Taormina

There are many accounts regarding the origins of Taormina (Tauromenion, Tauromenium—derived from the Ancient Greek place name Ταυρομένιον), yet none are well-documented or reliable. The most widely accepted hypothesis links the name to the city's location on a hill. In Book XIV of his Bibliotheca historica, Diodorus Siculus states that the Sicels inhabited the stronghold of Taormina—subsisting on agriculture and livestock—even before the arrival of Greeks from Chalcis in the bay (735 BC). There, at the mouth of the Alcantara River, they founded Naxos (modern-day Giardini Naxos), the first Greek colony in Sicily. Legend has it that Greek sailors passing along Sicily's eastern coast failed to offer sacrifices to Poseidon; enraged, the god caused their ship to wreck. …

Just south of Taormina is the Isola Bella, a nature reserve; and further south, beside a bay, is the popular seaside resort Giardini Naxos. Tours of the Capo Sant'Andrea grottos are available. Taormina is on a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea. Besides the ancient Greek theatre, it has many old churches, lively bars, fine restaurants and antique shops. The Santuario Madonna della Rocca is one such church. Located on the slope above the town, it commands an impressive view of the coast and Mount Etna to the south, and is accessible on foot via the staired path, Salita Castello. Taormina is approximately a 45-minute drive from Europe's largest active volcano, Mount Etna. Taormina was visited by multiple famous celebrities, such as the Swedish actress Greta Garbo, German actress Marlene Dietrich and the English actress Elizabeth Taylor.

The present town of Taormina occupies the ancient site, on a hill that forms the last projecting point of the mountain ridge that extends along the coast from Cape Pelorus to this point. The site of the old town is about 250 metres (820 ft) above the sea, while a very steep and almost isolated rock, crowned by a Norman castle, rises about 150 metres (490 ft) higher. This is the likely site of the ancient Arx or citadel, an inaccessible position mentioned by ancient writers. Portions of the ancient walls may be traced at intervals all round the brow of the hill, the whole of the summit of which was occupied by the ancient city. …