Between Taormina and Castelmola sit two peaks holding the church of Santurano Madonna della Rocca and next to it the Castello Saraceno Monte Tauro. They dominate the view looking between the two towns and we decided that it would be jolly fun to walk to them. So earlyish this morning we set off up the stepped path. I don’t know just how many steps there were on the winding footpath but my calves tell me it was about a million!
We were rewarded with some fantastic views though particularly looking back towards Taormina and the Greek theatre in its prominent position. Unfortunately the cloud cover has been such over all the days that we have been here that it hasn’t been possible to see Etna but that’s something to wait for another year.
By the time we had made our way back down the million steps it was time for lunch. This is always a difficult meal as it would be all too easy just to nip into one of the many restaurants and have a plate of pasta leaving no room for a meal in the evening. Fortunately there is plenty of great local snack food available including the local delicacy of Arancine (on the right in the picture below).
Inspector Montalbano raves about the arancine his housekeeper makes so I was keen to try it. They are basically balls of risotto rice filled will a very small amount of filling, ragu is a popular choice – tomato, peas and mozzarilla. They are pretty good for a lunchtime snack as are the Cipollina in the middle which has ham, cheese, tomato paste and olives. You’ll have to ask Helen about the slices on the left! We once again sat in the park to eat our lunch overlooking the bay below.
Today is our last full day in Taormina before we decamp for Syracuse tomorrow.