Taormina, Best Resort in Sicily, Touch of Class
Film Festival & Celebrity Spotting, Luxury Shopping & Top Sights
Jul 1, 2009
Up on the slopes of Mount Tauro on Sicily’s east coast, Taormina luxury resort stands 200 metres above the sea. From Mazzaro beach, the path climbs steeply up to town with lots of steps but the road and cable car offer easier alternatives. The views along the coast are spectacular, beaches, cliffs and coves lapped by a glistening sea and framed by Mount Etna just a stone’s throw away.
It’s no wonder Taormina became a favourite port of call on the Grand Tour of Europe, drawing poets, playwrights and later, movie stars. Up there the air is clear, the streets mostly free of traffic and when day trippers have left, the A list venture out of exclusive boutique hotels and villas.
Taormina Arte and Film Festival, Best Celebrity Spotting in Sicily
The hill location gives Taormina a quiet grandeur, a world away from the bustling sands down on the shore. That’s why celebrities come here to relax. Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and Woody Allen are just a few of many icons who enjoyed the Dolce Vita in Taormina.
Today Sicily’s best resort is still a great place for celebrity spotting, especially during the summer cultural events. Dance, theatre and music, from symphony to rock, the Taormina Arte invites top performers from Italy and beyond. Equally grand is the Taormina Film Festival, the second oldest in Italy, attended by Hollywood guests and great names of the cinema. The prestigious Nastri d’Argento for Italian cinema is awarded then.
Luxury Shopping on Sicily’s East Coast
Winding past shaded piazzas and mysterious alleyways, Corso Umberto I, Taormina’s quaint high street, is lined with elegant boutiques. Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Armani and others display the latest fashion accessories, designer wear and irresistible shoes.
But luxury shopping does not stop there. Taormina boasts a surprising number of antique shops brimming with collectors’ items, from furniture to silver doorknockers or century old jewellery from the sale of Sicilian estates. Other worthwhile but expensive gifts include carved marble, wrought iron, glassware and pottery from Caltagirone.
There are jewellery shops galore and art galleries specialising in seascapes and bucolic Sicilian scenes.
Top Sights in Taormina, Best Resort in Sicily
Top sight in Taormina is the Greek Theatre, one of Sicily’s ancient wonders, carved out of the hill against the magnificent backdrop of the Ionian sea. It’s a busy spot in season but there are quiet corners where the past seems to linger among the old stones. The Romans turned it into a gladiators’ arena and today it’s an unrivaled venue for the summer festival.
There’s a hill top castle, worth the climb for the views, and churches and mansions draped in bougainvillaea. A sight not to be missed is the ritual evening stroll along the Corso when Gucchi bags, stilettos and all, everyone comes out to see and be seen. Crickets whir in the trees while all around, the flavours of Sicilian cuisine mingle with scent of jasmine and orange blossom.
