12 Best Things to Do in Taormina, Sicily

Taormina is the most popular and one of the most beautiful towns in Sicily. It’s been a tourist destination since the 19th century, and for a good reason. Taormina, though small, offers a lot of great things to do and experiences you can have. No matter whether you have one day or a week in Taormina, in this blog post I’m covering 12 best things to do in Taormina.

From popular attractions to culinary experiences, you will for sure find many great things to do that suit your travel type.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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📖 Read my One Day in Taormina Itinerary: How to Spend 24h in Taormina blog post.

Explore the Old Town

The Old Town of Taormina, also known as its historic centre, is the most beautiful part of Taormina that you have to explore.

It is quite small, so it won’t take you more than 30min to an hour to see it all. Nevertheless, you will probably make a lot of stops because Taormina is one of the most instagrammable places in Sicily.

✅ I recommend this best rated walking tour of Taormina with a local guide.

Visit the Greek Theatre

If you ask me what is the one attraction you can’t skip in Taormina, my answer would immediately be: Teatro Antico di Taormina.

Taormina’s history dates back from Ancient Greece when they established their first colony on Sicily in 734 BC. called Magna Graecia.

Therefore the best and oldest sight in Taormina is the Ancient Theatre of Taormina which was built by Greeks in the 3rd century BC. The theatre was later expanded during Roman times in the 2nd century AD.

The theatre could seat 10,000 people and is the 2nd biggest theatre in Sicily, after Syracuse.

✅ It’s better to buy your tickets online than waiting in the long line (we have actually bought it online WHILE queuing, which saved us a lot of time!).

If you’re visiting in summer, check if there are any concerts during your visit.

And for any White Lotus fans here, this was one of the filming locations.

Admire the Views at Piazza IX Aprile

Piazza IX Aprile is my favourite spot in Taormina.

One of the best things to do there is to enjoy the views. Because Taormina is on a high hill, the panoramic views are inevitable, but they are the most beautiful from Piazza IX Aprile.

From one side you have the views of the beautiful Ionian Sea and from the other amazing views of Mount Etna.

P. S. You will find Chiesa di San Giuseppe on the square, so check it out as it’s free to visit.

📖 Read my Best Farm Stays in Sicily Perfect for Agritourism blog post.

Have Breakfast at BamBar

BamBar is the most popular granita and breakfast place in Taormina.

You can’t make any reservations, so try to be there as early as you can to beat the queuing crowds.

Stay in a Hotel with the Views

One of the best things to do in Taormina is to book a hotel with the views.

📖 Check my Top 12 Most Instagrammable Hotels in Taormina for Your Feed blog post for more.

Take the Boat Tour to Isola Bella

If you’re visiting during the summer months, I highly recommend taking this Boat Tour to Isola Bella, a nature reserve administered by the Italian branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Isola Bella is one of the most beautiful beaches in Sicily. You can also reach it with a cable car from the town centre.

📖 Check my 8 Best Beaches in Sicily You Have to Visit blog post.

Go on a Guided Tour to Savoca, a Godfather Filming Location

If you’re a Godfather fan like me, then you have to go to Savoca where Godfather I was filmed!

Savoca is a small, beautiful village of 1700 population. It is 21 km (13 miles) away from Taormina, so the drive there will take around 40 minutes.

There are 3 main Godfather filming locations in Savoca: Bar Vitelli, Chiesa di San Nicolo and Godfather Wedding Walk.

If you’re renting a car and already know a lot about the Sicilian Mafia and Godfather, then you can visit Savoca easily on your own.

✅ Otherwise, I recommend this Savoca Guided Tour from Taormina.

📖 Check my Savoca, Sicily: A Godfather Filming Locations Guide blog post for more.

Hike the Mount Etna Summit

Mt. Etna is my favourite day trip from Taormina!

Mount Etna is Europe’s highest and most active volcano with documented volcanic activity over at least 2700 years! The last documented eruption happened in June 2025.

While you can visit Etna on your own, I would highly recommend not to do that! Mainly because self-exploration is limited to the lower craters only and around the cable car station at Rifugio Sapienza.

If you’d like to hike to the summit of Etna, then you need a guide to keep you safe as they know the terrain and all the safe passageways!

✅ I have done this tour and I absolutely recommend it! You can read more about it in my Mount Etna Summit Tour Review – Best Experience in Sicily blog post.

📖 Read my Is Mount Etna worth Visiting? Pros & Cons for Visiting Etna blog post.

Take a Cooking Class

The food in Sicily was the best I had in all of Italy!

I fell in love so much with the flavours, that I am making home-cooked Sicilian recipes at home very often.

✅ Which is why I recommend taking a cooking class with Chef Mimmo, the best and most popular cooking class in Taormina.

In this cooking class you will learn how to make Pasta alla Norma, the most famous Sicilian pasta.

Once you’re done with cooking, you will sit down to enjoy your lunch with the sea views and finish off this class with a tasting of cannoli and limoncello.

Shop at Corso Umberto

Corso Umberto is the heartbeat of Taormina.

If you want to buy some souvenirs, you will find the best choices here. Plus, the street is so picturesque and every corner is so instagrammable.

Go on a White Lotus Guided Tour

I mentioned White Lotus quite a lot here, so if you’re a fan, then going on a White Lotus tour is surely the best thing you can do in Taormina.

Watch the Opera at Nazarena Theatre

Opera performances are quite popular in Taormina, so if you’re seeking some of the cultural activities, then definitely watch the opera performance at Nazarena Theatre.

You will experience most famous arias and duets from major composers such as Verdi, Puccini and Mozart.

Where to Stay in Taormina

The best is to stay in Taormina Old Town or close to Isola Bella Beach.

📖 For more details, check these Taormina hotels blog posts:

– 11 Best 5 Star Hotels in Taormina You’ll Love
– Top 9 Taormina Hotels on the Beach for Every Budget
– Top 12 Most Instagrammable Hotels in Taormina for Your Feed

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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