Taormina

Today we took a meandering drive across country to Taormina, perched high on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Ionian Sea. The Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, French and Spanish all came here: and saw, conquered and left. 

It is has beautifully restored mediaeval buildings and is now a very popular tourist destination with its breathtaking views, winding streets lined with shops, bars and restaurants and a number of imposing villas. 

Our bus dropped us off at our hotel in Castelmola, a small village higher up Monte Tauro, and we walked up to the piazza at the foot of castello saraceno where we enjoyed a yummy and refreshing granita at Bar Turrisi (and had a taste of the specialty, a sweet almond wine - vino alla mandorle - made by the family Turrisi) before climbing the final section up to the castle which is most probably the site of the antique acropolis of the Greek town of Taormina.

It was very very hot by now - we zig-zagged down along the Saracen pathway to Taormina. 

The path is lovely, dropping through ancient cultivated terraces - mostly now overgrown with cactus - and started wide and paved but it deteriorated into a narrow rocky track for the last section and was hard going.

It was about 1 o'clock when we reached the bottom and we needed a sit-down on some steps under a tree to rehydrate from our water supplies and eat our sandwiches before tackling the Greek-Roman theatre, Teatro Antico di Taormina. 

It started its life in the 3rd century BC with performances which continue today; it can seat over 500 people and hosts concerts, cinema, ballet and film sets. Originally quite small, it was enlarged by the Romans to accommodate their own particular brand of theatrical extravaganza. The views from the theatre are spectacular, taking in a smoking Mount Etna and the Bay of Naxos down below. Quite spectacular!

Taormina is centred around its main thoroughfare, Corso Umberto I. After a drink in an off-street away from the maddening crowd, we wandered along the corso looking for Plotkin's Pasticerria Etna which DID exist still and we bought the torta Taormina he recommended. I'll tell you what it tastes like when we try it. For now it remains in its paperbag to be enjoyed later. Fluids are really the order of the day! 

[POSTSCRIPT: the torta was so-so, maybe because we ate it a couple of days later ... BTW it comprises ricotta, almonds, chocolate, candied fruit].

We took the via crucis, still used by pilgrims - a climb of over 500 steps back up to our hotel where the pool was very welcome! We are sitting by the pool now - views out over the Ionian Sea and over my shoulder to the smouldering Mt Etna towering over all: a beautiful sight and as the sun goes down the hot afternoon cools with the help of a sea breeze.