Taormina is a small town on the island of Sicily in Italy,in the Province of Messina. In ancient times was a Greek colony (Greek Ταυρομένιον Tauromenion), dating from about 400 BC, which submitted to Roman authority in 212 BC during the Second Punic War. Taormina has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th century. It has beautiful beaches (accessible via an aerial tramway) on the Ionian sea, which is remarkably warm and has a high salt content.

Just south of Taormina is the Isola Bella, a stunning nature reserve. Tours of the Capo Sant' Andrea grottos are also available. Taormina is built on an extremely hilly coast, and is approximately a forty-five minute drive away from Europe's largest active volcano, Mount Etna.

The remains of the teatro greco, the "Greek theatre", are not actually Greek, as the theatre was rebuilt by the Romans in the 2nd century BC on the site of the original theatre. With a diameter of 109 metres (after an expansion in the 2nd century), this theatre is the second largest of its kind in Sicily; it is frequently used for operatic and theatrical performances and for concerts.

During the early 20th century the town became a colony of expatriate artists, writers, and intellectuals. The David di Donatello Taormina Film Festival has been held for over fifty years, with international film stars viewing films on a screen erected in the Greek theatre.(from Wikipedia Lexikon)