WALKING TOUR OF TAORMINA

1. CORSO UMBERTO

Taormina’s main street is Corso Umberto I. It is about one kilometre long through the old medieval town from one ancient gateway to another, from Piazza Sant’ Antonio to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II.
It has pedestrian only status so it is to stroll along and look at the shop windows or sit down for a nice caffé or ice cream. Piazza Duomo attracts a lot of people and the impressive Church of San Nicola dominates the square.
To the right of the piazza is Via Teatro Greco. A walk along this short street will bring you to the Greco Romana Theatre.

1. ISOLA BELLA

This small island was bought by Lady Florence Trevelyan, cousin to Queen Victoria. She had a lovely house built there which was surrounded by many rare plants.
Today it is under the supervision of the University of Catania which oversees the protection of the environment.

1. VILLA COMUNALE

This “villa” was orginally the garden or park of the home of Lady Florence Trevelyan, an English noble woman who was the cousin of Queen Victoria. She settled in Taormina in 1884 and married the mayor of the town at that time. The park has an English garden design, requested by Lady Florence and is houses many rare plants.
In 1922 the park was passed to the Town Hall and thanks to Lady Trevelyan you can still admire particular buildings called “Victorian Follies”. Lady Florence died in 1907 and her desire was to be buried on Mont Venere, just overlooking Taormina.

1. THE GREEK THEATRE






The most amazing monument remaining at Taormina is the ancient theatre which is one of the most celebrated ruins in Sicily, both of its remarkable preservation and of the surpassing beauty of its situation.
It is built for the most part of brick, and is therefore probably of Roman date, though the plan and arrangement are in accordance with those of Greek, rather than Roman, theatres. It is supposed that the present structure was rebuilt upon the foundations of an older theatre of the Greek period.
It has a diameter of 120 metres (after an expansion in the 2nd century), and this theatre is the second largest of its kind in Sicily (after that of Syracuse). It is frequently used for operatic and theatrical performances and for concerts.
The greater part of the original seats have disappeared, but the wall which surrounded the whole “cavea” is preserved, and the “proscenium” with the back wall of the scene and its appendages, are preserved in singular integrity.
<ol>

2. PALAZZO CORVAJA

Palazzo Corvaja is a medieval Sicilian palace, dating from the 10th century. Its Arabic influence can be seen in the style of the arched windows and doorways.
It was originally built by the Arabs and takes its name from the Corvaja family, who were amongst Taormina's most important aristocrats and owned it from 1538 to 1945. In 1410, Corvaja Palace housed the Sicilian Parliament.