One rainy morning had provided a great opportunity for my hotel owners to improve themselves a bit. After my interview with the Sciglio family, I took a leisurely stroll through Taormina and returned to the Babilonia language school to use the internet and prepare for a 4pm excursion. Along the way, I met the owner and director of the School, Alessandro Adorno, and had the opportunity to get a little closer to him.

Alessandro is originally from Catania and attended a high school specializing in business and foreign languages. He realized that he liked languages, but he didn’t want to study literature, so he went to Florence to study interpreting studies in English and French. During his last year of university, he worked at an Italian school called ABC School in Florence: Tuscany is a very popular destination for language study tours.

After university, he was faced with a very critical turning point as to whether he would stay in Florence or return to Sicily. The event that changed her future was a vacation to Sicily that she spent with the director of this language school who told her “Why don’t you start a school right here in Taormina?”

After some back and forth, Alessandro decided to give language teaching in Taormina a try and found a place at a local guest house called Pensione Svizzera. Lessons were held in the terrace garden and language students also had their accommodation there. On a return trip to Florence, Alessandro printed 60,000 stickers that he placed in the ABC School brochure to promote his new school in Taormina. During the first year of 1992 he had 12 to 18 students throughout the summer. Today there are at least 12 new students who start a course every Monday.

Despite the initial challenges, Alessandro decided that he wanted to continue, but he was stubborn and eventually found a new location for his school: the current location of Babilonia on Via del Ginnasio. Like any new entrepreneur, he was initially a jack of all trades: he handled teaching, answered the phone, was secretary, and was responsible for marketing, public relations, and housekeeping.

As a result of the distribution of his pamphlets to various foreign consulates and Italian departments at different universities, he was able to attract a larger clientele. All the extra income went to advertising and Alessandro attributes his success to a secret: he doesn’t try to get rich right away, just be happy with his work.

Today, Babylonian language students come from all over the world and various European travel agencies sell language study tours to their school in Taormina, while American students are mainly approached through academic organizations.

Promoting Taormina as a language study destination was a bit difficult at first, as there was a widespread perception that Sicily was closely associated with crime and the mafia. Contrary to widespread notions, students who have completed their program can attest that Taormina and Sicily in general are very safe travel areas. I certainly really wanted to learn Italian in this beautiful city.

4pm arrived and my scheduled excursion was about to start: Peppe Celano is the coordinator of social activities at Babilonia and had planned a hike to the mountaintop village of Castelmola. Nine language students from countries like Sweden, Germany, Austria, England, Norway, and Canada waited in front of the school until Peppe, an athletic Italian teacher and former sprinter, began leading us on our walk. We started with the tiny and narrow streets of Taormina that continued up the mountain. We pass by many restaurants, souvenir shops and other local businesses until we reach the highest part of the town.

From there we continue along the Via dei Cruci, a steep path that takes you through different Stations of the Cross to a small church called Madonna Della Rocca, whose interior is carved into the rock, from where we had an absolutely beautiful view of Taormina and the coastal area in front of it. The next highest mountain is home to the ruins of an ancient Saracen castle that proudly dominates the area from its promontory. Unfortunately the weather was a bit cloudy but I can only imagine what this sight must be like on a beautiful clear sunny day; the view of Taormina from up here was really impressive.

After a short rest, we continue our hike to the next highest mountain top, which would be Castelmola. Peppe went on to explain the local plant life to us, and in the spring there were certainly lots of beautiful flowers and shrubs in bloom. About 40 minutes later we arrive at the ancient village of Castelmola, on top of a hill. This town was originally called “Mola” which means “millstone”. It was not until 1862 when the name was changed to its current version. This town has a long history: after its foundation in the 8th century BC. C. was destroyed by Dionisio I of Syracuse in 392 a. C. After its reconstruction in 350 a. C. was later conquered by the Romans, around 900 d. The Normans. Virtually all the civilizations that passed through Sicily left their mark on this small mountain town.

As the castle was closed we took a walk through the town. We went directly to the main square where the Church of San Giorgio, built in the 17th century, is located. Next to this church in Piazza Duomo there is a famous bar, called Bar Turrisi. When we asked what this bar is so famous for, Peppe took us inside, and the exhibits and memorabilia on display throughout the three levels of this establishment are truly one of a kind. Most notable of all is a wooden sculpture of a man with a very prominent, how shall we say, male member. Similar themes populate the establishment from top to bottom.

After the novelty value of Bar Turrisi, we visited a smaller church and started making our way through the narrow alleyways towards a path that opened up another beautiful view over the coastal area. I approached Peppe to understand the area a little better. Upon my inquiry, he gave me a brief overview of the local history and the origin of the famous mafia.

He explained that at the end of Spanish rule, the Italian aristocracy owned important agricultural estates called “latifundios” throughout Sicily. The managers of these haciendas later became the mafia, particularly given the lack of organization and organized state power. Political and economic circumstances have always shaped the face of the mafia.

Even today, Sicily is facing an unemployment rate of around 18%, which gives rise to some criminal activity. Taormina itself is a rather unique economic environment as its 10,000 local residents are dwarfed by some 80,000 tourists in the peak summer months. A simple apartment of 50 square meters (600 square feet) will cost at least between 500 and 600 euros. So the popularity of Taormina among tourists has created a special economic environment.

I was also interested to know if a town as pretty as this one has become a magnet for foreign residents as so many coastal areas in the south of Spain and France have. Peppe indicated that this phenomenon has not affected Sicily or even most of Italy so far, most foreign property investors have focused on buying property in Tuscany.

After about 40 minutes of climbing back into town, we had reached Taormina again and were ready for dinner. Babilonia regularly hosts culinary experiences for its students, and tonight we would meet at a local bar called the “Bistro”, run by a team of brothers. Once again, a whole rainbow of language students gathered, mostly from central and northern Europe, and we were greeted with a smorgasbord of Sicilian flavors with a variety of local cheeses, salami, and tomatoes. For dessert we enjoyed a ricotta-based sweet, sprinkled with chocolate and nuts. The wine was flowing and great conversations were being had. A delicious ending to an action packed day.

The excitement will continue as tomorrow we will go on an excursion to the ancient city of Syracuse.