Day 01
Taormina Old Town, Ancient Theatre and Local Flavours
- Meet me downtown, wherever is most convenient for you.
- Walk to the Cathedral and enjoy its setting in front of a Baroque fountain featuring the peculiar symbol of Taormina, the so-called two-legged female centaur. Via a little alley, you can also approach a former 13th-century convent, now a 5-star hotel where The White Lotus season 2 was shot.
- Stroll across the Middle Gate to reach the famed Belvedere, which offers the best view in town, combining a glimpse of the rocky coast with Mount Etna in the distance.
- Then continue along Corso Umberto, the main street, and reach Santa Caterina, the Baroque church built on the ruins of a Greek temple and also overlooking the Roman Odeon at the back.
- Walk to the ancient theatre, dating back to the 3rd century B.C., which inspired poets and painters some 300 years ago. It is one of the most visited historical monuments in Sicily and is still in use throughout the summer. The long season includes pop and rock music concerts, opera, drama, and award ceremonies for the international film festival and book fair.
- The last part of our tour includes a visit to the public gardens, once privately owned by a British noblewoman who moved to Taormina permanently after a short holiday. When she died, she left the property to the local people, so if you're looking for a quiet place downtown, this is the perfect spot.
- In between, stop at a local bakery where they still make fresh cannoli and almond cookies, then taste a granita, the traditional sort of sorbet whose origins date back more than 1,000 years, and finally enjoy an arancino, a fried rice ball to remember.
- Time to say goodbye - I'll leave you there to enjoy the view and cosy atmosphere.
