Taormina Trip Overview
Enjoy a private guided tour of Taormina and its beautiful promenade and Ancient Greek Theater. With this tour, you will also have the chance to visit Castelmola, an hidden gem only 10 minutes away from Taormina. A walking tour is the ideal way to discover Castelmola and enjoy its medieval narrow streets.
Additional Info
Duration: 5 hours
Starts: Taormina, Italy
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Taormina Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Taormina, Sicily, Italy
Enjoy a private guided tour of Taormina and its beautiful promenade and Ancient Greek Theater. With this tour, you will also have the chance to visit Castelmola, an hidden gem only 10 minutes away from Taormina. A walking tour is the ideal way to discover Castelmola and enjoy its medieval narrow streets.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Ancient Theatre of Taormina, Via del Teatro Greco, 1, 98039, Taormina, Sicily Italy
In ancient times when there were no lights or special effects, it was the unique position within the spectacular and magical scenery that made the difference.
The Ancient Theatre of Taormina is set in an idyllic location, with the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna in the background, the place that enchants without even seeing the actors performance. Goethe, who saw this spectacular panorama in 1797, declared: ‘’Never did any audience, in any theatre, have before it such a spectacle’’.
Constructed during the Greek Hellenistic period, the theatre was literally carved out of the rock on Monte Tauro, and had a capacity of 5,000 spectators.
The Ancient Theatre is the second largest of its kind in all of Sicily behind only the Greek Theatre of Siracusa, and because of its perfect acoustics it is used still today for theatre performances.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: The Odeon, Via don Bosco, 98039, Taormina, Sicily Italy
The Odeon is a small theater, located right next to Palazzo Corvaja, in the main street of Taormina.
Built during the Roman Empire it was destined for theathrical purposes as a semi-private theater for elite class.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Corso Umberto, Taormina, Sicily Italy
Corso Umberto I, the main street of Taormina lies between two arches, Porta Messina and Porta Catania, and was an integral part of the ancient Via Valeria, which once connected Messina to Catania.
Today Corso Umberto is a beautiful fashionable pedestrian street full of boutiques, typical restaurants, and charming cafes. There are lots more hidden away in the backstreets, like the most narrow street of Taormina – Vicolo Stretto.
Corso Umberto, called simply by locals ‘’Il Corso’’, is the very heart of the city where all can be seen practicing the very singular sport, cuttigghiu, which in local dialect means gossip. Don’t be surprised to be in center of attention of the Taorminesi walking along ‘’il Corso’’ where the facts and suspicions of both public and private lives are daily commented.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Villa Comunale, Via Bagnoli Croci, 98039, Taormina, Sicily Italy
One of the most important women in Taormina’s history was Lady Florence Trevelyan, close friend to Queen Victoria and her son Edward. Born into an ancient Scottish family, Florence married Professor Cacciola, the mayor of Taormina and moved to his house surrounded by a magnificent park.
Lady Florence spent her time rearranging the immense English – style garden and planting many rare species of flora. The extraordinary eclectic towers, inspired by oriental buildings, that she called ‘’Beehives’’ are still the main attraction of the park.
She hosted in her private, shaded garden the most important people of that époque: Wilhelm II German Emperor; Nicholas II of Russia; Oscar Wilde, Nietzsche, and many others that made Taormina famous throughout the world.
In 1923 the park became the property of the town and was open to the public. Villa Comunale is settled on the slopes of Mount Tauro and blends in harmoniously with the natural environment: the bay of Naxos and, in the background, the snow-covered peak of Mount Etna.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Castelmola, Castelmola, Province of Messina, Sicily
Castelmola is like an eagle’s nest clinging to a rock peak at an altitude of over 500 meters. It is a small but enchanting medieval city situated just above Taormina. From the scenic area of the castle you can admire the imposing Etna overlooking the Gulf of Naxos, the town of Taormina, and the coast of Calabria. Castelmola has a network of tight charming step ways perfect for a relaxing walk. It is a wonderful experience to get lost between small stone houses where cats nap in the lazy Sicilian sun. Don’t miss the bar San Giorgio (St George), founded in 1700 by monks who used it as a tavern. Many years later, Don Vincenzo Blandano turned it into one of the most typical bars of the town. In the early years of the twentieth century between the various infusions prepared, Don Vincenzo, using the ancient techniques of Greek infusion, created the almond flavored wine that he called its “Blandanino”, a mysterious dark amber liquor made of different smells and tastes of his Sicily.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Palazzo Corvaja, Largo Santa Caterina, 98039, Taormina, Sicily Italy
Palazzo Corvaja is one of the most iconic palaces in Taormina and it I was first built in the Arab era (11th century), during which the first cube-shaped tower of the palace was built. This was then extended in the 14th and 15th centuries, taking on its present conformation, in which one can see the Arab matrix mixed with Norman, Gothic, Catalan and Chiaramonte influences.
The palace was then inhabited by the powerful Corvaja family, from which it took its name, until the Second World War.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Chiesa di Santa Caterina, 98039, Taormina, Sicily Italy
The church of Saint Caterina is located in the main street Corso Umberto and right next to Palazzo Corvaja.
It was built in the XVII century on the ruins of an ancient Roman Theater: the Odeon which is still visible and can be visited.
Duration: 10 minutes
