Taormina and Castelmola

Taormina is located on Monte Tauro. We drove to the base of the mountain and took a bus to the city. Luckily for us, the route to the main street is lined with bars full of cornetti (croissants) and other yummy pastries. We landed in a bar and parked at a table with an assortment of pastries and cappuccino. Brady especially enjoyed the powdered sugar on top of his breakfast! With our tummies filled, we made our way to the main street. The street had souvenir shops one after the other until we reached the end where the Teatro Greco (despite the name, most of the remains are Roman) was located. We had been told this spot was not to be missed because of the magnificent views. We had the option to pay for tickets to visit the theater, however, there was a film festival going on and both the theater and views were obstructed. Opting to miss out on the much talked about theater, we headed down to the garden, which also had great views. The walk took us down streets lined with flower filled balconies and laundry waving high above us. Finally making it to the garden (Giardino Pubblico), the kids were able to run off a little energy. According to The Rough Guide to Sicily, the gardens were endowed by a Scot, Florence Trevelyan, who settled in Taormina in 1899 having been “invited” to leave England in the wake of a romantic liaison with the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII. With lunchtime approaching, it was time to head up to Castelmola. A small family owned restaurant was recommended by another NCIS agent and we wanted to check it out. It was sad to leave Taormina without visiting the theater, but there are constantly events going on there and one day we will check it out!


After driving up winding and narrow roads, we made it to Castelmola. The view was truly breathtaking. High on the mountain, there was a clear view of the crystal blue water, Mt. Etna with its commanding presence, and the coast line. Walking up to the town from the parking lot was a feat! Too much pasta and pizza with no exercise has taken its toll on me! My legs were very angry with me, but once we made it to the restaurant it was worth every second! We sat down, took a look at the menu, gave our order, and then we were told what we were going to eat. We were not disappointed! It is always best to trust mama!