Taormina: Sicily’s Manicured Exception (and the Quirkiest Bar in Castelmola)

I have been writing about how in Sicily I noticed a refusal for curating places for the eye of the outsider. Palermo, Agrigento, Cefalu and later Catania are rough around the edges, but feel real, authentic and lived. Taormina is was the exception to the rule.

Known to attract those with deeper pockets, and having starred in the famous The White Lotus series, Taormina has a deep connection with the wealthy.

Oscar Wilde himself was a visitor of Taormina in 1898. In constant chase of beauty and somehow attempting to escape the gossip and perhaps responsabilities from back home, the author of the Picture of Dorian Gray came to refer to Taormina as a “lover’s paradise”. He dreamed about living permanently here with his lover.

Hundreds of years before Wilde, the Greeks had claimed the beauty of Taormina, and put it in the map as the capital of culture. The centerpiece of the city is Teatro Greco Antico, an amphitheatre that is not comparable to any others I have visited. Sculpted in the rock, over looking the sea, the mountains and Etna, this is prime location for one of the Greek’s favourite’s past times.

Yet, perhaps the most stunning part of the Theatre isn’t what was built, but destroyed. A brutal earthquake caused part of the stage wall to fall, alongside some of its Doric columns. The result is a frame perfectly showcasing Etna. Believe what you want, but to me, this was Nature’s way of reminding us humans that she is the spectacle truly worth seeing And in fact, that wall was never repaired.

The tales of the wealthy do not end yet – Isola Bella is a rocky island situated just off the coast of Taormina. It was acquired in 1890 by Lady Florece Treveylan – similarly to Wilde she was escaping scandal, except that she had truly been exiled by Queen Victoria due to some sort of involvement with Edward VII that was frowned upon. Possessing the island she also meant to transform it, planting all kinds of exotic plants and building a house there that was fully protected by the greenery – an oasis in a hot summer day. After her and her husband’s death (she had married the mayor of Taormina), the island moved through multiple hands, and it was in fact abandoned for several decades, but it was finally purchased in 1990 by the Derpatment of Cultural Heritage and it is now the Museo Naturalistico regional di Isolabella.

I had been lucky with the weather in Cefalu and Agrigento, but did not get any luck in Taormina – so to me quite honest, I found Isola Bella to be in fact not bella at all. I paid an exorbitant amount of money for the cable car to get down to the beach, which was dirty. I understand it was off season – April, just before Easter – but with the city of Taormina just up the hill being so nicely put together, it was a bit of shock to find what seemed like neglect. No cafes open nearby either – the few I spotted were quite full. It was still nice to sit in the rocky beach for a while – the tide was high which means there was no way to cross to the island (something you can usually do in low tide – there is a path leading you there by foot).

If the sun had been shining, the waters would have been of a deep blue, perhaps even turquoise; the greenery of the island would be brigh and lush. Sadly from my perspective Isola Bella doesn’t gain any mysticism in a cloudy, moody day.

I’m here speaking about how Taormina is manicured – but I loved it. Perhaps because I do also have a taste for the finer things of life… just not the deep pockets. I think though, whilst there is curation in Taormina, that curation feels authentic to its culture and its roots. The colourful ceramics, the moorish heads overflowing with healthy succulents, the many little galleries celebrating craftmanship and ensuring it goes on.

The journey to Taormina without a car from Cefalu was a bit long. I took a train from Cefalu to Messina and from Messina I needed to catch a bus… and finding that bus, mamma mia…! I naively once again assumed it was going to be straight forward, as the bus station was just outside of the Messina train station. But the concept of station is more that of a parking lot with some buses and also cars, and no indications whatsoever.

It was pouring at that point, and there was no coverage. Scared of missing my bus I literally went around asking questions everywhere I could. I asked a bus driver who made it look it would be coming soon… and then I asked a girl at a bus stop, she pointed to a ticket office that was not from the same company I had bought a ticket from, but I went there anyway… The lady at the counter spoke perfect english and told me to go to the cafe next door as that was affiliated with the company. I go there and was attended by a confused lady who pointed again to the parking lot. I go back there, see another bus just pulling over so I asked that driver. He told me to get on… but then I realised that bus was only leaving at 2:30pm and my ticket was 2pm… and as I came to this realisation, I see through the water covered window another bus comign in, with Taormina as a destination… so I go to the bus driver, and ask “is that the right one?” and he looked again at my ticket, at the bus and said oh yes, you might be right…. and that’s how I managed to find my bus!

I arrived to Taormina’s bus station and the rain had slowed down. I stayed at Athena Charming Rooms, just a 6 minutes walk. If you’re looking for a nice place to stay in Taormina that won’t make you bankrupt, this is it. The owner was one of most welcoming I had in Sicily, even going through the trouble of sending me a video through Whatshapp showing me the route from the bus station to the accommodation. When I got there, I had this beautiful, clean room with a a balcony and sea view, and I was given a mini bottle of prosecco and a delicious slice of chocolate cake his mum had cooked. It was a family business – his mum always cooked breakfast in the morning, served in my room. It felt luxurious without sataying at a fancy hotel, and it makes me feel I’m giving back to the locals. He also sent me on Whatsapp a list of places to visit and restaurants to go to and I did follow the advice.

One of the places is Castelmolo, a little medieval village perched even higher in the mountain. This was already on my list. You can take a local bus to get there or you can hike up. As someone who loves a nice walk and still has the legs to do it, I of course chose the hike. It is very nicely signposted and the path is very well taken care of… so no worries about getting lost of being overly dependant on Google Maps. The walk is stunning and I was quite lucky the rain gave me a break, and I could truly appreciate the sghts around me, of the rolling green hills.

From the village, I enjoyed the panoramic view over Taormina and the sea, and I also spent some time walking the narrow streets, noticing little shops and quirky details. But the most quirky detail of all? The one restaurant recommendation my host had given me – Bar Turrisi. Now what I didn’t realise is that this place isn’t like any other – it was filled with penises. Yes, you read that right.

This restaurant is a gallery dedicated to the phalic male organ, all of them erect, welcoming me in to the place I was going to have food and drinks. I did not expect this but soon realised it as an oversight in my reasearch. It is clearly a very well known place and many people come to visit and take photos. When I went, it was relatively quiet and calm, so I could explore the whole 3 floors – even the tiles had penises painted on it, furniture shaped like it, all sort of scultpures and figures. It was actually a very interesting place and, I have to say, my food was really good.

On my way back it started to rain, and I ended up sitting at a cafe, drinking an espresso, savouring a mini cannoli. and when the rain slowed down and there was actually some sunshine I visited the local public park – Villa Comunale di Taormina – which ironically in total diserray, with many of parts closed off in need of attention and care. Remember when I mentioned Lady florence Trevelyan? These gardens were also her doing, but of course back then they were private, and donated to the city upon her death. From here you also have a wonderful view to the sea.

I have to say though that if there is a place where I didn’t mind the grey weather so much this was definitely Taormina. I could take refuge of the rain entering cermic shops and little galleries, having a meal in a wonderful restaurant or simply relaxing at the balcony of my hotel room. As much as I love the grittiness of Palermo and the simpler life of Cefalù, Taormina is aspirational. Walking those streets, I found myself wishing I had been the heiress of a great fortune, born to purchase a villa on those cliffs. And then, as I think again, I wonder – would I actually want that? It feels like it would be like living in a fantasy world, untouchable, unreachable. A place that I want to be often to escape, but not forever. It simply isn’t real life.

Love, Nic

P.S: The links below are affiliate links. This means if you click through and decide to make a purchase, I may gain a small commission. This is not sponsored and it’s based on my personal experience.

Where I stayed in Taormina: Book here: Athena Charming Rooms