Taormina itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Taormina, day by day: the Ancient Theatre, Corso Umberto and Piazza IX Aprile, the cathedral, the Villa Comunale gardens, Isola Bella and Castelmola first, then a day on Mount Etna at Rifugio Sapienza and the Silvestri Craters. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Taormina in 1 day
Day 1
Isola Bella
Small island nature reserve in a bay below Taormina, joined to the beach by a narrow strip of pebbles, with a villa and gardens.
Ancient Theatre of Taormina
Greek theatre rebuilt by the Romans, set on a hillside with Etna and the sea as its backdrop, still used for performances.
Palazzo Corvaja
A medieval palace in Taormina's centre with Arab, Gothic and Catalan details, now home to the tourist office and a puppet museum.
Corso Umberto and Piazza IX Aprile
Taormina's main street of shops and palaces, opening onto a terrace square with views over the sea and Etna.
Villa Comunale gardens
Public gardens laid out by an Englishwoman, Florence Trevelyan, with exotic plants, follies and terraces over the sea.
Taormina Cathedral
Fortress-like medieval cathedral of San Nicolò at the west end of Corso Umberto, with a Baroque fountain in its square.
Castelmola
Small village on a crag above Taormina, with castle ruins, narrow lanes and wide views over the coast and Etna.
Taormina in 2 days
Day 1
Mount Etna (Rifugio Sapienza and Silvestri Craters)
Europe's highest active volcano; the Silvestri craters near Rifugio Sapienza are easy to walk, with cable car and 4×4 tours higher.
Castelmola
Small village on a crag above Taormina, with castle ruins, narrow lanes and wide views over the coast and Etna.
Taormina Cathedral
Fortress-like medieval cathedral of San Nicolò at the west end of Corso Umberto, with a Baroque fountain in its square.
Villa Comunale gardens
Public gardens laid out by an Englishwoman, Florence Trevelyan, with exotic plants, follies and terraces over the sea.
Day 2
Corso Umberto and Piazza IX Aprile
Taormina's main street of shops and palaces, opening onto a terrace square with views over the sea and Etna.
Palazzo Corvaja
A medieval palace in Taormina's centre with Arab, Gothic and Catalan details, now home to the tourist office and a puppet museum.
Ancient Theatre of Taormina
Greek theatre rebuilt by the Romans, set on a hillside with Etna and the sea as its backdrop, still used for performances.
Isola Bella
Small island nature reserve in a bay below Taormina, joined to the beach by a narrow strip of pebbles, with a villa and gardens.
Alcantara Gorges
A basalt-column canyon cut by an icy river inland from Taormina; visitors walk down into the narrow gorge.
Watch: Taormina
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Taormina
April to June and September to October are the best months, warm but not too hot, while July and August are hot and crowded. The Taormina Film Festival is held at the Ancient Theatre in early summer. Winter is mild and quiet in town, with snow on Etna and some hotels closed.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Taormina on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Taormina on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Taormina on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Taormina
- Taormina's centre is closed to most traffic; drivers park in the Lumbi or Porta Catania car parks, linked to the centre by shuttle or a short walk.
- Visit the Ancient Theatre early or late in the day to avoid the heat and the crowds; summer evening concerts and the film festival are held there.
- A cable car runs from Via Pirandello down to Mazzarò, a short walk from Isola Bella; the beaches are pebbly, so water shoes help.
- On Etna bring warm layers and sturdy shoes even in summer; going to the summit craters requires an authorised guide.
- Castelmola is reached by local bus or by a steep footpath from Taormina; the climb takes about an hour.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Alcantara Gorges: pjt56 —, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ancient Theatre of Taormina: Derbrauni, CC BY 4.0
- Castelmola: Ruigeroeland, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Corso Umberto and Piazza IX Aprile: Carsten Steger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Isola Bella: Solomonn Levi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mount Etna (Rifugio Sapienza and Silvestri Craters): BenAveling, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Corvaja: User:Dantadd, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Villa Comunale gardens: Danysan1, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
