Taormina
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 6 January 2023
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The historic town of Taormina is one of Sicily's principal destinations, offering a range of attractions from excellent beaches to a beautiful hill town.
Taormina is situated in the north-east of Sicily, marking the half way point between the cities of Messina and Catania, both of which are around 50 kilometres away. Founded as far back as the 6th century BC by Greeks from neighbouring Naxos, it's unmissable for any visit to Sicily. |
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Drama is at the centre of all that's good about Taormina. Its most iconic sight, and indeed that of Sicily, is its Greek Theatre, originally built in the 3rd century BC before a significant later restoration by the Romans. Sit on the steep terraces of the largely-intact theatre and you can cast your mind back thousands of years to when it was used for performances with the fiery Mount Etna looming in the background.
The dramatic setting of the Greek Theatre is just one such view that will leave you gasping. Above the main hill town of which the Greek Theatre is a part, the imposing Monte Tauro offers another viewpoint. At the top of the mountain are the ruins of the Castello Saraceno from which you can gaze down on to Taormina, to its coastline and beyond to mainland Italy across the Messina Strait. Not to be missed while at this vantage point is the little church called Madonna della Rocca which lies just below the castle.
It's worth remembering that there are several areas to Taormina; apart from the main area of the hill town, there are some of Sicily's best beaches to be found down at the shoreline. You can connect between the beaches and the hill town via a cable car that takes just a couple of minutes each way. The cable car (also referred to as the funivia) runs every 15 minutes and costs around €3 each way. For those of you that can stomach the vertigo-inducing ride it's worth every cent and saves the long drive or bus ride up the hill.
Down at the coastal area you'll find various beaches including the aptly-named Isola Bella, another iconic image of Sicily. There's a whole separate section to be found by clicking on Taormina Beaches which include Mazzarò, Spisone and Capo Taormina.
Back up at the hill town, there's still a lot more to see apart from the Greek Theatre. The main thoroughfare is called Corso Umberto. The busy shopping street runs from one Roman gate called Porta Catania, east to west to Porta Messina, another Roman gate that marks the eastern end of the street. There are all kinds of shops along the Corso which include high-end boutiques as well as a number of bars and restaurants.
Corso Umberto is interrupted by some beautiful squares including Piazza Duomo, home of the 13th century Taormina Cathedral. At the centre of the piazza is a beautiful fountain and this is one of the best places to stop for a bit to eat or drink. Another square which is not to be missed is Piazza IX Aprile; the beautiful piazza is distinctive for its chequered-pattern floor but also for its terrace from which you can get wonderful views of the surrounding area. It's also home to the beautiful Chiesa di San Giuseppe, one of the town's prettiest churches, and the historic Torre dell'Orologio clock tower with its crenellated walls.
Continuing east along Corso Umberto from Piazza IX Aprile you eventually come to another significant church, the Chiesa di Santa Caterina which is flanked by the historic Palazzo Corvaja which now contains a museum of local arts and traditions, the Museo Siciliano di Arti e Tradizioni Popolari.
Over the years, Taormina has been a magnet not only for tourists but also a number of celebrities including D H Lawrence who once lived here, and Goethe who wrote enthusiastically about it. Of much lesser fame was one Florence Trevelyan who, caught up in a royal scandal back home in Britain, eventually found her way to Taormina where she created one of the town's most attractive features. The Giardini della Villa Comunale are situated at the south-east of the hill town, close to the entrance of the Greek Theatre. The gardens are replete with unusual ornaments and sculptures, but also offer yet another dramatic view down to Giardini Naxos and beyond.
If coming from abroad, the best way to reach Taormina is via Catania Airport which is just under an hour away by car, a distance of 69 kilometres. Taormina's train station is situated in the neighbouring town of Giardini Naxos from where you can take a bus or taxi. If coming from inside Italy, you can drive south along the main motorway towards Reggio Calabria and take the ferry from Villa San Giovanni to Messina, followed by a drive of around 50 minutes.
The dramatic setting of the Greek Theatre is just one such view that will leave you gasping. Above the main hill town of which the Greek Theatre is a part, the imposing Monte Tauro offers another viewpoint. At the top of the mountain are the ruins of the Castello Saraceno from which you can gaze down on to Taormina, to its coastline and beyond to mainland Italy across the Messina Strait. Not to be missed while at this vantage point is the little church called Madonna della Rocca which lies just below the castle.
It's worth remembering that there are several areas to Taormina; apart from the main area of the hill town, there are some of Sicily's best beaches to be found down at the shoreline. You can connect between the beaches and the hill town via a cable car that takes just a couple of minutes each way. The cable car (also referred to as the funivia) runs every 15 minutes and costs around €3 each way. For those of you that can stomach the vertigo-inducing ride it's worth every cent and saves the long drive or bus ride up the hill.
Down at the coastal area you'll find various beaches including the aptly-named Isola Bella, another iconic image of Sicily. There's a whole separate section to be found by clicking on Taormina Beaches which include Mazzarò, Spisone and Capo Taormina.
Back up at the hill town, there's still a lot more to see apart from the Greek Theatre. The main thoroughfare is called Corso Umberto. The busy shopping street runs from one Roman gate called Porta Catania, east to west to Porta Messina, another Roman gate that marks the eastern end of the street. There are all kinds of shops along the Corso which include high-end boutiques as well as a number of bars and restaurants.
Corso Umberto is interrupted by some beautiful squares including Piazza Duomo, home of the 13th century Taormina Cathedral. At the centre of the piazza is a beautiful fountain and this is one of the best places to stop for a bit to eat or drink. Another square which is not to be missed is Piazza IX Aprile; the beautiful piazza is distinctive for its chequered-pattern floor but also for its terrace from which you can get wonderful views of the surrounding area. It's also home to the beautiful Chiesa di San Giuseppe, one of the town's prettiest churches, and the historic Torre dell'Orologio clock tower with its crenellated walls.
Continuing east along Corso Umberto from Piazza IX Aprile you eventually come to another significant church, the Chiesa di Santa Caterina which is flanked by the historic Palazzo Corvaja which now contains a museum of local arts and traditions, the Museo Siciliano di Arti e Tradizioni Popolari.
Over the years, Taormina has been a magnet not only for tourists but also a number of celebrities including D H Lawrence who once lived here, and Goethe who wrote enthusiastically about it. Of much lesser fame was one Florence Trevelyan who, caught up in a royal scandal back home in Britain, eventually found her way to Taormina where she created one of the town's most attractive features. The Giardini della Villa Comunale are situated at the south-east of the hill town, close to the entrance of the Greek Theatre. The gardens are replete with unusual ornaments and sculptures, but also offer yet another dramatic view down to Giardini Naxos and beyond.
If coming from abroad, the best way to reach Taormina is via Catania Airport which is just under an hour away by car, a distance of 69 kilometres. Taormina's train station is situated in the neighbouring town of Giardini Naxos from where you can take a bus or taxi. If coming from inside Italy, you can drive south along the main motorway towards Reggio Calabria and take the ferry from Villa San Giovanni to Messina, followed by a drive of around 50 minutes.
Comune di Taormina
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Province: Metropolitan City of Messina
Region: Sicily Population: 10,473 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Size: 13 km² Elevation: 204 metres Highlights: Ancient Greek Theatre, Isola Bella, Piazza IX Aprile Close by: Giardini Naxos, Castelmola, Forza d'Agrò, Savoca Recommended accommodation: Hotel Villa Fiorita |
Taormina Beaches
Isola Bella, Taormina, Sicily
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