Taormina

[Christopher Haatuft]

A friend of mine is going to Sicily with some friends and asked me to ask here about recommendations. They are staying in Taormina, but are more than willing to travel somewhere worthwhile. Any restaurants that are worth checking out, as well as winemakers that take guests? I guess general Sicily advice applies here as well. They are leaving in the middle of July and will be staying for two weeks.

[DaleJ]

I enjoyed a fine pranzo at (either) Trattoria or Ristorante Duomo a year or so ago. Its directly across the little piazza from the duomo.

[MMerrill]

We have enjoyed this place several times: IL PESCATORE, Via Nazionale, 107

Mazzarò. 98039 Taormina. Phone: (+39) 0942 23460. It's down on the waterfront looking out on Isola Bella. Nice setting - great seafood!

We had lunch a few years ago at the Murgo winery (where you can also stay in their agriturismo), on the slopes of Mt. Etna. (Look up the Murgo web site and click on San Michele, and contacts for how to reserve.) We had a set lunch with many courses and lots of wine. The food and wine were delicious, the setting delightful and price reasonable!

Edited June 21, 2007 by MMerrill (log)

[beepop]

There are two places I remember as being better than the usual touristy fayre. The first is in Taormina of the corso umberto in the centre of the town. It is called Vicole Stre and is on the right heading west. You have to squeeze through a gap between two buildings and go up stairs. It was excellent on two visits. The other place I can't remember the town or restaurant. We took the road to Letojani and headed up into the hills. It was opposite the village square which was deserted. The restaurant was full of locals. We were not given a menu but presented with campari the about four courses followed by lots of eau de vie. All for about 35euros.

There were a couple of places further south in Siracusu which were excellent. I know of Planeta winery in Noto (whose wines you will see throughout Sicily) are worth a visit as well as some from Mt Etna.

There is an excellent light shop in Ragusa.

[etnea]

There are two places I remember as being better than the usual touristy fayre. The first is in Taormina of the corso umberto in the centre of the town. It is called Vicole Stre and is on the right heading west. You have to squeeze through a gap between two buildings and go up stairs. It was excellent on two visits. The other place I can't remember the town or restaurant. We took the road to Letojani and headed up into the hills. It was opposite the village square which was deserted. The restaurant was full of locals. We were not given a menu but presented with campari the about four courses followed by lots of eau de vie. All for about 35euros.

There were a couple of places further south in Siracusu which were excellent. I know of Planeta winery in Noto (whose wines you will see throughout Sicily) are worth a visit as well as some from Mt Etna.

There is an excellent light shop in Ragusa.

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Planeta winery is not in Noto, planeta is on the western part of the island, near Marsala. I was just there this February.. anyone interested in wines should certainly start with a visit to Marsala. There are flights directly to Birgio, a town just outside Trapani ( and the famous salt mines) with a great co-op winery, Trapani and Marsala are very close and it is less of a headache than flying into Falcone/Borsellino in Palermo.

Just as a note--the island is the largest region in all of Italy, larger than Piemonte and Sardegna, in land mass, square miles etc. It is not all that easy to just head up the mountains from a town if one is not familiar with the topography and some of the traffic patterns here.

Have a plan which includes names of towns, that is always a good thing.

[beepop]

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Planeta winery is not in Noto, planeta is on the western part of the island, near Marsala.

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http://www.planeta.it/ENG/cantine_home.php

[etnea]

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Planeta winery is not in Noto, planeta is on the western part of the island, near Marsala.

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