Our stay on the lovely Stromboli came to an end with a a long hydrofoil trip back to Mazzale and then a drive to Taormina.
Alex was booked into the Hotel Isabella right on the Corso Umberto, the rest of us in The Hotel Continental. The jaded wood panelling and the furniture in the Continental made it like stepping through a time warp. Our rooms were similarly jaded too. Clearly, this hotel had seen better days. However, it was clean and comfortable enough, and convenient for the restaurants of Corso Umberto.
There's plenty to see in Taormina, so we explored the town in the afternoon and decided to stop for coffee in one of the main squares and people-watch. Cannoli are a local speciality - deep fried tubes of pastry dough filled with sweetened ricotta - so Rosie and Brenda decided to give them a try. They were disappointing - with stale-tasting tubes. Their comic effect was more successful.
Alex decided to take a break from the rest of us, so we booked a table at Al Duomo, very close to our hotel and highly rated on TripAdvisor. As we approached the restaurant, a French group pushed past us, presumably in an attempt to get a better table. We were therefore very pleased to have a perfect table, outside and overlooking the square, while they ate indoors. It wasn't cheap, but the food was excellent - the best tuna carpaccio Simon had ever had apparently - and the service efficient friendly and efficient. Recommended for a posh meal if you're in town.
Our walk the next day was to Castelmola, which overlooks Taormina from a long way above. It was clearly going to be a tough walk. After rendezvousing with Alex at his hotel, the first stretch of the walk was up a very long and steep set of steps. Once we got to the top of those, was a steeper stretch of track and then road to the main square of Castelmola. It's another attractive place, with great views from the square, and the even-higher castle. After exploring both, we found a bar with a terrace for a drink before starting back. Rosie rescued a small bird from a tube which would normally support an umbrella.
The route back was more attractive - it passed a 1st century church before descending gently. We were hungry by this time. There was plenty of choice as we re-entered Taormina, so we chose Malvasia because it seemed to have most locals, including a large group getting through a large number of courses. They quickly moved an extra table outside for us (even though the pavement wasn't very level). We all chose simple pasta dishes and house wine - all lovely and served with cheer and efficiency.
With no plans for the afternoon, Rosie and I took the cable-car down to Isola Bella, where we braved the causeway to get from the beach to the island, only to find that the island was closed. So we relaxed on the beach for a while.
Dinner was at Restaurant Gran Duca. Service there was poor - we clearly weren't spending enough for them. Food was good enough though.
Alex was booked into the Hotel Isabella right on the Corso Umberto, the rest of us in The Hotel Continental. The jaded wood panelling and the furniture in the Continental made it like stepping through a time warp. Our rooms were similarly jaded too. Clearly, this hotel had seen better days. However, it was clean and comfortable enough, and convenient for the restaurants of Corso Umberto.There's plenty to see in Taormina, so we explored the town in the afternoon and decided to stop for coffee in one of the main squares and people-watch. Cannoli are a local speciality - deep fried tubes of pastry dough filled with sweetened ricotta - so Rosie and Brenda decided to give them a try. They were disappointing - with stale-tasting tubes. Their comic effect was more successful.
Alex decided to take a break from the rest of us, so we booked a table at Al Duomo, very close to our hotel and highly rated on TripAdvisor. As we approached the restaurant, a French group pushed past us, presumably in an attempt to get a better table. We were therefore very pleased to have a perfect table, outside and overlooking the square, while they ate indoors. It wasn't cheap, but the food was excellent - the best tuna carpaccio Simon had ever had apparently - and the service efficient friendly and efficient. Recommended for a posh meal if you're in town.
Dinner was at Restaurant Gran Duca. Service there was poor - we clearly weren't spending enough for them. Food was good enough though.
View Taormina to Castelmalo in a larger map
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