Just 90km (60 miles) north of Malta, the Mediterranean’s largest island is a simple day trip away. Sign up with Virtu Ferries, jump aboard its catamaran (tel: 2123 2522; www.virtuferries.com), and within 90 minutes you can set foot on Sicilian soil at Pozzallo. Admittedly, the journey can prove a little rough, and travellers are advised to take anti-seasickness medication before boarding. Thankfully, the journey is over before you know it and luxurious air-conditioned buses will then whisk you north to Etna and Taormina. If you don’t mind whistle-stop packages, and if you are short of time and/or money, then this is the way to go. However, be warned that you have to get up very early in the morning to catch the catamaran.
Independent travellers can also take the same catamaran route to Pozzallo, hire a car and then embark on the long drive north (approximately 4 hours to Etna). A quicker alternative is to take the catamaran to Catania (a crossing time of 3 hours), which is only some 25km (16 miles) south of Taormina and Etna.
The view from Taormina towards Mount Etna.
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North from Pozzallo
Don’t expect an immediate change in topography. After all, long ago these two countries were one landmass and this part of southern Sicily, like Malta, is also mostly barren and flat. After an hour or so, however, the landscape begins to rise and fall. It becomes lush and promising, even in summer, and you will pass over two of Europe’s highest road bridges while looking down to the ancient town of Modica – a Unesco World Heritage Site. The historic town of Ragusa, a stunning example of a Baroque town, divided in two by a deep gorge, lies just a few kilometres further north.
Mount Etna
Rising above the plain of Catania to a height of over 3,300 metres (11,000ft), Mount Etna is the highest and the most active volcano in Europe. In 1669, lava reached as far afield as Catania, and in 1928, the city of Mascali was devastated. The volcano also erupted in 1971, 1983, 1998, 2001, 2007, 2014 and 2015.
As you ascend the slopes you will see the legacy of this destruction, including houses wrecked and buried up to their rooftops in lava following the 1983 and 2001 eruptions.
Yet, tempting fate, the locals continue to inhabit its slopes and, as a reward, harvest its rich benefits. Etna’s fertile soil produces wonderful fruit and vegetables, including the island’s best wines and some of the finest olive oil in the world.
The magnificently sited Greco-Roman Theatre at Taormina.
Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications
The Sylvester Craters
Most itineraries stop at the Sylvester Craters, created in the 1892 eruption. The craters form a spectacular lunar landscape with massive panoramic views down the slopes. Dotted here and there, far below, are smaller, earlier volcanic cones, many now cloaked in mature greenery.
The higher the mountain climbs, the darker the colours become; greenery disappears, reds and purples dominate, then in turn give way to greys and blacks. Then, in the cooler months, pure white snow caps the volcano, which is transformed into a popular ski resort.
Taormina
Taormina is Sicily’s most dramatic resort, a stirring place celebrated by poets and literary figures from classical times onwards; D.H. Lawrence stayed here for three years, from 1920 to 1923. Today, it would still figure highly in any Mediterranean beauty contest, not least for its magnificent hilltop setting. Critics point out that this is a safe, sophisicated un-Sicilian pocket, that it is a Sicilian St-Tropez, but in a place this beautiful, few visitors seem to mind.
The Taormina Arte Festival is held in June every year. If you are lucky enough to catch it, you’ll enjoy a series of events dedicated to cinema, theatre, music, dance and art held at the Ancient Theatre, the Congress Palace and the Palace of the Dukes of St Stefano.
The jewel in Taormina’s crown is its Teatro Greco, originally built by the Greeks and then rebuilt by the Romans when Taormina enjoyed a period of considerable status and prosperity. Constructed on the very crest of the old town and hewn out of the hillside, this is one of the most spectacularly sited ancient amphitheatres in the world.
Views plunge down to the coast in three directions, overlooking the aptly named Isola Bella and the mouthwatering beach resort of Giardini Naxos, which was the site of the very first Sicilian colony, founded by Greek settlers. On a clear spring or winter’s day, with snow-capped Etna in the background, the scene is truly breathtaking and prompted the German writer Goethe to comment that, “Never did any audience, in any theatre, have before it such a spectacle”.
A walk along Corso Umberto
Most of Taormina’s sights lie on or just off its pedestrianised main street, Corso Umberto. Here, former palazzi and other venerable buildings, dating from late Medieval times onwards, have been turned into chic shops, romantic restaurants and delightful cafés. Luxury food emporia display bottled peppers, candied fruits and fresh kumquats. Majolica tiles, leather goods and traditional puppets vie for window space with chandeliers and reproductions of classical statuary. The prices here, of course, reflect the outstanding setting.
Start your visit at the corner of Piazza Emanuele and Corso Umberto, where you will find the Palazzo Corvaja, a handsome 15th-century structure, formerly home to the Sicilian parliament. The upper part houses an excellent small historical museum (free admission), while below is the tourist office. While here, look out for the ornamentation of black and white lava. Head straight for the Teatro Greco (well signposted) then return to the Corso Umberto and walk its whole length.
There’s lots more to admire along this thoroughfare, including the Torre dell’ Orologio (Clock Tower), halfway along the street, and near the very end, the Duomo (Cathedral), which dates from the 13th century.
Sicilian Cuisine
It may be just across the water, but Sicilian cuisine has plenty of new tastes to offer foodies. Here, food is an important part of the locals’ way of life, and nothing but love and passion goes into every dish. Of course, most of the dominant flavours are Italian, but you will notice Greek, Arab and Spanish influences, too.
If you want something local, be on the lookout for dishes that include aranchini (deep-fried cheese- or meat-stuffed rice balls), pasta alla Norma (which is served with aubergines and salty cheese) and sardines cooked with fennel.
Of course, the Sicilians are also renowned for their sweet tooth, so be sure to leave plenty of room for dessert. These include the rich cassatta cake and the crispy cannoli, both stuffed with sweet ricotta. Ice cream is also ingrained in Sicilian culture, and it is believed that, during Roman times, runners would bring snow down from Mount Etna, which they would then flavour and serve to the upper classes. Today you will find a range of flavours, such as rum, jasmine and hazelnut, available.
Meanwhile, if you are on a day trip, be sure to research the many places to stop for lunch, as all the restaurants will be vying for your business as you walk by.
A ceramic picture of San Pancrazio, patron of Taormina.
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Giardino Pubblico
Try to make time to visit the lush tiered park, the Giardino Pubblico (a 5–10-minute walk, signposted from the Teatro Greco; free). The park was bequeathed to the town by an eccentric Englishwoman in the 1920s and features a number of follies. The largest of these – the Villa Communale – has become synonymous with the park itself. From this point you can wonder at the rows of cypress and cedar trees that frame spectacular views of the sea.
The return journey to Malta is, thankfully, usually calmer than the outgoing journey. Also, prepare yourself for an extremely long day on the move as you won’t return to Valletta until late evening.
Piazza IX Aprile, Taormina.
Neil Buchan-Grant/Apa Publications