6 Things To Do in a Day in Taormina

Taormina is a great stop when visiting Sicily, a lot of visitors stay in the city for it’s wonderful food, history and beautiful views, but for many visitors, Taormina is just a stop on their tour of Sicily. We have compiled a list of 6 must-do’s for your time in Taormina. All of these activities can be done in a day, and ensure you’ll get the most out of the city

1. Taormina Greek Theater

If you’ve done any research into Taormina, I’m sure you already know about the Taormina Greek Theater. This is a great place to start the day because it sits high above the town, and gives you an idea of the layout, and what’s to come. The Greek Theater was built around 3rd Century BC and ownership changed many times throughout the years.

Tickets can be purchased up front for 10 Euro per person. You can go on a guided tour, or chose to stroll about yourself (we prefer the latter option). Make your way to the back of the theater to see beautiful views of the Sicily Coastline, and the deep blue water of the Ionic Sea. On clear days you can see Aspromonte National Park on Italy’s mainland!

2. Hike to Castelmola

This is our favorite thing to do mid morning, just before lunch. High above Taormina, you’ll see a small town called Castelmola. You’re going to have to earn it, but it takes about an hour to reach this town. Be prepared to sweat! This hike is paved the whole way, however it takes you on some steep inclines, but it’s totally worth it!

Once you reach the top you’ll find a quiet, quaint little town with a few cafe’s and gifts shops. If you though Taormina was high above the ocean, Castelmola has it beat! Sit down and re-hydrate, and have lunch at the Antico Caffe San Giorgio (the first cafe you’ll see as you reach the town). Grab a seat by the edge and enjoy a spectacular view looking down on Taormina!

3. Taormina Public Gardens (Villa de Comunale)

After that long and strenuous hike, make your way back into town and take a rest at the Via de Comunale – translates to Taormina Public Gardens (its just a very nice park). You can either enter off of Via Bagnoli Croci or on Via Roma in between the Hotel Villa Paradiso and Ristorante Mirage. It’s a large park with tons of shade, and plenty of places to relax for a little bit.

On the southern edge of the park there are plenty of benches that face out overlooking the beach towards Catania. On the northern end of the park, you’ll find old relics the ancient queen built when they found Taormina. Check out our in depth tour of the Taormina Public Gardens here.

4. Coffee and Granitas at Bam Bar

Just ask any of the locals for a good place for coffee and they’ll probably say Bam Bar. It’s a 5 minute walk from the Taormina Public Gardens. Stop here and have a coffee or pastry, but be sure to try a Granita.

What’s a Granita? I’d describe it as something similar to an American snow-cone, or hawaiian shave ice. However a granita is a lot smoother, with finely blended ice (and a lot better in my opinion). BamBar has a variety of flavors ranging from all kinds of fruit (you’ll need to pull out google translate to figure the flavors out) , to chocolate, vanilla, and our favorite; pistachio PRO TIP- If you don’t feel like coffee, the worlds best Cannoli is right around the corner!

5. Cable Car Mazzaro

Although it looks close on a map, if you were to walk from the main streets of Taormina down to Isola Bella it would take over an hour due to the significant elevation change. Taormina is nearly 700 feet above sea level. To get around this, take the cable car down to the beach.

The Cable car costs €3 each way, and if you plan to go back to Taormina you’ll definitely need to use it to get back up. Once you’re down there you’ll be across the street from Mazzaro Beach. This beautiful beach can become very crowded in peak vacation season, so check with staff before taking a spot on the beach.

6. Dinner at Trattoria Tiramisu

If you’re only in Taormina for a day, this is one of our favorite spots to have dinner! Ride the cable car back up, and make your way through town on Corso Umberto. Trattoria Tiramisu is at the end of Corso Umberto, but well worth the walk.

Trattoria Tiramisu is a family restaurant and is only open for dinner, they have a rotating menu (it’s always good) and the portions are enormous. Their house made bread is amazing. Be sure to call ahead if you plan on eating here, reservations are not always necessary but it’s better to check on Fridays and Saturdays.