G2Rail

Ruins of the Greek theatre with the town and Mount Etna in the background

Taormina (Sicilian: Taurmina) is a town in the province of Messina on the east coast of Sicily.

Taormina is a charming hillside town and is one of Sicily's most popular tourist resort. It can get very hot and busy during July and August, but the crowds melt away in the evenings. Early summer and autumn are ideal times to visit.

The TIC Servizio Turistico Regionale di Taormina, is on Largo Santa Caterina (near Palazzo Corvaja, +39 0942 23243. M-F 08:30-14:30 & 15:30-19:00; also May-Nov: Sa 09:00-13:00 & 16:00-18:30.

Since 2011, the town service provider ASM (which runs the local buses, cable-car and parking lots) has been bankrupt. But it's been kept on financial & legal life-support ever since (ciao, welcome to Italy!), and in 2018 these services remain open.

The main town of Taormina, which is what you've come to see, straggles along a hillside, 2 km up a hairpin road from the coast. The main access road is Via Luigi Pirandello (SP10), which leads to the bus station and Porta Messina at the east end of town. The pedestrianised high street Corso Umberto I stretches from here to Porta Messina at the west end. Bypass roads above and below carry the town traffic, while unseen and unheard deep beneath, the Messina-Catania Autostrada burrows through the mountain.

Above the main town, Via Leonardo da Vinci (SP10) continues to zigzag upwards, to Sanctuario Madonna della Rocca and the castle. And on it climbs, to end at the hilltop village of Castelmola. This is a separate township but it's such a tiny place, reached only by this road, that its facilities (such as they are) are described on this page.

The name "Taormina" is also loosely applied to the strip along the coast road SS114 below, notably to the railway station Taormina-Giardini-Naxos. Taormina town limits include the beach area of Mazzaro at the foot of the cable-car, and the tip of the peninsula where Via Pirandello starts its climb. Most package tourists stay down there, or in nearby resorts such as Giardini Naxos and Letojanni. Hoteliers down on the coast invoke the T-word to boost their prices, but for practical purposes - and considering the feel and identity of the place - they're altogether somewhere else. Stay in Taormina itself if you can.

Taomina's Duomo Despite of its relatively small size the town is rich in history.

Teatro Antico, Via del Teatro Greco, 1. From 09:00 daily; Nov-Feb to 16:00, Mar & Oct to 17:00, Apr & Sep to 18:00, May-Aug to 19:00. Ancient theatre of Grecian origin, but re-built in Roman brick in the 3rd century BCE. Impressive for the views and because the proscenium (the back-drop) survives, unlike in most amphitheatres. €10.
Piazza IX Aprile. A square with a balcony facing the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Etna. In the corner of the square stands the Torre dell'Orologio.
Torre dell'Orologio/ Porta di Mezzo,. A clock tower and gate to the southern part of Taormina.
Palazzo Corvaja. Medieval palace, dating from the 10th century, that was built by the Arabs when they ruled over Taormina. The main body is an Arabic tower. It has also an inner courtyard where the Arabic influence can been seen in the architecture.
Odeon. Remains of a small theatre built by Romans in 21 BCE.
Parco Duca di Cesarò, Via Bagnoli Croci (Stairs down from main town. 08:00 to sunset. Restful gardens, populated by mock-oriental follies on the verge of tumbling down. The gardens are the creation of Florence Trevelyan (1852-1907), an English conservationist who also bought Isola Bella. She settled and married here and is buried in nearby Castelmola.
Palazzo Badia Vecchia. This fine Gothic tower used to host an abbey (Abbazzia).
Palazzo dei Duchi di Santo Stefano. Built in a style similar to Badia Vecchia. Now it's a site of the Fondazione Mazzullo, which hosts a collection of numerous works of the artist Giuseppe Mazzullo.
Naumachie. The remains of a 120-m-long Roman structure. Probably it was a part of nymphaeum, with a monumental fountain. Now it is the foundation for a few buildings.

On the coast at the foot of town adjacent to Giardini Naxos: Isola Bella from up the hill

Isola Bella. Dec-Mar: Tu-Su 09:00-14:00. This is the tiny tombolo island seen below, now a nature reserve. You can paddle out to it but the museum is closed and the beach is sharp volcanic shingle, so it's probably best admired from the terraces up the hill. €4.
Villa Caronia, Via Luigi Pirandello, 105. Tu-F 09:30-13:30. Small museum, appears to be closed in 2018. €4.

Teatro Antico, Via del Teatro Greco, 1. From 09:00 daily; Nov-Feb to 16:00, Mar & Oct to 17:00, Apr & Sep to 18:00, May-Aug to 19:00. Ancient theatre of Grecian origin, but re-built in Roman brick in the 3rd century BCE. Impressive for the views and because the proscenium (the back-drop) survives, unlike in most amphitheatres. €10.

Piazza IX Aprile. A square with a balcony facing the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Etna. In the corner of the square stands the Torre dell'Orologio.

Torre dell'Orologio/ Porta di Mezzo,. A clock tower and gate to the southern part of Taormina.

Palazzo Corvaja. Medieval palace, dating from the 10th century, that was built by the Arabs when they ruled over Taormina. The main body is an Arabic tower. It has also an inner courtyard where the Arabic influence can been seen in the architecture.

Odeon. Remains of a small theatre built by Romans in 21 BCE.

Parco Duca di Cesarò, Via Bagnoli Croci (Stairs down from main town. 08:00 to sunset. Restful gardens, populated by mock-oriental follies on the verge of tumbling down. The gardens are the creation of Florence Trevelyan (1852-1907), an English conservationist who also bought Isola Bella. She settled and married here and is buried in nearby Castelmola.

Palazzo Badia Vecchia. This fine Gothic tower used to host an abbey (Abbazzia).

Palazzo dei Duchi di Santo Stefano. Built in a style similar to Badia Vecchia. Now it's a site of the Fondazione Mazzullo, which hosts a collection of numerous works of the artist Giuseppe Mazzullo.

Naumachie. The remains of a 120-m-long Roman structure. Probably it was a part of nymphaeum, with a monumental fountain. Now it is the foundation for a few buildings.

Isola Bella. Dec-Mar: Tu-Su 09:00-14:00. This is the tiny tombolo island seen below, now a nature reserve. You can paddle out to it but the museum is closed and the beach is sharp volcanic shingle, so it's probably best admired from the terraces up the hill. €4.

Villa Caronia, Via Luigi Pirandello, 105. Tu-F 09:30-13:30. Small museum, appears to be closed in 2018. €4.

Wander up and down the main street - Corso Umberto I taking in the sights
Walk down from Castelmola village to Taormina (or vice versa if you're fit). This path is in decent condition, unlike the path between Taormina and railway station, which remains unsafe.
A vintage self-drive excursion or a themed tour on a classic Fiat 500, starting from Taormina and Giardini Naxos area. The most popular excursions are themed on the Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather movie and on the Etna Wines Road. You can reach villages like Savoca and Forza D’Agrò. Contact 500 Vintage Tour - Classic car hire & tours - Taormina - Phone +39 3497234906 - Email: info@500vintagetour.com - Website: 500 Vintage Tour

Wander up and down the main street - Corso Umberto I taking in the sights

There are plenty of souvenir shops.

Gelatomania, Corso Umberto, 7, +39 0942 23900. Daily 09:30-00:30. Gelateria with big portions, mostly happy customers, has dairy-free alternatives.
Ristorante Mirage, Via Roma 7 (Next to Hotel Monte Tauro. Customers have enjoyed the views of Naxos bay and Mount Etna, but are not always impressed by the food or service.
Casa Giolì, Vico Giordano Bruno, 8 (Opposite Piazza Duomo, +39 0942 683017. Sicilian gastronomy. Prices are high.
Al Giardino, Via Bagnoli Croci, 84, +39 0942 23453. Daily 12:00-14:45 & 18:00-01:00. Good food and friendly service.

Gelatomania, Corso Umberto, 7, +39 0942 23900. Daily 09:30-00:30. Gelateria with big portions, mostly happy customers, has dairy-free alternatives.

Ristorante Mirage, Via Roma 7 (Next to Hotel Monte Tauro. Customers have enjoyed the views of Naxos bay and Mount Etna, but are not always impressed by the food or service.

Casa Giolì, Vico Giordano Bruno, 8 (Opposite Piazza Duomo, +39 0942 683017. Sicilian gastronomy. Prices are high.

Al Giardino, Via Bagnoli Croci, 84, +39 0942 23453. Daily 12:00-14:45 & 18:00-01:00. Good food and friendly service.

Danger: Percorso pedonale Taormina - Mare. Don't use it! It's dangerous. The path in its lower part is destroyed by a landslide. The rest of the path is still walkable, but its condition is extremely poor and unsafe.

Danger: Percorso pedonale Taormina - Mare. Don't use it! It's dangerous. The path in its lower part is destroyed by a landslide. The rest of the path is still walkable, but its condition is extremely poor and unsafe.

Castelmola is a village 5km above Taormina. It's built around the ruins of a Norman castle, which used to be the citadel of Taormina. The Interbus takes 15 min, leaving Taormina M-F at 09:40, 10:40, then every 2 hr until 18:40, Sundays less frequently. You can also walk up the footpath, it's in need of repair but basically safe, unlike the path from Taormina down to the coast.

Eat: options include Ristorante Parco Reale, Pier de Cat Bistro, Gallo Cedrone and Taverna dell'Etna.
Drink: bars include Cosmopolitan Bar D'Allura Giuseppe, and the one everyone's heard about: Bar Turrisi, Via Pio IX 19, +39 0942 28181. Daily 09:00-02:00. This bar has a theme: penises. Quite a lot of them. An allusion to Greek antiquity, the owner says. Still, if it keeps drawing the visitors....
Sleep: accommodation, all along the road up from Taormina, includes Villa Pace B&B, Hotel Villa Sonia, Villa Regina, and B&B Casa Bellavista. There are several other small B&Bs.

Eat: options include Ristorante Parco Reale, Pier de Cat Bistro, Gallo Cedrone and Taverna dell'Etna.

Drink: bars include Cosmopolitan Bar D'Allura Giuseppe, and the one everyone's heard about: Bar Turrisi, Via Pio IX 19, +39 0942 28181. Daily 09:00-02:00. This bar has a theme: penises. Quite a lot of them. An allusion to Greek antiquity, the owner says. Still, if it keeps drawing the visitors....

Sleep: accommodation, all along the road up from Taormina, includes Villa Pace B&B, Hotel Villa Sonia, Villa Regina, and B&B Casa Bellavista. There are several other small B&Bs.

Giardini Naxos - a popular resort just below Taormina. Enjoy its beaches, hike along the Alcantara and see its gorge.
Mount Etna - Plenty of agencies offer day trips there, or with your own car you could reach either the Sapienza or Provenzana base stations. To walk to the summit, you must have a guide, warm clothing and stout footwear, clear weather, and a volcano that isn't erupting (which it does quite often).
Catania is the regional transport hub, so you'll probably have to pass through it; it's worth a day to explore.
The main attractions further south are Syracuse, Ragusa and Modica
To reach the north coast, the quickest way is to blat along the autostrada A18. A more attractive route SS185 winds through the hills, with views back over Etna, and through the picturesque medieval town of Novara di Sicilia overlooking ancient Tyndaris and Abacaenum. From the coast either turn west for Palermo, or go a little way north to Milazzo the port for the Aeolian Islands, or turn east to the ferry port of Messina.

[[Mount Etna]] - Plenty of agencies offer day trips there, or with your own car you could reach either the Sapienza or Provenzana base stations. To walk to the summit, you must have a guide, warm clothing and stout footwear, clear weather, and a volcano that isn't erupting (which it does quite often).

[[Catania]] is the regional transport hub, so you'll probably have to pass through it; it's worth a day to explore.

The main attractions further south are Syracuse, Ragusa and Modica