The town of Taormina in Sicily
Taormina, is a resort town on the eastern coast of Sicily in front of the dark blue Ionian Sea. It has long been known as a popular destination in the south of Italy, from hundreds years. The stunning views, the historic landmarks and the charming shops are the most important reasons for an holiday here. This place was featured in Season 2 of The White Lotus.
Here we report what we think are some of the most interestng places and what are the most cool experience, you have to enjoy in this beautiful city in Sicily.
Things to do in Taormina:
1. Take time for a refreshing granita and the sicilian brioche
The place to go for the best granita in Sicily is in Taormina. You can tast many flowers but you must to try the almond, which made with the locals almonds of Taormina region, is absolutely delicious.
2. Visit the ancient Greek Theater and enjoy the view
While most tourists to Taormina know about this amphitheatre, they may not be aware of the spectacular views that await them at the top of the steps. This ancient Greek amphitheatre dates back to the third century BC. The Romans rebuilt it during the second century AD. Teatro Greco prides itself as the second largest theatre in Sicily, with the largest one in Siracusa.
3. Pleasent break with cannoli and cappuccino
Take a stop in at any of the numerous bars and cafes in Taormina. You can’t go wrong with cannoli and cappuccino.
4. Take a cable car ride down to the beach
The Cable Car (gondola) is an easy way to reach the beach from Taormina, seven-minute ride allows you to the spectacular scenery of the Mazzarò Bay and the faboulus lagoon of Isola Bella Bay (which aslo appear in The White Lotus scenes).
5. Visit the old Railway Station of the Taormina-Giardini
The place was filmed many times for iconic movie like “The Godfather part III”. If you plan to travel anywhere from the train station, take time to appreciate the neo-Gothic style of this historic building, including its art nouveau design inside with its frescoes and stained-glass windows.
6. Enjoy the hilltop village of Castelmola, a countryside village just above Taormina
The elevation is so much higher, it’s easy to enjoy the green hills interspersed with tall Italian cypress trees. The view all the way down to the Ionian Sea was definitely worth the dizzying ride. Don’t forget to stop inside the famous Bar Giorgio, an establishment here since 1907 and famous for Vino alle Mandorle, an almond dessert wine.
7. Take a relaxing walkin along the Corso Umberto and enjoy the historic center, losting the way throught the narrow alleys
The church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria stands in the center of Taormina. This seventeenth-century church is a magnificent example of baroque architecture. The current structure is built on the ruins of Odeon, and the façade is constructed with stone from the southern Sicilian city of Siracusa. The doors are made of marble from Taormina. Above the front entrance I see a carved statue of St. Catherine. Good food and excellent shooping also available along the Corso umberto.
8. Don’t miss the Public Gardens also called “Parco Duca di Cesarò”
A must to visit in Taomrina i salso the public gardens, before being given to the City in 1922, the Public Gardens were the private garden of the residence of an English noblewoman who lived in Taormina at the end of the nineteenth century and married the mayor of the city.
Lady Florence Trevelyan had the park built as an english garden full of plants and flowers of different species and from all over the world. The fancy of the noblewoman is also evident in the buildings with the shape of a pagoda, still visible today, that Lady Florence, an enthusiastic ornithologist, exploited as an observation point for birds.
9. Saracen Castel “Castello di Taormina”
Built by the Arabs about 400 meters high on the rock of Monte Tauro, the Castello Saraceno allowed to dominate on Taormina and its beautiful bay, and control the valley of the river Alcantara. The area of Monte Tauro coincided, in greek-Roman times, with the seat of the ancient acropolis less Taormina, Tauromenium.
10. The bech village of Giardini Naxos (First Greek colony in Sicily)
On the east coast Ionian Riviera and close to Taormina, founded in 735 B.C, it was the first Greek colony in Sicily and named Naxos after an island in the Aegean sea. The cultivation of citrus fruits, introduced by the Arabs, conferred it the name Giardini (gardens). Today it is a popular seaside resort with a 2.5 mile- stretch of sandy beaches which makes it a bustling town in summer.
Tours and Experience from Taormina:
1. Boat ride to discover the bays along Taormina’s coast
Get in touch with us to create your own tailor-made boating experience, to discover the beautiful bays of Taormina.
2. Mt Etna Volcano
An interesting tour folowed by a local guide to discover the unique nature of this magnificent sicilian volcano.
3. Alcantara valley and Wine Experience
Visit the natural wonder of the Alcantara Gorge and enjoy the wines of the volcano, area where the wine maker produce the Etna Wines Doc, from the grapes coltived on the volcanic soil
4. The Godfather’ Villages
Visit the filming places fo the iconic movie “The Godafther” a tour designed not only for the movie’s fans but for who want to take the genuine of Sicily visiting the countryside villages of Savoca and Forza D’Agrò
5. The city of Syracuse and Ortigia
Unesco site from 2002, the city of city Siracusa is rich of history, art and culture, it was recently filmed for the scenes of the movie “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”.
