Today is a stick close to home day, no driving for Jim. The kids go off to explore and Jim and I decide to do the “Hop On Hop Off”bus. What a bargain. For 13 euros a day or 30 euros for the week you can go all over the area. We opt for the day rate. There is also a “Godfather” tour which we decide to pass on this time. Our first stop is Letojanni, a beautiful little town by the beach, definitely a place I could stay in for a month. A little flatter than Taormina. The A18 highway runs right above the town and the train also stops here and there is a local bus to go to Taormina.
Determined to get our 10000 steps in we head off for a wee walk. The waves are pounding and it is quite hot. There were a couple of people in swimming but dang Jim and I left our suits at the hotel. It is so nice to see blue sky and puffy clouds. The coastline is amazing.
Next stop was up to Castelmola, holy mackerel, the road basically s-curves all the way up the mountain. This is a 2 way road, so buses are coming down as well, don’t look down if you have vertigo, at times the bus is balanced right on the edge.
“with a single glance you can see both the Ionian coast, the monumentalEtna, the Bay of Giardini-Naxos, the Cape of S.Alessio, the strait ofMessina and the Calabrian coast, either you are on Google Maps or you are in Castelmola“
Castelmola has been built around the ruins of a Norman Castle and you could seriously sit here all day drinking wine and cappuccinos and eating cannolis. The views are spectacular and you feel like you are on the top of the world. Definitely my funnest picture day.
We have a lovely lunch and then catch the next bus all the way over to Naxos. This town was one of the first Greek settlements back in 735 BC. If you want by the seaside with a little bit of action than this is definitely the place to stay, a lovely promenade with restaurants, cafes and clubs for the younger folk. Again only a bus drive away up to Taormina and on the A18 which seems to go all around the island.
Not sure if it is the fresh air, red wine, exercise or a combination that makes me enjoy another afternoon nap before we head off for our 6:30 pre dinner drink to warm up for our 8 pm dinner.
Every corner is another street with row after row of wine bars, cafes and restaurants nestled in amongst little markets and stores. How to pick. We pretty well just keep walking until one catches our eye. After dinner we head back over to our favourite little wine bar for our post dinner drink. This might have been when my phone should have been put in someone’s pocket. But I must admit I did enjoy the bathroom art and it was easy to figure out whose was whose.
It hasn’t taken us long to get into the Sicilian way of life and I love it.
Carlynne Chatter 
Leave a Reply