Taormina

Late spring and early autumn are the best times to visit. Days are warm and the sea is good for swimming from June to October. July and August are hot and humid, and the town is very crowded. Winter is mild but often rainy, and some hotels and beach clubs close.

The biggest event is the Taormina Film Fest, usually held in June, with evening screenings in the ancient theatre. Through the summer the theatre also hosts concerts, opera and dance under the stars, so check the programme before you book.

• Ancient Theatre of Taormina is the town's most famous sight. It was built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC and later rebuilt by the Romans. From the top rows you look over the stage to the sea and Etna.
• Corso Umberto is the pedestrian main street. It runs through the old town between two medieval gates, Porta Catania and Porta Messina, past shops, cafés and palaces.
• Piazza IX Aprile is the main square, halfway along the main street. Its terrace has wide views over the coast, with the Baroque church of San Giuseppe and the clock tower beside it.
• Taormina Public Gardens began as the private garden of Florence Trevelyan, an English woman who lived in Taormina. Look for her small brick follies and the views over the bay.
• Below the town, Isola Bella holds a tiny green island and nature reserve. A narrow strip of pebbles often links it to the beach, and you can visit the island with a ticket.
• Cathedral of Taormina is a 13th-century church with battlements on its façade, which gives it the look of a fortress.
• Corvaja Palace is a medieval palace with a square tower. In 1410 the Sicilian Parliament met here to choose a new king.
• Saraceno Castle crowns Monte Tauro above the town. A stairway cut into the rock leads from the church of Madonna della Rocca up to the castle, which you can visit with a ticket. The views are the widest in the area.
• Badia Vecchia is a 14th-century Gothic tower-palace with battlements, mullioned windows and a band of coloured stone inlay. It is not regularly open, so admire it from the street.
• Naumachie is a long Roman brick wall with niches, close to the main street. It was probably part of a large Roman water reservoir.

These are the moments that define a stay in Taormina.

• A summer show under the stars: Watch a concert, opera or film screening in the Ancient Theatre of Taormina, with Etna behind the stage. Book early for big names.
• Cable car down to the sea: Ride the cable car to Mazzarò, then walk along the shore to swim in the clear water around Isola Bella. Bring water shoes for the pebbles.
• A boat trip along the coast: Small boats leave from the beaches at Mazzarò and Isola Bella. They visit the sea caves of Capo Sant'Andrea, including the Grotta Azzurra, with its blue light.
• Sunset from the cliffs: Climb the stone steps to the church of Madonna della Rocca, cut into the rock, and watch the light change over the bay.
• The passeggiata: Around sunset, locals dress up for the slow evening walk. Join them for an aperitivo or a granita on the terrace of Piazza IX Aprile as the lights come on along the coast.

Taormina is a good base for the north-east of Sicily. These trips are listed from closest to farthest.

• Castelmola: a small village on the hill above Taormina, reached by local bus or a steep walk. It has narrow streets, a ruined castle and even wider views.
• Giardini Naxos: the beach town just below Taormina, a short bus ride away. Parco Archeologico di Giardini Naxos protects the remains of Naxos, the first Greek colony in Sicily, with a small museum.
• Savoca: a hill village about 30 minutes north by car. Scenes of The Godfather were filmed here, and its church and bar are still popular with fans.
• Alcantara Gorge: a narrow canyon of black lava rock with a cold river, under an hour inland by car. In summer you can wade into the gorge.
• Catania: Sicily's second city, about an hour by train or bus. It has Baroque streets of dark lava stone and a famous fish market.
• Mount Etna: Europe's highest active volcano. Most visitors join a guided tour or drive to the south side, about 1.5 hours away, where a cable car climbs higher.
• Syracuse: the ancient city of Ortigia and a large Greek theatre, about two hours south by car or train.

Taormina is part of Sicily.

• East coast: Catania and Mount Etna are the closest major destinations. Farther south are Syracuse and the Baroque town of Noto.
• North coast and islands: Palermo and Cefalù are on the other side of the island. The Aeolian Islands are reached by ferry from the north coast.

• By air: Catania Airport is the nearest airport, about 65 km south. Interbus and Etna Trasporti coaches run direct to the bus terminal on Via Pirandello in Taormina in about 1 hour 20 minutes, with frequent departures in summer and fewer in winter. A taxi or private transfer takes about an hour. See Interbus.
• By train: Taormina-Giardini station is on the coastal line between Catania and Messina. It is at sea level in Giardini Naxos, below the town. Local buses climb from the station to the centre in about 10 minutes. Book trains with Trenitalia.
• By bus: Regional coaches connect Taormina with Catania, Messina and other towns in eastern Sicily. They stop at the Via Pirandello terminal, a short walk from the main street.

• On foot: The old town is compact and the main street is closed to most traffic. Side streets are steep and often have steps, so wear comfortable shoes.
• Cable car: A cable car runs from the edge of the old town down to the beach at Mazzarò, near Isola Bella. Cabins leave about every 15 minutes, and it runs late into the night in summer. Buy your ticket at the station.
• Local bus: Town buses link the centre with the train station, Giardini Naxos and the village of Castelmola. Regional buses for longer routes leave from the Via Pirandello terminal.
• Taxi: Taxis wait at ranks in the centre. Agree on the fare before you leave.
• Cycling: Steep hills and narrow streets make cycling impractical.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the town itself. A car is useful for Etna, the Alcantara Gorge and hill villages, but buses and tours cover the main trips.
• Restrictions: The historic centre is a restricted traffic zone (ZTL). Only drive in if your hotel registers your number plate in advance.
• Parking: Use the large multi-storey car parks at Lumbi or Porta Catania. A shuttle bus runs from Lumbi to the centre. Expect to pay a few euros per hour, and more in high season. There is also paid parking at Mazzarò, by the lower cable car station.
• Roads: Roads up to the town are narrow with sharp bends, and they are congested in summer.

Taormina's food is the cooking of eastern Sicily. In summer, start the day with a granita (crushed fruit or almond ice) and a soft brioche bun. Other local specialties are fried rice balls called arancini, cannoli filled with ricotta, and pasta alla Norma with aubergine and salted ricotta. Fresh fish and swordfish are common on menus near the sea. In Castelmola, try the sweet almond wine served in the village bars.

The best areas to eat are the side streets and small squares off Corso Umberto, where prices are often lower than on the main street. For seafood with a sea view, go down to Mazzarò and the bay of Isola Bella.

Taormina is a very safe town. The main risk is pickpocketing in crowds on the main street, at the bus terminal and on the cable car in summer. Keep valuables out of sight in parked cars.

• Restaurants: Check menu prices before you order, especially for fish sold by weight.
• Sea and sun: The beaches are pebbly and the sun is strong in summer. Wear water shoes, use sunscreen and drink water.
• Etna: Conditions on the volcano change fast. Near the summit craters you may only walk with an authorised guide, so follow local rules and go with a licensed guide.

Greek settlers founded Naxos on the coast below Taormina in the 8th century BC. It was the first Greek colony in Sicily, and you can see its remains in Parco Archeologico di Giardini Naxos. After Naxos was destroyed, its people moved up the hill in the 4th century BC and founded Tauromenion, today's Taormina.

In the 3rd century BC the Greeks built the Ancient Theatre of Taormina. The Romans rebuilt it after Taormina became a Roman colony. The brick wall of Naumachie also dates from Roman times. In the Byzantine period Taormina was the last major Byzantine stronghold in Sicily, until the Arabs took it in 902. The Normans arrived in the late 11th century.

In the Middle Ages, noble families built the palaces that still line the main street. In 1410 the Sicilian Parliament met in Corvaja Palace to choose a new king. From the late 18th century, writers and artists arrived on the Grand Tour, including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Later the town attracted a wealthy foreign community. Florence Trevelyan created the gardens of Taormina Public Gardens, and the writer D. H. Lawrence lived here in the early 1920s. In 2017 Taormina hosted a G7 summit.

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