Ancient theatre of Taormina, Sicily, Italy

© Antonino Bartuccio/eStock Phot

Ancient theatre of Taormina

This is the Ancient theatre of Taormina, built in the Hellenistic style of the Greeks in the third century BCE. The venue was later expanded by the Romans and is one of the main sights in the town of Taormina on the island of Sicily, Italy. And if you look in the upper-right corner of the photo, that's Mount Etna giving a performance of its own, spewing a little ash and smoke.

The theatre is still in use, hosting operas, theatrical productions and concerts. The beauty of this town, built into a steep hill overlooking the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, is said to have inspired writers and thinkers both ancient and modern, from Plato to D.H. Lawrence and Truman Capote.