The stunning coastal scenery below Taormina
From Catania we took a bus an hour up the coast to Taormina, Sicily’s most upscale resort town. Taormina is perched high up on cliffs overlooking some gorgeous rocky outcrops linked together by beaches. Yesterday’s primary activity was a climb down, a few hours on the beach, and then a tough climb back up to town.
Even though Taormina is quite a climb up from those beaches, you can then look up and see the town of Castelmola lingering way up higher yet. So naturally today was dedicated to a climb up to Castelmola and coffee in a charming square. We were rewarded with spectacular views down to Taormina and across the straits of Messina to the coast of Calabria, the toe of mainland Italy.
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that looming above everything is the menacing form of Mt. Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe.
The view from our balcony — the Mediterranean to the left, Mount Etna to the right
The hill town of Castelmola looking down on us
On the scenic climb up to Castelmola
Pesce alla Messinese — fish with olives, tomatoes, onions, capers
Strolling through the public garden