Isola Bella Taormina

Isola Bella is located between Capo Taormina and Capo S. Andrea. The name was given by the german photographer Wilhelm von Gloeden. In 1806 King Ferdinand I of Bourbon donated it to the town of Taormina and in 1890 the island was bought by Miss Florence Trevelyan, grandmother of Queen Victoria and wife of mayor of Taormina Salvatore Cacciola. The rich noblewoman valorized the island by building a picturesque little house and introducing some exotic plants. In 1954 Isola Bella was acquired by Bosurgi brothers, owners of "Sanderson", citrus transformation company, located in Messina. In 1984 the Sicilian Region declared Isola Bella "natural monument of great historical and artistic interest " subjecting it to protection restrictions. In 1990, the Sicilian Region acquired the island and in 1998 established an Oriented Nature Reserve, that since 2011, is managed by the Cutgana belonging to the University of Catania. Since 2005 the Reserve is included into the Nature 2000 network as site of Community Importance.