Posted by We caught the train from Siracusa to Taormina Giardini station travelling in the first class cabiAbout 1.5 hrs of travel but easy and comfortable. The station is on the coast below the town so a winding Taxi ride up the hill delivered us quickly to our apartment. we found out we actually had a combined apartment with two bedrooms and a view so plenty of space albeit a bit on the average but comfortable side. From our balcony we could see across the straits of Messina to Calabria.
Looking down to the train station from the main square of Taormina. We were greeted with the rain which hung around until later in the evening but it was sporadic and did not stop us from doing our explorations.
With rain coats and unbrellas we headed out down the main street Corso Umberto and within 10 mintes of our apartment we were in the main Piazza IX Aprile with its famous tiled Belvedere Terrace and spectacular views. The place was jamed with tours from ships and buses and the cable car so we realised that early mornings and evenings is going to be the best time for us. Taormina is small and narrow and there are basically three streets with lanes crossing over them. Two are for cars and the centre is pedestrain, but it works and there is a section of winding lanes near the Greek Theatre that house most of the resturants so its easy to get around and enjoy.
Peak hour along Corso Umberto is manic but you can escape it to the sides where there is plenty of history in this popular town with its original Greek and Roman walls still evident along with the Norman Churches and Saracen architectural influence.
the balconies of Taormina a re special with plants and Moors heads adorning the small spaces
From the Greek Theatre the view of Taormina is spectacular and of course in the background is the cloud covered mount Etna.
The Greek Theatre, Circa 5th century BC is carved out of a hillside spur near the centre of town and has had the Romans have a go at it over time so the whole back stage is roman as evidenced by their brickwork. it is used regularily for performances and one was being set up the day we were there.
We had another canoli at the cafe and enjoyed these lovely views over the bays below Taormina and as the weather warmed up we decided that we must head down to Isola Bella beach for a swim very soon.
Exploring ancient vruins and all thier ins and outs is a must, for as they say, when in Rome!
There is an abundance of history at every turn and we love walking the side streets to find the hidden gems.
We took the Funincular down to the IsolaBella bays and despite the overcast day it was very warm and the water was very inviting. we just made one error! We left our rocky beach footware back at the Apartment so faced the prospect of ouchy feet for sure.
The swim was worth the pain of getting in and out and we even paid a kings ransom to get the comfortable day beds on the beach as compensation. we had our lunch down there…very average but got rejected from visiting the Isola bella GRottos and museum because oi did not have a shirt on! And i was not going to go through all the ouch ahh stuff again to go back to the lounge to get my tshirt.
That night it was a bit wet again but the town was deserted and the effect was delightful both visibly and peacefully.
the next day was perfection and we ventured down past the local co-op markets where we found the Miss Taormina floats ( build around shopping trolleys, checked out the tourist shops stacked with Moors heads and everything to do with lemons.
A must do in Taormina is breakfast at BAM BAR, and yes it is busy and hyped to the max but it is worth the short wait as the Granite and Brioche is the best in Sicily…we went back again to check we were correct the first time…my tips are Almond, Pistacchio, and for Ann it was the lemon everytime.
We We visited the Gardini of Villa Comunale with its characther filled and whimsical structures for fun and frivolity which were built by a Scotish heiress who married a local count and created these beautiful gardens. We also bumped into Julie and Reg on their tour before meeting them for lunch later.
The streets are alive with colour and interesting restaurants, shops and bars as this place buzzes all year round.
the Norman buildings that were adapted by the Spanish later on have stood the test of time very well and have been added to by the later periods of the Grand Tour and the English investments that took place.
The town is topped by a Sarecen Fortress way up above and further up anothet hilltop village on the peak.
Our last night was spent wandering up the hill a bit where we landed at the fabulous Skybar and enjoyed a few hours and cocktails with some stunning share plates that we grazed on while waitching the sunset and hoping that Etna would finally reveal itself..but to no avail.
on our last morning before heading down to the station we enjoyed another Granite and Brioche at BAM BAR and wandered around the corner to discoiver this amazing decorated building or shop, wec were not sure what it was. but the effect was stunning and its Moors head balconies were fabulous.
This was the best view we got of Etna and it was on our way down to the station, but still with a cloud hat on.
I had to take some photos of the Art Nouveau Station of Taormina which is located right on the beach below.
