Sicily Tourist Guide

Taormina Tourist Attractions

Taormina has only one truly unmissable tourist sight, but the town and its location are attractions in themselves. There's plenty to keep the visitor occupied for at least a couple of days.

Taormina, where Hollywood celebrities travelled to receive awards in the Teatro Greco, where a jealous Elizabeth Taylor broke a guitar over Richard Burton's head, and where Goethe and DH Lawrence marvelled at the views towards Etna, is a hill-village with a glossy sheen of glamour. A drink at the tables of Caffè Wunderbar in Piazza IX Aprile may set you back a few euros, but you'll be basking where Tennessee Williams and Elizabeth Taylor basked before you.

As well as the famed Teatro Greco (right), there are several minor archaeological sites to be discovered around Taormina. The attractive principal thoroughfare, Corso Umberto is pedestrianised and ideal for strolling and window-shopping. Picturesque lanes above and below the Corso are interesting to explore, while if you want to stretch your legs further there are attractive walks up into the hills, or down to the sea. Given its compact size, Taormina has a huge range of bars, cafes and restaurants where you can while away pleasant hours while admiring the views.

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Teatro Greco

Known as the Greek Theatre, Taormina's historic theatre owes much of its present appearance to the Romans, the Greeks' successors in Sicily. Designed with an unsurpassable backdrop of blue sea, coastline, distant smoking Etna, and inland mountains, the theatre was begun by the Greeks in the third century BC. In the first century AD, when Taormina was a significant Roman town, the Romans adapted the theatre to suit their more barbaric spectacles, stripping out seating to make more room for gladiatorial shows. Nowadays, dodging the tour parties, you can wander around the theatre complex: the stage and backstage areas, as well as panoramic viewpoints up on the crags behind, each one breathtaking due to the theatre's position on a rocky spur of land extending towards the sea, far below. The curving rows of seats are a suntrap and a wonderful place to sit and dream away an hour or two. In the summer an arts festival (Taormina Arte) takes place here.

Other archaeological sights

Not far from the Teatro Greco, around the back of the Chiesa di Santa Caterina, are the ruins of a smaller Augustan-era theatre, which can be viewed through railings on the street (a small section of paving is also visible inside the church). Below Corso Umberto, on Via Naumachie, is what is known as the 'Naumachie', a massive wall whose arched niches concealed a vast water cistern as well as buttressing the road above. The strip of land in front of this wall has been made into a narrow public garden, with a somewhat surreally-sited barber's shop opposite. A number of ancient necropoli, are dotted around the area: some Byzantine grave-niches are visible on Via Pirandello just below the Belvedere, and a more dramatic necropolis above the town can be seen from the Castelmola - Taormina footpath.

Viewpoints

It would be hard to beat the views from Taormina on a clear day. Some of the best places for enjoying the vista are the panoramic terrace of Piazza IX Aprile on Corso Umberto, (where you can enjoy chilled white wine and nibbles in the afternoon at the tables of Caffè Wunderbar), the Teatro Greco and the public gardens. A walk down Via Pirandello or Via Guardiola Vecchia brings you to the Belvedere where the two roads meet. This look-out point offers seats to sit on and a great view along the coastline. For views over Taormina itself, head uphill to the Sanctuary of the Madonna, or higher, to the village of Castelmola.

Trevelyan Gardens

Known by various names including the Villa Comunale, the Giardino Trevelyan and the Parco Duchi di Cesarò, the public park on Via Bagnoli Croce is a pretty and peaceful spot. An English-style garden, it was designed by Florence Trevelyan, who lived in Taormina at the end of the nineteenth century. A panoramic walkway lined with benches faces the view over the sea and Etna, while flower-beds, lawns, hedges, trees and bushes spread over the large terrace. There are several fascinating follies to admire, including cottages and towers, as well as a collection of caged birds, some old artillery, a children's play area and a bar (the latter two are not always open).

Museums

Taormina has a small, free archaeological museum, which is worth seeking out. The Museo Archeologico is located in the fourteenth-century Badia Vecchia tower, up on Via Circonvallazione. Exhibits include a rather exciting sword, probably dating to the Byzantine era, which was found in the sea near Isola Bella. Also on show are several fragmentary statues, a carved child's sarcophagus, and attractive Roman vases.

In Palazzo Corvaja, up a flight of steps from the courtyard, is the fascinating Museo Siciliano d'Arte e Tradizioni Popolari (€2.60 admission). This folklore museum offers glimpses into the traditions of everyday life on the island over the last couple of centuries, with items ranging from bagpipes to playbills. Wooden statuettes and altars are testimony to the religious and secular life of ordinary Sicilians.

Taormina beaches and Isola Bella

Taormina is situated high above the sea, with views over the beaches below, including the beautiful bay of Isola Bella. Isola Bella itself is a lovely nature reserve. This rocky little island also once belonged to Florence Trevelyan, who built a small house and planted bushes here. Tours and activities such as snorkelling can be booked. For the energetic it's possible to descend on foot, either to the bay at Mazzarò or that of Isola Bella (from the Belvedere on Via Luigi Pirandello) or at Villagonia, near the railway station (using steps descending from Via Bastione). In season, there is also a cable-car (funivia) running from Taormina down to Mazzarò, while there are buses running between Taormina and the beaches all year round.

> Read more: an attractive walk down the hill above Taormina.