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Monday, October 24, 2022
In the morning we went out grocery shopping. We decide to give a new supermarket a try. It’s just down the block from the Lidl we often use. They had some nice prepared foods and some interesting cookies. We took home lasagna ragu for lunch. It was very good. The rest of the day we bing watched the Big Bang Theory on Netflix.
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
In the morning we went to the outdoor market. For lunch Deborah made tortellini with pesto sauce. In the afternoon we went to a new gelato place near the Bellini Theater. This one was recommended by one of the tour guides from our trip to Mount Etna. The gelato was good – but not as good as the stuff from the place that Lauren found.
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Taormina is a town located about an hour north of Catania situated on top of a large hill. We could have taken the train but that would have left us at the base of the hill and would have required us to get a shuttle bus to get up the hill. Instead we took the bus which left us off right near the middle of town. At the base of the hill, and right along the ocean, is the town of Giardini Naxos. The town has typical beach rentals all along the main road. To the north there are several coves with lovely beaches. There is even a small island called Isola Bella (Beautiful Island) than you can walk to during low tide.
From the bus station we walked uphill to get to the good stuff. The town was originally settled by the Greeks in the 8th Century BC. Sometime in the 3rd -2nd Century BC they built a large amphitheater, which the Romans rebuilt sometime in the 2nd Century AD. The current theater is mainly of Roman construction but still retains its Greek design. It has been partially restored and is still used for concerts.
After the fall of the Roman Empire Taormina remained under Byzantine rule until the 10th Century when it was finally conquered by Muslims from North Africa. As with much of the area it was later under Norman, Spanish and French rule. The town retains much of its Medieval character. There are gates at each end of the main avenue and the remains of city walls can still be seen. Many of the shops and restaurants on the main street also date from this period. Even higher up the hill there is a monastery and a castle. The castle was originally from the Greek period but has been modified many times over the years. It is not open to the public.
At first we visited the theater. Entry cost €10.00 per person. Credit cards are accepted. The theater was built on the edge of a hill. The countryside and the ocean can be seen through the arches on the sides of the stage area. It’s a magnificent site.
Atop the last set of seating there are panoramic views of the entire area. Inside the main entryway they had some Greek tablets on display along with a history of the theater.
After seeing the theater we walked back to the main commercial district and went in search of lunch. We found a lovely little cafe and ordered Fettuccine Bolognese and a dish particular to Taormina consisting of pasta, sun dried tomatoes, anchovies, and toasted breadcrumbs. The portions were huge and the food was delicious.
Next we walked up and down the main street. The place is a Mecca for shoppers with high end stores, hand made leather, restaurants, and cafes. Surprisingly, prices were fairly reasonable. We ducked into several churches (including the Parrocchia San Nicolo di Bari or simply The Duomo), every leather store, quite a few jewelry stores, and quite a few shops selling speciality foods. We walked away with some marzipan cookies that we took home to eat after dinner.
