Taormina Tips

Tips About Taormina for 13 Types of Travelers

By Karlin Gray, Freelance Writer

February 2007

Positioned between sea and sky, Taormina, Sicily, is a heavenly destination. To make the experience even more celestial, here are a few suggestions for 13 different travelers.

Acrophobics, those who fear heights

Cross this destination off your list as the town of Taormina is perched 650 feet above sea level. A cable tram—running every 15 minutes until 1 a.m., and costing 3 Euros roundtrip—connects the spectacular town to the beach in Mazzarò below.

Prime-Timers

If you want to see the town come alive, but not eat you alive, make your reservations for late April or early May. You will be able to enjoy the town’s energy and warm weather without being crushed by the crowds and heat of the summer season. However, if you love festivals and your motto is “the more, the merrier,” book your trip for June when the town hosts an arts and film festival (www.taormina-arte.com).

Cruise Controllers

Reserve a rental car for pickup at the airport. (Catania's Aeroporto Fontanarossa, CTA, is the closest airport to Taormina.) Avis and Hertz are common picks so try National Car Rental (www.nationalcar.com) for shorter lines at the booth. Good day trips from Taormina include the active volcano Mt. Etna, the ruins of Siracusa, and the nearby quaint town of Castelmola.

Beach Bums

Stay at the hotels on the beach in Mazzarò — or the Mazzaro Sea Palace (www.mazzaroseapalace.it)—that are conveniently located across the street from the cable car up to Taormina. While the cool blue Ionian Sea is a welcome relief from the warm weather, the hot pebble beach is not. So remember to treat your feet and toss some shoes into your beach bag.

Window Shoppers

Corso Umberto is the street of your dreams. This medieval main street offers ceramics, jewelry, boutiques, and kitschy souvenir shops. Make sure not to miss the photogenic side streets—they often have lower prices since they don’t get as much traffic. For those looking to add to an art collection, head to La Piccola Galleria di Franco Pavone. This artist is very chatty but his oil paintings are vivid and textural, and he offers a 20% discount to Americans. (La Piccola Galleria di Franco Pavone on Via Vico Romano 3.)

History Buffs

Go back in time. Taormina has many historical treasures for you to discover—from the Greek Theater, Roman Baths, and Byzantine Tombs to centuries-old castles, churches, and convents to beautiful palaces and public gardens. The Taormina Tourism Board has eight walking itineraries that guide you to most of them at www.gate2taormina.com/itinerary_en.htm.

Book Worms

Check out Daphne Phelps’ memoir, A House in Sicily—a portrait of Taormina lore and characters by a long-time resident. Sadly, Ms. Phelps has recently passed away but you can visit the main character of her book, the house, by contacting Celia Catchpole at celiacatchpole@yahoo.co.uk or go to www.casacuseni.org. Other books on Sicilian life include Francine Prose’s travel memoir Sicilian Odyssey, Sometimes the Soul: Two Novellas of Sicily by Gioia Timpanelli, Bitter Almonds: Recollections and Recipes from a Sicilian Girlhood by Mary Taylor Simeti and Maria Grammatico, and The Leopard, the great Italian novel by Giuseppe di Lampedusa.

Pasta-Lovers

Carb-load on the decadent Creamy Risotto with Caviar at the Hotel Timeo’s Il Dito e la Luna (www.framon-hotels.com), the crowd-pleasing cannoloni at Il Barcaiolo (www.barcaiolo.altervista.org), the simple but sensational Tagliatelli with Garlic and Red Pepper at A Zammara (www.zammara.it), and the ultimate Italian comfort food—Lasagna at Il Ciclope (Corso Umberto I, 203).

Pizza-Lovers

Don’t expect the thick doughy squares that we call Sicilian Pizza in the States. Pizza in Taormina is generally thin and crispy. If you’re looking for a sweeping sea view to go with your pizza pie, place your order on the terrace of Granduca (Corso Umberto I, 172) or, if you need to be even closer to the water, the pizzette at Lida la Pigna’s snack bar in Mazzarò (www.lidolapigna.it) is big enough for two people to share.

Gelato Geeks

Beware—you will be tempted at every corner of Corso Umberto. The portions are quite large so single scoops will do most of the time. Chocolate lovers, seek out the gelaterias serving Roche. Trust me.

Seafood Snackers

Take a break from all the pasta by seeking out the mussels in black pepper sauce at A Zammara (www.zammara.it). For those who are homesick for sushi, the raw seafood platter at the Hotel Villa St. Andrea’s Oliviero (www.framon-hotels.com) is a satisfying starter that will leave you with plenty of room for—what else?—more pasta.

Wine Flirts

Fall in love with Sicilian wines—Cabernet Sauvignon from Regaleali/Tasca d’Almerita (http://www.tascadalmerita.it); Chiarandà from Donnafugata (http://www.donnafugata.it); Duca Enrico from Duca Di Salaparuta (http://www.duca.it); and the Sicilian dessert wines, especially the Malvasia delle Lipari of the Hauner Cantina (www.hauner.it/ita.htm).

View-Seekers

People-watch at the Piazza IX Aprile on Corso Umberto. When you get bored of the tourists, outdoor entertainers, and oh-too-chic teenagers, take a look off the panoramic terrace for a sea-sweeping view that is really cool. For a good cocktail with a great view of Sicily’s volcano, Mt. Etna, head to the terrace at Il Dito e la Luna. But for the best view of all, hike up the long stairway to Castello Saraceno, the castle that oversees it all—town, ruins, ocean, and volcano. (Note the castle is only open weekday mornings and weekends, but the hike is always worth the view.)