French writer, Guy du Maupassant, once described Taormina as "all that seems made on the earth to entice the eyes, spirit and imagination."
We were awe-struck during our visit to the chic, eastern coast Sicilian town Idyllically perched on a rocky promontory high above the Ionian Sea.
We had visited this stunningly beautiful place when our family lived in Italy during the early 90s. Returning many years later for a day's visit, we found the experience every bit as magically alluring as we remembered it.
Located on the island of Sicily, Taormina is a legendary resort town. Founded in the 4th Century BC, Taormina's past is Sicily's history in a microcosm: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, the French and the Spanish all came, saw, conquered and left, each leaving their unique mark on this stunningly picturesque Mediterranean gem.
In 212 B.C., the town fell to the Romans and quickly became a popular destination spot for Rome's patricians and senators. Its modern reincarnation as a tourist destination dates to the 18th century when its breathtaking beauty was discovered by Northern Europeans.
Over the years, Taormina's magnetic appeal and mythical atmosphere have lured numerous writers, artists, aristocrats and royals to its shores: Goethe was thoroughly enamored by it, poetically describing the place as a "patch of paradise." Living here between 1920 and 1923, D. H. Lawrence was inspired to write Lady Chatterley's Lover, one of the most passionate and erotic love stories of its era.
As we walked its enchanted, narrow, winding, medieval streets with jaw-dropping, unforgettable views around every corner, it wasn't difficult to understand why.
Beautifully restored ancient buildings, narrow alleys, romantic walkways and town plazas strewn with quaint bougainvillea-swathed boutique shops keep Taormina vibrantly alive, embracing residents and visitors alike with its authentic, old world charm. Enticing the senses and bewitching the soul are scents of lemon, garlic, herbs and sauces wafting through the air from its romantic trattorias and pizzerias, secluded gardens hidden by stone walls, intriguing passages and terraces overlooking the coast.
Best of all, the town is extremely walkable, giving visitors the opportunity to literally "drink it all in."
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The city of Taormina dominates two grand, sweeping, azure Mediterranean bays. Its magnificent, sun-drenched cliffs reach below the town, forming idyllic, quiet coves with sandy beaches. A narrow stretch of sand connects the mainland to stunningly picturesque Isola Bella-a tiny island surrounded by crystal clear waters, once privately owned but now a nature reserve.
Served by its very own cable car, visitors can be ferried to and from the seaside resorts along the coast, including Isola Bella.
On the southern side of Taormina looms Europe's highest active volcano, Mount Etna, topping out at nearly 11,000 feet. Visitors who wish to take an excursion to its summit will find breathtaking, dramatic and memorable views overlooking almost one hundred miles of the Mediterranean Sea.
We describe it as "the most stunning views ever created by nature."
No other gardens in Sicily are more lush than the vineyards and groves of lemon, orange, almond and olive trees covering the lower slopes leading to the volcano. This often snowcapped natural wonder puffing nebulous plumes into the Sicilian sky can be seen from 150 miles away on days it isn't cloaked in a clouded mist. Mt. Etna has erupted more than 300 times since first recordings were made some 3,000 years ago; Each year, events of some type occur, often with some degree of lava flow.
Within its eternal stone walls, old Taormina contains fascinating archeological monuments and medieval homes.
Undoubtedly, the most famous archeological site is the Teatro Antico di Taormina-the ancient Greek-style amphitheater built by the Romans in the 3rd century atop the foundation of an earlier Greek theater. Hewn into the rock face of Mount Tauro at an altitude of 675 feet, this ancient theater-the second largest in Sicily-is still in use for summer art, film and music festivals due to its impressive acoustics.
Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea provide a breathtaking, cinema-worthy backdrop to this magnificent venue. Attending an ancient Greek classic performed just before sunset proves utterly captivating.
A visit to the luxurious Hotel San Domenico for a cold glass of sparkling San Pellegrino with lemon proved to be another fascinating historical experience.
Originally built as a Dominican monastery in 1430, the hotel's rooms-though enlarged within the past century-were once the actual living cells of the ancient monks. San Domenico's vast surrounding gardens provide a serene, jasmine-infused oasis of palms and lemon trees with wonderful views of Mount Etna and the Ionian's azure waters.
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A fairly steep walkway consisting of 650 steps leads from the village to Madonna della Rocca-a small church built into the mountainous rocks.
After a short break to step inside the sanctuary, we ascended the remaining 150 steps to the medieval Taormina Castle-locally known as Castello di Taormina or Castello Saraceno (Saracen Castle). Though the castle was closed to the public for renovation at the time of our visit, the reward at the end of our climb was incredibly spectacular vistas of the surrounding hills, beaches, ocean, the Greek theater and the volcano.
Following a local Sicilian's recommendation, we lunched at Ristorante La Buca in Taormina's historic Corso Umberto. Our host escorted us through antique wrought iron door frames and past windows adorned with pots of multi-hued flowers to a well-appointed table for two on the charming outdoor patio with magnificent ocean views.
Specializing in traditional Mediterranean-prepared seafood and pasta, the ristorante capped off a perfect day. We enjoyed a bottle of the restaurant's own Sicilian red wine, savored tantalizing Sicilian mussels in a red sauce, then shared their renowned thin-crusted Sicilian Pizza Capricciosa. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, onion, ham, artichokes, olives and eggplant make for an almost impossible-to-describe melding of delectable flavors.
As we wound up another unforgettable visit to this beautiful jewel of Italy's southern Mediterranean region, we were reminded of a beautiful quote by famous British poet Robert Browning: "Open my heart and you will see. Graved inside of it, 'Italy.'"
One wonders if Browning could have been recalling a magical place like Taormina.
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