Taormina
The ancient Greeks built Taormina's theatre facing Mount Etna and the sea — the best set designers in history knew what they were doing.
- Best forCouples · Honeymooners · Culture seekers
- In January13°C · 10 rainy days
- Ideal stay3 nights
- Approx. flying time~13h 20m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyEUREuro
- LanguageItalian
- Local time13:131h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType C / F / LBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+39
Why go
A small town on a terrace high above the Ionian, with Etna filling the horizon to the south. The ancient theatre is the reason most people come, cut into the hillside so the stage is framed by the volcano and the sea, and it still hosts concerts in summer. Corso Umberto runs the length of the town, lined with balconies and granita counters, and the ground drops away steeply on both sides.
Beaches are down at Isola Bella and Mazzarò, reached by cable car or a long flight of steps, so this is not a straightforward beach base. Three nights is plenty, with Etna, Catania and the Alcantara gorge all within an hour or so. May, June and September are the best months; July and August are hot and heavily booked. A car is more trouble than it is worth here.
- Ideal stay
- 3 nights
- The vibe
- Cliff-perched, romantic, volcano-shadowed
From our guides
At dusk the volcano smoulders against an apricot sky while the Ionian darkens below. Watch from the theatre itself or from a terrace on Corso Umberto with a glass of Etna Rosso. Few backdrops make a question feel so inevitable.
Featured in Ten dreamy sunset spots made for a proposal
Things to do
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The ancient theatre
Greek in origin and rebuilt by the Romans, positioned so that the stage sits against Etna and the sea. Go early, before the coach groups, or to an evening concert.
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Isola Bella
A tiny wooded island joined to a pebble beach by a spit, now a nature reserve. Reached by cable car from town, and best swum around rather than sunbathed on.
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Corso Umberto
The pedestrian spine of the town, running between two old gates past Piazza IX Aprile, whose terrace over the bay is the best free view in Sicily.
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Etna day trip
Roughly an hour and a half away, with cable car and 4x4 access to the higher craters and guided walks. Take a jacket whatever the coastal temperature.
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Villa Comunale gardens
Terraced public gardens laid out by a Scottish noblewoman in the nineteenth century, full of eccentric follies and quiet benches facing the volcano.
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Almond granita and brioche
The Sicilian breakfast: semi-frozen granita, almond or coffee, eaten with a soft brioche. Available on almost every corner from early morning.
Getting there
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Fly to
Catania (CTA)
Nearest airport to Taormina, about 47km away as the crow flies.
-
Then
To Taormina
Catania (CTA) is the gateway, about an hour by car or coach up the coastal motorway. Reggio Calabria (REG) is closer in a straight line but sits across the Strait of Messina on the mainland.
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On the ground
Getting around
Taormina sits high above the sea, reached by a hairpin road or by cable car from Mazzarò on the shore. The centre is pedestrianised, with the Greek theatre at the top of Corso Umberto.
Public transport: Trains stop at Taormina-Giardini below the town with a connecting bus up the hill, and coaches run from Catania and its airport.
Flights
Los Angeles Taormina, Sicily, Italy
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Roughly 13h 20m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about 13°C in January to 31°C in July. Driest in July; wettest in November, with rain on about 13 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
January13° · rain 10 daysCool with rain most weeks.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — June to August. Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Terrace hotels carved into the hillside, small palazzo conversions in town and larger beach hotels below. Apartments exist but usually involve stairs and no parking.
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Best base overall
Taormina town
Along and around Corso Umberto, walkable to the Greek theatre and the terraces facing Etna. Cars are restricted and parking is in garages below, so expect to arrive and then walk.
Find stays in Taormina town -
Best with children
Mazzarò and Isola Bella
Down at sea level below the town, linked by cable car, with the beaches and swimming. Hotels here are pleasant but you ride up for dinner and the views.
Find stays in Mazzarò and Isola Bella -
Quietest
Castelmola
The tiny village on the crag above Taormina, with a handful of small hotels, an even better view and almost nothing open late. A bus or a steep walk down.
Find stays in Castelmola -
Best value
Giardini Naxos
The resort town along the bay, with a long beach, plenty of hotels and prices well below Taormina. Frequent buses up the hill, and a livelier, plainer seafront.
Find stays in Giardini Naxos
Worth knowing before you book: Summer theatre performances and the August peak fill the town months ahead, and hotels with an Etna view charge a substantial premium for it.
Search everything else in Taormina by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Driving
- The centre is largely pedestrianised with restricted-access zones and steep approach roads. Use the car parks below town and take the lift or shuttle up.
- Getting there
- Catania airport is around an hour away, with buses running direct to the town. Trains stop at Taormina-Giardini, below the hill.
- Beaches
- The town sits about 200 metres above the sea. The cable car runs down to Mazzarò regularly, and the alternative is a long stepped descent.
- Pack this
- Shoes for steps and slopes. Nothing here is flat, and the lanes between levels are stairs rather than streets.
- Book ahead
- Summer concerts at the theatre and restaurant tables with a view both need booking well in advance, as does anything at all in August.
Similar places
Nearby destinations
The Aeolian Islands: Lipari
Salina and Stromboli, Italy · 105km away →
Cefalù
Sicily, Italy · 112km away →
Palermo
Sicily · 172km away →
Malta and Gozo
218km away →
Swimming Comino's Blue Lagoon
Malta · 221km away →
Amalfi Coast
Italy · 317km away →Elsewhere in Italy
Related articles
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Taormina?
For warm, mostly dry days, June to August. That means highs of 20–34°C with rain on six days a month or fewer. Daytime highs run from about 13°C in January to 31°C in July. Driest in July; wettest in November, with rain on about 13 days.
How long should I spend in Taormina?
Our suggestion: 3 nights.
How do I get to Taormina?
Catania (CTA) is the gateway, about an hour by car or coach up the coastal motorway. Reggio Calabria (REG) is closer in a straight line but sits across the Strait of Messina on the mainland.
Do I need a car in Taormina?
No. Trains stop at Taormina-Giardini below the town with a connecting bus up the hill, and coaches run from Catania and its airport.
What currency and language are used in Taormina?
Currency: Euro (EUR). Language: Italian. Plugs: type C and F and L.
Who is Taormina best for?
Best for couples, honeymooners and culture seekers. In a phrase: cliff-perched, romantic, volcano-shadowed.