Taormina

I had no idea Taormina was such a popular destination, especially for foreign travelers, until recently. A small town nestled high in the hills of eastern Sicily, Taormina is known for its ritzy-high life vibes, much like the Amalfi Coast. Personally, these are not my favorite vibes. For one, it is difficult to get to, and quite hilly even once you’re there. Second, it was incredibly crowded when I visited. And while I did visit in August, I don’t believe much would change if I visited in the off-season, given that almost every store caters to tourists and the restaurants as well. I’ve met people who really liked Taormina, and who have made multiple visits there, so perhaps this is what you are looking for. I’ve detailed my trip so you can have an idea of what it is like.

It is pretty though

Getting there, Staying there

Getting to Taormina was an adventure, taking almost as long to arrive from Palermo as it did for my friends to arrive from Rome. I took the train to the lower station, Taormina-Giardini. I then waited for the bus, Interbus-Etna (1€) to take me up to the bus terminal in the city proper. The bus was not coming at the stated 15-minute intervals, which caused some panic among the visitors, but it came within a half-hour.

Waiting to ascend to Taormina

I chose to stay in a hostel in Taormina, perhaps the only one, Hostel Taormina “Homstel.” The girls in my dorm were friendly, and the services were basic but decent. It seemed to have a friendly, social vibe even if I didn’t hang out much.

Dining

When researching Taormina, I thought it would be super-small, given that every blog I saw mentioned the same two or three places to eat, to have a granita, etc. But really it’s quite large, for a small town, and full of places to eat. So not surprisingly, those two or three places were completely full of tourists - not just inside, but also waiting in line. Waiting in line is a big no-no for me. It does not often lead to a satisfactory dining experience, mostly because you are so bitter about how long you’ve been waiting, and it’s hard to meet those high expectations that have been building all that time.

Surprisingly, the best experience I had dining-wise was the simple bar in the main Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, which I would usually stay away from, as places close to the center and tourist sites tend to jack up their prices for sub-par food. However, for what I ordered, a small savory pastry and a granita, the price was average, given that all of Taormina is a tourist site.

The view from the Terrazza Panoramica

My friends and I likewise had a nice cocktail aperitivo at Chapeau! followed by late-night street food at L’Arco -About pizza. We took our treats to the nearby park, the Terrazza Panoramica su Giardini Naxos, where you can sit and see the night lights of the nearby towns and coastline.

Main attractions

The Odeon ruins

I think I’m just spoiled. Living in Italy and Sicily has spoiled me with ancient ruins being part and parcel of the local scenery. Which is why I was a little under-whelmed by the Teatro Antico di Taormina, the ancient Greek theater. A 10€ admission fee for about 15 minutes in line and about one hour exploring inside. The theater is commonly used for concerts and shows in the nighttime, which I can imagine to actually be a spectacular setting. However, on the day I was there, the technicians were setting up for some kind of Egyptian show, therefore any hope of capturing the signature shot of Etna in the backdrop of the theater were marred by anachronous obelisks and sphinxes. I was more impressed by the smaller, more intimate Odeon ruins, which are free to enter and have survived smack-dab in the middle of the city.

The somewhat-obscured view of the ancient theater

I also took a walk through the Villa Comunale, the public park. It is full of plants, and whimsical, odd little houses that are remnants of a creative project of British nobility who used to frequent the town. But ultimately, it is a park.

Strolling through the Villa Comunale

Isola Bella

So how did Taormima redeem herself for me? The highlight of the trip, beyond seeing a friend who I haven’t seen for years, was our outing to Isola Bella. We took the staircase down from Via Guardiola Vecchia 46 to enter the Riserva Naturale Orientata - Isola Bella. We stayed right near where the stairs end and to the left, not entering the lido area nor the small island, which I believe requires a separate entrance fee. We arrived around 8 am to a nearly empty beach and pristine water. We had a lovely swim on the smooth pebble beach before the crowds began arriving around ten.

The crystal-clear waters of Isola Bella

To avoid the climb up, I made my way to the cable car (exit the reserve and head to the right down the street towards the Funivia Mazzarò - Taormina). The cable car ride is very quick, just a few minutes and 3€ and you are back in Taormina!

Final thoughts

I’m glad to have visited Taormina, and to have had the opportunity to form my own opinion of it. I probably would have visited sooner-or-later, and I am so glad to have gotten to visit with a long-distance and long-cherished friend. However, I am not sure that I would return. For someone who lives in Sicily, there are several more places I would like to explore, and others that I would return to without hesitation. And if you are visiting from abroad, I think there are other places where you can spend your limited time, and have more a relaxed, local experience.

A beautiful night sky

If you are visiting from abroad, and looking for a two-day trip outside of Catania, I would recommend you check out Siracusa - Ortigia (check out my blog here). I personally found it to be much more charming and down-to-earth than Taormina. But if Taormina sounds like your vibe, I would recommend visiting in the shoulder season (May-June or September-October) rather than in the middle of summer. This is my general guidance for Sicily, though, not just Taormina. In the height of summer, nearly everywhere is too crowded and way too hot. But in the shoulder season, you will still have beautiful, warm weather (even nice enough to swim!), and it will be significantly less crowded.