come here, sit on one of the many benches and spend hours drawing this breathtaking scenery!

Favorite thing: Corso Umberto 1 (or Valeria road)


This is the main street (and also shopping street) that goes from Porta Messina to Porta Catania and is 800m long. This is also the most significant tract of the ancient via *Valeria* that actually linked Messina town to Catania!



I was astonished of the so many antique shops that look so tiny from the outside and were holding several big rooms inside with beautiful antiquities. I was looking for a painting but did not find something that would have pleased me and well, ok - let's face it, there were a bit expensive too ;-)!




Many of the monuments worth seeing are along this street like this fountain in front of Duomo. It was built in 1635 and emphases the space in the square through the dynamisn of the 3 concentric orders of steps.

Favorite thing: TAORMINA




This medieval town with a heavy past, located at 200m on a plateau below Mount Tauro, for which it is named and where there are the ruins of a medieval fortress, has been and is still nowadays cheerished by tourists.

Its real fortune began in the nineteenth century, when, after a visit by Goethe who praised its beauty all over Europe, it became almost immediately a must- see-place.

I'm not very keen in visiting these kind of places but will go when its off season - plenty of space. You have then the opportunity to get acquainted much easier with locals.



I must say Sisilian are charming and very different from italians in general.
I was prepared to brush-up my italian but then everyone talked english and most intriguing was that their second (or first or third...LOL) language seemed to be german, well at least that's the feeling I got!?!!


Without Sicily, Italy leaves no image in the soul. Sicily is the key to everything.

------- Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Favorite thing: CASTELMOLA



This is an ancient fortress built to protect Taormina. From here there is a marvellous wide panorama view (my intro pic!).



It is located at 531 meters above sea level and getting there can be a bit frightening!

Look at those buildings and balconies hanging above...NOTHING! Would you live there?

Favorite thing: Gather with the crowds (or come in crap weather or off season) on the Piazza IX Aprile for the sunset over the sea and mountains...looking out over the Bay of Naxos with Giardini-Naxos' lights below.