May 6, 2025
The entire reason we are on this cruise is today’s destination: Taormina, Italy. Tom has long described this as one of the most beautiful cities he had visited when he was in the Navy. For Mary Margaret, today was all about confirming that was the case. It is perched on a terrace, high above the Ionic Sea and has Mt. Etna in its backyard.
The d’Urville made its way to the anchor area in the early morning hours. We watched Mt. Etna make an appearance as the sun rose, wearing winter snow at the top. Heading to the bow, we saw Taormina on the hillside confirming it was still there.
A tender dropped us off on the pier at Giardini Naxos, a beach town less than 5 miles away from Taormina. Sophia herded our group of 12 to a shuttle bus and off we went, climbing 800 feet above sea level. Taormina is a very small town with a population of about 4,000 people. Off we walked through a medieval gate and into the pedestrian area of Taormina. Our first stop was in front of St. Catarina Church that had been built on the ruins of a small Roman theater. This small theater was built on top of a Greek temple. Just scratch the surface anywhere in this part of the world and there is something amazing.
The streets are made from cobblestone formed by Mt. Etna’s previous eruptions. It is an active volcano with a recent eruption only 3 days ago. A volcanologist gave a lecture the previous afternoon and made it sound as if living close to Mt. Etna was not much of an issue. In fact, they refer to the volcano as “Mama” and that she provides for them by producing fertile soil from the rich elements contained in lava. Sophia, our guide, shared photographs showing eruptions over the past couple of years.
Sophia led us to the most famous site in Taormina: the 2nd Century BC Greek theater. It was carved from limestone and had an open view of the sea and Mt. Etna. The Romans came along and “improved” it by turning it into an arena, closing off the stunning views. Today, there are views once again and many theatrical and entertainment events are held in its ruins. We had just finished making our way from the stage level to the top of the theater when it started to rain. Fortunately it didn’t last long and we were once again on our way back to Corso Umberto, the main shopping street.
Sicily is known for its ceramics and in particular ceramic heads. They are seen everywhere and have many uses. There were heads being used as planters, as balcony decorations and as wine coolers. Another famous Sicilian creation is the cannoli. We had a special treat given to us by Roberto Chemi: freshly made cannolis to enjoy on our walk. He is a friend of our guide and is reported to make the best pastries in all of Taormina. We believe it!
We continued on, passing clothing stores, restaurants and a curious alley that is less than 2 feet wide. There is a restaurant at the top so maybe it is a way to determine if you need another meal!
We eventually reached The 9th of April Square with its panoramic viewing area of the sea and Le Dumont d’Urville waiting patiently for our return. Just off the square there was a fountain with sea creatures near the 13th century Basilica of St. Nicholas of Bari. Once inside the church, we had hoped to see historic architecture. Instead, there was an artistic display of a miniature Taormina and no ability to walk any further into the interior.
Walking back to our meeting place, it was clear that hoards of tourists were heading our way, filling the narrow Corso Umberto and making us happy to be on our way.
After some free time, we went back to our shuttle bus and away from Taormina, heading to a family owned vineyard where we would have lunch.
The Gambino family has owned the property for a couple generations and started the business in 1978. The vines have been planted in volcanic soil and produce delicious wines. The lunch included wine tasting and began with an antipasto plate, moved on to pasta and ended with a sausage dish. Mary Margaret ordered wine to be shipped back to the US along with a bottle of exceptional olive oil.
We learned from our Tauck Italian guide that there are Italian rules as to what is appropriate food to be served on the same plate. For example: Pasta is not served with meat; Meat and fish cannot be served on the same plate; Chicken is not served with pasta; no cheese with fish; cappuccino is only appropriate in the mornings before 11 am and no later (you may be refused!). No spaghetti and meat balls? Utica’s signature dish, Chicken Riggie’s, is an abomination!
It was a day full of ancient wonders and modern day delights. We boarded the shuttle and went back to Giardini Naxos where we caught the tender back to the ship. Our last event was sailing through the Straits of Messina, between the island of Sicily and the “toe” of the boot of Italy. After Le Dumont d’Urville made it through, we watched a spectacular sunset, making this a truly wonderful day!
