Sicily Adventure
Don't just visit, live it
Discover the first Greek Colony in Sicily
Giardini Naxos is a coastal town with approximately 9,000 inhabitants in the province of Messina. Regarded by many as the first Greek settlement in Sicily, it owes its name to the homonymous Greek island of Naxos.
It is located just a few kilometers from Taormina and is today one of the most popular seaside resorts on the Ionian coast. This charming town stretches along the coast of its beautiful bay, surrounded by green hills.
Those who visit this area of Sicily do so primarily for the beauty of its coastline, its beaches, and its strategic location. It is indeed close to many must-visit destinations such as Taormina, the Alcantara Gorges, and Mount Etna.
In this article, we want to provide you with useful information about why staying in Giardini Naxos is a great choice.
1. Snorkeling tour along the coast
Giardini Naxos is an excellent starting point for many excursions. The stretch of coastline that connects Giardini to Taormina is breathtakingly beautiful: caves, coves, and bays follow one another until you reach the stunning Isola Bella, where we recommend you take a dive for a snorkeling tour to admire the seabed.
2. Boat trip
Another excursion we recommend, departing from Giardini Naxos, is the boat trip to discover the bays along the coast. This tour operates daily throughout the summer season, with departures every two hours.
It will be the perfect opportunity to explore the natural beauties that Giardini Naxos and Taormina have to offer. During this tour, you can take a dip in the enchanting Bay of the Sirens and enjoy a cocktail on board.
3. Kayak or Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) Tour
For the more sporty and adventurous individuals, there is also the opportunity to go on guided kayak tours that depart daily from the beach of Giardini Naxos and reach the Marine Park of Isola Bella in Taormina.
SUP enthusiasts can go on stand-up paddleboard excursions, and if you're in good shape, you can reach the Grotta degli Innamorati in about 1 hour, where you can take some photos and take a plunge into the turquoise waters.
We have an amazing kayak tour along the coast of Taormina and Giardini Naxos!
If you like, you can join us, we are sure to give you a spectacular experience.
4,9 - Customer reviews. 👇
The beaches in Giardini Naxos are diverse. The one in the Recanati area is made up of pebbles and is quite expansive. The seabed is deeper than other beaches, and the water is cooler. You can find several beach clubs, bars, a water slide, and restaurants.
The Saia Porticciolo beach is located near the train station. It features small coves delimited by sedimentary rocks, making it ideal for those who want to spend a few hours in a less crowded area of Giardini during the summer. Here, you can still rent sunbeds and umbrellas for a fee. Parking is not easy to find during the summer, especially because there are no paid parking lots.
The only places where you can park for free are the blue-striped areas (along the seafront). For those who prefer very fine sand, we recommend the Schisò beach. There are well-equipped beach clubs that offer various services. Most of the restaurants and bars are concentrated in this area.
Parking is free in the blue-striped areas, but in the summer, Giardini is very crowded from July to August, so finding parking is not straightforward. However, there are several paid parking lots in the Recanati area.
In the evening, the promenade is highly appreciated as it offers a variety of venues: restaurants with menus primarily based on the freshest seafood, ice cream parlors, lounge bars, creperies, beach clubs that stay open late for dancing, drinking, and listening to music.
Among the most recommended are:
As mentioned earlier, Giardini is just a few kilometers from Taormina, so it's a good choice if you're looking for more affordable accommodation than Taormina and still close to major points of interest.
You can choose from a wide range of options, including upscale and comfortable hotels, vacation rentals, numerous bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, and hotels with various price ranges.
Questions and Answers
From the Taormina train station, you can reach Giardini Naxos by taking a bus, which will take approximately 15-20 minutes. In Recanati, there is a bus station where connections to many destinations, including the Alcantara Gorges, Catania, Taormina, Messina, and many others, are available.
BUS FROM CATANIA: The main company connecting Catania to Giardini Naxos is INTERBUS, and the schedules can be found at all bus stops or on the Iterbus website.
NOTE: The Giardini Naxos bus station is located in the Recanati area.
Distance from Taormina: Approximately 5 km, about 10 minutes by car.
Distance from Catania: Approximately 40.3 km, about 35 minutes by car.
TRAIN FROM CATANIA: The destination station is Taormina-Giardini Naxos.
Highway exi: If your route to Giardini Naxos involves taking the highway, take the Giardini Naxos highway exit.
Do you like this article?
Share it with your friends
