A note to subscribers: If you are reading this on email, note that slide shows embedded in web versions of these posts do not function, but the email extracts images from the slide show. It’s better to view these on the web.

Taormina was a challenge to drive through, and missing a turn meant I had to make a second pass around the town, on narrow, one-way streets clinging to the hill. We finally found our hotel, and I was happy to turn the car over to our valet, who put the car in the hotel’s garage.

Part of our first day was spent in the nearby medieval hill town of Castelmola (population about 1,000). High above Taormina, it has great views of the surrounding hills, Etna, Taormina, and the Ionian Sea.

Looking down on the surrounding hills, I couldn’t help but admire how the Sicilians used every bit of level ground to build their houses. I’d hate to drive these roads after a snowfall; it’s a long way down.

Another view from Castelmola, looking to the south, is the peninsula where the first Greek settlers in Sicily founded the colony of Naxos in 734 BC (today: Naxos Giardini)

We stayed at the Hotel Villa Schuler, and would highly recommend it. The room was spacious, breakfast was very good (eaten in the orangerie with a view of the sea), the setting was beautiful, and the staff spoiled us. We had a pleasant time there, sipping our cocktails and enjoying the view.

Following is a little slide show from some of our walks around the town.