Taormina, Sicily
San Domenico Palace, Taormina
A Four Seasons Hotel
What it is
A 14th-century convent remade into an ultra-luxe modern hotel—complete with three exquisite restaurants, an indulgent spa and an infinity pool perched on a cliff.
What it isn't
Boring. Curated experiences include stargazing safaris on Mount Etna (guided by an astrophysicist, and paired with wine) and foraging for herbs and wild vegetables with Chef Massimo Mantarro.
What we think
The Dominican nuns who once lived comparatively simple lives here would be gobsmacked by its transcendent beauty today—and its exquisite luxuries. Among their former frescoed paintings and choir stalls, guests can indulge in a pop-up botanic spa, al fresco infinity pool, and room service waiting to bring your late night cravings to your door whenever the mood strikes. Guest room categories begin with the aptly named 301-square-foot Superior Rooms—complete with marble-lined bathrooms, paneled walls, elegant furnishings and antiqued mirrors—and go all the way to suites you’ll have to see to believe, because the photos don’t do them justice. One of our favorites: the Junior Suite with Plunge Pool, Sea-View, which is 517-square-feet of absolute bliss, with a sitting area and pool terrace overlooking the Ionian sea.
You're here because
You love topnotch service, and here guests are treated to comped shoeshines, twice-daily housekeeping (including turndown) and a multilingual concierge team that’s available 24 hours a day.
The Moment
Your dinner at Principe Cerami is the sort you’ll be fantasizing about for years (years!). Maybe it’s the guinea fowl with cappelletti pasta, or the calamari pizza. Or maybe it’s the mist wafting in from the sea, restoring you with every breath.
Restaurants & Bars
Principe Cerami - Sicilian cuisine showcasing local ingredients and traditions by award-winning chef Massimo Mantarro
Rosso - all-day restaurant offering Sicilian specialties and classic international dishes
Anciovi - pool terrace restaurant offering light dishes highlighting Mediterranean seafood, including a raw bar, Sicilian sushi and sharing plates
Bar & Chiostro - indoor-outdoor bar and lounge offering cocktails, coffee and light cuisine
Location
An ancient cliffside perch just a few blocks from Villa Comunale di Taormina, a bougainvillea-shrouded garden created in the 1880’s by an expat Scottish noblewoman after her affair with Edward VII.