Things to do in Taormina
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Mt Etna & Alcantara Gorges Day Trip from TaorminaYou’ll walk ancient craters on Mount Etna with a local guide, taste Sicilian farm specialties, and feel icy water at Alcantara Gorges—all in one day trip from Taormina. Expect real stories, laughter, and landscapes that stick with you long after you’ve left Sicily behind.
Giardini Naxos, Taormina & Castelmola: Day Trip from CataniaYou’ll wander ancient streets in Taormina, catch sweeping views from Castelmola’s hilltop perch, and pause by Giardini Naxos where Greek footsteps linger in the salt air. With a multilingual guide sharing local stories and easy shuttle pickup from Catania, expect unexpected moments—like laughter over espresso or sunlight warming old stones—that’ll stick with you long after you’re home.
Etna: Volcano Crater Walk & Gambino Winery Lunch TourYou’ll walk along Mount Etna’s craters with a local guide, taste Sicilian honey in Zafferana Etnea, and enjoy lunch paired with five wines at Gambino Winery—all with transport included. Expect quiet moments on black lava rock, new flavors you might crave later, and stories from locals who live alongside the volcano.
Mount Etna: Jeep OffRoad Lava Flows, Wine Tasting & LunchYou’ll ride off-road across Mount Etna’s wild lava fields by Jeep with a local guide, step into volcanic caves still warm from ancient eruptions, sip unique Etna DOC wines among black-sand vineyards, and share a Sicilian lunch high on the slopes—all while feeling just how alive this mountain really is.
Syracuse, Ortigia & Noto tour: Greek ruins and baroque townsA full-day guided tour from Syracuse takes you through Neapolis Archaeological Park, Ortigia's historic island center, and the baroque town of Noto, with hotel pickup and air-conditioned transport included. You walk the Greek theatre and ancient quarries, wander a local market and eat at a traditional delicatessen, then stand in front of Sicily's most celebrated baroque cathedral and taste cannoli and cassata before the day ends.Is it for me?Book this if you have a full day and want a guided walk through Neapolis Archaeological Park followed by Ortigia's market and a seated meal at a local deli—you move through three locations with a driver handling transport between them.
Catania Airport Transfer to Taormina, Syracuse & Giardini NaxosA driver meets you at Catania airport arrivals with your name on a sign and takes you to Taormina, Syracuse, Giardini Naxos, or the city center in a modern air-conditioned car. The price is fixed before you book, bottled water and WiFi are included, and specialized child seats are available on request. Night service (9 p.m.–7 a.m.) costs an extra €20 paid to the driver.Is it for me?Choose this if you want to arrive or leave without arranging transport, waiting for a shuttle, or negotiating with a taxi driver—the fixed price and name-sign pickup mean the journey stops being a problem the moment you land.
Taormina Walking Tour: Greek Theatre & Local Food GuideA self-guided walking tour of Taormina using a digital audio and text guide on your smartphone, covering the Greek Theatre, Corvaja Palace, Piazza Duomo, the Roman Odeon and a dozen other sites across the medieval town. The guide includes background on each monument's history, curiosities about local architecture, and recommendations for authentic restaurants serving traditional Sicilian food and Italian aperitivo. You move at your own pace over three to four hours; the guide works in English, Spanish, Italian, French and German.Is it for me?You walk at your own pace over three to four hours, which means you can linger at sites that interest you or move quickly past others—no group schedule and no waiting for stragglers. The guide works on your smartphone, so you need internet connection and a device to carry; if you prefer someone talking beside you or want to skip the setup, a live guide tour would suit you better.
Private Mount Etna tour with wine tasting and local foodA private Mount Etna tour picks you up from your accommodation in a Mercedes minivan and takes you to Rifugio Sapienza at 2,000 meters, where you walk the Silvestri Craters. You stop at Oro d'Etna to taste local honey and see the dramatic 1992 lava flow, then move to a winery for wine tasting and light lunch overlooking the volcano. The cable car to 2,900 meters is optional (extra €80 per person). Your English-speaking driver, a Sicilian, shares stories throughout the day. This is a private tour—only your group participates.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want the volcano, the food and the wine in one private afternoon without the pace of a group. The fixed itinerary—Rifugio Sapienza, Silvestri, Oro d'Etna, the winery—holds the day together, so you move through each stop without building the schedule yourself.
Private Taormina Walking Tour: Greek Theatre & Old TownA private walking tour of Taormina led by a licensed local guide covers the Greek Theatre, Palazzo Corvaja, the Odeon and the medieval heart of Old Town, ending at Piazza Duomo. The group stays under eight people. English-speaking guide included; Greek Theatre entrance fees are separate. Public transport is nearby if you need it.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want a small group and a guide who knows the town's history and can answer questions as you walk. The private format and group size under eight means you move at a pace that lets you absorb the stories and linger at stops without feeling rushed.
Mt Etna trek and wine tasting from Taormina: Private or sharedA Mt Etna trek and wine tour departing from Taormina combines trekking on Europe's highest active volcano with a visit to a local winery and cellar on the slopes. A multilingual guide leads the route through old craters and lava flow caves, and the day includes round-trip shuttle transport from Taormina, trekking shoes on request, and wine sampling. You choose between a private group or a shared departure in your preferred language.Is it for me?Book the private group option if you want the route and timing to fit your schedule and your pace; choose a shared departure if you prefer to join other travelers and want a set language for the guide's commentary.
Taormina: Mount Etna Private Tour & Wine Tasting LunchYou visit the southern craters and lava fields of Mount Etna, walk inside Monte Vetore, see the 1669 eruption sites and the buried church, taste local liqueurs, then spend the afternoon at Gambino Winery tasting Etna DOC wines with a traditional lunch. Private transport and all entry fees are included, and the day runs at your pace without a fixed group schedule.Is it for me?Book this if you want to understand Mount Etna beyond the view from a distance — the private format means you set the pace at each stop, and the winery lunch gives you time to taste how the volcano shapes the wines instead of rushing through a group schedule.
Villa Romana del Casale & Valley of the Temples TourThis private tour visits two of Sicily's most significant archaeological sites: Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, where you walk through rooms covered in Roman mosaics, and the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, an open-air park of Doric temples from the Hellenistic period. The tour includes private transportation, bottled water and an air-conditioned vehicle for the full day. Admission tickets and a specialized guide are not included but can be arranged on request.Is it for me?Choose this if you want to visit both Roman mosaics and Greek temples in a single day with a private driver who adjusts stops to your pace, rather than following a group schedule.
Taormina: Mount Etna & Boat Tour with Arancino TastingYou're driven up Mount Etna with a private guide, spend time on the slopes of Europe's highest active volcano, then descend to the coast for a 2-hour boat tour of the Taormina shoreline, Isola Bella, and sea caves. The day includes hotel or port pickup, arancino and local wine tasting, and all transport by air-conditioned car. Bring layers for the volcano and a swimsuit for the boat.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Mount Etna and the Taormina coast in one day without arranging your own transport, timing the stops, or navigating the volcano roads yourself—the private car and guide handle all of that, leaving you to focus on the views.
Taormina dolphin spotting boat tour: 2-hour coastal cruiseA 2-hour boat tour from the Port of Giardini Naxos along the coast of Taormina, where you search for dolphins in their natural habitat, swim in a sheltered bay, and enjoy prosecco with fresh fruit. The tour runs aboard either the Venere catamaran or the Eureka Erika boat with an English-speaking skipper, and includes soft drinks and fuel in the price.Is it for me?Book this if you want to watch for dolphins from the water—the skipper navigates while you focus on spotting rather than steering.
Godfather tour Taormina with boat and arancino tastingA private guided tour from Taormina combines a walking tour of Savoca—the medieval hill town where Coppola filmed The Godfather—with a boat tour of the Taormina coastline, Isola Bella and the Blue Grotto, plus a traditional arancino tasting. The guide explains the film's production and the real history of the Sicilian Mafia. Hotel or port pickup is included, and the full experience runs 5 to 8 hours depending on which departure point you choose.Is it for me?Book from Taormina if you're staying in town or arriving by cruise; book from Catania if you're flying into the airport—the private car and guide get you to Savoca and the coastline, while the shared boat portion keeps costs down.
Catania Airport to Syracuse & Ortigia: Private TransferYou get picked up at Catania airport (or your hotel in Catania, Syracuse, or Ortigia) and driven directly to your destination in an air-conditioned car with a professional driver who knows the route. No waiting for a bus, no haggling with a taxi, no figuring out which stop is yours—the price is fixed upfront and includes evening and night service at the same rate. Drop-off is as close to your hotel as the car can reach.Is it for me?Worth booking if you land at Catania airport and want to reach Syracuse or Ortigia without arranging a taxi, waiting for a bus, or negotiating a price at the curb—the fixed rate and direct route mean you can focus on your trip instead of transport logistics.
Snorkeling in Taormina: Isola Bella and Mount Etna viewsA group boat tour departing from Letojanni takes you to snorkel at Isola Bella nature reserve and three other bays around Taormina, with stops at a blue cave and views of the cable car descending from the clifftop town. The tour runs three hours in the morning (10am) or afternoon (2pm), with a sunset dolphin-watching option at 5pm; groups stay under twelve people, and snorkeling gear, water, fresh fruit and Sicilian specialties are included.Is it for me?Book the morning or afternoon departure if you want to spend time in the water snorkeling at multiple bays; choose the 5pm sunset tour if you'd rather watch for dolphins from the deck and skip the gear. Groups stay under twelve, so the boat moves at a relaxed pace and never feels rushed or crowded.
Taormina Boat Rental & Snorkeling: Giardini Naxos CoastYou rent a boat for the day and navigate the Giardini Naxos coastline yourself, with snorkeling gear included and designated swimming stops at Isola Bella, the Cave of Love, and secluded bays. Prosecco and seasonal fruit are provided on board. The experience spans multiple hours and requires you to be comfortable in the water, though the pace is flexible and the boat is modern.Is it for me?Book this if you want to control your own pace on the water and spend the day snorkeling in clear bays without joining a large group tour — the boat rental format means you choose when to swim, when to move, and how long to linger at each stop.
Taormina: Godfather Film Locations Savoca & Forza D'AgròYou're picked up from the Messina cruise terminal or a local hotel and driven to Savoca, where you visit the bar and church from the Godfather film. Then you head to Forza d'Agrò, a medieval village on a hilltop overlooking Taormina and the sea, with time to walk the Arco Durazzesco and explore. Private transport and water are included; the whole outing takes about three hours.Is it for me?A good fit if you're docking at Messina or staying nearby and want to see the Godfather filming locations without arranging transport or navigating the villages yourself. The three-hour round trip is what makes both villages possible in a half-day without feeling hurried.
Savoca & Isola Bella boat tour from Taormina: Godfather villageA guided tour from Taormina visits Savoca, the village where scenes from the 1972 Godfather film were shot, with a stop at the legendary Bar Vitelli, then continues by shared boat to Isola Bella marine reserve. The tour includes hotel pickup, the village walk, and the boat excursion; it runs about five hours and suits all fitness levels.Is it for me?Book this if you're based in Taormina without a car—hotel pickup and drop-off are included, and the fixed return time means you won't miss dinner reservations or evening plans.
