Page 288 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

Around Taormina

Taormina is overlooked by the lofty mountain village of Castelmola, visited for the
superb views in all directions, and an easy trip from town. The coastline below
Taormina, north and south, is immensely appealing – a mixture of grottoes, rocky
coves and good sand beaches – although much of it is either sectioned off as private
lidos (which you have to pay to use; prices vary from around €5 to €15 a day) or

simply gets very packed in summer. Easiest to reach, by bus or cable car, are the
small, stony stretches around Mazzarò. For decent expanses of sand you’ll have to
travel to Giardini-Naxos, a 5km, fifteen-minute bus ride south of Taormina. Cheaper
and less pretentious than Taormina, it’s very much a separate town, with its own
holiday trade and nightlife.

Castelmola
Drivers should park in the car park before entering the village; hourly buses from Taormina (15min) stop 200m
below the main square. To walk up from the Castello Saraceno (around 1hr), take the signposted concrete path

Some 5km above Taormina, the tiny hill-village of Castelmola seems to sprout out of
the severe crag beneath it, with just a jumble of precipitous alleys to explore and the
remnants of a long-demolished castle. Hardly surprisingly, it is entirely given over to

tourism, with souvenir shops and up to a dozen bars and restaurants flanking the
cobbles.

Above Castelmola, intrepid hikers can embark on the roughly two-hour climb to the
top of Monte Vénere (885m), the highest peak hereabouts. The walk down from
Castelmola is much easier than the ascent, and the views are better, too; it’s an easy
fifteen minutes to Madonna della Rocca, thirty minutes to town.

EATING AND DRINKING: CASTELMOLA

Bar San Giorgio Piazza Sant’Antonio 0942 28 228. This bar in the main square is
the doyen of Castelmola, purveying drinks and views for decades, as the old
newspaper cuttings in the corner attest. Try a glass of vino alla mandorla (almond
wine) here, the sweet local brew. Daily, usually 8am–10pm.

Bar Turrisi Piazza Duomo 0942 28 181. The decor here is dedicated to the phallus
in all its manifestations, and without the slightest hint of irony. The views from the
terrace are good too – but probably best not to take the kids. Daily, usually 10am–
1am.

Mazzarò
There’s a cable-car (funivia) service from Taormina to Mazzarò (Mon 8.45am–8pm, Tues–Sun 8am–8pm, until
1am daily in summer; €3, weekly pass €30); the station is on Via Luigi Pirandello, between Porta Messina and the