Taormina

Taormina is a comune in the Metropolitan City of Messina, on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy. Taormina has been a popular tourist destination since the nineteenth century. Its beaches on the Ionian Sea, including Isola Bella, may be reached through an aerial tramway erected in 1992, as well as motorways from Messina in the north and Catania in the south. The history of Taormina extends back to before Ancient Greece founded its first colony in Sicily in 734 BCE. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Taormina remained to rank as one of the more prominent towns on the island. Taormina began to attract well-heeled tourists from Northern Europe after Italy's unification, and it became recognized as a welcome sanctuary for homosexual men and artists.

Taormina has become one of the world's top tourist sites, where tourists may enjoy a perfect blend of the charming ambiance of the past, the preservation of history and culture, and an exquisite and dynamic way of life can be enjoyed in a calm stroll around the old town pedestrian areas. Top-level art performances in the Greek theatre, various painting exhibitions conducted in nearby palazzi and churches, and fine elegant shopping along the famed "Corso Umberto" with its classical music cafès and pastry stores await the traveler. Or taking naturalistic walks in the surrounding countryside, golfing at the nearby 18-hole green, and enjoying the fantastic beaches within easy reach, where the mild Mediterranean climate allows playing all water sports such as swimming, scuba diving, sailing, windsurfing, or simply sunbathing for nearly eight months of the year.

Location: Sicily, Italy