Located on the rugged, picturesque coastline of north eastern Sicily, you will find Taormina, the island’s legendary resort town. It sits on a plateau amongst the steep slopes of Mount Tauro overlooking the Ionian Sea and has awesome panoramic sea and mountain vistas able to capture the inspiring Mount Etna that lies to the south. The town of 11,000 has attracted visitors to the area for many years to enjoy the romantic air, peace, serenity and ambiance that seems to exude from every medieval street and alleyway, the Greek Theatre and the secluded beaches.
Established by the Greeks in the 4th century B.C., Taormina became a 19th century destination for the rich and artistic looking for that idealistic place which provides relaxation and inspiration!! The position of the town high above the sea and overshadowed by the summit of Mount Tauro, where there are the ruins of an old Saracen Castle, provided just the thing for writers and artists like Goethe, Truman Capote and D.H. Lawrence. Lawrence spent 2 years in Taormina and wrote ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ here in the 1920’s!! This notoriety brought others to town which today has made Taormina a very popular tourist destination.
Home to one of Sicily’s famous and most celebrated ruins, the Greek Amphitheatre was built in the 3rd century B.C. and later enlarged by the Romans. It is a well preserved building, still used today, and has one of the most beautiful isolated positions in the world overlooking the sea and Mount Etna. It is the historic highlight of town although the endless string of medieval streets and tiny alleyways, the old city walls, the Duomo which is a Norman-Arab Church, the 14th century Badia Vecchia or the Clock Tower you can see as you enter the older part of town and are all very interesting. For the shoppers, make your way to the ‘car free’ Corso Umberto, and check out some of the Sicilian craft shops displaying mosaics, ceramics, puppets and souvenirs, or perhaps enjoy a break, a coffee or a snack and absorb the atmosphere!! For the more inquisitive have a look at the Regional Archaeological Museum which is inside the Palazzo Badia Vecchia, or the Museum of Sicilian Arts and Traditions which is located in the Palazzo Corvaja in the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele.
A walk up from town will take you to the village of Castelmola, where you can see the ruins of the old Castle and have even more fantastic views!! While it’s also easy to access the water via cable car, or if you are more energetic, by footpath, where you can enjoy the beach or take a boat ride to the nearby grottos.
Taormina lies only 5 kilometres from the ancient town of Nexos, which is reputably the oldest Greek town in Sicily. Unfortunately not much remains just a few foundation stones and paving, but there is a museum to expand your knowledge!!
N.B. If you are touring be aware that the town becomes rather busy and overcrowded during the summer months. It is also famous for its annual film festival and concerts.
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