5 days/4 Nights in Taormina - What to do?
Jun 24th, 2003 | 03:54 AM
#1
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5 days/4 Nights in Taormina - What to do?
Hi gang. My wife and I are heading to Taormina this week for a 40th birthday getaway, and I'd love some advice on must-sees. Thinking about a day trip to the Aeolian Islands, if that's feasible and attractive... What do you think? And can you get day trips that would include snorkeling or beach time? What about a volcano day - if so, Etna or Stromboli? Finally, is Siracuse worth the (seemingly long) day trip? We were just in Pompeii and Ephesus, so unless the ruins are really really really spectacular, we'd probably opt for more relaxing beachtime. And what about Taormina proper - any fabulous restaurants or things to see? Thanks in advance!
Jun 24th, 2003 | 04:30 AM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 606
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I was just in Taormina for for two days. It's a beautiful town that is, alas, swarming with tourists. But if you go one block off the main street (corso umberto), it will be just you and the locals. There are a lot of scenic walks from the town (the hotel gave me a map with directions for walks on the back.) As for restaurants, check out Ciclope on corso umberto. Great food and service. Had a nice meal at Luraleo, but the service was excruciatingly slow. Longest wait ever for me in Italy between the request for the check and its eventual presentation. But enjoy Taormina! Wish I were there right now.
Jun 24th, 2003 | 09:40 AM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,325
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We stayed in Taormina last July and did a day trip to Lipari in the Aeolian Islands. It is very easy: drive to Millazo, park in one of the garages near the hydrofoil terminal and get a ticket at one of the agencies on the street across from the dock. I believe at least two companies run boats to the Aeolian Islands and there is a boat leaving every hour or more frequently. The crossing to Lipari takes about 1 hour. There is a beach on Lipari that you can take the bus to. We also drove part way up Mt. Etna and saw spectacular lave fields. Didn't go to Siracusa. Another half day trip would be to the village just north of Taormina where portions of the "Godfather" movie were filmed. In Taormina itself, be sure to see the Greek Theatre. We enjoyed dinner at Il Baccorale, on a small piazza near the Naumachie wall.
Jun 24th, 2003 | 11:27 AM
#4
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,812
Likes: 0
I have copied & pasted from the Taormina portion of my trip report:
I had originally been considering staying at Pensione Grazia, but I was not able to confirm that it was a decent place to stay. I was definitely glad I chose Svizzera, especially that 1st day because of the non-stop rain. At least the view entertained us. The room was the smallest of the entire trip, I am still nursing a bruise on my leg from my inability to remember that the leg of the bed was sticking out. The bathroom was small, but I am learning that a decent size bathroom is more abnormal in Europe. They have a wonderful indoor and outdoor breakfast area with great views of the sea. For 90 Euros I am thinking this is a good bargain in Taormina.
Friday evening the rain finally died down. We walked the town from one end to the other and did our best to avoid restaurants that had a menu turistico. I have an aversion to them, I guess it?s too ?touristy? for this tourist We found Trattoria Rosticepi at Via S. Pancrazio, 18. It is right near the Porta Messina. We each had delicious Gnocchi with meat sauce and Swordfish Involtini. They had wonderful and very cheap house wine, 5 Euros for a liter. We were very satisfied with this meal.
After taking in the prices in Taormina for ceramics I was extremely happy that I had bought some things at Collezioni Private, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 54 in Sciacca. The prices were very reasonable, and I believe Sciacca is known for the artists that paint the ceramics.
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Author: AP6380
Date: 04/12/2003, 09:55 pm
Message: Saturday- after having a good breakfast at the hotel we did our stroll taking in the sites in town. We walked through the public gardens which were gorgeous and had a view of the sea. We grabbed a cheap lunch at rosticceria La Fontana and the corner of Via Timeo and Via Patricio. They had very good prepared Gnocchi and lasagna. We ate lunch here 2 times during our stay. In the afternoon we went to the Teatro Greco, this has to be my 2nd favorite site after Delos in Greece. From one vantage point I could see my father�s homeland of Calabria, from another Mount Etna, and of course all around the brilliant blue sea. We then took the Funivia Cable Way down to the beach at Mazzaro to stroll on the beach and stare at the sea that I longed to swim in. I am a beach freak and this was my first time traveling off-season, I would do it again but I will always have that longing for the hot sun and sea. Obviously traveling at this time saved us a lot of money, especially in the airfare from the US.
In the evening we ate at Ristorante/Pizzeria Mamma Rosa, Via Naumachie, 10. We had their delicious antipasti table and pizza. We had something that was so delicious from the table but I don�t know what it was- it looked like a small pancake, and I believe it may have consisted of broccoli, eggs and breadcrumbs. If anyone knows what this is called please tell me, because they also had it at the rosticceria and I loved them.
Sunday- finally another nice day. We took the interbus to Castelmola for 1 euro each way. From where the bus dropped us off there were a good number of steps and a walk before we hit the town. There was also many more steps to where the ruins of the castle were. It seemed as if some people on the bus thought that the view from where the bus dropped us off was all there was to Castelmola, they didn�t seem to realize they had to walk. They got off the bus, took in the view, and got right back on. I didn�t get it.
The views from all over were amazing. We did a little quick shopping in the town where we sampled their specialty, Vino alla Mandorla (Almond Wine). It was delicious, so of course we purchased some. We only spent about an hour in the area and took the bus back down to Taormina. If it wasn�t a Sunday afternoon, and the bus schedule wasn�t so sparse we would have had lunch up there because the restaurants all seemed to have amazing views.
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Author: AP6380
Date: 04/12/2003, 09:56 pm
Message: While in Taormina I started to miss the pasticcerias that were everywhere in Palermo and Sciacca. There were some but there didn?t seem to be so many. We took the cable car back down to the sea and walked in the area of Isola Bella and just hung out on the rocky beach for awhile. For our last dinner in Sicily we ate at Trattoria da Nino, Via Luigi Pirandello, 37A. They have a nice view of the sea if your table is facing the window. It was our best meal in Taormina. I had linguini with clam sauce, house wine, insalata and chicken cacciatore. Everything was delicious. We sadly tried to turn in early that night as the hotel had arranged a car service to take us to Catania airport the next morning, the car was getting us at 4am as the flight was at 6.
I had originally been considering staying at Pensione Grazia, but I was not able to confirm that it was a decent place to stay. I was definitely glad I chose Svizzera, especially that 1st day because of the non-stop rain. At least the view entertained us. The room was the smallest of the entire trip, I am still nursing a bruise on my leg from my inability to remember that the leg of the bed was sticking out. The bathroom was small, but I am learning that a decent size bathroom is more abnormal in Europe. They have a wonderful indoor and outdoor breakfast area with great views of the sea. For 90 Euros I am thinking this is a good bargain in Taormina.
Friday evening the rain finally died down. We walked the town from one end to the other and did our best to avoid restaurants that had a menu turistico. I have an aversion to them, I guess it?s too ?touristy? for this tourist We found Trattoria Rosticepi at Via S. Pancrazio, 18. It is right near the Porta Messina. We each had delicious Gnocchi with meat sauce and Swordfish Involtini. They had wonderful and very cheap house wine, 5 Euros for a liter. We were very satisfied with this meal.
After taking in the prices in Taormina for ceramics I was extremely happy that I had bought some things at Collezioni Private, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 54 in Sciacca. The prices were very reasonable, and I believe Sciacca is known for the artists that paint the ceramics.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: AP6380
Date: 04/12/2003, 09:55 pm
Message: Saturday- after having a good breakfast at the hotel we did our stroll taking in the sites in town. We walked through the public gardens which were gorgeous and had a view of the sea. We grabbed a cheap lunch at rosticceria La Fontana and the corner of Via Timeo and Via Patricio. They had very good prepared Gnocchi and lasagna. We ate lunch here 2 times during our stay. In the afternoon we went to the Teatro Greco, this has to be my 2nd favorite site after Delos in Greece. From one vantage point I could see my father�s homeland of Calabria, from another Mount Etna, and of course all around the brilliant blue sea. We then took the Funivia Cable Way down to the beach at Mazzaro to stroll on the beach and stare at the sea that I longed to swim in. I am a beach freak and this was my first time traveling off-season, I would do it again but I will always have that longing for the hot sun and sea. Obviously traveling at this time saved us a lot of money, especially in the airfare from the US.
In the evening we ate at Ristorante/Pizzeria Mamma Rosa, Via Naumachie, 10. We had their delicious antipasti table and pizza. We had something that was so delicious from the table but I don�t know what it was- it looked like a small pancake, and I believe it may have consisted of broccoli, eggs and breadcrumbs. If anyone knows what this is called please tell me, because they also had it at the rosticceria and I loved them.
Sunday- finally another nice day. We took the interbus to Castelmola for 1 euro each way. From where the bus dropped us off there were a good number of steps and a walk before we hit the town. There was also many more steps to where the ruins of the castle were. It seemed as if some people on the bus thought that the view from where the bus dropped us off was all there was to Castelmola, they didn�t seem to realize they had to walk. They got off the bus, took in the view, and got right back on. I didn�t get it.
The views from all over were amazing. We did a little quick shopping in the town where we sampled their specialty, Vino alla Mandorla (Almond Wine). It was delicious, so of course we purchased some. We only spent about an hour in the area and took the bus back down to Taormina. If it wasn�t a Sunday afternoon, and the bus schedule wasn�t so sparse we would have had lunch up there because the restaurants all seemed to have amazing views.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: AP6380
Date: 04/12/2003, 09:56 pm
Message: While in Taormina I started to miss the pasticcerias that were everywhere in Palermo and Sciacca. There were some but there didn?t seem to be so many. We took the cable car back down to the sea and walked in the area of Isola Bella and just hung out on the rocky beach for awhile. For our last dinner in Sicily we ate at Trattoria da Nino, Via Luigi Pirandello, 37A. They have a nice view of the sea if your table is facing the window. It was our best meal in Taormina. I had linguini with clam sauce, house wine, insalata and chicken cacciatore. Everything was delicious. We sadly tried to turn in early that night as the hotel had arranged a car service to take us to Catania airport the next morning, the car was getting us at 4am as the flight was at 6.
Jul 6th, 2003 | 09:49 AM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
We ate at a trattoria called Rostecepi just past the Messina Gate. It was our last meal in Sicily and out of this world. Not real fancy, just delicious. We did not have a bad meal any where in Sicly. I'm still thinking about the delicious meals we had for dinner.
Jul 6th, 2003 | 03:57 PM
#7
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 0
A great restaurant is...A. Zammara...it is just off of corso umberto on vis fratelli...sit out back in the lemon and orange grove, it's cooler and very charming...everything that we ate there (5 visits) was fabulous...not to miss...take the fresh pasta for a small extra charge...it's probably the best on the Island!
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Jul 7th, 2003 | 01:30 PM
#10
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
Try to get to SAVOCA,just a bit north of Taormina direction Messina. That is where some scenes from the Godfather were shot. Bar Vitelli, wedding etc. Also, try Giardino restaurant opposite the gardens, great antipasta buffet. Very friendly. We went to siracusa to wander around Ortygia, wonderful place, great cathedral within a Greek temple. Took a smalll boat trip there. I thought it was a nice day trip. You will love Taormina!! Have fun, wish I was going back soon.
