Taormina, Sicily

Taormina set against the back drop of Mout Etna

Nestled on top the hillside and draping over cliffs is the little city of Taormina overlooking the Ionian Sea.  An hour drives away from the capital, Catania, this beautiful picturesque Sicilian city is very quintessentially Italian.

Besides the ancient Greek theatre, it has many old churches, lively bars, fine restaurants and antique shops. The Santuario Madonna della Rocca is one such church. Located on the slope above the town, it commands an impressive view of the coast and Mount Etna to the south, and is accessible on foot via the staired path, Salita Castello. Taormina is approximately a forty-five-minute drive away from Europe’s largest active volcano, Mount Etna.

The territory was noted for the excellence of its wine and produced also a kind of marble which seems to have been highly valued. The pedestrianized cobble stone streets of the Old Town lined with unique one of a kind boutiques. Sicily is also famous for its hand painted ceramic tiles of all sorts and you can find the same prints on bikinis, cloths and even magnets. Lemons are locally grown on the island and many products are made with the essence of lemon like oils, soaps, gelato and desserts. Not to forget the gastronomic delights of local ingredients in the pizzas and pastas that is a food lover’s dream.

It is not difficult to be swept up with talking like an Italian with their colloquial accent and gestures. When one orders food and drink or greets, ‘Buongjorno, gracie mille, Prego, Ciao Bella!’, it is as if second nature, as you are wonderfully enveloped in the surroundings.