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THE NORTHEAST COAST

WALK 1

Taormina and the Castello Saraceno

Start/Finish	Taormina railway station
Distance	3.5km/2.2 miles
Ascent/Descent	400m/400m
Grade	1
Time	2hr
Maps	Town map from Tourist Office
Access	Taormina’s railway station (Taormina-Giardini) is served by all Messina–Catania trains. Buses (Interbus) also stop here before proceeding uphill to the town, where it is feasible to slot directly into the upper part of the itinerary if desired. A novel way to access the town is by cable-car (funivia): from Mazzarò on the coast it ascends the mountainous eastern flank, to terminate a short distance from Porta Messina. Drivers on the A18 autostrada will need the Taormina Sud exit, then the SS 114 coast road, and are advised to seek parking on the outskirts of town.

This popular scenic route makes use of old winding trails on the picturesque hillsides around the erstwhile Graeco-Roman settlement of Tauromenium, now a charming tourist attraction. The site was originally occupied by the native Sicel population and is set in a dominating position high over the sea in a series of spacious recesses and terraces on the flanks of lofty Monte Tauro. The actual town was founded in the 5th century BC by refugees fleeing from the destruction of nearby Naxos, the pioneer Greek colony in Sicily; in fact, Taormina’s landmark, an unusual and beautiful theatre ensconced in the mountainside, dates back to that period. The thriving settlement was eventually seized by the Arabs in the 10th century, only to fall to the Normans some time afterwards, as happened all over the island. Path closure: due to minor landslips the path from the railway station up to the town is currently closed after Madonna delle Grazie – and awaiting repairs.

Piazza IX Aprile, Taormina

Taormina enjoys a marvellous Mediterranean climate with mild winters, long ensuring its fame as a haven for foreigners of a literary penchant, such as Goethe, D.H. Lawrence and Lawrence Durrell. A must for all visitors to Sicily, the town offers attractive, stately buildings set amid lush vegetation – the likes of the ornamental palm from the Canary Isles shade many a garden. Bougainvillea adds splashes of colour, while omnipresent orange trees thrive in this sun-blessed climate, their divine perfume wafting down back-streets and alleys.

The walk itself follows well-graded mule tracks and, once the town has been traversed, continues uphill to a photogenic sanctuary and Saracen castle. Magnificent views range over the sparkling Ionian Sea and coastline and take in the majestic spread of Etna. An easy route for anyone who can deal with gradual climbs from sea level to 400m in altitude. It is however unsuitable in the central part of the day in summer as shade is scarce, but highly recommended at other times of the year, preferably late afternoon to catch the sunset from the castle. Naturally Taormina has no lack of opportunities for refreshment or accommodation.

Cloud-capped M. Etna, visible from Taormina’s gardens

The Walk

The route starts from the beautifully restored Art Deco-style railway station, enveloped in heady orange blossoms that are nothing short of overwhelming in spring. Take the road northeast in the direction of Taormina and after some 300m, where it squeezes through a row of houses, turn off left, following the signpost for the ‘centro’. Right past a grotto-cum-shrine, a ramp leads to a pathway for the winding ascent through scrubby vegetation. Views over the sea are impressive from the word go. After the modest church of Madonna delle Grazie is a stiff but short climb to the verge of a sprawling hotel complex – go left up the stairs to Via Roma. Here it’s well worth detouring briefly right (east) to the delightful shady public gardens Parco Duchi di Cesarò for brilliant views of Etna.

Resume the uphill stretch on a broader flight of steps alongside Hotel Villa Schuler, then it’s left at the subsequent fork and up in a matter of minutes to the town’s main street, Corso Umberto 1°, close to Piazza IX Aprile (45min from the railway station). In terms of height, you’re halfway now, as Taormina stands 200m above sea level.

Directly across the road, squeezed between an antique shop and a gelateria, is the narrow arched alleyway Vicolo Stretto, all of 60cm wide. It emerges at a lane in the residential area, where you go right for a brief stretch, then take the next flight of steps uphill. Busy Via Circonvallazione is crossed, and close by (left) is the start of the old mule track for the Castello Saraceno and Via Crucis.

Climbing gradually above town, a series of steps and ramps passes through a lovely profusion of wild flowers, majestic agave spikes and wild fennel, not to mention the prickly pear outlined on the rocky mountainside. Needless to say there are good views down onto the town’s famous Greek theatre.

Twenty minutes from the square will see you at the well-placed scenic sanctuary of Madonna della Rocca, a 16th-century church partially built into the limestone bastion, as its curious uneven rocky ceiling reveals. Outside, a vast expanse of the Ionian coast stretches into the distance, with a curve of Calabria on mainland Italy to the northeast. Below, set in the gentle sweep of the bay at modern day Capo Schisò, are the scanty remains of the first Greek colony in Sicily, namely Naxos.

Just around the corner from the church is drinking water, a modest souvenir stand and the start of the final but brief leg to the castle. At the commanding height of 398m on the very top of Monte Tauro, the 12th-century Castello Saraceno (1hr 15min) occupies the site of the acropolis built in classical times. Several extant lengths of defensive walling, a tower and remains of a cistern can be seen, but the best thing is the panorama: the solemn spread of Monte Etna lays southwest, while the bird’s-eye views over the coast, Taormina and environs are breathtaking. If the castle is closed, enquire at the souvenir stand, as the custodian may be on hand to let you in. Tourist Office Taormina Tel 0942-23243

Return the same way to Taormina’s centre and the Corso to join the locals on their traditional evening promenade, and from there continue to the railway station (grand total 2hr). Accommodation Affittacamere Il Leone Tel 0942-23878 Casa Grazia Tel 0942-24776

WALK 2

Castelmola

Start/Finish	Porta Messina
Distance	4.15km/2.6 miles
Ascent/Descent	300m/300m
Grade	1
Time	2hr
Map	Taormina map from tourist office. For sketch map of route please see Walk 1.
Access	To reach Taormina see Walk 1. The occasional Interbus run climbs to Castelmola itself.

This rewarding walk departs from picturesque Taormina to gain the dizzy perch of Castelmola, erstwhile fortress constructed to defend the prominent settlement through the ages. Paved lanes climb to a height of 531m above sea level to reach the peaceful village overlooking the Ionian Sea, Monte Etna and a tract of northeastern Sicily. The return, on the other hand, is on a path that drops through old orchards and wilder hillside colonised by masses of prickly pear, whereas the final stretch is a delightful stroll along Taormina’s main pedestrian-only street. Several steep parts make it unsuitable for the middle of a hot day.

The Walk

At the northernmost entrance to Taormina (200m), a short distance uphill from the bus terminal and cable-car is Porta Messina, where the walk starts. Take Via Costantino Patricio in gradual ascent, and turn right at the fountain under the arch onto Via Cappuccini. Curving left the road passes extant arches of a Roman aqueduct, and you bear left again at the next junction onto Via Dietro Cappuccini. A little after a hotel and masses of brilliant bougainvillea take the way signed Salita Branco. The old stepped track, now mostly concrete-ridden, climbs a dry side valley cutting the northern flank of Monte Tauro below the Castello Saraceno, while offering sweeping views back to the Calabrian coast. After the tarmac road for Castelmola is crossed (Via Leonardo da Vinci), a steeper surfaced ramp opposite leads quickly upwards – keep right at the arrow. The original track, for foot traffic only these days seeing as a wider vehicle road has been constructed on a lower level, has been pleasantly paved. It passes beneath buildings constructed in somewhat precarious positions on the cliff edge. A final stretch along the bridge-cum-road, quite a feat of engineering, terminates in the charming shady main piazza of Castelmola (531m). A rest at one of the inviting outdoor cafés to drink in the breathtaking panorama along with an apt refreshment is a suitable reward after the effort of the climb.

Subsequently it is recommended you follow the side alley on the uphill side of the square. Marked ‘Salita Castello’ it leads through restaurant premises to an even higher lookout point with stunning all-round views (1hr total). The gently sloping flanks of Monte Etna provide a particularly interesting landscape even at this distance: the succession of lava flows can easily be made out, some of the most ancient clearly reaching right down to the coast around Catania.

Once back down at the piazza for the return walk, direct your steps downhill towards Piazza Duomo and the immaculately restored church. Take the lane under an arch, then follow signs down steps for the Pizzeria Le Mimose. After crossing two minor roads you quickly reach the lower edge of Castelmola, and close on hand left is a wide flight of steps high over the motorway. The way quickly becomes a lovely panoramic path winding through abandoned gardens thick with all manner of aromatic herbs, and olive and fruit orchards, now the domain of towering prickly pear, ablaze with pretty yellow blooms in early summer. A curve left leads through an old arch in view of a hillside pitted with the ancient tombs of the Sicel necropolis dating back to the Iron Age (10th–7th centuries BC), and now at risk from encroaching construction above.

View to Castello Saraceno from Castelmola

The path passes well below, in a blaze of pink oleanders and shaded by fig trees, before joining a surfaced road lined with broom close to a spread of modern apartments. Minutes later you touch on Via Leonardo Da Vinci once more, and essentially follow your nose for the final stretch back to town – namely take the steps down right, cross straight over the intersection for Salita Celestino Penna, and notice the lovely angle onto the Castello Saraceno and sanctuary. The subsequent leg is called Via della Chiusa, part of the route dating back to prehistoric times between Taormina and Castelmola.

These steps between houses bring you out on Via Diodoro Siculo–Via Apollo Arcageta, just uphill from the town’s original cathedral, now the church of S. Francesco di Paola. Next is the square and car park preceding Porta Catania (keep left), leading back into the heart of Taormina along Corso Umberto I°, reserved for pedestrians. This broad avenue faithfully retraces the axis of the Graeco-Roman settlement, while the Via Valeria, the 3rd-century BC Roman road that linked Messina with Siracusa, also passed this way. Nowadays it is lined with ceramic workshops, pasticcerie crammed with mouth-watering almond pastries, and cafés where thirst-quenching granite can be had. This western medieval section of town includes a stately duomo and monumental fountain, before the Porta di Mezzo (clock tower) leads to the charming Piazza IX Aprile, featuring a terraced belvedere and several pastel stuccoed churches.

Proceeding along the Corso don’t miss the brief detour right on Via Numachia for the massive Roman 122m-long brick wall, former support for a cistern or gymnasium. The Corso soon takes you past the magnificent 15th-century Palazzo Corvaja (and tourist office) which once hosted the Sicilian parliament, its striking two-tone facade the result of alternating limestone and lava blocks. After Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, erstwhile agora and forum, is Porta Messina and the conclusion (1hr for the return). Tourist office and Accommodation – see Walk 1.