Historic Centre - Taormina, Sicily - Palm-Lined Uphill Street

A quiet uphill street in Taormina's historic centre, framed by traditional buildings, potted plants and a tall Mediterranean palm.

This photograph captures a quiet uphill street in Taormina, Sicily, where traditional buildings, balconies and shopfronts line the narrow roadway beneath the bright Mediterranean sun. A tall palm tree dominates the centre of the view, while large terracotta pots filled with shrubs and flowering plants soften the stone and rendered façades along the right-hand side. The gently rising street provides an intimate impression of the smaller lanes found around Taormina's historic centre. Perched high above Sicily's Ionian coast, Taormina developed across naturally steep terrain, resulting in a network of sloping streets, stairways and narrow passages connecting its different levels. Corso Umberto forms the principal route through the old town, lined with historic buildings, boutiques, cafés and artisan shops, while quieter side streets reveal another aspect of everyday Taormina. Mediterranean planting, balconies and traditional architecture combine with the town's dramatic hillside setting to create the distinctive streetscape that has made Taormina one of Sicily's best-known historic destinations.