This Sicilian city is regarded like Venice by tourists. Every year, indeed, people arrive in this city to party their love story or their honeymoon. I am speaking about Taormina, one of the most beautiful places in the world. Taormina is a small town facing the Ionian sea, midway between Messina and Catania, not far from the nearest bay of Giardini Naxos.
Taormina lies on a small Sicilian hill overlooking the sea in Giardini Naxos and thanks to this favourable position, offers spectacular views among mountains, hills, stony paths, the glittering sea and the blue sky. Taormina still today keeps ancient Roman, Greek, and Arab ruins, but also castles dating back to the Middle Age.
Taormina Tourist Information
Taormina has less than 11,000 inhabitants. It is a town in the province of Messina and its coastal territory stretches from Capo Sant’Andrea to Capo Taormina, in the most Eastern tip of Sicily. There, nature created a beautiful and picturesque landscape. Today, Taormina is recognized as one of the most charming tourist and cultural destinations of the world.
What to do and see in Taormina?
When you visit Taormina, you come back into the past. No place is like this on Earth. Typical Sicilian buildings, ancient shops, churches, and monuments lie on the main hill of the town. This hill, a small promontory, allows you to see stunning views, included the one of Etna mount. The town also has stony narrow alleys and pathways where you can meet the so-called street artists.
They are men and women who paint your image on wooden tablets and give you them as a gift. While you go through the streets in Taormina, you may also meet rose sellers.
The rose sellers offer you the most beautiful and rare species of roses in Sicily. In addition, you may also hear the tender background music played by fabulous street musicians.
The commercial heart of the town is Corso Umberto 1° (see the image below), a picturesque alley where you find local shops to buy Sicily’s gadgets.
Taormina is a dreamy place to be absolutely visited. This town was also admired by famous international artists, photographers, and writers, such as Johann Wolfgang Goethe, photographer Otto Geleng, Tennessee Williams, Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais.
Greek Theatre
In Taormina, the most important ruin is the ancient Theatre, also called Greek or Roman Theatre (see the image). This ruin lies in the valley of Taormina. Many columns and rows are still today untouched. The Theatre was built by the Greeks and later by the Romans, it contains, indeed, a mixed architectural style.
This building is magnificent and awesome and is the location for important international events, such as Taormina Arte, where famous ancient Greek tragedies are represented every summer, and Taormina Film Fest, which also hosted the David of Donatello awards to reward famous international stars of Cinema and TV.
Baroque Fountain and XI Aprile Square
In Taormina, you can also admire a baroque fountain dating back to 1635, the Church of San Domenico, the wonderful Corvaya Palace and its stunning and ancient courtyard of the 10th century, the Duomo, a perfect Medieval Church dating back to the 13th century, and the fabulous landscape of the square IX April (see the image). This square lies on a perfect medieval stone floor, while its angles are surrounded by the tips of gothic and baroque churches and by a very elegant staircase.
The square is regarded like the most charming external living room in Sicily. Suspended between the sea and the mountains, the square is the ideal place for a tasty outdoor breakfast or dinner. Taormina is beautiful both by day and by night. In the evening, when the lights of the city turn on, this place turns into a precious treasure of coloured sparkles to be absolutely enjoyed during your travel to Sicily.
Taormina Weather
The weather is typically Mediterranean in Taormina (mild winter and hot summer) and for this reason you can visit this town all year. Moreover, if you visit it in the mild seasons, you’ll avoid the bustle in the streets and the crowd on the beaches.
Medieval Castle
The Arab – Norman castle is perched on the hill that dominates Taormina. The manor is also called the castle of Monte Tauro, which, in turn, is the high hill that gave the name to the town. This position connotes it, along with the theatre, as one of the two ancient acropolis used as protective fortresses.
You can reach the castle through a stair carved into the rock. The pathway starts from the picturesque small church of Madonna della Rocca (The Madonna of the Rock) and climbs up to reach the front of the door of the castle. As soon as you have arrived, you’ll see the medieval tower used as look-out and a blind courtyard surrounded by walls. Unfortunately, the castle has not been accessible since many years and would need renovation. It lies on a silent countryside and is worth a visit, at least, to breath fresh and pure air and admire the stunning view of Taormina from above.
Taormina Beaches
This marvelous and magical town also has the most beautiful bays of Sicily. One of these is Isola Bella, a small island with a still wild and unspoiled landscape. Just think that it is inhabited only by five couples of pigeons. The island also has a pebbled beach surrounded by rocky stones.
They, in turn, form like a sort of enchanting crown that watches on the spectacular crystal-clear waters of the sea. Isola Bella is connected to Taormina through a small stretch of sand. This stretch appears during the low tide and disappears during the high one. However, given the low seabed, you can always walk it on foot. Isola Bella was, in the past centuries, a private property. It even belonged to a noble British woman who is believed to be the lover of the king of England.
Mazzarò is a charming bay located in a likewise charming pebbled inlet. There, the seabed is right away deep and is the ideal place to discover marvelous grottoes by boat, such as Grotta Azzurra. If you prefer sandy beaches, you can sunbathe in Giardini Naxos or in the other bays in Taormina, such as Villagonia, where the sandy shoreline is perfectly suitable for children. Another charming bay is Schisone, a mix of sandy and small rocky beach with crystal waters mirroring the beauty of its natural landscape.
How to get to Taormina
It is extremely easy to get to Taormina. If you have landed in Fontanarossa Catania Airport, you can take a bus or a taxi. The taxi drivers you find in Fontnarossa may be expensive. The most convenient solution is to take a bus by Interbus. This is just the bus shuttle deputed to take tourists to Taormina and its surroundings, such as Castelmola. You can enjoy several rides along the day and the ticket ha a cost of 6 euros.
Hotels and Accommodations in Taormina
Taormina has the advantage to have hotels and accommodations near the beaches. They are modern and outfitted with comforts and amenities.
You can book also residences and apartments in this town. In summer, the seaside hotels may be expensive.
However, to know the prices and offers of the best hotels in Taormina, you can also see this page.
If you book in the surroundings of the hill of Taormina, you’ll enjoy more affordable prices, along with stunning views. I tried this solution in my past summers and lived a really dreaming vacation, with dinners on the balcony of the hotel and the glittering lights of the Sicilian night. To enjoy these wonders, click here and book your favourite hotel and accommodation in Taormina before it is too late.
Conclusion
This is the updated version of a travel post written in January of 2016. The tourist information relates to the current time and any bookings you’ll carry out regard updated travel services, with new security rules applied by hotels and restaurants for your safety and a happy travel. Summer is just around the corner and even this year, if you are vaccinated, you’ll enjoy of the charm of my island. Taormina is always there, always wonderful, as always. It is waiting for you.
Photocredits:
Pixabay
Ilturista.info
Flickr
Rosalba Mancuso is a freelance journalist born in Sicily. Passionate about her loved island and with extensive writing experience, Rosalba worked as a contributor to the main Sicily’s newspapers and as a bilingual Italian – English writer. Thanks to her skills, she also founded four websites in English. On Sicilyonweb, Rosalba tells every corner of her beloved Sicily. Furthermore, she writes this blog thanks to your help. Rosalba, in fact, earns a small commission, with no cost for you, when you book your travel or buy products through the affiliate widgets or links you find in her posts.
Just curious why you say “if you are vaccinated “?
Very simple, Sarah: vaccines are the only solution for safety travel, even to visit the beautiful attractions of Taormina!