Isola Bella

Sunset at Isola Bella.

Isola Bella in late afternoon from the South... the vibrant blue of the water is incredible.

On Tuesday, Christie and I made our way north up the coast of Sicily, forgetting about maps and GPS --  letting adventure be our guide.  After winding through an hour of citrus groves, palm tree farms, and small villages, we eventually found ourselves back at the base of our favorite beach town, Taormina.

While the city itself is located high on a hill overlooking the Ionian Sea, the coastline is equally beautiful and home to our latest discovery -- Isola Bella.

Yes, one day Christie will own all of this.

Literally translated "Beautiful Island," it is a nature preserve home to thousands of birds, lizards, and mediterranean flora.  The small bay surrounding the island is a bright blue in color, and in the summer comes alive with thousands of beach-goers and tourists.  Although the beach is rocky, chairs & umbrellas fill the shore and will be a great place to relax in a month or two. 

The history of this little island is interesting as well -- it was given to the town of Taormina as a gift by King Ferdinand I in 1806, however was bought from the town by a woman, Ms. Trevelyan, who built a small house on top of the island and imported thousands of exotic plants, which populate the island today.  Subsequent owners kept up the island, until going bankrupt, at which point the island was auctioned off in 1990.  I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THAT AUCTION.  (I also wish I had the millions of dollars to buy it.)  Luckily, the island was purchased back by the town, and made it the nature preserve it is today. 

Me posing in front of the island I did not buy in an auction in 1990.

So the next time you go on "Google Maps" - make sure to get an aerial view of Isola Bella off the coast of Taormina... and I'll be the little tan dot on the coast.

~ J. Twice