Casa Cuseni, Taormina

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Ever since I took my first step onto Sicilian soil I have been obsessed with the place.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">It is magnificent, mysterious and beautiful. Overwhelmingly beautiful.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">But with a secret darkness to it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I just can't get enough.</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6XXSKpuWxbXiUrqLZcD2SlwQq0-d-yQ9Qxw2qMurhJEGjDLx-3X8-kirsNRN6fCsvtCBkahzN_35VD-OWIl1QYmAwDJxNs1j7tDW8CjYeryxPPuaRGK4wwIkJLo0dCCHhev0aJkQfyc/s1600/cuseni+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6XXSKpuWxbXiUrqLZcD2SlwQq0-d-yQ9Qxw2qMurhJEGjDLx-3X8-kirsNRN6fCsvtCBkahzN_35VD-OWIl1QYmAwDJxNs1j7tDW8CjYeryxPPuaRGK4wwIkJLo0dCCHhev0aJkQfyc/s1600/cuseni+5.jpg" width="214" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">As such, I read books about Sicily, books set in Sicily, fiction, non fiction - anything I can get my hands on.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">One of the absolute treasures I found was a book called "<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786707941/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0786707941&linkCode=as2&tag=corswo-20&linkId=NYFIC4Z57FAHZTQR%22%3EA%20House%20in%20Sicily%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=corswo-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0786707941%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank"><i>A House In Sicily</i></a>" by Daphne Phelps.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">This is an autobiography that takes place in lovely Taormina, overlooking the Ionian Sea. A picturesque little town that holds a piece of my heart, or that maybe I'm holding in my heart. Not sure which.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Daphne lived in dreary old England, damp and grey, then inherited a magnificent home built by her uncle in sun drenched Taormina.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">She moves to Sicily, and this is her story of life at <a href="http://www.casacuseni.com/en/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Casa Cuseni. </span></a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxkSuTDYMaQ-oEFky25TVjzmCoD3W70gWcSa1cMNPp-589F4h_C3zmtsUpe1Qp1qsmt0E0eQkKkFj_paM25aQ4-gcRxENCg_yu3ASo-cIlTvgrBu51Q3qQmH1cVNYbb5-hOBWTvxHhRA/s1600/cuseni+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxkSuTDYMaQ-oEFky25TVjzmCoD3W70gWcSa1cMNPp-589F4h_C3zmtsUpe1Qp1qsmt0E0eQkKkFj_paM25aQ4-gcRxENCg_yu3ASo-cIlTvgrBu51Q3qQmH1cVNYbb5-hOBWTvxHhRA/s1600/cuseni+1.jpg" title="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view from the terrace of Casa Cuseni at night</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Writers and artists drop by and stay for weeks and months.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">She tackles the trials and tribulations of life in this little mountain town, at the same time basking in the glory of living in a place more beautiful than words can describe.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JQfGut4uNQwpa4ybgXauOxAEGFucdUV-mccKhLBONP4QurV1n7fOGU72Q3T0rYX7QUzAhwGtDDf4mtTHLDSoT6b7Xhqh93oXEE5Y6UNuTiQkH9my1AbckJQyg8MORU7cWaqHMIlxLYk/s1600/cuseni+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JQfGut4uNQwpa4ybgXauOxAEGFucdUV-mccKhLBONP4QurV1n7fOGU72Q3T0rYX7QUzAhwGtDDf4mtTHLDSoT6b7Xhqh93oXEE5Y6UNuTiQkH9my1AbckJQyg8MORU7cWaqHMIlxLYk/s1600/cuseni+2.jpg" title="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Casa Cuseni,Taormina Sicily</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Great reading for lovers of <i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767900383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0767900383&linkCode=as2&tag=corswo-20&linkId=IFA5C7TRM4B2COJX%22%3EUnder%20the%20Tuscan%20Sun:%20At%20Home%20in%20Italy%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=corswo-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0767900383%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Under The Tuscan Sun</a></i> and </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679731148/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0679731148&linkCode=as2&tag=corswo-20&linkId=GTQSPE73MV7MOSMG%22%3EA%20Year%20in%20Provence%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=corswo-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0679731148%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">A Year In Provence</a></i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Her home, Casa Cuseni, remains the star of the story, it's beauty the perpetual subtext.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyqqtELalrekoWsE1_vpdmIg3LLSEjKnPQA8vYYQT8a400Fk6NWeusEnM4GR9AVU708Lp4iV9tMQkmCos6M_fiXNej4R_mybg6W1A9LGZ5RgShkerFtwObJbf1kK6TpNyHdDJMTg4OCc/s1600/cuseni+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina" border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyqqtELalrekoWsE1_vpdmIg3LLSEjKnPQA8vYYQT8a400Fk6NWeusEnM4GR9AVU708Lp4iV9tMQkmCos6M_fiXNej4R_mybg6W1A9LGZ5RgShkerFtwObJbf1kK6TpNyHdDJMTg4OCc/s1600/cuseni+4.jpg" title="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Casa Cuseni, Taormina Sicily</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Returning to Taormina this year I was determined to find </span><br /><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://www.casacuseni.com/en/" target="_blank">Casa Cuseni</a>. </i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Which was actually really easy.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Daphne died in 2005 and willed the house to her nieces who preferred the rain in Britain to the sun in Sicily, and opted to sell it instead of relocating.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I would give almost anything to move there and own that home! I still cannot believe they let it go.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">The new owners have made it into a bed and breakfast, and were more than happy to let me come visit, and look around.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCEfdlD9cH_QOe0y4LyWM1JoGm8j9kc5KXPd2-nTTDQuZkGZWl8gPVRNYhso7sOoOkMdOiHw3QR3HwTM_h8Uzsuf1BDQZKcY_pkJrxVrHus-YSGw432ubFImBOT0Aj-JMJQJI90Hzqc0/s1600/IMG_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina-Corinna-B's-World" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCEfdlD9cH_QOe0y4LyWM1JoGm8j9kc5KXPd2-nTTDQuZkGZWl8gPVRNYhso7sOoOkMdOiHw3QR3HwTM_h8Uzsuf1BDQZKcY_pkJrxVrHus-YSGw432ubFImBOT0Aj-JMJQJI90Hzqc0/s1600/IMG_0327.JPG" title="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina-Corinna-B's-World" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the blue door at Casa Cuseni</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">Casa Cuseni is truly magnificent.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Much of it has been kept as it was in the book.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Daphne's treasures are still there, along with her passports and personal papers.</span></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVWeYcRm5cgoB0TfCmZK-kKemSoGr07G3qNEfD7haS_p4IW26fST0sU5yWdk2nTmswlfjagE7a95QiRGxcct95O75I1CkiTxfOhseAYPKV_pApz1rwUuOMcn_h4NAI51KEKDlUULPGJY/s1600/IMG_0333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina-Corinna-B's-World" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVWeYcRm5cgoB0TfCmZK-kKemSoGr07G3qNEfD7haS_p4IW26fST0sU5yWdk2nTmswlfjagE7a95QiRGxcct95O75I1CkiTxfOhseAYPKV_pApz1rwUuOMcn_h4NAI51KEKDlUULPGJY/s1600/IMG_0333.JPG" title="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina-Corinna-B's-World" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salvatore at Casa Cuseni</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">My host for the day, <i>Salvatore Spadro</i>, showed me many of the belongings she talks about in her book. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">We strolled through the art filled rooms and the gardens, Salvatore filling me in on the history behind every room, every piece of art, every corner of the beautiful gardens.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">We sat on the terrace taking in the view, while he told me more stories.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjUj8YhVC1x5-RShWOBEK4Yeoe52YvuL_EQ3MoN2ZNKHfA8yWOKKFfxCxpgLnBzKesQKyNFDDLSqW9jBR5M1GUtNxKkzRlLwtAqB-9_LjNMo-pQ54IEMiFMTiSyx7-aZT7pnO0j8LLKc/s1600/IMG_0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina-Corinna-B's-World" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgjUj8YhVC1x5-RShWOBEK4Yeoe52YvuL_EQ3MoN2ZNKHfA8yWOKKFfxCxpgLnBzKesQKyNFDDLSqW9jBR5M1GUtNxKkzRlLwtAqB-9_LjNMo-pQ54IEMiFMTiSyx7-aZT7pnO0j8LLKc/s1600/IMG_0331.JPG" title="Casa-Cuseni-Taormina-Corinna-B's-World" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for a glass of wine on the terrace at Casa Cuseni</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">It was just magical.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">When we were about to leave he asked if I would like to see the Picassos.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Picasso had stayed at Casa Cuseni, and left the works he painted while he was there.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">I still can't quite believe I was able to spend quality time with Picassos that don't live in any museum, that aren't featured in any coffee table books. That pretty much no one else sees.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">If you are planning to <b>travel Sicily</b>, look into staying at Casa Cuseni in Taormina for a few days.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">There are only 6 bedrooms, so they do book out a long time in advance, but you can email them directly ( casacuseni@gmail.com) and see what openings they do have. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Check out the Casa Cuseni website <a href="http://www.casacuseni.com/en/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: blue;">here</span></i></a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">If you enjoy reading books about people relocating to glorious homes in Italy and building a life there (my favorite subject!), pick up a copy of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786707941/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0786707941&linkCode=as2&tag=corswo-20&linkId=NYFIC4Z57FAHZTQR%22%3EA%20House%20in%20Sicily%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=corswo-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0786707941%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">A House In Italy</a> by Daphne Phelps<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786707941/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0786707941&linkCode=as2&tag=corswo-20&linkId=NYFIC4Z57FAHZTQR%22%3EA%20House%20in%20Sicily%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=corswo-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0786707941%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank"> here.</a></span><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=corswo-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0786707941&asins=0786707941&linkId=2DDZI2PGAHNFIFC2&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></p><p></iframe><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=corswo-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0767900383&asins=0767900383&linkId=OFBYOEHWHFWJWEEY&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></p><p></iframe><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=corswo-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0679731148&asins=0679731148&linkId=CQB2JGHQFYS4AYU7&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></p><p></iframe></div></div>

Casa Cuseni, Taormina

Ever since I took my first step onto Sicilian soil I have been obsessed with the place. It is magnificent, mysterious and beautiful. Overwhe...

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