Surviving February in Taormina, Sicily

The plan: Dodge the awful February vibe in England (not least the dreary weather) and embrace the sexy idea of working from ‘home’ in another, warmer country. Getting away from the log-burning stove, the sacks of coal, the splintery logs, and the all-round miserable feeling that the dark and dank second month of the year unfailingly engenders. Include the fact that this scheme also included the added benefit of working in the CET time zone rather than GMT — a big deal if you have to get up at 4 a.m. five days a week to write a press review for a major central European food company — and you’ll appreciate that this initiative had much in its favour.

The scene: An Airbnb apartment in Taormina, Sicily, for four weeks that were interspersed with visits from friends and family.

The routine: Up at 5 a.m. or so, upstairs to the rustic kitchen on the fourth floor where had I set up a makeshift office on the huge kitchen table — which was clearly the hub of family life here. When the sun made its way round the adjacent buildings and landed on our balcony from about 8, there were also treasured mornings when I could work outside. In February. Outside! I may on occasion have been wearing a sweater, but still … outside … in February. In England, I'd be sweating on April. Or May.

Later: I was generally done with work by noon, so it was either lunch at home or a wander into the beautiful town of Taormina. An hour or so in the afternoon was reserved for — not a siesta — in Sicily they say riposo, slipping into a slower pace of life remarkably easily.

Cocktail hour: Once we had found our café of choice — it can take a while to identify the ideal spot, after all — pre-dinner drinks were supped. A negroni, perhaps. Then maybe another one.

To the relief of the reader: I won’t bore you with dinner-related tales or (heaven forbid) photos.   

Conclusion: It was such a successful venture that we’re doing it again next year.

The photo: The view from the balcony:

Rainbow over Castello di Taormina on the summit of Monte Tauro