Excelsior Palace Hotel - Taormina, Sicily - Historic Façade Above Mediterranean Gardens

The historic Excelsior Palace Hotel rising above palm trees and terraced Mediterranean gardens overlooking the coast at Taormina, Sicily.

This photograph shows the historic Excelsior Palace Hotel in Taormina, Sicily, stretching along the edge of its elevated promontory above the Ionian coast. Tall palm trees frame the hotel's pale façade, while neatly clipped hedges, flowering plants, stone terraces and decorative pathways fill the foreground, emphasizing the lush Mediterranean character of its gardens. The Excelsior Palace Hotel has welcomed visitors to Taormina since 1904 and stands only a short distance from Porta Catania and the town's historic centre. Its prominent position provides extensive views across Taormina, the Ionian Sea, the Bay of Naxos and towards Mount Etna. The hotel is surrounded by a large Mediterranean park, an important feature of the property since its early history. Its gardens contain a rich variety of vegetation, including several notable mature trees. More than a century after opening, the hotel's distinctive architecture and elevated setting remain characteristic features of Taormina's historic development as an internationally renowned Sicilian travel destination.