White Almond Sicily

The Alcantara Gorge (Gole Alcantara) is an absolute must when staying in Taormina and it’s surrounding areas. We can never resist a visit and it is always a fun dog walking adventure for Daisy which she loves.  The fluvial park of Alcantara covers a large region between the medieval town of Randazzo and Giardini Naxos. The name Alcantara derives from the Arabic word 'Al Qantarah' which means arched bridge. The formation of the riverbed of the Alcantara River dates back to about 300,000 years ago, however the current aspect of the river in the section of the gorge dates back to formations that occurred in the last 8000 years.  The gorge is a natural monument of basalt rock that was created by a volcanic eruption around 2400BC. The lava flow flooded the entire valley of the Alcantara River as far as Giardini Naxos. Whilst still white hot a crack opened in the lava taking on the appearance of a gorge and gave rise to deep irregular fractures which intersected, they formed ...

Taormina has always been renowned as a destination for visitors from the British Isles ever since the 18th Century with many leaving a legacy of history and romance. From the aristocracy on the Grand Tour to poets, writers, movie stars and pop idols. Many of these visitors decided to stay and make the town their home.  In the 1980's, aka my teenage years, pop stars were charmed by Taormina with one so much so that he built a hotel.  Scottish singer/songwriter Jim Kerr the lead singer of the band Simple Minds fell in love with Sicily when he visited on tour and later set up a hotel on the hillside above Taormina and the town became his second home just like us. He named the hotel Villa Angela.  Simple Minds are one of my all time favourite bands and I apologise profusely now to my neighbours in Giardini Naxos for playing their Greatest Hits CD repeatedly on my roof terrace. My heart always flutters as we walk past bars and cafès who are playing Simple Minds anthems at full...