The Corso Umberto

You only need to wander along the historical Corso Umberto with its busy tourist vibe and its shops filled with Sicilian products and you will be compelled to make at least one purchase. The more attentive visitor will note that it is not only what is on sale that creates the frenzied buying atmosphere, but also the artful way it is displayed. The passerby is assailed by a triumph of colour, smells, shapes and tastes.

Ceramics, Clothing and Lava Stone Pottery

Many of the souvenir shops sell handmade local products, and unique to this area are objects made of Etna lava stone. The black volcanic rock is available in every shape and form, from ashtrays to earrings, or pots designed in the shape of volcanoes. You can also find displays of the local 'testa di moro' plates, statuettes and vases as well as Caltagirone pottery, and artefacts made out of Sicilian iron, along with many antique shops where you can browse for a souvenir of your visit. For those who enjoy shopping for clothes, the ceramics, antiques and souvenir shops are interspersed with boutiques selling top brands like D&G, Armani, Fornarina, Prada, Paciotti and Gucci. There is also sports and sailing clothing with branches of Murphy & Nye and Marine Yachting on the main street.

Coral Jewellery

Another speciality product of Taormina is coral jewellery. The vibrant colours of the scarlet red and soft pink coral necklaces, bracelets and pendants cannot fail to catch your eye as you walk around the centre.

Almond Wine and Ricotta Cakes

The cafes and pastry shops are where you can find ricotta and almond cakes, in particular Sicilian Cassata (a sponge cake filled with liqueur, ricotta and cream, covered with candied peel). When sampling the local cakes, try a little glass of local almond wine. Produced in nearby Castelmola, this is a dry white wine scented with citrus and almonds, an ideal way to enjoy a break during a shopping trip.

And finally...

If your budget is a little restricted, do not worry. Dotted along the sides of the piazzas and on the small sets of stairs off the main street, you can find market stalls selling cheaper ethnic products. In Piazza IX Aprile, most famous for its view, you could also have your portrait or caricature drawn against a backdrop of Mount Etna and the sea as a personal souvenir of your trip to Sicily.

(written by: Anna Li Volsi | translated by: Samantha Collins)