Isola Bella
Taormina became the most famous Sicilian tourist resort some two hundred years ago, included in educational Grand Tour taken by many of young members of European aristocracy.
It was, and still is the popular vacation spot for bankers families, like Rotshild, aristocrats like Wilhelm II of Germany, and Hollywood stars, like the Taylor-Burton couple.
Although many of the buildings are located around the main street Corso Umberto I, the real heart of Taormina is Piazza del Duomo with Palazzo del Municipio, a baroque fountain and the Cathedral San Nicolo.
The town bears the traces of almost all Mediterranean civilizations,there are many of remains of Roman architecture, rebuilt in later times, and buildings from the time of Spanish dominance over island, including the 13th century villa of Spanish aristocracy, Palazzo dei Duchi di Santo Stefano, and Palazzo Corvaje, the site of the first Sicilian Parliament from 15th century,built this time on the Arab tower.
And there were also the Greeks. They have chosen the best location on the hill with nice view on Etna and left the spectacular amphitheatre, (rebuilt later by Romans). The place, where once over 5 000 spectators watched gladiators’ fights, today hosts various bloodless summer performances and music concerts.
The cable car parallel to the country road connects Taormina with its beach on the shore of small village Mazarro and Isola Bella with blue waters and rock formations scattered all over the area. Not to be missed are the grottoes near Baia delle Sirene, where probably you can still find the echo of Sirens temping voices.
[ photo courtesy of Andras Jancsik]
