A few days in Taormina calls for a road trip to explore the surrounding areas. While there is plenty to do in the heart of the city both during the day and at night, there are some pretty amazing destinations just a few hours outside Taormina.
From Agrigento to the Aeolian Islands, here are the five best day trips from Taormina.
MT ETNA
Etna is the highest active volcano on the European continent and one of the world. Its height is currently around 3,350 meters with a diameter of about 45 km, but its morphology is subject to constant change due to incessant activity.
The external structure of the volcano has four craters: the Central Crater (the oldest one of the summit craters), the Bocca Nuova (formed in 1968), the North-East Crater (formed in 1911), and finally the youngest one, the South-East Crater (formed in 1971), which in the last few years has considerably increased in height, due to frequent eruptions of the "Stromboli" type, which occurred in recent years.
It is possible to get to Mt Etna from Taormina either by car or with a daily guided trip. Unfortunately, there is not public transport from Taormina to Mount Etna.
You can reach the Southern side of Etna (Rifugio Sapienza) in about an hour. To get there, take the A18 motorway towards Catania and exit at Giarre. From there, pass the villages of Santa Venerina, Zafferana Etnea and follow the signs for Etna. From Rifugio Sapienza the famous Etna cableway runs up to 2600 meters above sea level.
TInstead, to get to the North side of Etna (Piano Provenzana) it takes about 45 minutes taking the A18 motorway towards Catania and then taking the Fiumefreddo di Sicilia exit. From there continue towards Linguaglossa and then take the Mareneve road following the signs for Etna Nord. The Piano Provenzana station is surrounded by a large pine forest with a splendid view of the Ionian Sea.
The best way to discover the Etna from Taormina is with a guided tour. A prepared guide is necessary to fully understand the history, the landscape and every single aspect of the volcano.
TravelTaormina recommends guided tours organized by EtnaPeople. EtnaPeople offers different types of excursions in jeep with departure from your hotel in Taormina and from the surrounding areas.
You can book your guided excursion to Mt Etna by clicking here.
SYRACUSE
Syracuse is almost 120km from Taormina. It is possible to reach Syracuse by car in an hour and a half by taking the A18 motorway towards Catania and then continuing on the E45. It is also possible to go to Syracuse by public transport such as the train (www.trenitalia.com) or the bus (www.interbus.it), even if communications, especially during the winter period, are not very frequent.
Syracuse is located on the south-eastern coast of Sicily, at the mouth of the Anapo and Ciane rivers. For several centuries, Syracuse was one of the most powerful and important Greek colonies in the world and for this reason Cicerone described it as "the greatest and most beautiful of all Greek cities"
To see absolutely in Syracuse is the entire historic center (Island of Ortigia) full of Baroque style palaces. Walking through Ortigia you can admire the splendid Piazza Duomo where you can admire the Cathedral of Syracuse dedicated to Saint Lucia, the Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco and the Palazzo del Senato.
After this, you can visit the Fountain of Arethusa, a spring of fresh water that forms a natural pool with papyrus plants. Also worthy of note is the Temple of Apollo and the Castello di Maniace.
The Archaeological Park of Neapolis is another place to see. Here stands the Greek Theatre (the largest in Sicily) the Roman Amphitheater, the Latomie, the Altar of Hieron II and the caves carved into the rock as the Ear of Dionysus and the tomb of Archimedes.
Syracuse is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO from 2005.
TravelTaormina recommends guided tours organized by Sat Group. Sat Group offers tours by bus with departure from Taormina, Giardini Naxos and Letojanni.
You can book your guided excursion to Syracuse by clicking here.
Agrigento
Agrigento is definitely a must-see during your trip to Sicily. In its thousand-year history it has changed 4 names: κράγας for the Greeks, Agrigentum for the Romans, Gergent for the Arabs; Girgenti for the Normans. Only during the fascist period, in 1929, took the name of Agrigento definitively.
Absolutely to visit in Agrigento is the famous Valley of the Temples, archaeological site dating back to the Hellenistic period. Among the monuments stands the Temple of Concordia, built around 430 BC, the Temple of Juno (450-440 BC) and the Temple of Hercules (510 BC).
Unfortunately, Agrigento is not easily reachable from Taormina by public transport. By bus you can reach it changing in Catania thanks to the company Interbus (from Taormina to Catania) and the company Sais Trasporti (from Catania to Agrigento). It is also possible to reach Agrigento by car in about 2 and a half hours of road.
Guided one-day excursions allow you to visit Agrigento easily and without stress.
TravelTaormina recommends guided tours organized by Sat Group. Sat Group offers tours by bus with departure from Taormina, Giardini Naxos and Letojanni.
You can book your guided excursion to Agrigento by clicking here.
AEOLIAN ISLANDS
The Aeolian Islands have been called the "Seven pearls of the Mediterranean". In fact, the archipelago is undoubtedly a jewel of the Mediterranean, full of charm and myths. Active volcanoes, crystal clear waters and black sand beaches make this archipelago unique.
Panarea is the smallest but also the most social and frequented by young people. Vulcano is famous for its hot muds. Lipari is the largest and most populous island. Salina was the set of the famous film by Massimo Troisi "Il Postino". In Stromboli, every evening, you can see the splendid lava flows. Alicudi and Filicudi are the oldest but also the most pristine.
To reach the Aeolian Islands from Taormina you must first go to Milazzo with your own car and then, from there ,take a ferry (https://www.traghettilines.it/) that will take you to the archipelago. Alternatively, it is possible to visit the archipelago with a guided excursion.
TravelTaormina recommends guided tours organized by Sat Group. Sat Group offers tours by bus with departure from Taormina, Giardini Naxos and Letojanni.
You can book your guided excursion to the Aeolians Islands by clicking here
CASTELMOLA
Castelmola is a small village located 550m high, perched just behind Taormina.
From Taormina, Castelmola is easily reachable by car from S.P. 10 in just over 10 minutes, or by bus with the interbus company departing from the Taormina Bus Terminal. Alternatively, you can get to Taormina on foot doing a little 'trekking' through beautiful scenery in about 45 minutes.
From different points you can enjoy a beautiful view of Mount Etna and the beaches of the Ionian coast. The Piazza di Sant'Antonino is the entrance square of the village. On the right of the square there is a stairway which leads to the ruins of the Saracen castle which preserves sections of the sixteenth century walls and from where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the mountains Venere and Ziretto.
Among the most important monuments there are certainly the Church of San Giorgio and the Duomo Church, dedicated to San Nicola di Bari, located in Piazza Duomo. In this square we find one of the cult places of Sicily: the Bar Turrisi, famous for a very special feature: everything that is found inside this bar, built on 4 levels, is phallic...
You can not miss the taste of the local almond wine.
