By:Marcia Abramson
The glitterati come for the film and theater festivals and crowd the streets making it impossible to get into the attractive shops. I understand that the pounding discos compete with the glitzy pizzerias for the tourist's dollar. The ideal time to take in this charming city is in October through March when the weather is mild in the low 60's and ideal for walking and discovering this part of Sicily. The views are awesome just about everywhere. Mount Etna presents a magical backdrop perched above a tranquil turquoise sea surrounded by semi-tropical gardens of palms, cypress, bougainvillea and orange trees.It was wonderful to just wander through the tiny streets and back alleys which did have a medieval flavor. Everywhere there were balconies filled with colorful flowers. My daughter and I took off, climbing up some dark staircases. We stumbled onto a serene piazza where we just had to stop for some gelatti and cappacino. When we looked down we were inspired by the magnificent view of the Mediterranean Sea below. Our repast was quite expensive, but worth the price if only for the view. There is a funicular or cable car that we could have taken down to the beach where we did see some hearty souls braving the cool waters.Our explorations then took us to the Teatro Greco, an amphitheatre built by the Greeks in the 3rd century B.C., and later completely redesigned by the Romans. The acoustics are so remarkable that the theater is still used today for performances. We stopped into the adjacent little museum and saw some archaeological fragments from the original theater, Then we strolled on the main square, the Piazza IX Aprile and passed up some additional lovely cafes with resistible high prices. A promenade through the public gardens on Via Croce was also on our agenda as was a visit to the famous 15th century Palazzo Corvaja, renowned for its classic double window. We continued our climb to the Castello for more breathtaking views, but did not venture for another three miles beyond the castle to Castelmola, a tiny cragtop village with more bars and exquisite views. Before we left Taomina we ventured into the shops for some ceramics. The orange, yellow, blue and green colors on the plates, tureens, and ewers were attractive enough for us to want to chance taking them home in one piece. There was also a lovely painted wooden tray that caught our eye. These handicrafts were not inexpensive, but they are lovely reminders of our Renaissance Cruise to this area.We then found a bus to take us up the winding roads, passing mountain villages to Mount Etna's Crater Silvestri, over 6,000 feet above sea level. The panorama was unbelievable with slopes covered by scores of cones, craters and remains of lava streams from previous eruptions. I do recommend a visit to the famous Mount Etna when in Sicily. Upon our return to the Renaissance we had the opportunity to see some of the treasures of ancient Messina. We saw what is purported to be one of the most complex mechanical clocks in the world at the Cathedral of Messina. On our drive back to the vessel along Corsa Avour and Via Cannizzare, there is the university, the law courts and the Viale San Martino. We left Messina with wonderful memories of Taomina, one of the most picturesque towns in the South of Italy and an understanding of why the beautiful people flock here to revel in the wonders of nature and escape the rigors of the real world.
© Copyright by Marcia Abramson
