What to do in Taormina and surrounding at least once in your life.
Watch a show at the Teatro Greco in Taormina. Fantastic location with Mount Etna as background, you’ll be stunned.
Go for a swim at Isola Bella and discover the island and the villa (access is 4 €)
Watch the belvedere from the best panoramic viewpoint: villa Comunale di Taormina offers one of the most beautiful viewpoints on the Giardini Naxos gulf with Mount Etna in the background. Piazza IX Aprile, this is for sure the most shot viewpoint of Taormina. Dulcis in fundo, my favourite one and less known is in via Luigi Pirandello, it’s in a walking distance from Porta Messina, 700m. ish. From here you’ll have a 180-degrees panoramic view from Sant’Alessio Siculo to Giardini Naxos including Isola Bella and at the horizon, you should be able to see Calabria.
Viewpoint from Piazza IX Aprile
Eat a granita with brioscia at the BamBar, it became very quickly a must-do. This place makes granita using only seasonal fresh fruit. It’s delicious!! Alert! Be aware that there are different flavours between morning and afternoon/evening…we think is a good reason to go twice, right!?
Spend an afternoon in Savoca, a very little town 20km away from Taormina. It’s one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. This town is famous for being a set of the film The Godfather. In the main square is located Bar Vitelli, order a granita or just sip a drink and admire the pics of the film hang on the walls and pretend to be one of the two “picciotti” sat at the table outside the bar.
Visit Castelmola, as well is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, it’s just 6 km away from Taormina. The street that connects the two towns has a scenic view. Castelmola has a few glorious viewpoints. Very famous here is Bar Turrisi… very folkloristic place. Be careful it’s not suitable for people who are scandalized easily.
Get lost in the little streets of Castiglione di Sicilia, again is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy.
Hike mount Etna with an authorised tour guide especially if the volcano is erupting is definitely the safer and recommended suggestion.
Enjoy a full day of activities (for adults and kids) at the Gole dell’Alcantara (Alcantara Gorge) just 25 km away from Taormina. Canyoning, body rafting or a bike tour are just few options, you can even chill out on the beach on the river.
