Bar Turrisi, Castelmola

Bar Turrisi is an extraordinary, much-photographed bar in the tiny hilltop village of Castelmola, perched above Taormina on Sicily's eastern coast. The bar is famous for two things: its almond wine, vino alla mandorla, a sweet local speciality served chilled in small glasses, and its eccentric, unmistakable décor, which spreads phallic imagery and symbols across several floors as a tongue-in-cheek nod to ancient fertility traditions. The crowd is overwhelmingly day-trippers and curious travellers who climb or drive up from Taormina, with families, couples and tour groups passing through in steady numbers; there is no dress code and the mood is light and amused rather than late-night. Music is incidental background only — the draw is the spectacle and the view. Across its multiple terraced levels the bar opens onto one of the finest panoramas in Sicily, looking down over Taormina, the coastline and Mount Etna beyond, best in clear afternoon light. The drinks programme is built around the almond wine, alongside coffee, Sicilian wines, beer and simple cocktails, with a glass of vino alla mandorla running a few euros; light snacks are also served. Opening hours follow the daytime and early-evening rhythm of a village that empties after dark, so this is a place for an afternoon or sunset drink rather than a night out, and it does not run late. There is no cover charge, no reservations needed and no bottle service. Castelmola itself is a short, steep trip above Taormina by bus, taxi or a walk, and Bar Turrisi is the village's defining stop — equal parts viewpoint, curiosity and tasting room, and one of the most memorable drink spots in eastern Sicily.