Taormina: a cliff town above the sea, with Etna next door
Updated October 2026
A cliff town above the sea, with Etna’s wines and hikes about an hour away.
Taormina at a glance
- Best time
- April to June, September to October
- Price level
- expensive
- Getting around
- no car needed: bus or cable car from the station
- Best for
- food, wine, history and hiking
- The catch
- Very touristy, steep and pricey, and it fills up with day trippers. Go early or stay overnight.
When to go
Temperatures are average daily highs in °F and °C (WeatherSpark). Ratings are our own. $ = cheapest, $$$ = most expensive. 🔥 = heat, ★ = big event.
Who Taormina is for
Taormina is excellent for couples, and fine for solo travelers. Families have better options. It’s steep, with stairs and slopes everywhere, so skip it if walking is hard for you.
When to go
The best months are May and September. April, June, October and November are good too. The weakest are March and August. From December to February many hotels and services are closed.
Getting around
Taormina’s train station is down at sea level, and you go up to town by bus or taxi. A cable car takes you to the beach. You don’t need a car, and in the center it’s mostly a nuisance.
What Taormina costs
On a budget, about $115 to $175 per person per day. In comfort or luxury, about $340 to $550. The lower number is the quiet season, the higher one peak season.
Includes your stay, food, activities and local transport, not flights. Converted at about $1.10 per euro. Estimates only.
Flights from the US and Canada
Fly into: Catania (CTA). Typical economy fares per person, round trip, with a connection. Canadian fares are in Canadian dollars. Not live prices, so always check before you book.
What Taormina does best
Its strengths: food and restaurants, wine, history and art, and hiking.
Day trips
Taormina makes a good base for eastern Sicily: stay in one hotel and do day trips to Etna, gorges and cities.
Europe’s highest active volcano. Go up by cable car and 4x4, and bring a jacket.
We haven’t been here ourselves, so this is based on other travelers’ reports.
A gorge carved into lava rock, with an ice-cold river.
We haven’t been here ourselves, so this is based on other travelers’ reports.
The old town of Ortigia and the Greek theater.
We haven’t been here ourselves, so this is based on other travelers’ reports.
A port city on the strait.
The fish market and a baroque center built of lava stone.
We haven’t been here ourselves, so this is based on other travelers’ reports.
Where to eat
Breakfast and brunch
Lunch
Dinner
We picked these places from Google ratings and reviews in October 2026, and we haven’t eaten at all of them. Many Italian restaurants take reservations on WhatsApp, and a reservation only counts once they reply. The Map link opens the restaurant in Google Maps, where you’ll also find a booking button if they take online reservations. Opening hours change, so check before you go.
Food and wine
Sicily on a plate: a typical four-course menu, and the wine to go with each.
Cook it at home. Our English recipes for this menu, with US and metric measurements and a shopping list you can print.
Get the recipesGolf
Green fees are estimates and vary by season and day of the week. Most courses ask for a handicap certificate. The links go to the course or a golf directory with booking and contact details.
Shopping
- Corso Umberto: the shopping street through the whole town: jewelry, ceramics and fashion. 📍 Map
Culture and events
- Summer concerts and the Taormina Film Fest, June and July in the ancient theater. On show nights the town is even busier than usual.
Check the exact dates on the event’s own website, as they can change from year to year.
Plan it
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