Forever in the shadow of Mount Etna, Taormina has attracted tourists since the German photographer Wilhelm Von Gloeden scandalized society in the late 19th century with his classically themed pictures of local youths, now the subject of souvenir postcards. Celebrity visitors following in his wake included Truman Capote, Joan Crawford and Elizabeth Taylor. A steep cable car from the picturesque, cliff-top village leads to Taormina Mare, where luxury hotels compete for space along the rocky enclaves and shingle beaches.
