My name is Guido. I’m an Italian native, travel enthusiast and founder of Ciao Italy & Carrani Tours. This season I found myself back in the small city of Taormina. It’s a beautiful and enchanting town on the eastern coast of Sicily. I think it is well worth a place on your next Italian vacation itinerary. Since I am Italy’s number one fan, you might expect me to say that, but let me explain a little about my short Italian holiday in Taormina Italy to explain why it’s such a great place to visit:

Taormina is a picturesque and natural beauty

The city of Taormina Sicily is a stunning location. The views and sights you can see from Taormina easily rival the Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terre – so on that point alone, it’s a perfect location for an Italian vacation. Since the town is situated around 250 metres up on a cliff, you will catch a beautiful view from almost every direction.

Taormina’s Greco Teatro

This really is a treat! In Taormina Italy you will find an ancient theatre. It’s called the Greco Roman Teatro because it is built of brick, which would indicate that it’s Roman, but the layout is most definitely Greek in origin. It is so well preserved that it is still in use for open-air performances. And from the theatre you can get a stunning view of Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea.

Corso Umberto – the main street in Taormina

It’s worth visiting Corso Umberto during the day AND at night. In the daytime you will find Taormina’s main street full of wonderful shops and cafes. You can find great places to stop for a coffee or a gelato as well as good quality souvenirs of the area. At night you’ll also find local musicians playing on the street – which makes for a lovely atmosphere.

Taormina is a fantastic base to explore the surrounding area

Taormina Italy is a beautiful Sicilian city and a wonderful place to visit in its own right, but it also a great place from which to experience the surrounding area – from volcanoes to the set of the Godfather movies, there’s lots to see and do when you use Taormina is your base for an Italian holiday.

Mount Etna

Taormina Sicily lives in the shadow of Mount Etna and I’m not sure whether that’s a good or a bad thing for the locals. But for the visitor to Taormina it is certainly interesting. You’ll be able to get a good view of Mount Etna from Taormina. And it’s quite easy to visit the mountain – the highest active volcano in Europe – from the city, too. This is something we offer at Ciao Italy & Carrani Tours. I’ll mention more detail on that later in this post.

The city of Syracuse

This historic Sicilian city is easily accessible from Taormina. This 2,700 year old town is packed full of Greek history, culture and architecture. It’s also renowned for being the birthplace of Archimedes. It’s can be a wonderful day trip out from Taormina (And again, we are one of the tour operators who are able to provide you with a trip to this city. I’ve provided more details below).

Alcantara Gorge

Outside Taormina Sicily you’ll also find Alcantara Gorge – which was produced when the Alcantara River cooled the lava flow from Mount Etna. The result is a beautiful natural phenomenon that you can walk up to and around – and get some great views in the process. There’s a small beach and a restaurant at the site also, which is very handy for the visitor.

The Godfather.

If you are visiting Taormina Sicily, it’s also possible to visit some of the scenes from the Godfather II movie. The ancient hill top town of Savoca and Forza d’Agrò are in easy reach. Savoca has a medieval atmosphere, narrow streets, ruined castle and of course the site of the opening scene of the Godfather II movie where young Vito Corleone cowers in the church as his pursuers call out his name. The town of Forza d’Agrò also lies outside Taormina and was also a setting for some exterior location shots in the movies.

So that’s just some of the reasons to visit the small city of Taormina Sicily on your next Italian vacation. Ciao Italy & Carrani Tours would love to have the pleasure of welcoming you to the area and helping you explore Taormina and its vicinity with our Italian tours of the area.

We can take you on our:

Half day tour to Mount Etna from Taormina – the highest active volcano in Europe.

Visit ciaoitalytours.com for more information.

If you would like more information like these Venice travel tips – like other travel advice for Italy and information about tours in Italy or Italian vacations please do visit us at ciaoitalytours.comWe always say that with us, your Italian tour or Italian vacations will be one you’ll never forget.

Ciao,

Guido.