Taormina

At the end of the I century, Taormina became Christian and fought long and painfully for its faith. But in 902, it was conquered by the Arabs, rebuilt, and renamed, but still, it was not conquered completely. Already in 1078, the Normans returned the city to the bosom of Christianity.

In the XIX century, it gained fame as a popular European resort. And all thanks to the great Goethe, who traveled here and was struck by the beauty of the city and the unique climate. It was visited by the members of the noble families and even royal families, as well as bohemians. Hugo and Nabokov, Maupassant and Dumas, and Dali and Wagner all praised Taormina. Today, a small town with thousands of years of history and carefully preserved past monuments still attracts tourists.

You should go to Taormina from November to April for cultural and educational recreation. January is the coldest month, but the temperature does not drop below +10°C even then.

If you plan a vacation between mid-June and the first decade of July, you can observe Corpus Domini being celebrated. It falls on the penultimate Sunday in June. The day of St. Pancras, the patron saint of Taormina is celebrated on July 9. In June, there is also the famous Taormina Film Fest.

• See with your eyes the most ancient landmarks of Taormina - the Greek theater and the Odeon. To build the former, the ancient Greeks had to roll up a mountain, in the literal sense of the word - limestone. Having dragged about a hundred thousand cubic meters of rock, they built a giant auditorium for 10 thousand of spectators. The theater's cave is truly enormous (over 100 meters long), and the acoustics are still impressive. In Roman times, gladiatorial fights were held here, and today the world's stars perform here. By contrast, the Odeon, built under Octavius Augustus, is miniaturized, only accommodating 200 people. But it is just as impressive.
• Go up to the square on April 9 and admire the magnificent views of the city, the sea, and the majestic Etna. Listen to the street musicians who love the square for their performances, and be sure to devote time to the two unique churches - the church of St. Augustine, built in the XV century in gratitude for saving the city from the plague, and the cathedral of San Giuseppe, XVII century. However, the latter has long been closed to the public. And don't forget to take a photo in front of the legendary Porta di Mezzo gate.
• Take a stroll down Taormina's main street, Corso Umberto. Here you can find all kinds of shopping establishments, from modest souvenir shops to expensive boutiques of fashion brands and small cozy restaurants. On Corso Umberto, you can endlessly admire the old houses whose facades are certainly the face of history.
• View the city through a bird's-eye view from a cable car cabin. The views are fabulous - panoramas of the city, churches, castles, mountains, Etna, and endless beaches. And then there are the tiny islands scattered along the coast.
• Take a look at Villa Comunale city park. On its territory of almost 3 hectares, there are pedestrian paths, benches, and fountains, and completely uncharacteristic for Italy buildings, reminiscent of oriental pagodas are lost among the greenery. Exotic plants and fantastic flowers grow here.
• Focus on the sea and the beaches of Taormina. There are several within the city. One of the most picturesque is Mazzaro, which is hidden in a bay surrounded by cliffs. People come here not only for the suntan but also for the beautiful views. The sea in Taormina is quite clear. Fans of snorkeling will be interested in admiring its rich underwater world. And Panasia beach also invites to open-air parties at night.