It’s not hard to understand why this Ionian gem has seduced the great and the good for hundreds of years, D.H. Lawrence, King Edward VII, Greta Garbo and Stefano Gabbana among them. Vast ceilings, idyllic cloisters and terrace after terrace overlooking Mount Etna and glimmering Mediterranean waves: these are the tropes of Sicilian charisma that run right through this 14th-century monastery and convent.
Four restaurants propose Sicilian fare at its finest, one holding two Michelin stars and haute cuisine tasting menus that put a dynamic contemporary spin on traditional dishes. The town of Taormina below is steeped in ancient wonders – Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Saracen – that can be leisurely explored on foot. Arriving on the island is easy. The matter of dragging yourself away? Less so.
