Sicily VI - Taormina - May 2023
Trinacria – the three-legged symbol of Sicily. The term means “three-pointed” and was coined by the Greeks, who were drawn to the island's triangular shape with three stunning endpoints: Cape Pachino, Cape Peloro, and Cape Lilibeo. The name Trinacria also refers to a symbol that represents Sicily and its culture.
The Four Seasons, Taoromina, Sicily.
Season two of White Lotus was filmed here.
Parco Duca di Cesaro from Hotel Villa Diodoro.
More on this park later.
The dining room, where we had breakfast, at the Hotel Villa Diodoro.
Hotel Villa Diodoro.
Our room can’t be seen from here. It’s on the left, hidden by a tree.
That’s the same tree that was in front of our balcony obscuring our view of the Villagonia Bay. (Or Golfo di Naxos depending on which map of Taormina one consults.) We couldn’t change our room as a meeting of endocrinologists had taken over the hotel. Also, the management was not particularly nice nor accommodating.
Corso Umberto is the luxury shopping street in Taormina.
Also excellent for people watching.
Musicians, including the guitarist we saw earlier playing Volaré (Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu).
The waiter, not part of the group, was dancing & singing along.
“Originally the Dukes of Cesarò Park was the residence of a Scottish noblewoman, Lady Florence Trevelyan. …after 1922… the villa became municipal property.”
Teatro Greco Taormina - Roman arch with palm tree.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
Teatro Greco Taormina - the walls were once much higher & hid the view of the bay
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
Teatro Greco.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
Teatro Greco Taormina - Roman bricks were triangular with one flat end facing out. More later.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
Grand Hotel Timeo.
The hotel management welcomed Chiara to show tourists the hotel. The Four Seasons, since White Lotus, no longer allows Chiara to come in.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
She took this photo of us on the terrace of the Grand Hotel Timeo.
Grand Hotel Timeo. A Vespa that’s a lot fancier than the one I used to have.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi.
Walking tour with Chiara Rozzi. After explaining the ODEON, Chiara left us here.
“In the Greco-Roman world, the OEDON was a small theatre for musical and literary performances.”
“It was built directly by the Romans when Taormina became a military colony in the year 21 B.C.E. under Caesar Augustus Octavian, the first Roman emperor.”
ODEON - These are the triangular bricks seen before, at the theater.
ODEON.
ODEON.
“lt was found accidentally on June 5th 1892 and until that moment no one had even suspected it existed.”
We returned to explore the Parco Duca di Cesaro, next to our hotel.
Parco Duca di Cesaro - "TORPEDO-SLOW RUN" and in sailor's jargon called *PIG" because of the round size of the explosive warhead.
“The Sicilian flag is characterized by the presence of the triskeles in its middle, the (winged) head of Medusa and three wheat ears, representing the extreme fertility of the land of Sicily.”
“The two main colours, red and yellow, represent Palermo and Corleone, the two founding cities of the confederation against the Angevins.”
We returned to Shelter Ristorante Pizzeria.
As a thank you treat they brought us Bruschetta Siciliana.
The La Parmigiana di Melanzane, salsa di pomodoro, parmigiano e basilico eggplant, tomato sauce, parmesan and basil was delish.
We walked along the Stada Statale NY 114 to Walk to Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA from Hotel Villa Diodoro & a bit beyond & then it got too hot.
But first, a cemetery on Pirandello Road.
Walk to Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA from Hotel Villa Diodoro.
Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA.
The island was not right down the hill from the Four Seasons like they implied in White Lotus.
Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA - Stone bench c. 1898.
Una bella donna at the overlook of Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA.
Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA overlook.
From the overlook of Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA.
Walk to Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA & towards Mazzuró from Hotel Villa Diodoro.
Walk to Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA & towards Mazzuró from Hotel Villa Diodoro.
I remembered seeing taxis like this in Amsterdam in 1967 & being amazed that Mercedes were being used as taxis.
Walk to Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA & towards Mazzuró from Hotel Villa Diodoro.
Walk to Riserva Naturelle ISOLA BELLA & towards Mazzuró from Hotel Villa Diodoro.
Catania from the air.
Catania is the second largest city, after Palermo, on Sicily. Like Palermo, it’s on a flat plain.
Flight from Catania to Roma - Aeolian Islands, off the coast of Sicily, from the air - Isole Eolie o Lipari: Alicudi, Filicudi, Lípai, Vulcano. We had seen them from Abbazia Santa Anastasia in Castelbuono, many days earlier.
Arrividerci Sicily.
Next was Rome before returning home.
If you so desire, here’s the Google slide show link to Momenti salienti di Quattro giorni a Roma - maggio 2023 / Highlights of Four Days in Rome - May 2023:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/53sZ1FviKDREiAVc6
It’s a goodie including our exciting, fabulous, VESPA tour of Rome. Don’t miss it!
Ciao bella,
Marty