Everything you need to know about traveling to Taormina, Sicily
Taormina is one of the most beautiful towns you can ever hope to visit. It is no wonder it has been featured in the White Lotus Netflix series!
We put this guide together so you know all the best things to see and do in Taormina.
Let’s get to it!
Taormina Sicily location and geography
Parts of the discussion on this page are derived from the Wikipedia page for Taormina.
Taormina is located on the east coast of the island of Sicily. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and is one of the five autonomous regions of Italy.
The island of Sicily is also the southernmost region of Italy. The east coast of Sicily is located right at the toe of the boot of Italy.
Taormina is located on the east side of the island, about 53 kilometers by car to the south of Messina. Messina is the closest city on Sicily to the Italian mainland.
Taormina is a small town, with a resident population of a little over 11,000 people, contained within an area of 13 square kilometers, or 5 square miles. It sits on the cliffs above the Ionian Sea at almost 700 feet above sea level.
History of Taormina
Taormina was originally settled before the ancient Greeks established their first colony in Sicily in 734 BC. Eventually, the Greeks made their way to Taormina, and constructed the ancient Greek theater that sits above the town, sometime around 2,500 years ago.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Taormina remained one of the more important towns on Sicily.
Since the unification of Italy in 1861, Taormina has been a popular location for European tourists. Due to the popularity of the White Lotus television series on Netflix, it has also captured the attention of North Americans as well.
Taormina Sicily climate
Taormina has a mild Winter climate and a somewhat hot Summer climate that benefits from breezes off the Ionian Sea.
The average high temperature by month bottoms out in January and February at 59 degrees. Temperatures never drop to freezing levels, and rarely drop below 40 degrees.
July and August are the warmest months with average high temperatures of 86 and 87 degrees respectively.
Unlike some other areas in Sicily, Taormina does have an extended wet season, from about September into April. This results in some more lush vegetation compared to other areas.
November and December are the wettest months of the year with just under 3 inches of rain on average, and about ten days of rain.
The summers are more dry, with rainfall of less than one inch per month on average from May through August.
What you should know before you go to Taormina Sicily
Here are some tidbits that you should know before traveling to Taormina, from the obvious to the not-so-obvious.
Currency: Euro
Language: Italian of course. Because Taormina is a busy tourist town with many travelers from Europe, English is more widely spoken here than in other parts of Sicily. With that said, we highly recommend that you learn some Italian before you go. Many Sicilians will appreciate the effort. Rosetta Stone is a popular app for learning Italian.
Visa Requirements: For stays under 90 days, you do not need a Visa, but you will need your passport.
Electricity: Europe has different electrical outlets than what we have here in the US, so you will need an adapter.
Car Rentals: If you are arriving to Taormina from mainland Italy via Messina, or you are flying into Catania, then the easiest way to get to Taormina is by train. You can get to Taormina from either city by train in under an hour.
The Taormina train station sits along the coast below the town, so you will need to get a cab ride to your accommodations once you arrive. This will cost you about 20 Euros.
If you are touring other areas of Sicily away from the east coast, then you will definitely want to rent a car. In order to rent a car, you’ll need an international driver’s permit along with your driver’s license. If you do not have an international driver’s permit, head on over to your nearest AAA office.
For finding the best deals on rental cars, check out Discover Cars.
If you don’t intend to rent a car, and need transportation too, check out Kiwi Taxis.
Flying to Sicily: There are two main airports on Sicily. The Palermo airport is actually about 35-40 minutes from Palermo by car, and is located northwest of the city. The other major airport is located in Catania along the east coast. This is the closest airport to Taormina. You’ll want to fly to the airport closest to where you are staying initially. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights to either airport from the U.S. Check out our tips for flying to Italy.
If you don’t intend to rent a car, and need transportation to your hotel, check out Kiwi Taxis. They provide service from both airports.
The Trains: The train experience in Sicily is quite different than on the mainland of Italy. There are no high speed trains. The intercity trains do allow assigned seats and have fewer stops. Unfortunately, these do not run as often as the regional trains. If you are traveling between cities on the east coast, simply schedule your trips so that you can ride the intercity train.
The regional trains are crowded, and the experience is like getting on a New York subway at rush hour. Therefore, travel on these trains with a lot of luggage is not recommended.
Travel Insurance: Anytime you plan on a trip overseas, you should consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance can cover the cost of medical emergencies, lost baggage, unexpected trip cancellations, etc.
Travel Insurance Master can help you find the coverage you need for your trip.
When is the best time to go to Taormina?
The best time to go to Taormina depends upon the activities you have planned. For instance, if you want to go to the beach and perhaps take a tour to the summit of Mt. Etna (when it is not erupting of course!), then you’ll want to go during the summer months.
Aside from those particular activities, however, a great time to visit Taormina is from November through March. Yes, the temperatures will be much cooler. However, it will be far less crowded, as the tourist season runs from about mid-April through October.
Taormina is a small town, and it is VERY crowded during tourist season. As a result, restaurants get filled up quickly and you may find yourself having to wait for a table if you don’t head to dinner early.
You should also note that the beaches closest to town are small, and they will also be crowded.
If Taormina is simply one of your stops during a tour of Sicily, and the beach is a priority, then consider going in September or October. The water will still be warm enough for swimming, and if you avoid the weekend, you will avoid some of the crowds.
If visiting the beaches in Sicily is one of your priorities, check out the 7 best beach towns in Sicily. Yes, Taormina is on the list! Below is one of the two beaches closest to town.
Spiaggia Mazzaro
Best things to do in Taormina
Piazza Aprile
Give yourself a day or two to explore. The town is small, so you will be able to see everything you want in that time frame.
Here are a few must things to do in Taormina…
Visit the ancient Greek Theater (Teatro Antico di Taormina). It is truly a cool place to wander around, and since it sits above the town, it provides incredible views of the town below as well as the coast line. On a clear day, you can also see Mt. Etna.
Almost directly below the Greek Theater are the public gardens (Villa Comunale di Taormina). You also have some nice views of the coastline here, and it is quite peaceful.
Take a stroll down Corso Umberto, the main shopping street in Taormina and where you will find most activity. Be sure to wander all the way to Piazza IX Aprile, where again you will find some amazing views (notice a theme here?).
Once you’ve been up and down Corso Umberto, be sure wander down the side streets. These are a bit more quiet, and you’ll find more small shops and restaurants.
Public Gardens
Even if you don’t intend to swim, it is worth taking the cable tram down to the beach. The ride only takes about five minutes. The scenery is excellent and the water is very clear.
If you plan on spending a day at the beach, you’ll want to pay for the chairs and umbrella. The price for two is about 40 Euros. This is generally worth it as there is not much public space on the two beaches below the town.
If you have time, there is actually a small town situated above Taormina known as Castelmola. Fewer tourists head there, but it is the quintessential small town in Sicily.
Taormina is actually a pretty good base that allows you to visit some other interesting places on the east side of Sicily.
Number one among these is Mt. Etna. Consider taking a day trip to visit the summit.
Wine enthusiasts will also want to visit a couple wineries near Mt. Etna as well. Sicily is becoming more and more known for wines produced on the island, and the best are produced near Mt. Etna.
Lastly, consider taking a day trip down to Syracuse. If you take an intercity train, the trip is about two hours one way.
Where to stay in Taormina
The best place to stay in Taormina is as close to Corso Umberto as possible.
This puts you in the middle of just about everything the town has to offer, and you’ll be able to walk everywhere from here.
Realistically, if you are here for a short stay and the beaches are not a priority, you will want to stay in this part of town. It is simply not feasible to stay anywhere else due to hilly topography of the area. You’ll be able to see more without the need for hiring a taxi.
We stayed at a bed and breakfast called Casa Arico and highly recommend. It is the home of a family that has an appreciation of Italian art, and it was close to all the main attractions in town. The service was also impeccable.
If you are more interested in a hotel, check out your options by filling out the form below.
