Named the "Pearl of the Mediterranean" by the German baron Wilhelm von Gloeden, who first popularized its artistic value globally, Isola Bella (Ìsula Bedda in Sicilian) is a tidal island in the Ionian Sea. Its modern history began in 1806 when King Ferdinand I of Bourbon gifted the land to Pancrazio Ciprioti, the mayor of Taormina. In recognition of its significance, the island and the town of Taormina were jointly inscribed on the UNESCO Tentative List for World Heritage status in 2006.
What to see
The landscape is defined by its tidal nature; an alternating narrow path connects the small, rocky beach to the mainland coast, periodically turning the island into a peninsula. The shoreline, popular with sunbathers, is surrounded by sea grottos. The island's distinctive botanical and architectural profile stems from two major private ownerships. In 1890, Florence Trevelyan purchased the site from the town, building a small sea-facing house and importing rare exotic plants and shrubs that thrived in the Mediterranean climate. Following her ownership and a period under lawyer Cesare Acrosso (nephew of Trevelyan's husband, Salvatore Cacciola), brothers Leone and Emilio Bosurgi bought the land in 1954 for 38,000 lire. Owners of the historic Messina citrus processing company Sanderson, they built a complex of twelve autonomous residences, cleverly camouflaging a tiny swimming pool among the rocks and exotic plantations to host fellow bankers and entrepreneurs. Today, the island also provides habitat for several bird species and a few types of lizards.
Visiting
The 1982 bankruptcy of the Sanderson company led to the judicial auction of the Bosurgi family assets. After a deserted first auction on October 17, 1984—starting at 5.5 billion lire with a minimum raise of 100 million—and a second failed attempt in 1985 despite a 20% price drop, the Assessorato dei beni culturali of the Sicilian Region purchased the site in 1990. Conservation efforts had begun prior to the sale: on October 8, 1984, the region declared it a "natural monument" of historical and artistic value. Established as a nature reserve in 1998, it was successively managed by the WWF, the Province of Messina, and the CUTGANA environmental center of the University of Catania. Since the establishment of the Archaeological Parks in 2010, the Parco Archeologico di Naxos oversees the island's protection and visitor access.
Our editors' tip
Keep an eye on the shifting tides that conceal and reveal the narrow path to the mainland, and look closely among the exotic flora to spot the remains of the camouflaged 1950s swimming pool built by the Bosurgi brothers.