Taormina: Day trip from Catania.

Possessing a beautifully preserved Greek theatre with a view of Mount Etna that demands photographing, this theatre is second only in size to the one in Siracusa. In Roman times the theatre was also used for gladiatorial combat. Events of a less bloodthirsty nature continue to the present day.

Was built in the 15th Century, and was the seat of the Sicilian Parliament. It has a stunningly beautiful internal courtyard and beautiful , ornate large windows on the front. Currently the first floor houses the museum of arts and popular traditions while the ground floor hosts the tourist information office.

Next to the Corvaja Palace, a miniature version of the larger Greek Theatre mentioned above. The Odeon is thought to have been where exclusive events were staged to select audiences – away from the hoi polloi in the larger theatre.

Just south of PORTA CATANIA, this garden was built by Lady Trevelyan in the late 19th Century in a gothic style blending English gardening fashion of the time and eastern influences. The range of plants make this an interesting place to wander, and the breathtaking views will keep your camera occupied.

A five minute walk from PORTA CATANIA. This house was a hub for artists and is now a museum. Commissioned by Robert Kitson, a celebrated painter who moved to Taormina seeking an environment more accepting than the restrictive society he left behind in England. Kitson was known as the “Crazy Englishman”, due to his flamboyant appearance – moustachioed, always elegant, in brightly coloured jackets. The house still has a significant collection of antiques that caught Kitson’s eye and which were buried during the war, by his loyal employees, when Kitson had to return to England.
After the Second World War, the Mayor of Taormina was instrumental in bringing Kitson back to help with the reconstruction of the city. Kitson continued to divide his time between the UK and Sicily. The story of the house after Kitson died, is told by his niece, who inherited it after he passed away. She wrote about leaving behind her work as a social worker and entering the quixotic and mysterious world of Sicily. Her book is full of characters, both the local people she worked with and celebrities who came to soak up the heady cultural atmosphere.
The most celebrated of Kitson’s watercolours are to be found in the museum that was once his home. The house itself contains a dining room designed entirely by Frank Brangwyn, giant of the “arts and crafts” movement. The list of cultural greats who spent time at Casa Cusani reads like a Who’s Who of 20th Century culture – Picasso, Dali, Hemingway, Henry Moore, Tenessee Williams, Bertrand Russell, Roald Dahl, Greta Garbo.
With Brangwyn, Kitson created a garden that is also considered one of Italy’s great gardens, given special status for its radical design, and artistic vision, and being the only “arts and crafts” garden in the howle of Italy.

Taormina has, of course, plenty of shops capitalising on the tourist influx with prices to match! In addition to the typical trinkets found everywhere, you will find a range of fantastic boutique shops from sellers of artisanal perfumes, to antiques dealers, tailors and dressmakers with very high end, unique wares.

There is more to Taormina, the churches, historical gates and so on, but we cannot neglect to mention the “beautiful island.” Isola Bella was developed by Lady Florence Trevelyan (The same lady who commissioned the park.) She built a home, and planted gardens on the island which is connected by a strip of stones to the mainland. All who see this place are astonished at its beauty. This really is a picture perfect bay with its wondrous island.