ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems
Part A: Civil Engineering
Committee on Probability and Statistics in the Physical Sciences
Taormina is a municipality with about 10.800 inhabitants belonging to the Metropolitan City of Messina, on the east coast of Sicily island, Italy. It is located on a hill of Monte Tauro, 206 m above sea level, suspended between rocks and sea, in a sublime natural setting with Mount Etna volcano in the background. Taormina is an international top tourist destination, renowned all over the world for its unique natural beauty, mild climate and magic atmosphere. In addition to stunning views of the Mediterranean sea, visitors can admire historical monuments, traces of an extraordinary variety of ancient cultures like Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Saracens, Arabs, Normans and Spaniards: the Greek Theatre, the Roman “Naumachiae”, the 10th century Palazzo Corvaja, the 13th century Cathedral of Saint Nicolò, the 16th century Palace of the Dukes of Saint Stefano, the public gardens, the “Badia Vecchia” and many others.
The Excelsior Palace Hotel Taormina has been welcoming guests since 1904, just a few meters from the city center, situated on a picturesque promontory that offers a stunning view embracing Taormina, the Bay of Naxos and Mount Etna volcano. This historic hotel is an integral part of the cultural life of Taormina with access to the largest Mediterranean park in the city. “Etna”, the meeting room, is equipped with modern technology.
