Taormina: A Gateway to Sicily’s Charm

This trip feels like a long time coming. It’s been six years since our last vacation in Italy, though it hasn’t been for lack of trying. We considered a road trip in summer 2020, a second try summer 2021, and finally a yoga retreat in winter 2021. Covid-19 simply wasn’t having it.

And when we moved back to the US for two years, it made sense to us to do as much local travel as we could (and if I’m being honest, I’m so glad we did!). But now that we’re back overseas, our first trip had to be Italy. Sicily’s not particularly far from Dakar, although we did have to fly up to Rome to switch flights.

We arrived in Catania shortly before noon and hopped in our rental car for the hour drive to Taormina. I’m sure we could have used public transportation instead, but we’d need the car a few days later when we drove across the island.

During our drive, we listened to the local radio and I began my obsession with Clara. I’m already a big fan of Italian pop music (Annalisa, Rose Villain, and thasup all come to mind), so it’s no surprise that I thought “Nero Gotico” was perfect.

In no time at all we arrived at Hotel Belvedere. We’d opted for a hotel over an Airbnb so that we’d have somewhere to park the car. We were greeted with prosecco and quick overview of the city. They even upgraded us from a standard room in the main building to a free-standing studio apartment! Below I only photographed the main bedroom and balcony, but there was a second bedroom, living room, kitchen, two bathrooms, and private rooftop patio – it was divine!

We were only in Taormina for two nights, but we could have stayed at Hotel Belvedere all week!

That said, there isn’t a ton to do in the city and we had more than enough time for everything. First up, however, was lunch! A lot of restaurants close between lunch and dinner and we had arrived at an in-between time. Luckily, Villa Zuccaro Pizzeria was open and the bruschetta was at our table almost instantly. We also ordered the margherita in giallo and it was fun to try the yellow cherry tomato sauce.

The restaurant is situated in a 17th-century villa, so the surroundings were beautiful and because of the off timing, we were some of the only guests. We followed it up with desert at Levante Gelato Artigianale, where not only was the gelato incredible, they also sold their own chocolate (which we bought to bring back to Dakar). Here’s were I own up to the fact that I ate gelato every day in Sicily, so I don’t remember exactly what I had there – but I know pistachio was involved.

Pistachio was the theme in so much of what we ate throughout the week because Sicily, and specifically the Bronte region, are so well-known for their pistachios. Bronte is a small town on the slopes of Mount Etna and its pistachios have been dubbed the “green gold” of Sicily.

These pistachios get their unique taste from being grown in volcanic soil. They are almost entirely harvested by hand to avoid damage and are only harvested every two years. Their green color is vibrant and so is their intense flavor. Because of all of this, they have a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), just like Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Tuscan olive oil, cherry tomatoes grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, pane di Altamura (a hearty bread from Puglia), and Limoncello from Sorrento – perhaps you’re starting to understand my obsession with Italian food!

Afterward, we spent the rest of the late afternoon/early evening wandering through the old city. This area is almost 100% dedicated to shopping and eating. I fell in love with my first designer bag (Miss Dior Graffiti Flap Bag!), but Chandler was the real winner, taking home a pair of limited edition, made-in-Italy Adidas Samba OG crafted from premium leather.

We also bought a significant amount of regional snacks (capers, almonds, chocolate, and cookies, in addition to the pistachios). And I got a fantastically fun collection of mini gin bottles with various flavors like Etna wild flowers, wild fennel & hazelnut, Etna lemons, and local sea salt.

That night for dinner we went to Ristorante al Giardino because they have a vegan pasta of the day and a vegetarian ravioli and both were fantastic! We made a reservation when we walked by on our way to drop our purchases off in our room and came back to eat 30 minutes later. One day finished in Taormina and we were already having an incredible time.

The next morning, we woke up leisurely and had a lovely breakfast at the hotel. Before embarking on our day, we wandered around the grounds.

We would have needed slightly warmer weather to take a dip in the pool, but it was absolutely stunning. And the views of the sea and city beyond? Perfection.

Our first stop of the day wasn’t a stop at all, but a stroll instead. Just down the street from Hotel Belvedere is Taormina’s city park, Villa Comunale, and it is stunning. Seriously, Taormina is one of the most picturesque places we’ve visited.

The park was designed by an English aristocrat, Lady Florence Trevelyan, after she moved to Taormina in the 1880s and married a local mayor. She was inspired by the romanticism of the Victorian era and brought a mix of British, Sicilian, and exotic design influences to her garden.

The buildings throughout the park are known as “Victorian Follies.” They reflect the Victorian love of whimsy, fantasy, and nostalgia because they are constructed for aesthetic purposes rather than function.

It also doesn’t hurt that the park sits on a cliff, offering breathtaking vistas of the coastline, Mount Etna, and the surrounding countryside.

Our time in Taormina was a bit overcast and we never got a clear view of Mount Etna – but it didn’t matter! Our next visit of the day was Teatro Antico di Taormina.

The theater was originally built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BCE during their colonization of Sicily. It served as a venue for dramatic performances and was designed with the typical horseshoe shape characteristic of Greek theaters.

When the Romans took control of Sicily, they expanded the theater in the 2nd century CE, modifying it to accommodate gladiatorial games and other Roman-style spectacles.

It’s the second-largest ancient theater in Sicily, with an original capacity of around 5,400 spectators. It was built primarily from local limestone and brick, so the theater blends in with its natural surroundings. The Greeks designed the theater to take advantage of the natural slope of the hillside, providing incredible acoustics.

One of the theater’s most iconic features is its location. Perched high above the Ionian Sea, the scenery is as much a part of the experience as the theater itself.

Afterward, we visited Bar Novè a Taormina for a pick-me-up. Their menu is pistachio everything – from gelato to pastries to coffee to liquor. I opted for an espresso with pistachio cream – and if all coffee tasted that good, I’d drink it every day.

Our favorite meal in Taormina was at Trattoria da Nino. We arrived shortly after they opened for lunch and had no issue getting a table. I opted for tagliatelle with porcini and Chandler got spaghetti with garlic, oil, and hot peppers. It was some of the freshest pasta we ate on our entire trip. Plus the decor was a ton of fun as well!

You wouldn’t think we’d need more food after that, but we grabbed desert at Don Diego Gelateria Caffetteria anyway. Another great choice – I’m sure more pistachio gelato was devoured. And Chandler 100% recommends the lemon sorbet! I may have guilted him into having desert with me, but after the first bite he wasn’t complaining : )

Having ingested so much food in such a short time, we struck out for a bit of an adventure: Isola Bella. The path down to Isola Bella from Taormina is less of a hike and more of a steep, winding descent – a mix of uneven paths and stone staircases that zigzag their way toward the coastline. We stopped along the way for the absolutely stunning photo below.

The isthmus connecting Isola Bella to the mainland appears or disappears with the changing tides.

Also known as “The Pearl of the Ionian Sea,” Isola Bella has long been regarded as one of Sicily’s most picturesque spots. In the late 19th century, it was purchased by Lady Florence Trevelyan – the same British noblewoman who create the Villa Comunale gardens. She landscaped the island with exotic plants and pathways, turning it into a private retreat.

After changing hands several times, the island was acquired by the Sicilian government in the 1990s and declared a protected nature reserve.

One thing I couldn’t tell from up above is that the beach isn’t sandy, but is instead filled with little pebbles. Which made me wobble more than once as we walked across it. We didn’t come down for a dip, but plenty of other people had found the weather warm enough for a swim!

After watching the sun set, we started our climb back up to Taormina – quickly realizing we were not dressed for the exertion. Instead, we backtracked and opted to take the Funivia di Taormina (Taormina Cable Car).

The ride took just three minutes and for the nominal fee was 100% worth it! It returned us to Trattoria di Nino, but we had another restaurant in mind for dinner. However, after walking back into the heart of Taormina we discovered it was still closed. We’d gone by a number of times since our arrival, but it was never open. Now, that I’ve gone to look up its name again, I can’t find it anymore, so it seems like it might not have made it. Which is too bad, because it had a dedicated vegan menu, which can be quite difficult to find in Italy.

Instead, we opted to return to Villa Zuccaro Pizzeria. This time for the Siciliana pizza, which consists of buffalo mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, and basil. This time, the vibe was completely transformed. The restaurant was packed, the music turned up, and the service horrible (probably because they were booked beyond capacity). But the pizza was still delicious!

Our last excursion of the evening consisted of a drink just around the corner at Sky Rooftop Bar. It had great reviews, but we didn’t realize that it was on the roof of Hotel Continental. The hotel itself seemed pretty dated, but the views from the roof were gorgeous.

We enjoyed some snacks while we sipped our drinks and reminisced about our favorite moments in Taormina. We were set to call it an early night, since we’d be up early the next morning for our road trip across the island. We even paid the bill and were on our way out when something caught my eye.

When I’d been buying the mini gin bottles, I’d wanted to try Volcano Etna Dirty Gin. It’s crafted with Nocellara dell’Etna olives and Monte Etna DOP extra virgin olive oil. While I couldn’t tell if I’d like it or not, I was fascinated by it. And wouldn’t you know, when I walked through the bar I saw it on their shelf.

I struck up a conversation with Stefano, who turned out to be the general manager. We started talking about gin and he poured me some on the rocks to sample. After discussing what we like about gin (we’re both fans), we had a scent “tasting” exploring the different bottles they had in stock. We chatted about combinations and what to mix with the olive oil gin. He suggested bitters and then we made it extra bizarre by tossing in some Pimms (which I couldn’t believe they had – so much nostalgia).

I doubt our drink will make it onto anyone’s menu, but we had an absolutely fantastic time. We stayed at Sky Rooftop Bar for over an hour longer than planned, enjoying every moment. Stefano refused to charge us, so we left him a generous tip to thank him for the wonderful experience.

We wandered through Taormina’s still bustling old town and spent one final glorious night at Hotel Belvedere. It was the perfect start to our long-anticipated return to Italy.