Bars in Taormina

Bam Bar

Address- Via di Giovanni, 45

Phone- +39 0942 24355

Website- https://www.facebook.com/BamBar-Taormina-291496720867523/

Hours- 7 AM- 8.15 PM, every day except closed on Monday

A delicious combo of peach and lemon granita at Bam Bar

I mentioned my mom’s wonderful local tour guide Dario in the Introduction to the region post. He became a friend after I dropped in on my mom’s traveling group in Palermo. I got back in touch with him a few years later when I was returning to Taormina, looking for recommendations. He was most enthusiastic about Bam Bar. Your mood will be brightened upon stepping inside with the predominance of yellow in the ceramic designs on the wall and tables. You will want to treat yourself to one thing here, a granita, a refreshing Sicilian treat, the original (and less artificial) slushie. Your granita will be served with a freshly baked brioche. Some of the flavors are seasonal and these are listed on the menu; gelsi (mulberry) and fichi bianchi (white fig) are available in August, for example. The classic flavors are lemon, coffee, almond, peach and strawberry. Some combinations are allowed as well, if you are feeling indecisive.

Bar Turrisi

Address- 98030 Castelmola

Phone- +39 0942 28181

Website- https://www.facebook.com/Turrisibar/

Hours- Every day from 10 AM-6 PM

First, Bar Turrisi is technically not in city of Taormina, but above it. It is hard to believe that there is town at an even higher elevation than Taormina, but that town is Castelmola. We jumped in a cab for convenience, but you can take a scenic hike up or down. The town itself is charming and the views down over Taormina and the sea that extends and blends in with the horizon are unparalleled.

The bar, however, has a unique story to tell, and although I am sure Sigmund Freud would tell a more prolific version, I will attempt to ‘pique your interests’ while leaving something to the imagination. Bar Turrisi is a sensory experience, and surprise is a part of the fun. This bar is perhaps not for children, and it could even be awkward for adult children to attend with parents; it depends on how comfortable you are with sexual anatomy. You see, the bar is phallus-themed, and the male member is ubiquitous on the four floors and balconies of the bizarre or shall I say ‘bazaar’ bar. According to the Rough Guide website, the bar was open in 1947, and the current owner is the grandson of the original owner. In fact, the owner described the bar at inception as “more of a post-war bazaar, a souvenir shop-cum-cafe, where customers were served almond wine.” The priapic ornamentation is also an homage to the liberal artists who flocked to this area from the 19th century onwards. Massimo, the owner, further explains as quoted in the Rough Guides article: “The lax liberal ways of bohemian artists and openness to sexual trends were a manner of life here, and my grandfather wanted to show this through the bar's decor.” The sweet almond wine is worth a taste, and then there is the view. With so much sensory activation directed at the interior space, dare I say, it is a bit ‘hard’ to concentrate. As long as you are with the right group, this bar is an experience not to be missed; go above and beyond Taormina, literally; you will not regret it.

Licchio’s Bar

Address- Largo Santa Caterina, 7

Phone- +39 0942 625607

Website- https://www.facebook.com/licchiossbar/

Hours- 7 AM to 12 AM every day

This bar will seem very basic after the previous entry, and sometimes that is what we need! Licchio’s Bar is an unpretentious, authentic Italian bar in the center of Taormina, just off Corso Umberto I and in front of the Palazzo Corvaja. I happened to have breakfast there on the two different occasions that I visited Taormina. If you are looking for a reliable spot for an Italian breakfast, look no further. The cappuccino is prepared well, the usual suspects of cornetti variety are available (I got my integrale con miele, that is, wholewheat with honey) and you will want to finish with a spremuta di Arancia (fresh squeezed orange juice; it will be blood orange if in season). We stopped here for breakfast when I visited with my family in 2014, and then my Airbnb host gave me a breakfast voucher to eat here when I stayed in 2017. I like these little coincidences/ continuities, so I recommend the place to you if you are looking for the comfort, efficiency and reasonable prices of a typical Italian bar.

Restaurants in Taormina