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Greeks, Romans, Normans, Arabs, Spanish, English...

Taormina is Sicily's most famous, world-renowned resort town.  Founded by the Greeks, but added to by everyone else who's passed through Sicily, including a virtual army of ex-patriot British from the 1700s onward.

Taormina's situation, jutting out of the north-eastern edge of the Island has kept it isolated, and also is one of its greatest claims to fame. 

The town of Taormina winds its way around the promontories, between lush public gardens, luxury villas, 4-star hotels, private bays and beaches.

Europe's most active volcano, Mount Etna, is easily, and picturesquely viewed to the south, rising above the bay and town, often covered in snow, often spewing out ash, smoke and clouds.

Here's an amazing image of Mount Etna from space, erupting with a trail of soot streaming to the south-east.  Taormina is on the coast north-east of mountain.

Taormina Arte

Every year, Taormina proudly hosts a world-class arts program in June and August.  It includes:

• music, classical, jazz and pop
• theatre, the classics and modern
• dance, modern and classical.

The 2006 program is detailed on the official Taormina Arte website.  Unfortunately, the English version is not yet up and running.

Most of the performances are in Taormina's famous Greek Amphitheatre that provides a heart-stopping view of Mount Etna rising behind the stage.

World-Class Hotels

Taormina probably has more 4-star hotels per square inch in all of Italy.  Here are a few.  Each links to their site, with more beautiful images.

Villa Fabbiano, 4 star hotel and restaurant.

Hotel Villa Taormina, 4 star hotel in the center of Taormina in an old villa.

Grand Hotel Timeo, in front of the Greek Amphitheatre, surrounded by lush terraces.  (The images of the hotel are under their 'Characteristics' section.)

Hotel Villa Sant'Andrea, a small, luxury villa, with a top-class restaurant, over-looking Mazzaro Bay.

Some Informative Sites

The Taormina Network site offers history, art, tourism, music and hotels.

Taormina Online offers loads of tourist information.

Taormina Sicily from the Sicily Web offers, in Italian, information on Taormina's history, art, seas, hotels, restaurants...