Also called the pearl of Sicily – Taormina is certainly the most beautiful town on the Sicily island. Busting with colorful buildings, ancient churches, and wonderful views of the Ionian sea, it has become one of the most popular towns in Sicily.

Its popularity in recent times Taormina has increased even more through the TV series “White Lotus” which was filmed, among others locations, in one of the local hotels. The streets of Taormina although charming will certainly be full of tourists during your visit, so it’s worth getting up an hour or two earlier to enjoy the city without the throngs of tourists.

Explore the beautiful streets and narrow alleyways of Taormina, admire the sea views, marvel at the colorful buildings, enjoy a delicious coffee in one of the many cafes in town, or just sunbathe on the beautiful beach of Isola Bella. Taormina is a great place that you can’t miss when you are in Sicily.

In this post you will learn about 8 places to see and to visit in wonderful Taormina.

We have completely fallen in love with Taormina.

After our visit to this charming place, we were no longer surprised that Taormina is called the most beautiful town in Sicily, its pearl and the most visited place by tourists. It is absolutely breathtaking.

Taormina has it all: small town charm, colorful buildings, small ceramic workshops, charming souvenir shops and many, many cafes and bars to choose from. What more could you ask for? Our favorite place in Taormina was the main street, Corso Umberto, and the charming squares along it.

#1 Corso Umberto

The main street in Taormina – Corso Umberto is an 800 meter long street full of restored, colorful medieval buildings that house restaurants, cafes, small ceramic studios and souvenir stores. Corso Umberto leads from Porta Catania all the way to Porta Messina.

This is one of those places where you will definitely meet the most tourists. Remember to hold your head up high so you can admire the buildings surrounding you with interesting signs and balconies full of plants.

#2 Piazza Duomo & Duomo di Taormina / Church of San Nicola

This beautiful square is the first one you will encounter after crossing the Catania Gate. The piazza is large and very pretty. It is surrounded by colorful buildings, and in the middle of the square stands a nice, small fountain.

The main building located at the piazza is the Duomo di Taormina. Build in 12th century, square building, which by its external appearance does not resemble a cathedral, but rather a fortress. Its interior although modest is quite nice.

The entrance is completely free so don’t hesitate to go inside at least for a while.

#3 Piazza IX Aprile

After walking a bit further, you will reach the main square and the heart of Taormina, namely Piazza IX Aprile.  This is a large space where some of the most interesting buildings in Taormina are located, as well as a balcony look out point. It is an incredible viewpoint overlooking the Ionian Sea.

At Piazza IX Aprile you will find also Porta di Mezzo clock tower, don’t forget to pay attention to it. There is always a lot of people in this place and it has a very lively atmosphere.

#4 Church of San Giuseppe & Church of Saint Augustine

One of the most important buildings in Piazza IX Aprile is the 17th century Church of San Giuseppe, which is still in use as a church. The building, whose exterior is rather modest, looks beautiful against the backdrop of the hills. A staircase leads to the beautiful and opulent baroque interior, and from which you can admire a wonderful view of the entire square.

The second building in the Piazza Duomo is another church, this time it’s an 18th century building painted in pink. It is no longer in use, however, and is now the beautiful,  city library.

#5 Via Giardinazzo

Less known among tourists, Via Giardinazzo is a street in the historic center of Tormina. Here you will see the Giammonarte palace, a building decorated in typical Sicilian style. Filled with vegetation and interesting paintings, the palace is an ideal backdrop for photos.

Not only are the doors and windows beautifully painted, but so are the garage doors and even the local Vespas. If you want to escape for a moment from the crowded streets of Taormina, here you can be sure of peace and quiet and only few tourists.

#6 Taormina Public Gardens

Taormina is not only beautiful buildings. If you yearn for greenery, head to the Public Gardens. A beautiful green park with interesting buildings, amazing vegetation and beautiful views of the sea.

This public park offers not only magnificent trees and flowers, but also a bit of shade from the Sicilian sun. Stroll along the designated paths in the park, admire the remains of magnificent buildings and watch the locals enjoying this beautiful green oasis.

Entrance to the park is completely free.

#7 Isola Bella

After all this sightseeing, head to one of Tormina’s more popular beaches: Isola Bella. You’ve probably seen it more than once in photos from Taormina, you have to admit that the island’s location and how it looks from above is incredibly beautiful, it is not surprising that the name of this place, which literally means “beautiful island”. The best views of the peninsula are at the Belvedere di Via Pirandello viewpoint.

The island, which was once private property, is now an ideal place to relax on a rocky beach. A small path leads to the island from the beach, which appears at the outflow, but when the path disappears, you can easily swim to the island.

#8 Il Teatro Antico di Taormina

The second largest theater in Sicily – Il Teatro Antico di Taormina was built in the 3rd century BC, and it is located on Tauro Hill which provides the place with amazing Mount Etna and sea views. Although the theater’s glory years are behind it, it is still sometimes used by locals for performances, and film festivals.

This is one of the more popular places in Taormina, so it’s worth going here first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds. Full entrance ticket cost €14.

Taormina has a very rich variety of restaurants, cafes and bars. Italian cuisine is one of the most popular and delicious in the world, but Sicilian cuisine is considered the best. While in Taormina, be sure to try some of the delicacies such as Pasta alla Norma, Cannoli and Arancini. For the best pizza and pasta in town, go to “Porta Messina” at the end of Corso Umberto. For the best granita head to “Bam Bar”, but be ready to wait in a queue.

By Airplane

Although Taormina does not have an airport, the easiest way to get to Taormina is by air. Choose Catania airport, which is less than 50 km from Taormina.

From Catania airport you can easily get to the center of Catania by bus and from there you have two options to get to Taormina, either by bus or train.

By Train / Bus

If you are in mainland Italy  you can get to Taormina by train or bus. This option, however, involves long travel times and changes of trains or buses.

However, if you are already on the island of Sicily, trains and buses are often the mode of transportation of choice. Keep in mind, however, that the timetable may differ slightly from the actual departure time, and that both trains and buses can be experiencing delays.

By Ferry

Another way to get to Taormina if you are in mainland Italy is by ferry.

If you are coming from mainland Italy, the shortest way to get to Taormina by ferry is to cross the Strait of Messina. Your journey will start from Villa San Giovanni and end in Messina, where you will take the train to Taormina, and the journey will take about an hour.

By Car

If you are planning a road trip around Sicily, we think the best way to get around is to rent a car. This will allow you to visit not only Taormina, but also other places on the island like Palermo, Catania or smaller towns like Noto or Ragusa at your own pace.

Although drivers in Sicily can be a bit chaotic and unpredictable, it is the fastest mode of transportation on the island. Remember to have your eyes in the back of your head and drive carefully.

If you want to rent a car in Sicily we strongly recommend you to book with Sicily by Car company. During our trip in Sicily we didn’t have the slightest problem neither with the car nor with the car provider.

The center of Taormina is not large, with all the places mentioned above only a few to a dozen steps away from each other, so Taormina is best explored on foot. Traffic in the center is also closed to cars, so park your car and take a long walk around Taormina.

Taormina is a charming and beautiful destination, so to fully appreciate its charms, it’s best to plan your visit during the warmer months of the year.

The best months to visit Taormina are between April and October. Early spring months like April and May and fall months like October and November have slightly cooler temperatures but are still ideal for sightseeing. Months like June and September still allow you to enjoy the beach.

July and August, on the other hand, are the hottest months of the year, so sightseeing in extremely hot temperatures can be a bit exhausting, and the beaches will be crowded. So try to choose a date around these months.

Thanks to the popularity that Taormina has gained in recent years, it has unfortunately become a rather expensive holiday destination. However, as in any place, it is still possible to find hotels or Airbnb at reasonable prices.

When looking for the perfect place to stay, consider the distance from the beach and the city center.

Taormina is a small town that is not lacking in charm and where you can definitely feel the “La Dolce Vita” lifestyle, so it is best to plan from two to even five days in Taormina. It all depends on how much time you have and if Taormina is the only place you want to visit in Sicily.

If you’re planning to visit other places on the island or go on a road trip around Sicily, plan two days for Taormina so you can visit the charming town, go to the beach and feel the Italian atmosphere in the cafes and bars while slowly sipping coffee or Aperol.

If you plan only Taormina as the main place of your vacation in Sicily, even after five days you will not be bored. Taormina is beautiful, it has many charming boutique hotels that offer the highest level of comfort.

However, if you are staying in Catania, for example, you can make a day trip to Taormina and explore the city in the morning and swim and relax on the beach in the afternoon.

The prices are per person, except for the accommodation and beach chairs, which we rent for 2 people.

Accommodation: $100+ / night

Restaurant: $19+ / meal

Rental car: $50+ / day

Beach chairs: $32+ / event