Strolling through Taormina, Taormina, Italy

This beautiful hilltop town on the east coast of Sicily is understandably a magnet for tourists. Sitting high above the coast in the shadow of (very) active Mount Etna, it has everything you might hope for in such a town. Vistas of both sea and mountains; ancient ochre-coloured buildings glowing in the Sicilian sun; great restaurants and quality shopping; narrow lanes and bustling squares lined with cafés for people-watching; a small but beautiful cathedral; and to top it all an ancient Greek theatre still in use today.

I first visited the town in 1989, spending a week there with my husband as a base to explore north-east Sicily. Returning to the region this year with friends I found that they were naturally keen to see the city. And I was happy to go along and see how, if at all, it had changed. Unfortunately the weather was dull and with even a little rain, as you’ll see from my photos. But to be honest Taormina would look beautiful in any weather! I hope Jo will agree and will enjoy this Monday Walk.

My friend Jim drove us there from our nearby B&B accommodation, navigating the hairpin bends to a multi-storey carpark of the edge of town. Having parked we took the lift up to the top floor to emerge in an open area with a great view of the coast. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).