From the port of Messina, we took a day tour to Taormina. Taormina, nicknamed the “Pearl of the Ionian Sea” is a hilltop town with views of Mt. Etna. We made our way up to the main gate and window shopped to the Piazza IX Aprile. Peering over the outer wall of the Piazza, the ground plummets straight down to the sea which gave me few butterflies in my stomach. We listened to two performers singing and playing guitar and accordion for a while before ordering some Arancini at the Rosticceria Da Cristina. After lunch, we entered the Church of St. Catherine, lit another votive and said a few prayers. We then grabbed a gelato at the Cafe’ Gelateria Siciliana and wandered back down to the tour guide’s meeting point.