Last Updated on April 5, 2026
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Italy is filled with beautiful places and choosing the most beautiful town is not easy, but Taormina, a hilltop town on Sicily’s east coast, is definitely at the top of that list. Visiting Taormina had been high on my Italy bucket list since seeing it on The White Lotus and it did not disappoint. With sweeping views of Ionian Sea and Mount Etna, lively piazzas, picturesque streets, ancient theatres and rocky beaches, this town is truly stunning.
Taormina has always been a glamorous and popular place to visit in Sicily, attracting a lot of famous people who became regulars. But that popularity skyrocketed after the 2nd season of The White Lotus was filmed in town. That show sure drew even more attention to Taormina, and now it’s one, if not the most, touristy places in Sicily.
Some people say that Taormina doesn’t fully represent the rest of Sicily. It’s very refined, upscale and more polished than the rest of the island. You might also hear that Taormina is expensive and crowded, and that is all true. And while I’m usually not a fan of places like this, I fell in love with Taormina.
So, if you are planning a trip to Sicily and someone tells you to skip Taormina because of all the reasons mentioned above, don’t listen to them. This town is a beauty and worth a visit despite the crowds and hefty price tag, even if just for the day. It’s also a good base for visiting Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano.
I spent 4 busy days in Taormina and in this post, I share all the essential info that will hopefully come in handy while planning your visit. From how to get there, where to stay, hotel recommendations, restaurants not to miss, how to avoid crowds, and of course my favorite things to do in Taormina, Sicily.
How to get to Taormina, Sicily
Taormina is on the east coast of Sicily and the closest airport is in Catania (Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, also known as Vincenzo Bellini Airport) which is 66 km away (41 miles).
Bus
The best and cheapest way to get from Catania to Taormina is by taking a bus. Etna Transpori operates that route. You can take the bus either directly from the airport (1.5 hr. bus ride) or from Catania’s bus station.
Since I started my Sicily trip with a couple of nights in Catania, I took the bus from the main bus station (located right here).
Buses leave from Terminal Bus Città di Catania on Via Archimede, which is about a 20-minute walk from the historic center of Catania. I have to say, the area around the bus station is a bit sketchy, but totally fine during the day. If I was taking the bus after dark, I would definitely not walk there, especially as a woman traveling alone.
One way ticket costs €5.10 and you can buy it at the station. If you miss one bus, there’s going to be another one soon. They run frequently and it takes 1 hour and 10 min to get to Taormina. Sit on the ride side to get nice first views of the sea and cliffs as you approach Taormina.
Once in Taormina, the bus station is located on Via Luigi Pirandello, which is just a short walk to the city center.
Train
You can also take a train from Catania to Taormina, which takes 40-60 minutes, depending on which train you get on. Trains leave from Catania Centrale and arrive at Taormina-Giardini Naxos station. Keep in mind, that Taormina’s train station is by the coast, so you have to get up to the city center which is up on the hill. There is a path you can take, which is about a 30-minute walk, but I doubt you want to do it with luggage, especially that it’s uphill.
There’s also a bus that goes from the train station to Taormina’s main bus terminal. It’s operated by Interbus and it’s about a 10–15-minute drive. Another option is a taxi, but the short ride will cost you €20.
Driving
If you plan on renting a car to do a Sicily road trip and Taormina is one of your stops, the drive from Catania will take about one hour. Driving to Taormina is easy, but driving in the city is not. Once you get there, plan on leaving your car in the parking lot for the duration of your stay.
The streets in Taormina are winding, narrow, with lots of people everywhere and finding a parking spot in town is a miracle. One of my top tips for visiting Taormina is to avoid driving in town at all costs. Taormina is very walkable anyway, so you really don’t need to a car to get around. Plus, you have buses and the cable car to help you tackle the hills.
If your accommodations don’t come with on-site parking, there are several big parking lots in Taormina, where you can safely leave your car. Parcheggio Lumbi (the biggest lot with a free shuttle into town), Porta Catania and Porta Pasquale. There’s also Mazzaro parking by Isola Bella.
Tours
Even though I recommend spending more than one day in Taormina, if you are on a tight schedule, you can also go on a guided tour of the city. There are several options of tours from Catania.
- From Catania: Taormina, Isola Bella, and Castelmola Day Trip
- From Catania: Taormina, Savoca, & Castelmola Tour w/ Lunch
- From Catania: Day Trip to Mount Etna and Taormina with Lunch
Best time to visit Taormina (and Sicily)
For lesser crowds and nice weather without scorching heat, best time to visit Taormina is in the late Spring and Fall. Months like April, May, June and then September-October
Summer in Sicily, like much of Europe, is high season. It’s busy and prices are at its highest for flights and accommodations. It also gets very hot, which can make the sightseeing challenging.
Taormina in the off season will be much quieter and prices lower, but keep in mind that a lot of businesses close for those slow months. That goes for some restaurants, hotels, as well as activities. A lot of the fun things to do in Taormina you see in this guide you won’t be able to do, because due to low demand, they are simply suspended for the winter.
If you plan on using public transportation i.e. buses, those run on a reduced schedule as well.
As for weather, that’s a gamble. While Sicily is one of the warmest places in Europe in the winter, you might or might not end up with nice weather.
How many days in Taormina
Many people will say Taormina is a day trip, but I’m not one of them. Sure, seeing the town’s highlights can be done in one day, but if you can, I recommend staying at least a couple of days or longer. And here’s why.
Taormina is a popular day trip from nearby cities like Catania, as well as with cruise ship passengers doing the Mediterranean cruises. There’s a big port in Messina, which is about 45 min away and many people come during the mid-day hours either by bus or with a tour.
If you visit just for the day, you’ll be there right along with all the other day trippers and group tours, meaning you’ll experience Taormina at its busiest. Which might not leave the best impression of this beautiful town. Staying a few nights will give you a chance to enjoy it before and after the crowds.
I found the situation to be similar to that in Cinque Terre, which is another popular place in Italy that gets mobbed with day trippers, but best experienced if you stay a couple of nights.
I spent 4 days in Taormina, and I think it was the perfect amount of time. That allowed me not only to explore the town in depth at a nice pace, but also just to enjoy it. And since I was based in Taormina, I could just get up early and visit the busiest spots first thing in the morning. One day I took a day trip to Mt Etna and a Winery, which was a fun full day.
Things to do in Taormina, Sicily
Walk down Corso Umberto
Corso Umberto is the main pedestrian street in Taormina. It’s less than 1 km long (about 0.5 mile) and spans from Porta Catania to Porta Messina, two historical gates, that served as the official entrances to Taormina back in the day.
Between those two gates you have piazzas, churches, restaurants, cafes, boutique stores and gelato shops. It’s very lively and yes, very crowded, unless you go early in the morning. But it’s a must see – for the stunning architecture, beautifully decorated balconies and pretty store fronts.
If you want to do some shopping, Corso Umberto is lined with all kinds of stores, from souvenirs, boutique stores to high end places like Dior and Loui Vuitton.
Make a quick stop at Vicolo Stretto
Vicolo Stretto, which translates to narrow alley, is exactly that: a tiny alley right of Corso Umberto. It’s less than one meter wide, which makes it one of the narrowest streets in Sicily. It’s so narrow, that only one person can pass at a time.
It’s worth a quick stop for a fun photo op, at least the start of it. If you want to go up, you’ll eventually end up at the Vicolo Stretto restaurant. You’ll find Vicolo Stretto very close to the main Piazza IX Aprile (in this exact spot).
Piazza IX Aprile
As you walk down Corso Umberto, about halfway you run into Piazza IX Aprile, Taormina’s main square. If you are in town for a couple of days, you will most likely pass through it more than once.
This is one of the prettiest spots in town, with a couple of churches (Chiesa di San Guiseppe and Chiesa di Sant’Agostino), a clock Tower and several cafes. Piazza IX Aprile is also where you have one of the best viewpoints in Taormina. The square opens up into a huge balcony with sweeping views of the sea, the coastline, Mount Etna and the famous San Domenico Palace (aka White Lotus hotel).
This is a popular spot so if you want to enjoy it without the crowds and get photos with no people in them, try to get there before 8 am. Definitely in high season. After that it’s filled with constant stream of tourists and tour groups.
Visit Teatro Antico di Taormina
Teatro Antico di Taormina is a Greek Roman amphitheater built in the 3rd century BC and second largest theatre in Sicily (the biggest one is in Syracuse).
The views of the Ionian Sea and Mt Etna in the background
There’s also a small museum on site worth checking out. It’s included in the entrance fee to the theatre.
I would visit the Theatre either in the morning right after it opens (9 am) or later in the afternoon, for a couple of reasons. First, it gets really hot during the day in the summer (even end of September when I was there). Mornings and afternoons are also best to avoid crowds and tours. Visiting the Theatre is one of the most popular things to do in Taormina, so
I spent 2 hours at the Theatre walking around, soaking in the stunning views and enjoying a rehearsal of someone who was performing later that night. But most people don’t need more than one hour here.
Teatro Antico di Taormina is open every day at 9 am, but the closing time depends on time of the year you visit. It closes as early as 4-4.30 pm during the winter months but stays open until 7 pm in the summer and 6 pm in the fall.
You can pre-book your skip-the-line-ticket and choose your time slot here
Have a granita at BamBar
One of the things you have to try while in Sicily is granita and the place to do it is the iconic BamBar.
They have several flavors of granita (those available that day will be displayed on the board) and you can mix two flavors if you can’t decide on one. You can have it served with or without panna (cream).
BamBar is very popular, so there’s often a line. If you want one of the outside tables, you’ll probably have to wait a bit, but their granita is worth the wait. It’s one of those places, that is popular for a reason and definitely worth the hype.
Stroll through Vila Comunale
Vila Comunale is a public garden in the heart of the city and it’s a place you should definitely add to your Taormina itinerary. It was created in the late 19th century by an English aristocrat Florence Trevelyan as her private garden, which she filled with beautiful trees, bushes and exotic plants from all over the world.
Today it’s owned by the city and open to the public beautiful for everyone to enjoy. There’s plenty of shade, so it’s a great place to get out of the sun for a bit and take a break from exploring. It’s also very peaceful, so if you need to get away from the busy streets of Taormina, Vila Comunale is the place to go.
From the terraces in the garden, you can also enjoy incredible views of the coastline and the Ionian Sea.
Vila Comunale is free to visit and it’s open every day from 9 am until sunset.
Take a Cable Car
One of the fun things to do in Taormina, but also a way to tackle the hills that the town is known for is to take the Mazzarò cable car. In just 5 minutes it brings you from the historic center down to the beach area. As you can imagine, the views along the way are amazing, which is a reason enough to take it, even if you’re not heading to the beach.
Mazzarò cable car runs daily every 15 minutes. During the summer it operates from 8 am to 1.30 am, and in the winter from 8 am to 8 pm. Tickets cost €6 for a one-way ride and €10 for round trip.
Visit Isola Bella
Isola Bella is one of the images you often see when you search for Taormina. It’s a tiny, picturesque island attached to the beach by a thin stripe of sand, that you can walk across in low tide.
The island used to private and belonged to Florence Trevelyan (yes, the same wealthy woman who owned the public garden). She built a house on it and surrounded it with many exotic plants. Today it’s a Protected Nature Reserve and open to the public.
The beach around Isola Bella is free to visit, but there’s an entrance feel of 6 to visit the island, which I highly recommend doing. There is a small museum with exhibits explaining the history of Isola Bella and several terraces at different levels with great views.
As for the beach, this is a really beautiful spot with crystal clear water, but it’s all pebbles, not sand. I definitely recommend bringing a pair of water shoes. You could bring and set up your towel for free, which some people do, but to be completely honest, it didn’t look too comfortable sitting on those rocks.
There are also several beach clubs (called lidos), where you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas, order food etc. This is one of the most popular spots in Taormina, and it does get crowded, especially during the summer months. And the beach itself is kind of narrow and small. Definitely a must visit in Taormina, just go with the right expectations.
HOW TO GET TO ISOLA BELLA:
To get there from the historic center of Taormina, you can either ride the Mazzarò cable car or take the stairs.
- the cable car takes just 5 minutes and once there, you are just a short walk from the beach area. As you exit the Mazzarò station, turn right and walk for a couple of minutes until you see the stairway leading down to Isola Bella.
- the set of stairs that go from Taormina to Isola Bella start near the viewpoint Belvedere di Via Pirandello (this spot). It’s a very pleasant walk down with several scenic spots along the way. It takes about 20-25 minutes, depending on your pace and ow many stops you make.
Enjoy the views from Belvedere di Via Pirandello
And for the best views of Isola Bella from above, stop at Belvedere di Via Pirandello. Hands down one of the best viewpoints in Taormina. It’s located right near the staircase that leads down to the beach, so if you plan on taking the stairs to Isola Bella, you can stop at the viewpoint before.
If walking from the center of town, Belvedere di Via Pirandello is about a 10 min walk from the heart of Taormina. Getting there it’s a bit tricky, as the viewpoint is right off of a winding road with no sidewalk.
There’s a small cafe L’Oblò, which is very close to the viewpoint (and right next to the stairs that lead to Isola Bella). It has a terrace with the most stunning view, if you want to stop for coffee or a drink and enjoy it for a bit longer. The prices are on the higher side, but that’s expected in such a scenic spot. I only had coffee, so I can’t speak for food.
Beach day at Mazzarò
Since Taormina is way up on the hill, it has no direct access to beaches, but you can easily get to the coastal area via cable car, which takes just a few minutes. Besides Isola Bella, there’s Mazzarò Beach, right next to it. While it’s a popular beach, it’s generally less crowded than Isola Bella.
When you get off the cable car in Mazzarò, walk straight ahead and go under the pedestrian tunnel, which leads directly to the beach. While there, you have your choice of lidos (beach clubs), where you can rent sunbeds, umbrellas etc.
Lido La Pigna is a popular beach club to spend the day. They have a restaurant, so you can either get drinks and food to eat on the beach or enjoy it on their terrace. I had a light lunch there and it was really good.
Visit the White Lotus hotel
If you are a White Lotus fan but can’t afford staying at San Domenico Palace (let’s face it, most of us can’t), there’s another way you can visit the hotel for at least an afternoon.
As you can probably imagine, the show created a lot of interest around the hotel (and Taormina in general), so you can’t just walk in and look around or even casually stop for a drink at the bar. But you can make a reservation at the restaurant or Bar & Chiostro, which is what I did.
The demand is high and spaces are limited, so you’ll need to book your table early. And guests of the hotel have priority, so getting a reservation might not be easy during the high season. If it’s really busy, they might not even have openings for external visitors, but it’s worth trying.
You can see the availability and book your table at Anciovi Restaurant or Bar & Chiostro on the hotel’s website. If you do get a spot, there’s a minimum €50 per person, which honestly, it’s not hard to do considering a glass of wine costs €25.
If you are a fan of the show, you will love this experience. and even if you’re not, this hotel is something to see. Gorgeous property in the most incredible location with views to die for.
Stop at Roman Odeon
The Odeon is a small Roman theatre (not to be confused with the main Teatro Antico), tucked away behind Chiesa di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria. It was built by Romans in 21 BC and used for concerts and performances. It was accidently discovered in 1892.
Roman Odeon, even though located right in the heart of town, it’s one of the hidden gems in Taormina, often overlooked by visitors. It’s definitely worth a quick visit as you are wandering around town. It won’t take up a lot of your time.
There’s no admission, you can visit for free every day from 9 am until one hour before sunset.
There’s also a nice cafe right above it.
Enjoy a drink (and the views) at a Rooftop bar
I ran out of time to do this, but another fun thing to do is to head to one of the rooftop bars in Taormina and enjoy a drink with a view. It’s a great way to relax after a day of sightseeing and you can time it around the sunset.
Some of the popular places located right in town are Sky Rooftop Bar & Restaurant (on the terrace of Hotel Continental), Blue Sky Bar (on top of Palazzo Vecchio) and Bar Timeo (Grand Hotel Timeo). All three are good spots for pre-dinner evening drinks or to even spend the night.
Sample Sicilian cuisine
When it comes to Italian food, a lot of people think pizza, pasta ….. While in reality, food in Italy varies from region to region and is shaped by geography, climate, local ingredients and history.
Sicilian cuisine is considered by many to be some of the best in Italy. It’s filled with lots of seafood; vegetables and has a lot of Greek, Arab, Norman and Spanish influences. It’s definitely my favorite of all the food I’ve tried across Italy so far.
If you are wondering what to eat in Sicily, here are some of the staples of the cuisine.
- Pasta all Norma – most famous pasta dish in Sicily. It’s pasta with eggplant, tomato sauce, basil and ricotta salata.
- Pasta alla Tarantina – sea food pasta, usually spaghetti with fresh mussels, clams and shrimp.
- Swordfish – grilled or pan seared swordfish is also a very popular dish.
- Pasta con le Sarde – pasta with sardines, fennel, raisins and pine nuts.
- Caponata – popular side dish, made with eggplant, tomatoes, peppers and capers.
- Aranchino – aranchini are rice balls with various fillings, coated with breadcrumbs and deep friend. It’s a popular, very filling snack.
- Granita – a frozen treat, similar to slush, but thicker. Very refreshing and comes in different flavors. Can be topped with whipped cream and often eaten with a warm brioche.
- Cannolo – the most famous dessert in Sicily. The pastry shell shaped into a tube filled with ricotta, often topped with pistachios or chocolate. My top cannoli tip? Never buy those are sitting there already filled. A good place will fill the shell when you order it, so it doesn’t get soggy. You want the shell to be nice and crispy.
- anything Pistachio – Sicily is known for pistachios and they are part of many dishes.
A good way to try many of these dishes is taking a Food Tour like this one.
Try Aranchini from Rosticceria Da Cristina
I’ve had my share of Aranchini during my week in Sicily, but the one from Rosticceria Da Cristina was so good, it deserves its own spot on the list of my top things to do in Taormina.
It’s a very casual spot, more like a takeaway place, but they have a small sitting area too. They serve all kinds of food (pasta dishes, pizza), but they are especially known for their aranchini, fried rice balls with various fillings.
Da Cristina has two locations in Taormina. One is located on Via Strabone, just down the street from Piazza Duomo, and the second one is on Via Giovanni di Giovanni, close to Bam Bar. If you’re walking by either one, be sure to stop by and treat yourself.
Take a cooking class
Sticking with the food theme, if you enjoy cooking and would like to learn how to create some of the Sicilian dishes, then a cooking class it a fun activity to do.
Out of many cooking classes in Taormina you can book, one that sure stands out is Cooking with Chef Massimo. The class begins with a visit to a local market where you pick out your ingredients before heading to a house with the beautiful sea views, where you get to make several Sicilian dishes.
His classes are fun; he is both enthusiastic and knowledgeable and creates a friendly atmosphere. This class is a highlight for many people during their time in Taormina.
Other highly rated cooking classes are Arancino Making Class with Drinks, Pizza Making Class with Lunch and Wine or the Sicilian Cooking Class. Or if you wanted to learn how to make the most famous Sicilian desert, this Cannolo Cooking Class is right up your alley.
Visit Castelmola
Another place worth adding to your Taormina itinerary is a small village of Castelmola, which sits even above Taormina. Imagine the views from there. It’s one of Italy’s most beautiful villages.
There are a couple of ways how you can get from Taormina to Castelmola. The easy way is to take a bus from the main station, which is about a 15-minute ride and costs €1.90 one way. The bus drops you off in Piazza Sant’Antonino.
If you are up for some exercise, you can also take the Saracens Path (Salita dei Saraceni), which is about one hour steep hike, but the views along the way cannot be beat. And Castelmola is all about the views.
The village is really small, with just a few charming streets, a couple of Piazzas and viewpoints. Most people spend 2-4 hours in Castelmola, which is enough to wander around, take in the views and grab a drink. If you’re hiking from Taormina, plan to spend half a day.
Piazza Sant’Antonino is the main square from which you get sweeping views of Taormina, Giardini Naxos, Mount Etna and the sea. While there, don’t miss Caffè San Giorgio, where you can try almond wine, Castelmola’s specialty.
From the square, you can also take the short hike to Castello di Mola, the ruins of a Norman castle. While the ruins probably won’t impress you much, the views sure will.
Stop at Naumachie di Taormina
When you walk down Corso Umberto, take a quick detour onto Naumachie di Taormina, which is a long red brick wall. It dates back to the 1st century AD, which makes it the second oldest structure in town, after Teatro Antico. It’s also one of the best-preserved Roman remains in Taormina.
Naumachie means “the sea battle”, but despite what the name suggests, it was never used for naval battles. The water tank found during excavations was to supply the city with water, not to be used for sea battles.
If you are already walking around Taormina, it’s an easy quick stop, that won’t take up much of your time. Definitely a place worth checking out and a perfect spot for a peaceful walk and a break from the otherwise busy town.
Italian Opera at Teatro Nazarena
If you are wandering what to do in Taormina at night, you might enjoy experiencing some Italian Opera. There is a small theatre in Taormina: Teatro Nazarena, that has regular performances between April and November.
It’s a small, intimate venue and the performers and musicians are really talented and perform some Opera classics. Tickets come with a free drink you can enjoy during the intermission on the terrace, and you can book yours right here.
Take a boat trip along the coast
Another one of the best things to do in Taormina is to take a boat trip along the coast and see the town from the water. Most boat tours last a couple of hours, which is spent cruising along the coast, seeing Blue Grotto, some dolphin watching, and a stop for a quick swim and snacks with some prosecco.
There are a variety of options out there from sunset tours, Dolphin searching tours to a longer half day sailing trip. If you’re traveling in a group, a 3-hour private boat trip makes perfect sense.
One tour I can personally recommend is this 2-hour White Lotus tour, which I booked, and it was a blast. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery, saw dolphins, enjoyed the swim and prosecco. Captain Enzo and Tindaro made the excursion so fun – very welcoming and enthusiastic. Don’t hesitate to book this tour.
There are some tours that leave from the Mazzaro beach area, but most of them depart from the port in Giardini Naxos, which is the next town over. You can easily get there by bus for a couple of Euros one way from the main Taormina bus station. Taxis charge €30 for the short ride.
Take a day trip to Mount Etna
Last but not least, one of the must things to do in Taormina is to take a day trip to Mount Etna, Europe’s most active stratovolcano. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mount Etna erupts quite frequently and had some catastrophic eruptions over the years. When you visit you get to walk on the black lava rocks, which is an incredible experience.
Being just one hour away, this is one of the most popular day trips from Taormina and there are quite a few options when it comes to Mt Etna tours. I recommend choosing a tour that in addition to hiking Mt Etna also includes a visit to one of the many vineyards around the volcano. The volcanic soil is extremely fertile, which produces amazing Sicilian wines.
I booked this Mt Etna Walking Tour and Wine Tasting tour based on great views and it did not disappoint. It included a 2-hour hike through the lava fields with the most incredible landscape, followed by a visit to one of the lava caves. Afterwards we headed to one of the vineyards, where we were treated to an incredible meal paired with delicious wines.
Scilio is an organic vineyard, run now by the 5th generation of the same family. After the meal we got a tour of the vineyard and got an insight into the wine making process.
The guide Mauricio was fun, knowledgeable and very organized. As a local and someone who’s clearly very passionate about Mt Etna and Sicily, he knows probably everything there is to know about the volcano. Cannot recommend him and this tour enough.
Book the Mt Etna Walking Tour and Wine Tasting here.
Keep in mind, that it’s always colder up at Mount Etna due to higher altitude. So even if Taormina is hot, you’ll need layers or a light jacket for your hike.
Where to eat in Taormina, Sicily
There are a lot of great places to eat in Taormina. Besides the already mentioned BamBar and Da Cristina, here are some Taormina restaurants I got to try and can recommend.
Osteria da Rita – one of the best and most popular restaurants in Taormina. Great food and excellent service but prepare to wait in line up to an hour for a table. It’s that popular and they don’t take reservations. According to a waiter, to avoid a long wait best to be in line half hour before in opens or after 9 pm.
Trattoria Tiramisu – great place tucked away on a side street close to Porta Messina. Both indoor and outdoor seating.
Trattoria da Nino – small family run restaurant with excellent food. There are a few tables on the patio that has great views.
Osteria Rosso Divino – tucked away in a small alley in the most beautiful setting, this was my absolute favorite dining experience in Taormina. Mostly sea food on the menu and extensive wine list. If you are looking for a very romantic restaurant, this is it. Be sure to make reservations in high season.
Where to stay in Taormina, Sicily
Taormina is located up on the hill, which means amazing views of the sea and Mt Etna, but no direct access to the beach. When choosing your accommodations, you need to decide whether you prefer to be right in town or by the beach.
Staying in town means you are close to many restaurants, cafes, attractions and generally in the middle of the action. This is where you will experience t
If you prefer to be closer to the beach, you should look into hotels in Mazzarò, which is right by the coastline below the historic center of Taormina. Here you’ll be steps away from the beach and have easy access to boat tours, but it’s a very steep walk into town.
Taormina hotels in town
San Domenico Palace – aka the White Lotus Hotel! If you’re looking for ultimate luxury, this Four-Season property is the most beautiful hotel in Taormina, which obviously comes with a price tag. The hotel is a former Dominican convent and its location right up on the cliff overlooking the sea can’t be beat. The property, the grounds, the views – everything about this hotel is stunning.
B&B Greco Home – a small B&B with comfortable and spotless rooms and delicious breakfast served on a terrace. It’s located about a 5-minute walk to Corso Umberto, so close enough to all the action, but tucked away for a quiet stay. The host gets high praises for friendly hospitality. One thing to keep in mind is that there’s a long staircase you’ll need to climb to get from the street to the B&B. It’s a small place and it’s usually fully booked, so booking early is recommended.
Grand Hotel Timeo – 5-star hotel in prime location right by Teatro Antico, with spectacular views of the coast and Mt Etna. Rooms are very elegant and have either garden or sea views. The hotel has incredible amenities like rooftop terrace and bar, sauna, Turkish bath, gym and a couple of on-site restaurants. They also offer a free shuttle service to a private beach.
Hotel Villa Taormina – a boutique hotel with just 14 rooms in the perfect location, just a short walk to Corso Umberto and all the action. There is a roof top bar, swimming pool and a beautiful garden to enjoy and breakfast is included.
Taormina hotels by the beach
Hotel Panoramic – modern hotel steps away from the beach, with beautiful views of Isola Bella, which you can enjoy from your sea facing room and the rooftop swimming pool. Breakfast is included in the rate. An easily walk to the cable car
UNAHOTELS Capotaormina – this hotel has one of the most incredible settings. It sits right below Taormina and is built right into a cliff, offering amazing views of the Ionian Sea, Giardini Naxos Bay and Mt Etna. It has an infinity pool and a private beach, which you access through a tunnel carved into the rock. And if the place looks familiar, it’s because it was used as one of the filming locations for White Lotus. The hotel has a free shuttle for an easy access to town.
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