Hello again.
This time I will talk about rest at the wonderful Sicilian resort of Taormina.
This time initially we were going to take a tour in the Costa Dorada, Spain. But the prices of interest to us the resorts bite, and the travel agency officer proposed a burning option with Taormina. We knew about the beach holiday in Italy only that prices differ significantly from other European resorts, but decided to risk. And they did not lose.
On the island of us delivered a direct charter flight from Minsk to Catania Airport. The name imposed on the memories of the unsolicited commissioner, stubbornly fought with the Sicilian mafia spruit in the series of the same name, and, to be honest, we were ready for certain hooks. And they did not make them wait.
We flew in the tenth hour of the evening. Right in the arrival hall on passport control, the officer looked at the approached group of tourists (man 180), waved his hand towards the exit, opened the turnstile and, yawning, retired. A bit exhausted by the flight, we, tired, happily moved with all Gurba to the resulting bandage, and only then thought about how without a stamp in the passports about arrival, we will be released from the country. Fortunately, the situation was destroyed by the guide, for which he was special thanks.
So, here she is, Sicily! - We thought, shutting up from the evening coolness (there was +16 degrees on the street). On the way to Taormina, the guide asked us to not worry and assured that tomorrow-day after tomorrow would be much warmer. It remained only to believe.
It should be said that Taormina is located at the foot of the acting ethna volcano, and the weather is largely determined by the mood of the smoking. But about this later.
In the area of 23:00 in the dark, we left the bus near the hotel called Bay Palace. The coarse peasant of the sixty-five years in the hotel's shirt was politely met and helped bring luggage to the reception. After 20 minutes, when we unpacked and descended to dine, the same uncle, already overwhelmed into the club jacket, proudly welcomed us at the entrance to the empty eruptive restaurant on the ground floor. As it turned out, it was the owner of the hotel. The name of his Giovanni Salange. About the fact that his surname is consonant with the name of the Baltic resort, Giovanni was definitely aware and proudly pointed his finger to the point hanging in the lobby on the map of Europe.. Isya for a table and tracing that we were delivered to dry lads (dinner at the hotel ends at 22 : 00), he left the hotel, pulled the Morgunovsky helmet of the era of the Sweet 60s, poured on the scooter of the same time of release and, having released a solid stream of the Size smoke, disappeared in the night. Refusing the proposed wine, we have rushed and moved to the room.
Going to the balcony to smoke, I saw a wonderful and pleasing eye Panorama of the Bay
In anticipation of the morning meeting with the sea, we went to bed
The next morning, breakfast, we passed the receptionist about how to get to the beach. Despite the fact that the sea was in a hundred steps from the hotel (it was located on the first line, the Matsaro embankment), the road to Him turned out to be quite long. The shortest path between two points in Sicily is a curve. The fact is that along the entire coast there is a railway and, given the fact that the trains are with a decent speed, it is possible to go through the underground transitions. The nearest to the beach was located one and a half kilometers from the hotel, so before bathing we had to walk pretty. And finally, here it is, the Ionian Sea!
The beach was sandy, with an admixture of pebbles. The entrance to the sea was rather genth, which was somewhat strained due to the cool (18 degrees) of water and still unworn morning air. The beach was empty - only a couple of local families is located at the very edge of the water. The fact is that in Sicily, as in the whole country, the beaches of municipal. But, as a rule, be taken back by the owners of coastal restaurants and cafes, which are allowed on the beach only their customers, and from the rest of the holidays take fees for the place, an umbrella and a sun bed with a mattress of 10 euros per day. But from any rules there are retreats: tenants cannot take a fee if the vacationers occupy a place within seven meters from the coastline. In the hope of ignorance, restaurant staff timidly trying to breed you to five euros from everyone, but making sure of your awareness, crumpled, leaves you alone.
It must be said that all bathing rooms in Taormina Mare should be ready for unpleasant acquaintances with jellyfish. In the Ionian Sea, they are not like in black. This purple color is a small-scale small coffee saucer, followed by a slim poisonous sting at a 40-50 centimeters. I was first mixed jumping out of the water with a cry "Medusa !!!!" Italians, but on the third stay of my stay personally met with this problem: the creature that I didn't see me at a depth of one and a half meters, I hooked me with my tail, and your humble servant, like Jesus, ran over the surface to the entrance to the nearest bar. The feeling was like, as if on the leg from the height of the meter of one and a half, a hot iron was reset.
It is necessary to pay tribute to the staff of the bar: they were ready for my rapid arrival, and they were wrapped in clear water completely free, they were treated with analgesic, bandaged and warned that the next night should not go to the water. As a gratitude, I ordered a glass of beer and left generous tips. Acute pain passed, but itching lasted two more weeks, and the scar from the burn was dissolved only by the middle of the autumn. In the future we went to the beach in the nearby resort town of Jardini Naxos - there were 20 minutes by bus, the beach was sandy and the jellyfish was not observed.
Now about Taormina itself. This is a town located at the height of 250 meters from the sea. You can get into it on a cable car, landing on which was near the hotel (300 meters).
The cost of the trip on it is 3 euros. They say that you can get by bus (it is cheaper, but much longer in time), or by taxi.
So, immersed in the cabin cabin, after 2-3 minutes you find yourself in Taormine itself. This is a small, but very beautiful town with Sicilian architecto
and narrow streets
on the path of which there are beautiful squares
and viewing platforms with beautiful views of the sea
On the streets - a large number of shops. They can buy brand clothes, all sorts of goodies, as well as a huge number of souvenirs. At every step you can hear the famous melody from the godfather, and the most popular with tourists with goods are T-shirts and other items of the wardrobe with images of Donov Carleone performed by Al Pacino, de Niro and Brando, as well as Sicily symbol - Trisilion.
Perpendicular to the streets up and down the winding alleys, on which you can buy art objects and fruits
And also to eat
Before meals, it is very useful to carefully examine the menu: some cafes include tips (which can be from 5 to 10 euros) in the account, and the cup of coffee can do instead of the stated 2.5 euros in the top ten.
Taormina is considered an elite resort. It hosts a well-known Taormal film festival, in terms of comparable to Berlin and Venetian. We were in the city just in the days of closure. Tickets (their price ranged from 50 to 500 euros) were all bought. Randomly passing along the street, on which the festival headquarters was located, we saw Gira's headquarters left from Limousine (he was a jury member). Having touched the people with his hand and sent to the pair of aerial kisses, he disappeared behind the doors of the foyer, fenced from the encroachment with powerful spins of Security.
Above Taormina is located a small town called Castelmol. He is considered the city of artists. For all the streets for sale, their creatives are exhibited:
There is also a chic observation deck overlooking the bay
Another attraction of the resort is Isola Bell Isola. Before it can be reached by VJD. He is a reserve, but has a rocky beach, which, as a rule, will be sunbathe representatives of sexual minorities.
From the proposed excursions, we chose a trip to Etna. In the course of the movement, we stayed in two or three small towns with the possibility of visiting viewing sites and churches. The hike consists of three stages: At first, the bus brings you to the observation platform at a height of about 2,000 meters, where two fresh crater are located, not yet crumpled greens, but already covered with a layer of garbage
There are also shops of souvenirs and restaurants where you can eat before lifting.
Before the top of you in one plot, the cable car will bring down, and the rest of the path you will proceed on the jeep buses.
Due to the acquaintance with the jellyfish from further lifting, I refused, limiting the lunch and contemplation of Sicily from a two-kilometer height, so I do not post a photo.
The guide was also offered a bus tours to Palermo and a small sea tour of the Adriatic, but we refused them.
In general, rest remained quite satisfied. I put a strong four with a plus.