Places to Visit in Taormina, Italy, Europe
Taormina is a town located on the island of Sicily in Italy, around 50 km southwest of the provincial capital, Messina and 260 km southeast of the regional capital, Palermo. Taormina is especially noted for beautiful beaches.
Geography of Taormina:
Taormina coordinates with 37°51′ N latitude and 15°18′ E longitude covering an area of 13 sq. km. It is located around 204 meters above sea level, about 540 kms from Naples and 750 km from the country capital, Rome.
History of Taormina:
Before the Greek settlements in 734 BC, Taormina was settled by the Sicels. During the beginning of the 20th century, many renowned writers and artists resided in the villas of Taormina including D. H. Lawrence.
Connectivity to Taormina:
Reggio Calabria Airport in Messina is the nearest domestic airport to Taormina, located about 80 km from the heart of Taormina with scheduled flights to Milan, Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, and seasonal flights to Genoa.
Catania–Fontanarossa Airport in Catania is the closest international airport accessible to Taormina operating flights to Malta, Munich, Berlin, Lampedusa, Geneva, Amsterdam, Paris and many other important European cities.
Taormina receives frequent buses from Messina and Catania and also tourists can take taxi from the airport of Messina or Catania.
123 Transfers is one of the major taxi operators in the region of Sicily.
Culture, Food and Shopping in Taormina:
Taormina is the site of many grand festivals including the Taormina Film Festival and the town also houses many standard shops all around.
Tourists can try typical local sweet lemon drink, called Limoncello. The famous restaurants in Taormina are listed below:
- Ristorante pizzeria Mirage
- Al Paladino
- Arancini in Corso
- La Tavernetta
- Mamma Rosa
Things to do in Taormina:
- Festival celebrations
- Bike riding
- Visiting historical sites
Places to see in Taormina:
Ancient theatre of Taormina:
Being one of the most famous ruins on Sicily, the Ancient theatre of Taormina is renowned for its historical importance and its striking scene. It can be reached by vehicle from the town centre.
Corvaja Palace:
Dates back to the 10th century, the Corvaja Palace or Palazzo Corvaja is a historical palace which was initially constructed by the Arabs. It is situated in Piazza Badia in Taormina, in the vicinity of Saint Catherine of Alexandria church.
Mount Etna:
The Mount Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe, located about a 45 minute drive away from Taormina. It measures an elevation of 3,350 meters.
List of other places of interest in Taormina includes:
- Parco Comunale di Taormina
- Isola Bella
- Corso Umberto
- Playa Sole Luna
- Villa Comunale
- Teatro Antico di Taormina
- Vigliaturo Glass Gallery
- Cattedrale di Taormina
- Italian Opera Taormina
- Lido Copacabana
- Lido Mazzaro
- Spiaggia di Mazzeo
- Duomo Santa Catarina
- Chiesa di Santa Caterina
- Chiesa di San Giuseppe
Best time to visit Taormina:
The months of the summer season are best to travel Taormina to explore beautiful beaches.
Accommodation options in Taormina:
Other than luxury hotels and resorts, Taormina houses many budget options like hostels and guest houses with all the basic facilities and services. Tourists can also enjoy mouthwatering Italian dishes in the hotels of Taormina along with upgraded amenities. The major hotels in Taormina include:
- Grand Hotel Timeo by Orient-Express
- Hotel Villa Carlotta
- Hotel Villa Ducale
- Hotel Villa Schuler
- Hotel el Jebel
- Hotel Villa Angela
- Hotel Taodomus
- Villa Sant’Andrea by Orient-Express
- La Pensione Svizzera
- The Ashbee Hotel
- Victoria Hotel
- Hotel Villa Sirina
- San Domenico Palace Hotel
- Hotel Villa Taormina
- Villa Chiarenza Maison d’Hotes