Updated October 2026 with current ticket prices, closures and the new cable car fares.
Taormina is small, steep and busy. Tour groups fill Corso Umberto by mid-morning, prices run high for Sicily, and nearly everything worth seeing sits up or down a staircase. It's still one of the best places in Sicily to spend two days, as long as you plan around what's open in Taormina.
This list of things to do in Taormina is built from the archaeological park's official ticket and timetable pages, the town's tourist-tax table, local news and the guides that rank today, all checked on 31 October 2026. We haven't walked these streets for this page, so we say what we couldn't confirm instead of guessing. Our angle is simple: what's worth your time, what to skip, and what's closed right now. For the overview of the town, start with our Taormina travel guide.
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Short on Time? Don't Miss These Things to Do in Taormina
- The Teatro Antico, the Greek-Roman theatre with Etna behind the stage. A skip-the-line ticket with audio guide saves you the ticket queue.
- A day on Etna. The Etna tour from Taormina with hiking, a cave and tastings is a well-reviewed Taormina-based option.
- A boat around the bay. The Taormina boat tour with snorkeling and prosecco is rated 4.85 from over 1,100 reviews.
- The cable car down to Mazzarò, now €8 one way, for the sea.
- Corso Umberto at 8 a.m., before the groups arrive. It's free.
Looking for a place to sleep? See our best hotels in Taormina or see where to stay further down this page.
Things to Do in Taormina's Old Town
1. Watch Etna Frame the Teatro Antico
The stage set is a volcano.
This is the reason most people come. The theatre is Greek in origin, was reworked by the Romans, and still hosts performances. From the top rows you look straight across the bay to Mount Etna, which is why it's worth the ticket even if you don't care about ruins.
It costs €12 for adults and €6 reduced, per the park's official ticket page. The official timetable lists only October at the time of writing: 9:00 to 17:45 in the second half of the month, last entry 17:00. Winter hours aren't published there, so check before you go.
Go at opening time.
By late morning the stage is full of selfie sticks. If you'd rather skip the ticket line, get a skip-the-line ticket with audio guide here. Our Teatro Antico guide covers tickets, the best time of day and events in full.
Cost: €12 full, €6 reduced. Important: no timed or online booking turned up on the official site.
2. Walk Corso Umberto Before the Tour Groups
Corso Umberto is the spine of the old town, a pedestrian street that runs between Porta Messina and Porta Catania. It's lined with ceramics shops, bars and jewelers. It's also where the crowds are, so timing matters more than any route.
Walk it at 8 a.m. and Taormina feels like a pleasant small town.
Walk it at noon in July and it's a conveyor belt.
Do it once early, then come back for an evening stroll when the day-trippers have gone.
3. Take the View from Piazza IX Aprile
The best free terrace in town.
The square sits on the edge of the cliff, with the sea on one side and Etna on the other, and the old clock tower is a short walk away. It's the place everyone ends up for sunset, and for once the crowd is justified.
Order a drink at one of the bars on the square if you want a seat, but know that you're paying for the view. Standing at the railing is free.
4. Look at the Duomo and Piazza Duomo
The cathedral square is where Taormina sits and watches itself. There's a fountain, a church facade and a steady stream of people. Palazzo Corvaja is a short walk away.
We couldn't confirm the opening hours for either building, so treat these as outside stops, not planned visits. Five minutes is plenty.
5. See the Odeon, the Free Roman Ruin
The Odeon sits tucked behind the main street. It's a small Roman theatre, free to enter per the park's ticket page, and open from 9:00 to one hour before sunset. It's the one ancient site in Taormina where you won't queue or pay.
Pair it with the Naumachia, the long Roman wall you pass on Via Naumachia. We couldn't find a published visiting arrangement for the wall, so enjoy it from the street.
6. Walk the Villa Comunale, if It's Open
Check before you climb.
The public gardens, also called the Trevelyan park, were a staple of every guide we read. They're free and sit between the old town and the sea. The catch is that they were damaged in 2026. A local report from February said the park partially reopened by mayoral ordinance, with some entrances and structures closed, and a report from March described works to remove dangerous pines. We found nothing newer, so the current status is unconfirmed.
Ask at your hotel or the tourist office.
If the gates are shut, you haven't lost much, because the view from Piazza IX Aprile is better anyway.
7. Climb to the Castello di Taormina
The castle is the ruin on the rock above town. It costs €10 full and €5 reduced, and it's open daily 9:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30, per the park's timetable page. Some older guides give different hours, so trust the official ones.
It's a steep climb, and the payoff is the height.
If your legs are tired, the Madonna della Rocca viewpoint below it gives you much of the same view for free.
8. Hike Up to the Madonna della Rocca
The small sanctuary clings to the rock below the castle. It's free, and one tour operator describes it as roughly 1.5 kilometers from the center. We couldn't verify a walk time, so don't plan tight.
Go in the morning or late afternoon.
Midday sun on a stone staircase is no fun, and the viewpoint is the same either way.
9. Book a Tour of Casa Cuseni
The most underrated stop in town.
Casa Cuseni is a house museum that appears in none of the seven guides we compared, yet it shows up in Google's top sights for Taormina. The official site says it's open daily, with a guided tour at 11:00 (in English Monday to Friday, in Italian at weekends). Reservation is required.
No price is published, so ask when you book. It's a good rainy-day choice, and a good answer to the question of what to do in Taormina when the sea is rough.
Things to Do by the Sea: Mazzarò and Isola Bella
10. Ride the Cable Car Down to Mazzarò
The funivia connects the old town to the beach at Mazzarò in a few minutes. From 1 August 2026 the fare is €8 one way and €15 return, according to a local news report on the new tariffs. The Comune's page still shows the old €6 and €10, so don't be surprised by either number.
We couldn't confirm the current operating hours or winter closures, so check before you plan your return. If the cable car has stopped for the evening, you're looking at a long walk or a taxi.
Tip: walk down to the sea in the morning and take the cable car back up. Your knees will thank you.
11. Visit Isola Bella Before It Closes (or Wait)
The postcard shot.
Isola Bella is a small islet joined to the shore by a sandy strip that's sometimes dry at low tide. It's a nature reserve, and it's the most photographed spot in Taormina. Entry is €5 full and €2.50 reduced.
Here's what's changed. It closes on 2 November for maintenance, with works expected to finish by 15 December and no promised reopening date. Earlier in 2026 it reopened on 20 June after a previous closure. If you're here between November and mid-December, plan something else and don't count on it.
Skip the middle of the day in summer.
Go early, before the boats arrive.
12. Swim at Mazzarò, and Know the Lido Rules
The beach at Mazzarò is the one most visitors use, right at the bottom of the cable car. It's a pebble beach with a mix of paid lidos and free spots. We couldn't verify lido prices, so we won't quote any. Ask before you sit on a sunbed.
For more options on the island, see our best beaches in Sicily.
13. Take a Boat Around Isola Bella
A boat is the best way to see the bay if the islet is closed. The Taormina boat tour with snorkeling and prosecco leaves from Giardini Naxos, takes about two hours, and has a 4.85 rating from more than 1,100 reviews. A cheaper option is the Isola Bella and Blue Grotto mini cruise, also about two hours, rated 4.63.
Both are listed from the Giardini Naxos side, not the cable car, so check the meeting point. A sea trip is the one thing to do here that the Isola Bella closure doesn't affect.
14. Skip Giardini Naxos, Unless You Like Archaeology
Giardini Naxos is the flat beach town next door, and the departure point for many boat trips. Its archaeological museum costs €5 full and €2.50 reduced per the park, and it's worth an hour if ancient history is your thing.
Otherwise skip it. On a short trip, the old town, the sea and Etna use your time better.
| Site | Full | Reduced | Hours (late Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teatro Antico | €12 | €6 | 9:00 to 17:45, last entry 17:00 |
| Castello di Taormina | €10 | €5 | 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:30 |
| Isola Bella | €5 | €2.50 | Closed from 2 Nov 2026 (works to about 15 Dec) |
| Naxos museum | €5 | €2.50 | Not verified |
| Odeon | Free | Free | 9:00 to one hour before sunset |
Things to Do Above Town: Castelmola
15. Go Up to Castelmola for Almond Wine
A village on a rock above the town.
Castelmola sits on the hill above Taormina, and the views are even higher than the town's. It's known for almond wine, a local specialty, and for Bar Turrisi on the main square. One source says the bus takes about 15 minutes and a taxi costs around €20, but we couldn't confirm the operator or fare.
You can also walk up from Piazza IX Aprile. Allow 30 to 60 minutes uphill, and don't do it in the afternoon heat.
Day Trips from Taormina
16. Spend a Day on Mount Etna
Etna is the biggest day trip from Taormina, and it has its own page: our Mount Etna guide covers access, tickets and safety. Two things belong here.
First, the volcano is active. A Comune di Bronte ordinance dated 14 August 2026 suspended hiking in the permanent-danger summit zone, with certified guides exempt, and an October bulletin reported strong degassing at the northeast crater. We couldn't confirm the status for the end of October, so check the day before.
Second, go with a guide. The Etna tour from Taormina with hiking, a cave visit and tastings takes about seven hours and is rated 4.72 from nearly 800 reviews. The Etna and Alcantara Gorges full-day tour with lunch has more than 3,000 reviews, but it's listed from Catania, so confirm that pickup includes Taormina.
17. Wade the Alcantara Gorges
The gorges are a river canyon about a short drive from town. The official park site lists the full tour at €30 for adults and €25 for children aged 5 to 10, with boots and waders included, and the park was open daily 9:00 to 18:00 until 31 October 2026. That means the season has just ended, and we found no 2027 dates.
Worth knowing for next summer.
The gorges are also folded into some of the Etna day tours above.
18. Follow The Godfather to Savoca and Forza d'Agrò
Two hill villages above the coast were used as locations for the first Godfather film. In Savoca the film's bar, Bar Vitelli, is a stop on every tour, and the church of San Nicolò (also called Santa Lucia) is free to see. We couldn't confirm opening hours or a bus from Taormina.
If you don't have a car, a tour is easier. The Godfather tour to Savoca and Forza d'Agrò takes about five hours and has a 4.71 rating from more than 800 reviews.
19. Taste Etna Wines
The slopes of Etna make some of Sicily's best-known wines, and several tours pair a tasting with the volcano. The guided Etna wine tasting half-day lasts about five hours and is rated 4.70. For a longer day with lunch, there's the Etna food and wine tour at six hours.
Pick the half-day if you only have a morning.
Don't book a wine tour and an Etna hike on the same day, because both are long.
Food and Evenings in Taormina
20. Start the Day with a Granita
Granita with a brioche is the classic Sicilian breakfast. Three of the seven guides we compared recommend Bam Bar for it, so expect a line in summer. We couldn't verify its hours or prices.
For a sit-down dinner, see our best restaurants in Taormina.
21. Learn to Cook Sicilian Food
A cooking class is a good use of a rainy afternoon. The Sicilian cooking class with a market visit lasts about three hours and is rated 4.86 from over 300 reviews.
22. Do the Evening Passeggiata
Once the day-trippers leave, Corso Umberto becomes the town's evening walk, and it's free. Find a bar on Piazza IX Aprile for an aperitivo, then wander toward the Duomo.
If you want live music, the Teatro Antico hosts summer events, but we couldn't verify the 2027 programme. The Taormina Film Fest ran from 10 to 14 June in 2026, and the 2027 dates haven't been announced as far as we could find.
How Many Days in Taormina?
One full day covers the main things to do in Taormina: the old town, the Teatro Antico and the cable car to the sea. Two days lets you add Etna or a boat. A third day makes sense for the Godfather villages or the wine tour. Most visitors do Taormina in a night or two.
We think that's about right, unless you're using the town as a base for the whole east coast. For a bigger plan, see our Sicily itinerary.
Getting Around Taormina
Is Taormina walkable? Yes, but it's hilly and full of stairs. The old town is pedestrian, so luggage is the main problem. The cable car links the town to the sea, and a bus or taxi goes up to Castelmola.
The train station is below the town at Taormina-Giardini, so you'll need a bus or taxi to reach the center. From Catania airport, a bus runs to the town in about 80 to 90 minutes, and a fare of €7 was reported in August 2026. You can also compare Catania to Taormina by train or by bus, or arrange a private airport transfer. Our Catania airport guide has the details.
A car is useful for day trips, but not in the old town. If you want one for the coast and Etna, compare car rental prices here and read our guide to driving in Italy first.
Best Time to Visit Taormina
Summer brings the crowds and the beach days. Spring and early autumn are calmer, and the main sights are open. In November and December, Isola Bella is closed for works and some seasonal sites, including the Alcantara Gorges, have shut for the year. Etna's activity can also change plans at short notice. Our best time to visit Sicily page has the month-by-month view.
Where to Stay in Taormina
Pick your area first. The old town is walkable to everything. The streets above the sea, like Via Pirandello, are quieter. Mazzarò puts you on the water but away from the evening scene. Our best hotels in Taormina page goes deeper.
- Old town: Hotel Metropole on Corso Umberto, rated 9.2 on Booking.com from nearly 500 reviews, or Taodomus Boutique Hotel, also on the main street, at 9.3.
- Splurge: Grand Hotel Timeo, beside the Teatro Antico, and San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons, the former convent that served as the main hotel in the second season of The White Lotus. Both are rated 9.7.
- Above the old town: Hotel Villa Carlotta (9.0) and Hotel Bel Soggiorno (9.0, nearly 2,000 reviews) are on Via Pirandello, and Hotel Villa Belvedere (9.3) is on Via Bagnoli Croci.
- Budget: Hotel Pensione Cundari, a one-star on Via Nazionale rated 8.6 from nearly 1,900 reviews.
Hotels charge a tourist tax. Under the Comune's table in force since September 2023, it's €5 per person per night for five-star hotels, €4 for four-star, €3 for three-star, €2.50 for two-star and €1.50 for one-star, and it's charged for up to 10 nights. Rates for other kinds of lodging were unreadable in the published table. We saw no 2026 revision, but confirm when you book.
Taormina FAQ
Is Taormina worth visiting?
Yes, if you like views, old stone and a small town that works as a base. It's crowded in summer and expensive for Sicily, so go early in the day and in the shoulder season.
What is Taormina famous for?
The Teatro Antico with Etna behind it, Isola Bella and the cable car to the sea. Film fans also know it for the San Domenico Palace hotel in The White Lotus and the nearby Godfather villages.
Can I visit Isola Bella right now?
Only until 1 November. From 2 November 2026 it's closed for maintenance, with works expected to end by 15 December and no reopening date announced. Check the park's site before you plan.
Is Taormina or Catania a better base?
Taormina has the views and the sea and is better for a short, scenic stay. Catania is cheaper, bigger and closer to the airport, and it works better for food and nightlife. See our Catania travel guide and things to do in Catania.
What can you do in Taormina when it rains?
Book a cooking class or a Casa Cuseni tour, visit the Odeon and the Teatro Antico between showers, or take an Etna wine tasting.
How much time do you need in Taormina?
One full day for the highlights, two if you add Etna or a boat trip. Three nights is generous unless you're using the town as a base.
Plan Your Trip to Taormina
- Stay: pick from the hotels above or see our best hotels in Taormina.
- Tours and tickets: browse more options on our Sicily tours page.
- Getting there: airport transfer or Catania to Taormina by train.
- Phone: an eSIM from Yesim saves roaming fees. See our Italy eSIM guide.
- Insurance: travel insurance from Visitors Coverage covers cancellations and medical cover.
More of the island: the Sicily travel guide, our wider list of things to do in Sicily and the Syracuse and Ortigia guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Taormina worth visiting?
Yes, if you like views, old stone and a small town that works as a base. It's crowded in summer and expensive for Sicily, so go early in the day and in the shoulder season.
What is Taormina famous for?
The Teatro Antico with Etna behind it, Isola Bella and the cable car to the sea. Film fans also know it for the San Domenico Palace hotel in The White Lotus and the nearby Godfather villages.
Can I visit Isola Bella right now?
Only until 1 November. From 2 November 2026 it's closed for maintenance, with works expected to end by 15 December and no reopening date announced. Check the park's site before you plan.
Is Taormina or Catania a better base?
Taormina has the views and the sea and is better for a short, scenic stay. Catania is cheaper, bigger and closer to the airport, and it works better for food and nightlife. See our Catania travel guide and things to do in Catania.
What can you do in Taormina when it rains?
Book a cooking class or a Casa Cuseni tour, visit the Odeon and the Teatro Antico between showers, or take an Etna wine tasting.
How much time do you need in Taormina?
One full day for the highlights, two if you add Etna or a boat trip. Three nights is generous unless you're using the town as a base.
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