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Taormina

Over the ionic sea on a rock cliff rises the city of Taormina, the probably most visited city in Sicily. For centuries travelers from all over the world came to see Taormina, the view over the sea and on the snow-covered Etna, together with a fantastic townscape put a spell on the visitors.

Location and general information

Taormina is located at the east coast, between Catania and Messina. Ther are two motorway exits from the A 18 to Taormina. There is also a bus connection to the airport of Catania. Taormina has a railway station and an aerial ropeway leads from the upper city down to the sea. Taormina has approx. 10,000 inhabitants.

History of Taormina

The natives Sicilians, the Siculi, had already established a settlement in the close to the location where Taormina is tody. The people of Carthage enlarged it to the city of Tauromenion and they gave the Siculi the permission to settle there. Later the city was conquered by the Greeks. When Sicily became part of the Roman empire, Taormina had an important role in the first slave war, it was one of the last bases of the rebellion. In the ninth century it was one of the last fortresses of the Byzantine Empire in the fight against the Arabs. From that 19th century Taormina becomes an popular tourist destination for travelers from all over the world.

Sights

The “Corso Umberto” is the main street and from there you can go easily most objects of interest in the city. From the Piazza IX Aprils (see picture) you have a great view over the sea and on the Etna. There is a fantastic atmosphere on this plaza, children are playing games and there are people till the late evening. In the city center are numerous historical buildings: the Palazzo Corvaia, the cathedral San Nicola, the church of Catharina, etc.. But the most famous sight is the antique Greek theatre, in the summer there are also concerts. It´s a unique experience to hear the accoustic of a greek theatre in one of these occasions. If you never did, you should try...

 

Beaches

The beach of Taormina, with a view on the Isola bella, are very beautiful, but there is nosand only small pebbles. Which has the advantage that the water is very clear. If you are looking for a sand beach, than you shoul visit Giardini Naxos, only a few kilometers to the south of Taormina.

 
left: Isola Bella near Taormina
right: The beach of Taormina