Itinerary Porta Messina-Baia Spisone

By Sicily Holidays in : Itineraries, Taormina // May 10 2010

From via Porta Pasquale we start a new route tracing the oldest part of the Roman Via Valeria to reach the coast leading to Messina. Passing the great cemetery gate, we walk down the road and glimpse the entrance to the Bove Marino route which takes us directly to the vast Spisone beach.

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Before starting this walk we are attracted by the great tableland of “Piano Porto”, a vast flat hill used during the second world war as a landing strip for small planes. This naturally level ground, before the war, was entirely covered with almond and olive trees which framed the view of Baia (bay) di Mazzarò, Baia delle Sirene and the large coast line that stretches as far as Capo Sant’Alessio. The Piano Porte appears to be an island that strikes the crystal sea with reflections of an indefinable blue. Looking north the Ziretto, Venere, Tauro and Mola mountains surround the panorama of Taormina in a spectacular sequence full of beauty and history.

Continuing along the old route we follow the signs for “vallone castagna – spiaggia di Spisone”accompanied on our walk by almond, oliastri and Indian fig trees with carubs, natural herbs and acanthus together in tranquility in a place left to thinking and contemplation of nature far from the noise of civilization.

Arriving at the road and taking the flight of steps that arrives at the baia di Spisone; we reach the beach. To the right the Baia delle Sirene also known as Baia di San Nicola , is well defined in a ravine where in ancient times Roman ships would take their refuge. To the left is the great coast line with its numerous lidos, such as Mazzeo, frasione di Taormina and Letojanni a beautiful tourist resort. We can also see the solitary castle of Capo Sant’Alessio, known in ancient times as Capo Arghènnon which is enriched with silver reflections radiated by the sea around it and the illumination of the sun with its precious rays. A multitude of hangliders fly in the sky launched from Venere mountain hovering like coloured butterflies ready to glide onto the beach on this magnificent stretch of coast.

Tags: azzurro, baia delle sirene, baia di san nicola, beach, costa, crystal, crystal sea, indian fig, landing strip, letojanni, lidi, lidos, Messina, olive trees, panorama, spiaggia, Spisone, Taormina