We left the hotel at 8:45 for the hour-and-15-minute drive to Taormina. Nico kept us entertained along the way by teaching us Italian hand gestures. Italians seem to have a gesture for just about everything, so it was an entertaining lesson.
Unfortunately, when we arrived, we learned that five cruise ships were in the area—three in Taormina’s harbor and two more in a nearby harbor. And all those passengers were apparently headed our way. Ugh!
As usual, we started with a walking tour. The highlight was the Greco-Roman Theater, originally built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC and later enlarged and modified by the Romans. The Romans eventually adapted it for spectacles and gladiatorial contests. It could accommodate around 10,000 spectators. Today, it serves as a venue for summer concerts, with the added bonus of spectacular views of the surrounding landscape.
After the tour, Nico took us to a shop specializing in pistachio products. Pistachios grown on Mount Etna are considered particularly good, thanks in part to the unique growing conditions in the volcanic soil. The plants typically produce a substantial crop every other year. We sampled pistachio spread on bread, pistachio liqueur, and pistachio gelato. Everything was delicious! It was quite the pistachio afternoon delight.
After our tasting, the two Annes and I broke away from the group and headed to the botanical gardens. The gardens were once part of a villa owned by Lady Florence Trevelyan, a Scottish noblewoman who left Britain after becoming romantically involved with the future King Edward VII. She settled in Taormina in 1884 and later married Salvatore Cacciola, who became the town’s mayor. Lady Trevelyan created beautiful gardens filled with exotic plants. The property eventually passed to the municipality in 1922, and today the gardens offer a peaceful escape from Taormina’s busy streets.
We certainly appreciated the break from the crowds. The gardens were lovely, and it was nice to wander somewhere that didn’t feel as though half the passengers from five cruise ships were competing for the same square foot of pavement.
Next, we walked to a lookout with beautiful views over the harbor. It was a great spot to stop and appreciate the scenery—and a reminder of why Taormina is such a popular destination in the first place.
By then, we were finally hungry again, so we stopped for arancini. Yum! I’m going to miss those delicious little rice balls when I leave Sicily.
We did a little shopping before meeting up with the group for the drive back to Catania. Taormina is probably a wonderful place to visit when it’s less crowded, but with thousands of cruise passengers filling the streets, it was a little overwhelming. The views were beautiful; the crowds, not so much.
Other Taormina pictures:
Back in Catania, I took a shower to cool off after a very hot day. Then Anne and I met the other Anne on the rooftop deck for Aperol Spritzes. We finished the evening with gelato for dinner. At this point, I think gelato has become a legitimate food group on this trip.
Here’s my favorite picture from the day
For reference (the picture isn’t from today), here’s a picture of me and the other Anne. She looks and acts a lot like my grandmother.
Another day in Sicily, with beautiful views, plenty of pistachios, and more than enough tourists!
