SICILY: TAORMINA

 March 16, 2024

We took a 5:30 AM cab to the Naples Airport for our flight to Catania, Sicily, aboard an EasyJet plane, our first for that airline. We not only had to pay for our carry-on bags, but there was truly NO legroom. It was probably the tightest seating we've ever had. (Reminder to self: Say "no" to EasyJet in the future.) Luckily, the flight was just 50 minutes long. 

We picked up our rental car from Alamo--a VW Golf that was much too small for the four of us and our carry-ons, but we had no choice but to make do. One of our first sightings was Mount Etna. One of the tallest and most active volcanoes in Europe, it was impossible to miss. It's current height (subject to change in the next eruption) is 11,104 feet. In 2021, Etna had so many eruptions that its height actually increased by 100 feet! I read that it is two-and-a-half times taller than Pompeii, which really surprises me.  It has a hiking trail and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013, but this was about as close as we got to it.

Our first destination was a viewpoint at the top of a very narrow, very steep, very windy road, but we were compensated for our discomfort by views of the Ionian Sea, the section of the Mediterranean Sea that basically lies between Italy and Greece.

We pulled off in a place where our car would (hopefully) not be hit so we could admire the scenery and some old stairs.

We noted that the climate and vegetation reminded us of Southern California, but perhaps a little more lush.

We made our way from there to Taormina, where we were fortunate to stumble upon a multi-story parking structure just a block or two from the touristy section of the city, the part we had come to see. Taormina has its origins in the 8th century BC. It is strategically positioned at the top of a steep hill at about 820 feet in elevation.

The main thoroughfare is Corso Umberto, a picturesque pedestrian street lined with charming shops. It is a tourist mecca, and I wasn't complaining. In fact, if I could have figured out how to take that pottery fish planter (and several other larger items) home, I would have.

Side alleys have stairways that lead up the hillside and look like movie sets.

About 1300 feet up a steep hillside, situated on the top of a craggy cliff, is Saracen Castle. Some kind of fortress has likely existed here since humans first inhabited the area, but this iteration was built in the early 10th century by Muslim conquerors. While accessible by stairs from below, the fortress is closed to tourists. Whew. Cross that one off the list.

Not too far into the Old Town is the Taormina Cathedral, which was originally built in the 13th century on the ruins of an older church, and then rebuilt in the 15th, 16th, and 18th centuries. It's unusual to see a church topped with battlements.

The fountain in the square in front of the cathedral is the Quattro fontane, built around 1735. A female faun tops the pedestal in the center. 

Each of the four corners is topped with a cute seahorse (which I unfortunately didn't notice when I was taking pictures).

A car with a white bow on the hood can only mean one thing: a wedding! We decided to peak inside, so we passed through the bronze doors, nodding to the carved bishop standing guard within.

The interior was light and simply adorned, and we could see a couple kneeling in front of the altar at the front.

They both had white hair. Very sweet.  (I wish I could have gotten a better look at that carving of the Last Supper on the altar.)

We enjoyed the sculptures at the rear of the church.

Aha, Bob found his kind of tourist trap. Check out that giant cannoli! But Bob was there mostly for the Schweppe's limonata he's holding in his left hand, but the cannoli was a nice bonus.

That reminded us that it was time for lunch. We chose Il Ciclope for several reasons: the name was intriguing, there was outdoor seating, and our gregarious English-speaking waiter looked like Stanley Tucci. I had fettucine with prawns. After lunch we sat in the piazza and shared the three different kinds of cannoli that Bob had purchased. 

We had a beautiful view. I could be happy eating cannoli here more often.

A second church is just across the piazza from the Taormina Cathedral: the Church of St. Joseph. Built in the late 17th century, its Baroque façade dominates the piazza. To the right is a large bell tower with an unusual octagonal spire for a dome

We coaxed a passerby to take a photo of the four of us . . .

. . . then added a few more we took of each other.

All that posing was exhausting. Time for a pick-me-up. Gelato does the trick every time.

Hey, a bobblehead buddy for Dear Brother Dave!

As we continued our walk along Corso Umberto, I was impressed by the minimalist garbage receptacles we saw everywhere. These would be very easy to use.

For such a small place, there are a lot of churches on Taormina's Corso Umberto. Next up was the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria, thought to date back to 1663 although the statue of St. Catherine in the niche above the door is believed to date to 1493 (a year after Columbus sailed--amazing).

The interior is baroque, although not the gaudy Baroque of many European churches--more like Baroque Lite.

Like the Taormina Cathedral we visited earlier where the wedding was happening, this church also had a detailed brass engraving of the Last Supper as part of the altar.

This soulful Mary gazing at her crucified son was made more poignant by the photographs propped up against her base. I assume those are loved ones of grieving visitors.

Okay, HERE is some Uber Baroque, both the framing and the painting.

At the far end of Corso Umberto and down a street on the right we discovered an ancient and impressive amphitheater built by the Greeks in the third century BC and rebuilt under Roman rule in the early second century AD. In its ancient form, the theater had a diameter of 351 feet and could hold an audience of 10,000. These days it is still used as a venue for performances.

Chris and I climbed up the stairs towards the center of the seating. We got a wonderful panoramic view of residential Taormina.

We also had a good view of the stage, although I wouldn't say this would be a great seat for a concert.

There really are a lot of seats.

We could see some people lounging on the stage. Perhaps musicians waiting for their next performance?

Uh, no. Definitely not. Just Bob and Stan enjoying a shady seat.

On our way back through town, I spotted a Tiny Free Library, something that is very popular in the US, at least in my town, and it was fun to see one here.

I love these signs for a local store. No question what they sell, right?

Hey Bobblehead Brother, too bad you were not enjoying some Gelatomania with us!

I don't think of cactus when I think of the Mediterranean, but there is actually a lot of it. Isn't it great lining the stairs in these beautiful pots?

Bob, can I take this home as a souvenir? It would ALMOST fit in my suitcase! 

It would be impossible to walk up and down Taormina's Corso Umberto and NOT buy a souvenir or two (or three or . . . ).

Chris and I both bought one of these linen tablecloths, designed and manufactured in a nearby Sicilian town. It may be my favorite textile I have ever purchased on a trip.

An interesting souvenir that we saw EVERYWHERE and in every color and size in both Sicily and Malta was a ceramic pine cone. In Sicilian lore, the pine cone, as part of an evergreen tree, represents constant renewal, the divine, or immortality. In addition, its many seeds are symbolic of fertility and prosperity. Therefore, according to Sicilian tradition, every home must have a ceramic pine cone if the residents want health, good luck, and prosperity. 

We weren't feeling it until we saw this pine cone Christmas tree. PERFECT!

Each one was hand-painted and signed by the artist. How could we pass that up?

After finishing up in Taormina, we headed back to Catania to the Airone City Hotel. We rested in our rooms for an hour or so before meeting up with Chris and Stan and driving 5-10 minutes to a restaurant Bob had scouted out in advance, the Planete Marina. It was a bit unconventional. 

Tanks of fresh shellfish and fish are on display, and customers choose what they want and how they want it cooked.  We ordered (clockwise below): clams and mussels over fettucine, octopus skewers, stuffed squid, and salmon, whitefish and veggie skewers.

Overall, we had a relaxing day of strolling and shopping and eating.