The best things to do in Taormina
Taormina is small, and its best sights sit within a short walk of each other. The list below starts with the theatre and the old town, moves down to the coast and ends with three trips in the surroundings. Where an entry has a ticket, the 2026 adult price is given. Opening hours change with the season and differ between official pages, so check the current timetable before you go.
For the wider island, the sister guide has things to do in Sicily.
The theatre and the old town
Experiences 1 to 4: the centre on foot.
1. Teatro Antico, the ancient theatre
An ancient theatre of Greek origin with Roman alterations. The Ministry of Culture dates its origin to the 3rd century BC. It stands at Via del Teatro Greco 40. The adult ticket costs €14 and the reduced ticket €7. Visitors under 18 enter free with proof of age, and EU citizens aged 18 to 25 pay half. Hours are seasonal, so check them for your date. On selected dates in summer 2026 the park kept the theatre open until midnight.
Theatre guide →2. Corso Umberto
The pedestrian main street runs through the centre between two town gates, the Porta Messina and the Porta Catania. It is the place for shopping and for a walk without traffic.
3. Palazzo Corvaja
A historic palazzo on Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. It hosts exhibitions with their own tickets and hours. The autumn 2026 show cost €10, or €5 for residents, school classes and children aged 6 to 18, and was free up to age 5. Ask locally what is on during your stay.
4. The Duomo
The cathedral of San Nicolò di Bari stands on Piazza Duomo, next to the baroque fountain. It is a quick stop. Opening times for the interior change, so check them on the day.
Our picks: things to do
The theatre with an audio app, a cooking class and a coastal boat trip.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Cooking class with a market visit
A visit to a local market, a Sicilian cooking class and the meal you cooked. Water, wine and soft drinks, a certificate and an apron are included.
Check availability →
Dolphin-watching boat trip with aperitif
Along the coast to sea caves and Isola Bella, with a swim stop, commentary and a Sicilian apericena with prosecco.
Check availability →
Ancient theatre ticket with audio guide
Skip-the-line entry and a multilingual audio app, also in German. There is no personal guide.
Check availability →Tours and tickets in Taormina
Theatre visits, walking tours, boat trips and cooking classes, with live prices and availability.
Gardens, ruins and viewpoints
Experiences 5 to 7: green and quiet corners above the sea.
5. Villa Comunale
A public garden on several levels, with steps, paths and small ornamental follies in Victorian style. It is a good place to sit after the Corso. It closes in strong wind or rain: in October 2026 the town announced a precautionary closure.
6. The Odeon
The Odeon is a smaller ancient site run by the same archaeological park as the theatre. The park lists a visit from 9 am to one hour before sunset.
7. The castle of Taormina
The park lists the castle as open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4:30 pm. Hours change with the season, so check before you climb.
The coast
Experiences 8 and 9: down to sea level.
8. Isola Bella
A small island joined to the shore by a narrow pebble strip. At high water the middle of the strip floods. The museum and nature visit costs €6, or €3 reduced. Damage from Cyclone Harry closed the island in January 2026, and it reopened on 20 June 2026. The ticket is not a general beach fee. Hours differ between official pages, so check them for your date.
Isola Bella guide →9. Mazzarò and the cable car
The cable car (Funivia) runs between the old town and the bay of Mazzarò. Since 1 August 2026 non-residents pay €8 one way or €15 return, and the day pass costs €20. Mazzarò has the beach club La Pigna, which lists a beach bar from 9 am to 6 pm and sun beds, showers, changing rooms and towel hire. The operator lists a departure about every 15 minutes.
Cable car guide → Beaches →Trips beyond the town
Experiences 10 to 12: a village, an archaeological site and a gorge.
10. Castelmola
A village on the hill above Taormina, with the ruins of a castle and Norman walls and the Chiesa Madre. The local bus, the Linea Verde, links Castelmola with Taormina and the station. A tourist ticket costs €2 per trip, or €3 for two trips on the same day. The 2026 timetable differs between weekdays and Sundays or holidays.
Castelmola guide →11. Giardini Naxos
The bay below Taormina, with a beach town and an archaeological area with a museum. Entry to the area and museum is €6, or €3 reduced. Hours differ between pages. The local Linea Gialla bus links it with Taormina. A beach club there lists a parasol and two sun loungers for €35 a day in 2026.
Giardini Naxos guide →12. Alcantara gorge
A narrow gorge of basalt prisms, about 400 metres long, with walls up to 50 metres high. There are two kinds of access. The municipal entrance costs €2 per person and is announced for 4 April to 31 October 2026, from 9 am to 6:30 pm. The private botanical and geological park sells packages: the full tour costs €30 for adults and €25 for children aged 5 to 10. The water is cold, the current can be strong and the rocks are slippery. Many Etna excursions from Taormina include a stop at the gorge.
Alcantara gorge guide →How to combine them
Three simple plans.
One day
Do the theatre (1), walk the Corso (2) and finish in the Villa Comunale (5). If the weather is calm, take the cable car down in the afternoon (9).
Two days
Add Isola Bella and Mazzarò (8, 9) on one day, with the old town on the other. Remember that Isola Bella reopened only in June 2026.
Three days or more
Use a day for Castelmola (10) or Giardini Naxos (11), and one for the Alcantara gorge (12). Book a guided excursion for the gorge if you have no car.
Each ticket is separate: the theatre, Isola Bella and the Naxos museum have their own prices, and there is no single pass to buy for all of them. For the train and airport journey, see the sister guide Catania to Taormina.
Plan the rest of your trip
Useful pages before you decide.
Things to do in Taormina: frequently asked questions
What is the best thing to do in Taormina?
The ancient theatre is the main sight, at €14 for adults in 2026. Isola Bella and the walk along the Corso Umberto come next.
How much time do you need?
One day covers the theatre, the Corso and the Villa Comunale. Two days allow the coast, and three or more add Castelmola, Giardini Naxos and the Alcantara gorge.
Is there a combined ticket for the sights?
No single pass covers them all. The theatre costs €14, Isola Bella €6 and the Naxos museum €6, each with a reduced price of half.
Can you visit without a car?
Yes. The old town is pedestrian, a cable car and a bus link the coast, and a local bus runs to Castelmola. For the Alcantara gorge, a guided excursion is the simplest option without a car.
Are children free at the sights?
The park rules give free entry under 18 with proof of age at its sites. Palazzo Corvaja and the private Alcantara park set their own prices.