Taormina

Taormina, perched high on Monte Tauro with Mount Etna looming in the background, looks out over two wide bays and remains Sicily’s best-known resort. If your Sicily trip includes the east coast, you’ll likely pass through here, and it’s easy to see why. D.H. Lawrence lived here from 1920 to 1923, drawn by the same dramatic views and timeless atmosphere that still pull people in today.

Despite the impact of international tourism, Taormina keeps its charm. The traffic-free main street is lined with palazzi from the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries, their balconies bursting with flowers. Small piazzas and a weathered old castle add to the appeal.

The downside? From June to August, it’s packed. Accommodation is scarce, and the narrow streets are shoulder-to-shoulder with visitors. Aim for April, May, or September for a bit more breathing room, or come between October and March, when it’s quieter and often still warm enough to swim.

As well as the Greek theatre, there are several vestiges of Roman Taormina around town, including a small Odeon (used for musical recitations) next to the tourist office. Really, though, Taormina’s attractions are all to do with strolling and window-shopping along the Corso. Centre of town is Piazza IX Aprile, with its restored twelfth-century Torre dell’Orologio and fabulous views of Etna and the bay from the terraces of its pricey cafés.

Top image: The stage of Taormina's Greek Theater with the Etna in the background, Taormina, Sicily © K Roy Zerloch/Shuuterstock