Photo: Berthold Werner · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Taormina
A Greek theatre framing Etna and the sea.
A glamorous terrace town high above the sea, with a Greek theatre framing Etna and the coast, and a tiny island nature reserve below. Pricey and busy in summer; staying in Giardini Naxos is cheaper.
Places to see
- Ancient TheatreSight · A Greek-Roman theatre cut into the hillside, its broken brick stage framing Etna and the…≈ A$26
Piazza IX Aprile and San GiuseppeViewpoint · A terrace square halfway along the main street, with a pink baroque church and a balcony…Free
Isola BellaPark · A tiny wooded island joined to the beach by a thin strip of pebbles, in a cove of clear…≈ A$7
When to go
- Jan14° / 8°Often wetQuiet
- Feb15° / 8°Often wetQuiet
- Mar16° / 9°Some rainQuiet
- Apr19° / 11°Some rainBusy
- May23° / 15°Mostly dryVery busy
- Jun27° / 19°Mostly dryVery busy
- Jul31° / 22°Mostly dryVery busy
- Aug31° / 23°Mostly dryVery busy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Corso Umberto. The main street between the old gates, with squares over the sea.
Mazzarò and Isola Bella. Pebble coves at the foot of the cliff, reached by cable car.
Giardini Naxos. The beach town below, by the station: cheaper beds and buses up.
Flying in
Catania Fontanarossa (CTA): Bus to Taormina, about 1 h 30 min, ≈ A$16.
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Taormina; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
Mostly on foot. A single ticket is ≈ A$5. The town is steep but walkable. A cable car runs down to Mazzarò and Isola Bella, and buses climb from Taormina-Giardini station (check).
Tourist tax
Taormina's tourist tax: usually about €2–3 a person a night in hostels and B&Bs, more in hotels; under-12s don't pay. Paid at check-in (check).
