10 Best Things to do in Taormina

Despite its rather small size, Taormina is one of Sicily’s most popular tourist destinations, one you definitely cannot miss. Its picturesque streets, views of both the ocean and Mount Etna, and the traces of history are what have made Taormina popular for centuries. But what exactly is there to see in the town? I’ll give you a list of the 10 best things to do in Taormina so you won’t miss a single thing!

10 Best Things to do in Taormina

1. Start your day at Corso Umberto Street

Corso Umberto Street can be seen as the vein that divides Taormina in two. It is the main street of the town and here you can find plenty of shops and gelaterias (you should definitely get ice cream at least once during your stay in Sicily). Most of the main attractions of Taormina can be found on this street as well such as Piazza IX Aprile and the Cattedrale di San Nicola. Do wander through one of the small side streets for a less crowded experience.

2. Visit the Duomo Cathedral

It depends on which entrance you take (Porta Catania or Porta Messina), but it is very likely that Piazza Duomo will be the first square you’ll come across during your stroll across Corto Umberto Street. The square is most famous for its fountain and fort-like cathedral. The cathedral as we know it nowadays has actually been built on top of the ruins of a small existing church. Head inside, but do keep in mind that you’re entering the religious property, so dress appropriately.

3. Gawk at the best views at Piazza IX Aprile

The next square you’ll come across (if you started at Porta Catania), will be Piazza IX Aprile, this square is often seen as the beating heart of the town. Watch the tourists gather on the chessboard-style tiles, and perhaps you’ll be lucky to see some of the residents playing live music. Piazza IX Aprile provides you with the best view of the bay far below with Mount Etna in the distance.

4. Enter the Church of St. Joseph

Located at Piazza IX Aprile, Chiesa di San Guiseppe (aka the Church of St. Joseph), is one of my favourite buildings in Taormina. It’s a baroque-style church, that is usually open to visitors. Once again, make sure that you are dressed appropriately before entering.

5. Go for a refreshing dive at Isola Bella

The above-mentioned sights are located up high in Taormina, Isola Bella however, is located further down and is actually part of Mazzaró. Despite that, it definitely shouldn’t be missed, it certainly was a highlight of my trip. You can access Isola Bella by cable car, which I highly recommend as it is a rather steep walk. Isola Bella is a stunning island that is kind of attached to the mainland. There is a pebble beach and the water is crystal clear. Especially in summer, it is a great idea to have a dip in the ocean to cool down. I must, however, warn you that it has become a big tourist destination, thus it will be busy and about 80% of the beach is seized by expensive beach bed rentals. But, if you walk past all the rentals you will find a little secluded spot where you can sit down yourself (this is a pebble/rock beach though).

Back in the day, the island was bought by Lady Florence Trevelyan, who built a house on it and planted many tropical plants. Thanks to her non-native plants the island became the home of various sea birds and lizards. Nowadays the island is a nature reserve and museum that you can enter for €4,00,-. If you arrive at the right time you can walk towards the island without getting your feet wet, but as the tide rolls in you might have to walk through the water.

6. Get the best view of Isola Bella

Want that perfect Instagram shot of Isola Bella? You can get an amazing view from Belvedere di Via Pirandello. I planned to go there too during sunset but I, unfortunately, missed it, although I must admit that it offered a different experience that might not have been that bad? I got to see all the lights of Mazzaró which honestly was very beautiful, so you might want to go here twice if you’ve got the time.

7. Go back in time at the Greek Theatre

The ancient theatre of Taormina is probably the most well-known sight in Taormina, and that is for a reason. Built in the third century BC you’ll be surprised how much is left of it. Nowadays it is still used as a concert venue. A month after my trip to Sicily Louis Tomlinson had a concert there, talk about awesome venues! What makes this venue even more awesome is that you can see Mount Etna from the tribune. You can’t go to Taormina and skip the Greek theatre,

8. Stroll through the Public Garden

Sicily can get quite hot, especially during summer, therefore it isn’t too bad of an idea to seek shade during your stay in Taormina. The public garden is perfect for that. It used to be part of a villa of none other than Lady Florence Trevelyan, it used to be private property, but after Lady Trevelyan’s death in 1907, the Taormina city got ahold of it and made it public. The park is the perfect place to get lost between all the lush green.

9. Go on a day trip to Mount Etna

You can practically see Mount Etna everywhere you go in Taormina, so why not visit it? There are multiple ways to get there, for example by car. But you could also book an excursion. There are excursions for everyone; want hike all the way up to the summit? You can. Want to take it slow and take the easy route? You can. Want to combine your visit to Mount Etna with a visit to the Alcantara gorge? You can. Here are some of my favourite excursions:

10. Go on a day trip to Alcantara Gorge

The Alcantara gorge is a very special gorge thanks to its dramatic rock formations. The water would cool the lava down much faster than usual, which caused it to cystallize into a column formation, the water then eroded the columns over time into a channel that you can still see today.

The gorge is now part of Gole Alcantara Botanical and Geological Park, and you can choose to do multiple activities over there such as walking the trail to see the gorge from different angles, descend by elevator to the river level or body raft down the river.

The park is about 40 minutes away from Taormina by car. You could take a bus or drive there yourself.

Practical Information

Language: Italian
Currency: Euro
Best time to visit: Sicily has rather good weather year round so it kind of depends on the things you want to do. If you want to hit the beach, definitely go in summer. If you want to hike Mount Etna, visit in late spring, summer or early fall when there is no snow. If you’d like to go on a city trip, visit in spring because otherwise it might be too hot.
How long to stay: Taormina is not very big so 1 day should be enough unless you want to add one or two of the day trips.
Getting around: If you’re only staying in Taormina you can simply go everywhere by foot, but if you are going to visit other places I’d recommend hiring a car. You vould also go by public transport (buses or trains) but they’re not always reliable.

Where to stay

• Budget hotel: Hotel Ariston and Palazzo Santa Caterina. The hotels located near the ancient Greek theatre and is surrounded by a Mediterranean park. It offers stunning views of the coast and has free wifi and air conditioning.
• Mid-range Hotel: Hotel Sirius. The hotel is located 1 km from the centre of Taormina in a quiet location. It offers a free shuttle service to some of the beaches, has free wifi and air conditioning.
• Luxury Hotel: Hotel Villa Ducale. This is a small, luxurious boutique hotel with stunning views of the ocean and Mount ETna. It offers free wifi in public areas, an outdoor hot tub and a sun terrace with loungers. The hotel offers a free shuttle service to the centre of Taormina.

You might also want to look into staying at Letojanni, which is a 14 minute drive by car away from Taormina. It generally is a bit cheaper to stay there, and Letojanni has hotels built right next to a long sandy beach.

Want to see more of Sicily? Check out my 12 things to see and do in Catania post for more inspiration!

I hope this has helped you plan your trip to Taormina. Let me know in the comments if you’ve got any questions about Taormina. Also, let me know if you’ve ever been there and what your favourite sight was!

Love,

Sharon