You can see that Taormina must really have been an exceptional place once, before it became the one spot in Sicily that everyone has to see and be seen at; before it was too easy to get to and massive cruise ships started arriving in the bay and flooding the town during the day. You can see it especially in the margins of the day when the streets are empty enough that you can walk freely, and you can look up one of its narrow, intriguing staircase alleys without seeing past five other people crowding to take the same photograph, and the plazas are quiet and charming with a few people sitting around the edges sipping at their gelato and watching children wheel around and around on the tiles. It feels almost like a normal Italian town then, if a bit overlit. Even then though, you have to squint just a bit to see the romance and raw beauty that started bringing the big names to this place a century ago.
You don’t have to go far for a different experience though, because 99% of the crowd stays on The Corso Umberto. If you get a just few alleys off, it’s much quieter. Or if, like we did today, you take a hike up into the hills, you can lose the crowds completely and still savor the stunning views of Etna and the coast.
We didn’t spend much time in Taormina itself today. We got up to the Greek theater early before the crowds arrived, because it really is an unmissable sight and our stowaway the Grumby bottle opener insisted on being let out of the toolbag to see what all the excitement was about.
Taormina’s Greek theater is exceptional, and in an extraordinary situation. If you’re here early in the day, it’s almost empty.
Finally I get to see the sun again; but why can’t I see Mount Etna too, the GBO mutters when I show him the view. Such an ingrate. Beggars can’t be choosers.
I agree .. he needs to pipe down about about not seeing Mount Etna. Just remind him of how lucky he is that you have carried his excess weight to so many beautiful places. Reply to this comment 5 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Jen RahnHe does make a good point though. I’m feeling a bit guilty for having kept him penned up for so long. We really need to see his shiny face more often. Reply to this comment 5 years ago
During the heart of the day though, we took a hike - rather, a climb. Taormina sits high on a hill above the sea, but the hills behind it just keep climbing. We walked the winding staircase up to the Madonna of the Rocca, a charming small chapel built around and into the rock; and then just kept going, up to Castelmola, a village crowning a hilltop another seven hundred feet above Taormina. Fantastic views, much quieter, a good place for an afternoon lunch overlooking the sea - which we shared with Ron and Linda, an interesting and adventurous retired couple of my age from Virginia that we encountered on the trek up.
Starting the climb to the Madonna of the Rocca. It’s all stairs, but a reasonably gentle climb with fantastic views the entire way.
From the chapel we look up at Castelmola, still another seven hundred feet above us. On the way up we’ll take the well marked route to the right, but on the way back I’ll follow a rough trail through the prickly pear forest on the left.
About halfway up we close in for the first time on Ron and Linda. We’ll catch up with them when they pause to catch their breath and stop to chat a bit. Later, they’ll appear at our cliffside table and ask if they can join us for lunch.
After lunch Rachael and I went our own ways and agreed to meet back at the hotel in time for dinner. She took her younger and healthier knees even further up the mountain, and from the looks of what she brought back on the cellphone she had a great climb with still more sweeping views. It made me envious and wishing I’d gone too.
Rachael’s on top of the world here, about 2,000’ feet up.
Scott AndersonTo Jen RahnThat’s one of the wonderful thing about traveling to places like these. You can’t help but reflect on how different our lives are today from those who came before us. Reply to this comment 5 years ago
Rachael captured this great panorama from the summit. I need to follow her lead on these - I always include too wide of a field and it ends up badly distorted.
I found my way back down on what feels like it must have been the ancient route up - overgrown, unmaintained, untrodden. In the hour I took walking down, I saw only two other parties quietly climbing the other way, if you don’t count the lizards constantly dashing for the nearest crevice as you approach. Wonderful, and amazing to find such solitude so close to town. Rachael had a similar experience, finding herself almost alone on top of the world.
I was lucky to stumble on this path, that was marked by a rusty sign pointing to Taormina. It looks like it hasn’t been maintained for many years, from the looks of the few remaining scattered fence posts and rails.
This poor old thing. It’s so dessicated that it barely hangs together. A few of its paddles are just hanging on by threads, and flutter in the slight breeze.
About halfway down the trail passes by an arched stone wall and then the paving ends. Just a rough dirt path now for most of the rest of the way to town.
Taormina must have a thousand restaurants lining its streets and tucked into its steep alleys. It’s too hard to choose, and we know a place we like very much anyway so we just go back to La Zagara again. We’re the first ones to arrive, so they give us the same nice corner table with a good view. A few minutes later, a quartet of Italians walks in and takes the table next to us. They smile, and we all laugh a bit - it’s the same quartet that sat here next to us yesterday. It’s too bad we don’t speak more than the minimal few words of Italian - we might have struck up a conversation. And yes, this time I order the pistachio/almond fish fillet.
Afterwards, we walk through the by now peacefully quiet Corso Umberto, pick up a delicious pistachio pastry that suggests a linzertorte, and sit on a stoop at Piazza IX Aprile to watch the children scoot across the tiles, take turns nibbling at our pastry, and quibble over which of us got the larger share.
Last night in Sicily! Tomorrow we bike east to Messina and catch the ferry to Calabria.
Taormina has dozens of alleys like this branching uphill and down off of Corso Umberto.
On Piazza IX Aprile, looking at San Giuseppe church and uphill to the chapel and castle. A great spot to sit with your friend, share a treat, and watch the show.
