Easing in -- Taormina

Taormina -- view from Madonna della Rocca

From Catania we took a bus to Taormina, a touristy town in the northeast corner of Sicily.  It's touristy for a reason -- it's a gorgeous little town, perfectly positioned on the side of Mount Tauro with great views of Mount Etna and surrounded by rugged coastline.

mulberry & pistachio granita -
breakfast of champions!

In Taormina, we discovered the joys of granita for breakfast!  Granita is an icy, slushy beverage served with or without whipped cream.  It can be eaten with a spoon, through a straw, or as the Sicilians like it best -- with a brioche bun.   I guess that makes it more breakfasty??  Unlike a Mister Misty, granita is just slightly sweet, and flavored with natural ingredients like nuts, fruit and coffee.   So far, my favorite flavors are mulberry, pistachio, peach and lemon.  Eric especially liked coffee (of course) and almond granita.









Our 6 days in Taormina gave us plenty of time to poke around town, check out the beach, eat great food, and explore Mount Etna.  One of the highlights was a trek from Taormina to the small church Madonna della Rocca then further uphill to Castelmola.  It's less than 2 miles one way, but it's a steep climb.  The views were worth it!

Madonna della Rocca - built into the hill

many more steps to go

deciphering the menu at Bar Turrisi

In the 1940s, residents of Castelmola sought independence from Taormina but needed to have 1000 residents in order to do so.  Undaunted, the locals "got busy", increased their population and successfully gained independence.  Since then, phallic symbols have become a tribute to their civic-minded determination.  Bar Turrisi is a hot spot, featuring a slew of phallic trinkets and 'artwork'.  Once we stopped giggling we were able to enjoy food and locally made almond wine.

Greek theater -- 3rd century BC -- Taormina

Isola Bella -- Taormina

We had a great time exploring Taormina and the surrounding area.

Eric will tell you more about our Etna experiences in the next post.

~Peggy