In response to the question I posed in my previous article, (What makes Taormina unlike anywhere else in the Mediterranean?), I’d like to briefly expand on possibly the most famous site that draws tourists to this gem of a city.
The Greek Theater, or more commonly and correctly called Il Teatro Greco, is the first site I visited when I arrived in Taormina. I’m still debating whether the theater attracts so much attention because of its rich history or simply because of the views it affords.
3rd Century BC, Il Teatro Greco has hosted everyone from Sophocles to Audrey Hepburn to Elton John. While I’d much prefer to see a rock concert than a gladiator fight (one of the theater’s original uses), one can only imagine the spectacular events that have taken place in this hollowed out hill.
The art community of Taormina prepared the theater for the famous Taormina Film Festival that took place June 15-22. Sarah Scholl is a recent graduate of the University of Colorado in Boulder and the daughter of City Commissioner Bud Scholl.
Sarah, who is fluent in Italian, is participating in an educational/work program in Taormina for the summer. She generously agreed to provide our Community Newspaper with a series of informative articles about our beautiful Sister City.
