TAORMINA, ITALY
It is a sin to visit Italy without making time for its biggest island, say the Sicilians. For those who heed these words, there is no better place to start than Taormina, Sicily’s tourism capital. Although the small town is only home to 10,000 permanent residents, it attracts at least twenty times that number annually, thanks to its beautiful beaches, blissful ambiance, and proximity to Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano! If you have the time, a visit to Taormina is surely one you will not regret!
Attractions:
Isola Bella: The name of this rocky shoreline directly translates to “beautiful beach”! It is a perfect place to relax for a few hours and is only a 35-minute walk from town. For those hoping to sail on the Ionian Sea’s crystal clear waters, there are dozens of boat tours offered near shore. Another notable beach in the area is Mazzarò. To visit, take an aerial cable car (or funivia in Italian) from Taormina’s city center. The ride is 5 minutes, picks up here, and costs €3; cars run every 15 minutes from 8:00am-8:00pm.
Walk Along Corso Umberto: Taormina’s main thoroughfare is sandwiched between two ancient archways, Porta Catania and Porta Messina. Lined with souvenir shops, churches, cafés, piazzas, and palaces, this pedestrian street is always full of life!
Teatro Antico di Taormina: Dating back to the 3rd century B.C., this historic Greco-Roman amphitheater is still in use today! It hosts operas, concerts, and everyday visitors alike. Entrance costs €10 and it is open daily from 9:00am-7:00pm.
Piazza IX Aprile: Taormina’s busy piazza in the center of town is a great location for a meal or drink! Its main attraction is the medieval clock tower, Torre dell'Orologio.
Hike Mount Etna: Outside of the Caucasus, Mount Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe! Although it can be visited all year round, a tour guide is mandatory to reach the summit. From town, half-day and full-day tour options are available, ranging in price from €40-€150. You can also reach Etna by car; the southern entrance, Rifugio Sapienza, is only 1 hour from Taormina. This is where the visitor’s center and cable car terminal can be found (as well as free parking). From here, visitors have three options, all of which first require riding the cable car up to the top (10 minutes; €30 round-trip). Option 1: Join the summit tour, which leaves only once daily at 9:00am; the 6-hour round-trip hike costs €55. Option 2: Ride a 4x4 bus to and from Torre del Filosofo; round-trip tickets cost €30. This is the former site of Etna’s highest outpost, which was buried in the 2003 eruption. Today, there is a large crater here that can be hiked around. Option 3: Hike to and from Torre del Filosofo; the 2-hour round-trip hike is free. I did not mention this above to avoid confusion, but there is also a third way to reach Etna. I list it here because it runs through Catania, not Taormina. The bus leaves Catania once daily at 8:15am, returns at 4:30pm, and costs €7 round-trip. Please note this bus will not get you to Etna in time for the 9:00am summit tour.
Visit Bar Vitelli: This is a must-see for any fan of The Godfather! Remember when Michael Corleone asks the bar owner to meet his daughter, Apollonia, after she struck him “like a thunderbolt” as he walked through the fields with his bodyguards? Well, this scene was shot at a real bar in the small town of Savoca, just 40 minutes from Taormina. It still stands to this day and doubles as a museum. Sit down, order a drink, and enjoy! On a similar note, the town of Corleone does indeed exist. It is a 3.5-hour drive from Taormina.
Other spots to check out include: Giardini della Villa Comunale, Duomo di Taormina, and Palazzo Corvaja.
Accommodation:
Hotel - Taormina Park: Simple, classic, and affordable are all words I would use to describe this 4-star hotel. Its terrace overlooks the sea and its other amenities include a gym, spa, outdoor pool, restaurant, and breakfast buffet. Taormina Park is also just a short 10-minute walk from the town center. Compared to other hotel prices in town, this place is a steal!
Hostel - Hostel Taormina "Homstel": This homey, simple hostel is located in the middle of town, just 5 minutes walking from the city’s main square, Piazza IX Aprile. Its relaxing rooftop terrace offers a lovely view of the city and water! By taxi, it is 10 minutes from Taormina-Giardini Railway Station.
Airbnb - Gianmaria’s AirBnB: During a visit to Taormina with my family, we stayed here and had a fantastic experience! The vista from the rooftop terrace and bar is unbelievable. The drinks are great, too! On foot, it is 10 minutes from the city center and 30 minutes from Isola Bella. By taxi, it is 10 minutes from Taormina-Giardini Railway Station.
Transportation:
From Italy’s mainland, you can get to Sicily by ferry, even if you have a vehicle. The 20-minute ferry runs from Villa San Giovanni to Messina every 40 minutes from 5:20am-8:40pm. With a vehicle, tickets cost €39; without a vehicle, tickets cost €2.50. To get to Taormina from Messina’s port, walk 40 minutes or take a 10-minute taxi to Messina Centrale for €5. From here, the train ride to Taormina is 1 hour and costs €4.70. The bus ride is 1 hour and costs €4.30.
Taormina’s main railway terminal is Taormina-Giardini Railway Station; all trains below leave from here. Taormina’s main bus station is Terminal Interbus Taormina Pirandello; all buses below leave from here.
Palermo is 4.5 hours by train from Taormina (indirect) and costs €23. The first train from Taormina to Messina is 1 hour and costs €5. The second train from Messina to Palermo is 3 hours and costs €18. The bus ride is 3 hours (indirect) and costs €19. The first bus from Taormina to Catania is 1 hour and costs €5. The second bus from Catania to Palermo is 1.5 hours and costs €14.
Naples is 7 hours by train from Taormina and costs €72. The bus ride is 9 hours (indirect) and costs €55. The first bus from Taormina to Villa San Giovanni is 2 hours and costs €10. The second bus from Villa San Giovanni to Naples is 6.5 hours and costs €45.
Rome is 9.5 hours by train from Taormina and costs €91. The bus ride is 12 hours (indirect) and costs €75. The first bus from Taormina to Villa San Giovanni is 2 hours and costs €10. The second bus from Villa San Giovanni to Rome is 9.5 hours and costs €65.
The closest airport to Taormina is Catania Airport (CTA), 69km (43 miles) away. It is accessible via shuttle bus and taxi. All below transit routes run between CTA and Terminal Interbus Taormina Pirandello.
Shuttle: The ride is 1.5 hours and costs €8; buses run 5 times daily (6:45am, 8:45am, 11:45am, 2:45pm, and 5:45pm).
Taxi: The ride is 1 hour and costs €75-€85 depending on the time of day.
Outside of the photo of Mount Etna (thank you, Ilario), all of the pictures on this page were taken by my sisters, Antoinette and Jackie. Thanks, sistaz!