Tourist attractions Sant' Alessio Siculo

Le theatre was built by the Greeks but remodelled by the Romans who laid it out for circus games. Profiting from the terrain, the builders carved out part of the stone seats from the rock. From the high cavea , you will be enchanted by the magnific..

Lady Florence Trevelyan loved to come and see the birds in this floral park. In order not to frighten away her little friends, she had built all sorts of shelters, some curious, others frankly exotic. The most unusual, The Beehives , brings to mind,..

The beach where the first Greeks landed in Sicily 2 700 years ago today hosts swathes of holidaymakers, drawn here by the town’s fine position, pleasant climate, and long golden beach skirting the bay running from Cape Taormina to Cap Schisò. In addi..

This rocky promontory is enchantingly wonderful! It is dominated to the west by an impressive circular fortress and, at the eastern end, by a polygonal shaped castle.

Arab foundations and courtyard; Gothic-Catalan windows and entrance doorway; Norman Parliament room (the Sicilian parliament sat here in the 15 C); a 13 C wing, and another from the 15C: everyone contributed to build this palace which although a long..

The Corso Umberto I is the ideal place to stroll. It is peaceful and gently sloping and is enclosed at one end by the Messina gate and at the other by the Catania gate. It is punctuated by three squares and bordered with cafes, restaurants and shops ..

On a balcony overlooking the sea, a divine square! Three sides are enclosed by the churches of S. Giuseppe, S. Agostino (now a library) and the tower de the Clock whose arch provides access to the old town. The fourth is open to the gulf and Etna. Th..

Despite the name, it was never an abbey but a massive tower. The style and the two-coloured frieze which bounds and underline the storeys, like floral lacework, and the attractive twin windows are very reminiscent of the Santo Stefano palace.

A little imagination needed! Try to ignore the billboard for the old discotheque which is stuck on the facade and look instead at the two orders which are separated by a decorative band of sculpted stone, somewhat dilapidated... The attractive ogive ..

15 C and somewhat fortified, it was built for the Dukes of Santo Stefano, a noble family of Spanish origin. The frieze of lozenges in alternating black and white Syracuse lava rock, which flanks the elaborate arcaded high facade, is the characteristi..

The gorges were created as result of an eruption of a small volcano to the north of Etna. The lava flow ran down to the sea, forming Cap Schisò. But a penetrating stream now runs through it, eroding and hollowing out the basalt walls of the lava flow..

The crypt contains the mummies of 32 notables of Sàvoca who died in the 17C and 18C and exhibited in niches or in wooden coffins... The effect is arresting even if dome malicious vandals have defaced some of these honourables personages with green pa..

In addition to the unhampered view from the terrace, this church contains different decorative elements from the 17C, a coffered ceiling livened by anthropomorphic figures and a paving of local black and red marble from Taormina. The presbytery accom..

Founded by Basilian monks, this church was rebuilt in 1117. It is remarkable for its colourful interplay created by the union of brick, volcanic rock, limestone and sandstone, and bears witness to the influence of the Byzantine, Arab and Norman civil..

Although built on high, Taormina is also a seaside resort. This is reached by funicular down to the small bay of Mazzarò , closed off to the south by the Cap Sant' Andrea , dotted with caves (including the Grotta Azzurra) and where the fishermen in..

This is the first square on the way down the Corso Umberto I from the Messina gate. This was previously the forum and it is flanked by the church of Santa Caterina with an attractive Baroque doorway, behind which are some remains of a small red bri..

The blind redbrick arcades that can be seen in a small street parallel to the Corso Umberto I were probably used to support a huge cistern which formed part of a rectangular building. Their name recalls the naval battle spectaculars that the Romans w..

On the summit of Monte Tauro (reached by car or on foot up a path with steps, the salita Castello , which will guarantee sunburn in summer), this medieval fortress today only has some ramparts and the remains of a tower. But the view over Taormina a..

St Pancras was the first bishop of Taormina and his fellow citizens built this church in honour of their pastor in the 17 C, utilising a temple that their ancestors had dedicated to Zeus. Some remains of it are still there on the left side of the san..

The emblem of Taormina, the centaur, dominates the attractive Baroque Fountain in the centre of this square. But this centaur is female and instead of having four legs like any self-respecting centaur, it has two arms that are used to hold up the g..