Taormina: Isola Bella, Alcantara, Castelmola, Italy

Considered to be the “pearl of the Ionian Sea”, for its wild and intact beauty, even with the passage of man, protected by the WWF and has recently been declared Nature Reserve, Isola Bella is a magic place, not to be missed which is found in the surroundings of Taormina.

This little island can be reached from the town via a long series of steps and pathways which, crossing the ‘Strada Statale’ main road, going down Monte Tauro from a height of 200 metres until sea level, at which point the island is joined to the mainland by a thin strip/panhandle of sand.

The best period in which to make an excursion is from the beginning of spring to the first days of the autumn season. There are many species of marine birds inhabiting this place: the Herring Gull, the Kingfisher, the Peregrine Falcon, the Cormorant, the Heron Regarding the luxuriant vegetation, Isola Bella has an evocative alternation of spontaneous Mediterranean scrub and bushes and rare exotic plants, imported by its original owner, the eccentric Miss Trevelyan.

The sea bottom around Isola Bella is also incredible from the naturalistic point of view: equipped with mask, snorkel and fins, even the less expert can take part in a spectacle which will remain imprinted in the memory. In this stretch of sea, a myriad of organisms, different species of algae, multi-coloured fish, crustaceans of various sizes and other living things have taken up residence.

How to get to Isola Bella of Taormina:

• In via Pirandello, you can take the municipal cable railway to Mazzarò. Upon arrival there, follow the right-hand side of the ‘Strada Statale’ main road: the entrance to the Reserve is to be found at about 200m.
• If you want to have a walk, cross Via Pirandello until the “Isola Bella” panoramic viewpoint: from this point, there is a series of steps and pathways which take you directly to the entrance to the Reserve.