Sicily is a superb travel destination. OK, Italy is a superb travel destination altogether, because wherever you go, in every corner of this country, your soul will begin to smile, enchanted by the beauty of the landscapes, the fascination of the stories and the flavour of the food. Italy is the perfect choice for any holiday, but in what follows I’ll tell you a little about Sicily, the famous island at the top of the Boot. And not about all of Sicily, but about a place that is arguably one of the most beautiful and elegant towns in the world: Taormina.
The city of Taormina is without doubt one of the Sicilian jewels. Certainly, mass tourism has changed the town’s character, filling it with hundreds of travellers who disturb the peaceful life of Taormina’s 10,000 inhabitants. On the other hand, if you belong to the broad category of tourists, you can’t resist the temptation to get to Taormina and enjoy the beauty of this place.
Set on a cliff 200 metres above sea level on the edge of Mount Tauros, Taormina is a jewel on a natural terrace, founded in 403 BC by Greek exiles from the island of Naxos, the ancient colony of Tauromerion. Razed by Syracuse, itself Greek, but imperialist, the city was rebuilt and adored by the Romans.
Taormina’s charm, loved by famous artists
During the Middle Ages, it was the capital of Byzantine Sicily for a few years, then conquered by the Normans in 1078. With the Normans, Taormina would be a small coastal town. It was not until the 18th century that German, British and French pre-Romantic travellers tasted the little Sicilian town. All of a sudden, Taormina became a place of pilgrimage for poets and novelists such as Barlet and Goethe.
The arrival of the railway in 1866 from Messina was the starting point for tourism. First, the nobility and the bourgeoisie – the German Emperor William II, made the city his favourite holiday destination. Then writers such as Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, Jean Cocteau or Thomas Mann, and later great actors like Orson Welles, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant and Rita Hayworth stayed in its hotels, enjoying lunches overlooking the Mediterranean. All of them, even the great Dali, found inspiration and rest here. Thanks to them, the prestige and glamour of Taormina have grown.
The famous writer Goethe insisted: “If someone had only one day to spend in Sicily, I would answer without hesitation, go to Taormina!” The village has a double reputation: a jewel for some, an overrated place for others. It is one of those places, like Mykonos or Saint-Tropez, that have an undeniable attraction for the traveller. Those who swear by the silence and quietness of cities lost in the hills should move on: every day in high season, thousands of visitors crowd along the streets – or rather the street – of this charming little town.
Proudly installed on a terrace of the Monte Tauro, the village is magnificent and superbly preserved. Romantic as can be. Taormina’s upper floors look out over the sea and are home to prestigious palaces. Clinging to its cliff, this village rises from the sea to the dizzy heights of Castelmola, which is an integral part of the visit, even if it is a different place. It was the setting for the movie The Big Blue, directed by Luc Besson. This is where the world freediving championships take place in the film. It is also where the scene in the restaurant where Johanna, Jacques and Enzo eat the famous pasta from the mamma was filmed. See the movie if you haven’t already! It’s a masterpiece.
The main thing anyone arriving for the first time in Taormina does, after taking the cable car from which they will have fascinating views over the sea, is to walk around the town. You’ll enter through the iconic Messina Gate (a pleasant starting point for a stroll along Corso Umberto, the city’s main pedestrian street) and then probably stop halfway in Piazza Aprile, with its huge panoramic terrace, marvelling at the elegance and flavour of this Sicilian town every step of the way. If, however, you’re wondering what you should visit in Taormina, here’s the answer:
Places to visit in Taormina
Corso Umberto
For most tourists, Taormina’s greatest attraction is the city itself. Its streets are a pleasure to stroll along, lined with romantic buildings and opening onto terraces with stunning views.
The approach is equally compelling: from the coastal road at Cape Taormina, the Via Pirandello winds up the mountain, past the Byzantine rock tombs on the left, the belvedere on the right and the funicular to Mazzarò. It takes you to Porta Messina, which, together with Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, forms the main entrance to the city, as I told you before.
This is the beginning of the main street, Corso Umberto, which then crosses the city before ending at Porta Catania. The whole street, with its squares and terraces, shops, open-air cafés and alleyways, seems to be made for strolling and stopping to savour the view of Mount Etna and the sea. Walking along Corso Umberto, browsing the shops and stopping to buy ice cream is one of the best things to do in Taormina.
Piazza IX Aprile and San Giuseppe
Piazza IX Aprile, which is located along Corso Umberto, opens onto a terrace with a magnificent view of Mount Etna and the bay. This square is where the oldest part of the city begins, marked by a square stone clock tower.
The decoration of the square is the double staircase and the baroque façade of San Giuseppe, a pink confection of an exterior. The bright white interior of the rococo stucco is so ornate and covered with swirls that it looks like a frosted wedding cake.
Theatre of Taormina
The monument was built around the III century BC by the tyrant Geron II, although the Romans transformed the theatre we can see today in the III century. Located in the highest part of the city, it overlooks the sea and the volcano Etna. This mixture of art, music, culture and landscape creates one of the most magnificent views of the whole island.
Well preserved, it is called Greek Theatre, but the presence of bricks shows that most of the building comes from the Roman period. The layout and foundations, however, are Greek. The present theatre measures 109 metres in diameter (smaller than the one in Syracuse) and can seat almost five thousand five hundred people. Today the theatre is used for concerts and drama performances.
The entrance is not free, and as everywhere in Sicily not very cheap.
Close to the Greek Theatre, we find the ruins of the Naumachia, a monumental work that rests on buttresses thanks to a titanic wall. The Naumachia allowed the storage of enough water for the city’s needs and the crops’ watering.
St Nicholas Cathedral
Taormina’s cathedral is a medieval church dating from the 13th century that looks like a fortress. It is also known as the “cathedral-fortress”. It is located in Piazza del Duomo, where a beautiful baroque fountain with statues of seahorses can also be seen. It is probably the most interesting religious building you can visit in Taormina.
You will find a large Renaissance-style portal on its facade, made of large stone blocks, above which is a rose window. You can find many works of art inside the cathedral, including the polyptych of the Virgin and Resurrection by Antonello de Saliba, made in 1504.
The gardens of Villa Comunale
Take a stroll through the splendid gardens of Villa Comunale, away from the hustle and bustle of Corso Umberto. This pretty little park, about 4 minutes walk from Piazza IX Aprile, is an ideal haven for enjoying the magnificent sea views. The beautifully manicured grounds, complete with bronze sculptures, fountains, flowerbeds and shrubs, are crisscrossed by wide paths along the cliff’s edge, offering breathtaking views of the bay. Note that the gardens are open to the public.
Madonna Della Rocca
Via Circonvallazione runs parallel to Corso Umberto, and a staircase road leads from here to the Madonna Della Rocca, a chapel whose ceiling is the raw rock from which it was carved. The route continues to the Castle of Taormina, 398 metres above sea level on Monte Tauro.
This castle with its tower stands on the site of the ancient Acropolis. I can say that the view from here is absolutely spectacular, so you just have to reach the place. It is also possible to get to the castle by the winding road that starts on the Circonvallazione and continues to the picturesque mountain village of Castelmola, even higher at 529 metres. It is about five kilometres from the town centre and accessible by bus. Here are the ruins of another old castle and other excellent views.
Isola Bella
As you descend to sea level, you’ll find a must-see place that you see everywhere from above and, also, on the postcards of the souvenir stands: Isola Bella.
The German baron Wilhelm von Gloeden named the small island because of its unique and uncontaminated natural beauty. Also called the “pearl of the Mediterranean”, this singular island owes its charm also to its short distance from the shore and it can be reached on foot in half an hour (I advise against using a car, as the number of parking places available is very limited); depending on the tides it is an island and a peninsula at the same time. Since 1998 Isola Bella has been transformed into a Nature Reserve managed and preserved by the WWF. Snorkelling, diving, jet ski hire and lounging are all on the agenda!
From this beach, you can also hire a boat to explore the coves in the area and visit the two nearby caves, Grotta Azzurra and Grotta della Conchiglia. Actually, if you want to see the Taormina coastline, the recommendation is to book a cruise along the coast to visit famous islands, caves and rock formations as you sail through the turquoise waters.
Where to eat in Taormina
We can’t write about Taormina (and, generally, any place in Italy) without mentioning the food. Sicilian cuisine is, as indeed throughout the country, delicious. And after a walk around Taormina, whether long or short, you’ll want to stop at a terrace or restaurant where you can enjoy the delicious local dishes. It’s hard to rank the best restaurants in Taormina (there are many), but in order to offer a quality suggestion of possible places to dine in the beautiful Sicilian town, let’s stop at the following three:
Maffei’s
If you ask the locals in Taormina where the best fish restaurant is, they will all say Maffei’s. Even though the restaurant is very close to the centre, it goes unnoticed because it is hidden in an inner courtyard covered with vines on San Domenico de Guzman. It is a warm, romantic, mid-priced restaurant with very pleasant music and attentive service. It is best to order fish or seafood: swordfish, tuna, squid, oysters, snails, spaghetti with sea urchins. Don’t forget to book in advance; its popularity exceeds its capacity! There is a small dress code, i.e. in shorts and sandals, you won’t get in.
Address : Via S. Domenico de Guzman, 1
Bella Blu
A few minutes from the centre is the Bella Blu restaurant. It is not only a restaurant but also a bar with live music, a pizzeria and a disco. The dishes are not very expensive and are traditional Sicilian cuisine: meat, fish, seafood and a very wide choice of vegetarian dishes. Don’t miss the homemade pasta with sardines. On top of that, the restaurant offers a breathtaking view of the sea and the horizon.
Address: Via Luigi Pirandello, 28, Taormina.
La Giara
Nostalgics of the 50s and lovers of Italian cinema will adore this place. The restaurant was founded in the 1950s, and not much has changed since then: the white interior, the marble floor, the columns and the majestic terrace with a magnificent view of the bay and Mount Etna. La Giara is known as the resting place for Sicilian bohemians, Italians and film stars. When choosing your dish, pay attention to the ravioli, the grilled fish and the delicious desserts.
Address: Vico La Floresta, 1, Taormina
How to get to Taormina
The best way to visit Taormina is by public transport, as the town centre is mostly pedestrianised. The difficulty of parking makes it almost compulsory to enter a large multi-storey car park on the side of the mountain. The best way to park without paying is to come early in the morning and look in the direction of Castelmola in the upper part of the town. From there the views of Etna are breathtaking, a great advantage.
Another choice is down by the beach (Mazzaro area). Then we have to take the bus or the funicular to get to Via Luigi Pirandello and Porta Messina, the entrance to the old town.
Conclusion
Taormina is one of those beautiful places in the world. The town in the province of Messina is one of Sicily’s most stunning holiday destinations, and it’s not hard to see why. It is a little jewel suspended between the rocks and the Ionian Sea, a perfect blend of culture, nature, food, and wine. Don’t miss a visit to Taormina if you’re holidaying in Sicily, even if it’s just for a day. You’ll see it’s worth the effort!
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