Taormina in 2 days, on foot

This 2-day self-guided walking plan for Taormina covers 15 narrated sights in an easy day-by-day order. Each day is split into a morning and an afternoon loop, and every stop has a two to three minute audio story in the Gingerguide app.

You set the pace: this is a suggested order, not a schedule. Walk it in 2 days, or stretch it out. Reorder freely; Taormina rewards a detour.

Day 1

Morning

1. Teatro Greco: The ancient Greek theatre of Taormina, built in the 3rd century BC with the most breathtaking setting of any ancient theatre, Etna to the southwest, the Ionian Sea to the east.
2. Corso Umberto I: Taormina's main medieval street, a charming promenade of Baroque palaces, boutiques, and cafes running the length of the hilltop town with views of Etna and the sea at every turn.
3. Piazza IX Aprile: The spectacular terrace piazza of Taormina, with San Giuseppe church and the Torre dell'Orologio clock tower, offering the most famous panoramic view of the Ionian Sea and Etna.
4. Taormina Cathedral: A handsome medieval cathedral from the 13th century, with a Norman-inspired facade of pink stone and a graceful Baroque fountain in front featuring the town's centaur symbol.

Afternoon

1. Villa Comunale Gardens: Extraordinary cliff-edge public gardens created by an eccentric English noblewoman, featuring exotic plants, gazebos, and the most dramatic sea views in Taormina.
2. Isola Bella: A tiny private island connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of sand, creating a perfect turquoise lagoon below Taormina's cliffs, now a nature reserve accessible by boat or cable car.
3. Castello Saraceno: The ruined Arab-Byzantine castle crowning the summit of Monte Tauro above Taormina, offering the highest and most panoramic views of the Ionian coast and Etna.
4. Palazzo Corvaja: Taormina's finest medieval palace, a remarkable fusion of Arab, Norman, and Gothic styles where the Sicilian parliament met in 1411 under Queen Bianca of Navarre, now housing the tourism office and cultural exhibitions.

Day 2

Morning

1. Roman Odeon: A small and perfectly preserved 1st-century Roman theatre discovered beneath the church of Santa Caterina, used for musical performances and poetry readings, a miniature companion to the great Teatro Greco nearby.
2. Taormina Viewpoints: Taormina's defining characteristic is its views, from every terrace, alley, and window, the conjunction of sea, coastline, and Etna creates a visual experience without equal in the Mediterranean.
3. Giardini Naxos: The beach resort at the foot of Taormina's cliffs, on the site of the first Greek colony in Sicily (Naxos, 735 BC), with a museum of Greek finds and a pleasant beachfront.
4. Taormina Food: Taormina's cuisine draws from the best of eastern Sicily: swordfish from the Messina Strait, pistachio from Bronte, almond granita for breakfast, and the finest arancini and cannoli in the region.

Afternoon

1. Natural Arch of Taormina: A dramatic natural rock arch carved by erosion in the cliff below Taormina, accessible via the coastal path, framing extraordinary views of the Ionian Sea.
2. Madonna della Rocca: A tiny pilgrimage chapel carved into the natural rock of the Taormina cliff, perched halfway up the path to the castle with extraordinary views and a centuries-old tradition of local devotion.
3. Taormina & Etna Experience: From Taormina, Etna is ever-present, a living volcano that defines the landscape, enriches the soil, provides the wines, and reminds everyone that beauty and danger are inseparable in this part of the world.

Full Taormina guide and all stops →