Cyclops Riviera
& Taormina
Myth & Captivation of the East. The nearby coast of Acitrezza is characterized by its tumbled black lava and the rocks of Cyclops, according to the Odyssey, supposed to been hurled at Ulysses when he escaped from Polyphemus.
Idyllically perched on a rocky promontory high above the sea, Taormina has been the most popular tourist destination in Sicily for a couple of hundred of years, ever since it became an integral part of the Grand Tour.
If someone had to spend just one day in Sicily and asked “What ought I to see?” The answer without hesitation is “Taormina”
The view is among the loveliest of Italy. The vegetation is lush with sub-tropical plants, the climate is delightful. The panorama is dominated by Etna, often topped with snow and always smoking.
The presence of Etna, both beautiful and sinister, must have some fatalistic effect on the character of the inhabitants of Catania, though it seems to be taken cheerfully for granted. In the old center it has many grand and important Baroque buildings made out of dark grey lava. In the middle of the Piazza del Duomo is the symbol of the city: the much loved fountain with its black elephant.
