Taormina

Taormina is a pretty coastal town located by the Ionian Sea in the east of Sicily. It is a popular tourist destination and has been so since the 19th century. Its popularity is understandable given the town’s general attractiveness and appealing geographical location.

Taorimina has been an important location in Sicily for many many centuries. The area was inhabited even before the Greeks came to east coast of the island in 734 BC. When they arrived and began building the settlement of Naxos, the Sicels were living in the hills above. These people were from a very old tribe called the Siculi that had populated Sicily, along with the Sicani , since antiquity. Sicily derives its name from these tribes. Subsequently, the settlers from Naxos expanded into the hills above and established Tauromenion.

Tauromenion flourished during subsequent years. It was a place of great importance during Sicily’s numerous wars and conflicts due to its geographical location and strategic position as a fortress.

In more recent times Taormina become popular with creative types thanks to the exultations of the artists and writers who visited. Wilde, Nietzsche and Wagner were among the many famous visitors during the 19th century. Around this time, it gained a reputation as a place of sexual liberation and libertine ideas and attitudes.

Nowadays Taormina is a more traditional tourist resort, though its visual delights remain undiminished.