Tips for a Vacation in Taormina
Travel Taormina Guide
Welcome to Taormina

Taormina Travel Guide

 

Plan your holiday in Taormina

Taormina, the jewel of the Ionian Sea located on Mount Tauro overlooking the eastern coast of Sicily, is one of the most visited destinations by tourists from all over the world. If you are also planning your holiday in Taormina, follow our useful tips to make the most of your stay.

 

What is the best time to visit Taormina?

 

Taormina enjoys a Mediterranean climate: summers are hot and dry, winters are mild. The hottest months are July and August, while the coldest are January, February, and March. Most rainy days are concentrated in September, October, and November.

The best months to visit Taormina are May, June, September, and October, when the temperatures are pleasant during the day and cool in the evening. When planning your holiday in Taormina, you should not only consider the climate but also the influx of tourists.

The town is characterized by narrow streets and views that can be fully appreciated when there are few people around. That's why I recommend choosing a time of year when tourism is less crowded to fully enjoy its beauty. Unless you can't avoid it, avoid July and August due to the high concentration of tourists.

Many streets are limited to traffic or can only be traveled on foot. Crossing them in the early morning, when most tourists are still asleep, is an experience to savor. If you can wake up early and watch the sunrise from Piazza Belvedere, the spectacle is guaranteed.


 

How many days to plan your stay?

 

Two days are enough to visit Taormina, three if you want to enjoy its views at a leisurely and relaxed pace. For this reason, I invite you to read the article about the 10 things to do. Taormina is strategically located, with easy access to many of the most beautiful places on the eastern side of Sicily. From here, you can easily reach the Alcantara Gorges, all sides of Mount Etna, and the charming village of Castelmola.

 

Recommended excursions near Taormina

👉 Admire the most scenic places in Taormina with a boat tour along the coast, venture into the heart of the Alcantara Gorges with a Body Rafting excursion, or be enchanted by the lunar landscapes of Mount Etna.


 

Where to stay in Taormina

 

Taormina offers a wide range of accommodation options, catering to different preferences and price ranges: vacation homes, Airbnb, apartments, 3 and 4-star hotels, all the way to breathtaking sea-view villas and luxury hotels like the Grand Hotel Timeo (at the foot of the Greek Theater), San Domenico Palace Taormina, Metropol, and other luxurious seaside hotels like Atlantis Bay in the Bay of Mazzarò.

  USEFUL TIP: If possible, choose a room with a view of Mount Etna, as you might be lucky enough to witness its spectacular lava eruptions. Alternatively, you can opt for a room with a sea view and enjoy spectacular sunrise colors.

If you prefer not to give up staying in a seafront hotel, you can decide to stay in one of the many accommodations in Mazzarò, one of the most exclusive beaches in Taormina.


 

Where to eat in Taormina

 

In Taormina, there are approximately 300 restaurants that will delight you with delicious dishes from Sicilian and Mediterranean traditions. Being a coastal location, most restaurants specialize in seafood dishes. 

If you love pizza, you can choose from over 50 pizzerias. Some of the most renowned ones include Villa Zuccaro, Ristorante Grand Duca, Tiramisù, and La Napoletana. Of course, there are many others not listed here that serve excellent pizza.

Other specialties we highly recommend trying are the Sicilian arancino (one of the most renowned rosticcerie is L’Antica Rosticceria Da Cristina in Via Strabone, 2), and the Sicilian cannolo with ricotta from the top cannoli shop in Taormina, La Pignola Guinness Cannoli, Viale Apollo Arcageta 15, Taormina.

  USEFUL TIP: A must-do for anyone visiting Taormina is to stop and savor artisanal Sicilian granita at one of the many establishments throughout the city.


 

How to get around in Taormina

 

Taormina is a town of approximately 11,000 residents. The main street is Corso Umberto, which can only be traversed on foot, and it's where most of the shops, restaurants, nightlife venues, bars, and small boutiques are concentrated, making everything easily reachable by foot.

To reach Mazzarò (Taormina Beach and Isola Bella), we recommend using the cable car service, located at Via Luigi Pirandello No 22.


  • TICKET:€3 one-way - €10 daily pass. Departures every 15 minutes. In winter, it operates from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, except on Mondays when it opens at 9:00 AM. In the summer months, the cable car runs until 1:00 AM.


  • WHERE TO PARK: : In Taormina, parking is not allowed in the blue-striped areas (only residents with permits). If you've rented a car, you should use your hotel's reserved parking or a paid private parking lot: Porta Catania parking, Porta Pasquale parking, Lumbi parking, or Mazzarò parking.


  USEFUL TIP: It's advisable to rent a car to have the freedom to explore the many nearby points of interest around Taormina.


 

How to get from Catania Airport to Taormina

 

The nearest airport is Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA). It's one of the busiest airports in southern Italy, with numerous international airlines serving it. From here, you can reach the town of Taormina in various ways.


  • BY TRAIN: :Catania Airport is connected to the "Fontanarossa" train station, which is about 600 meters from the airport, via the free shuttle service provided by the Azienda Metropolitana Trasporti di Catania. The shuttle runs every 10 minutes from 4:30 in the morning until 10:40 at night, corresponding to the train schedule.

  •   INFO: The train does not take you directly to the center of Taormina. The train station is located approximately km away from the town center (Giardini Naxos-Taormina station). Just outside the station, you can rely on the local bus services or take a transfer service that will leave you comfortably in your accommodation.


  • BY BUS:If you want to reach Taormina by bus, the Etna Trasporti company offers a direct service that will get you there in about 1 hour and 25 minutes. The bus terminal is a 10-minute walk from Porta Messina, the northern entrance to Corso Umberto in Taormina.


  • BY CAR:The most convenient and fastest way to reach Taormina from Catania Airport is by car. Using the A18 Messina-Catania highway, you can reach Taormina in just 35 minutes without any time constraints.


  • If you are coming from Calabria, you will need to take a ferry to cross the Strait of Messina to Messina. From there, by car, the A18 highway in the direction of Catania will take you to Taormina in about 35 minutes.


 

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