The whole of Sicily is calling us: is it the fabulous sea, its promontories, the smell of citrus fruits or its delightful cuisine with cannoli and arancini? It doesn’t matter, anyone should see this wonder at least once in their life.
So rich in history and beauty is the island that anyone would find hard where to start from, that’s why I am here to advise you. One of the best starting points for your excursions certainly is Taormina.
Taormina is a hill town on the eastern coasts of the island that seems to come from a fairy tale. Before considering all the fantastic tours you can take from here, you might focus on the beauty of the city; wandering through its streets you will stumble upon the awesome Greek-Roman theater, not to mention corso Umberto I, a place of unimaginable beauty with its typical architecture, or the gardens of the borough villa with their wide view over the sea and the city.
Other articles on Taormina you may like:
We will use this lovely city as a home base from where to start, and show you some of the best one-day excursions and tours from Taormina.
The Gorges of Alcantara
The first place I want to show you is the Alcantara Gorges, they are up to 25m (27 yd) high and up to 2m (2 yd) narrow. Among the lavic stones flows the Alcantara stream from which the gorges take their name. I wish I could describe the beauty of the river reflecting the high cliffs on its sides, or the incredible experience of enjoying the icy water in the Sicilian summer heat, or simply wandering around the gorgeous park.
We can even practice water trekking.
Are you a family? Don’t worry, even children can participate as long as they are not too small. There are of course many guided tours that will allow you to observe the wonders of the gorge, but I also want to offer you an alternative specifically designed for those who prefer to admire nature on their own.
There are not many buses leaving directly from Taormina: one in the morning at 9.15am and one in the afternoon at 3pm, and the return buses are at 11 am and 5 pm.
If you prefer, you can still take a taxi or move to the Giardini Naxos area where you will find more buses. The bus will drop you right next to the river, right in front of the Alcantara park! Entrance fee does not cost much and there are also countless benefits. You’ll find yourself immersed in a hundreds of acres of incredible terrains.
What can you do during this day? Since 2017 there are 3 distinct routes to visit this wonderful gorge. During the morning I suggest you concentrate on the geological and botanical park and then you can either take a picnic or stop in a restaurant.
In the afternoon the real tour of the gorge awaits you. The first path starts from the Botanical Park and is called Eleonora Path. From here you can admire the wonders of the Canyon for over 600 meters (660 yards) until you reach an elevator that will take you to a small beach. From the Eleonora Path a second trail starts, the Mediterranean Garden Path, it goes through a wonderful Sicilian-style citrus grove and leads to the phyto-purification basins, i.e. the natural water filtering system.
Alternatively you can practice different activities in the Canyon gorges, like Body Rafting and River Trekking! When you dive in gorges carved by the river surmounted by over 25 meters of rock face, fun is guaranteed (of course you will be assisted by a guide and wear wetsuits, life jackets and safety helmets).
Tickets for these excursions can be purchased online, booking is recommended for availability of schedules and weather conditions. In addition to these experiences, the river park also offers quad and horseback rides along the paths and wonders of the Canyon.
Most popular tours and excursions from Taormina to the Alcantara gorges::
- The gorges of Alcantara: a private tour with food and wine
- Etna and Alcantara Gorges: tour from Taormina
- Etna and Alcantara, a fascinating tour from Taormina
- Etna, Alcantara Gorges and Randazzo: tour from Taormina
Mount Etna excursions
Mount Etna is an element of Sicilian nature that deserves a whole day. It is the highest active volcano in Europe, the whole surrounding area was generated by countless eruptions that changed its shape.
The volcano is definitely a place of extreme interest for the whole of humanity, it is the UNESCO to say it!
Summers are very cold at the top of the volcano, and winters can reach -12°C (10.4°F). Would you have ever believed it?!
Due to the regular volcanic eruptions, its height is subject to continuous changes. Historical references are very ancient and only recently have scholars discovered Etna is actually composed of several structures.
This incredible volcano was mentioned by many famous poets and writers such as Homer, Virgil and Horace. It is the protagonist of a quantity of myths; I will mention only the one I repute the most interesting: according to the myth of Vulcano the god after being thrown down from the Olympus by Jupiter, he found himself in this heaven that had nothing to envy to the place from which he came. So he established his forge in the volcano, where he still builds weapons. This explains the lava and gases that come out today from the active volcano!
There are countless guided tours, but if you want to organize the day on your own, here is how to do it, starting from the town of Taormina.
My advise is to head to Etna south; although it is a little further away from Taormina it is the right place for the best excursions to the craters.
You reach it by car or taxi. Etna is truly an immense wonder, I will only tell you about the parts you absolutely cannot miss!
Two are the routes I suggest, of different lengths, to allow anyone to take them and enjoy a little of the magic of this volcano.
The first path is simpler, the walks are almost non-existent but you will need a car!
First stop: the craters Silvani, a lunar landscape will welcome you, it will really be a fascinating sight! You can then drive down to Zafferana Etna where you will find the Cassone cave and a little further on a convenient parking lot where to leave the car.
Continuing to descend along the SP92 road you will find a wonderful path; if you wish, go for a breathtaking walk.
But what if you want to fully enjoy the volcano and have a nice walk?
The second route is about 7.5 km (4.7 mi) and starts from the Citelli refuge. From here you can follow the path, well signposted, and head for the Serracozzo cave, about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) with a bit of altitude difference.
Once at the cave, continue with the Serracozzo path until you reach the refuge, the distance is about 4 km (2.5 mi). Having the chance to return to the hut before continuing, you can take a nice break, perhaps having a snack before leaving to visit the craters.
After the break you can resume your route to the Sartorius mountains for a peaceful 2 km stroll (1.2 mi).
The list of possible paths to take is really long, with only one day we have to limit our options.
Etna excursions from Taormina:
- Etna: trekking with an expert guide to the summit and the crater (transport from Taormina not included)
- Etna: 1 day tour of the craters at the top from Taormina – including transportation (on request)
- Taormina: morning excursion to Mount Etna
- Etna: sunset tour on the crater from Taormina
Panarea and Stromboli
Could we ever omit in our list of tours one to the islands of Panarea and Stromboli? Certainly not!
The fastest way to get to the first one is using a taxi and then the ferry, but if you prefer to spend less, you can take a bus or a train.
I’m going to explain road with the latter since it is best in terms of price and time. Trains from Taormina depart every hour for Messina where you can take a ferry to reach the beautiful island. Don’t be too lazy, get up early and you’ll have more time to spend as tourists.
Panarea is tiny and sparsely inhabited, so beautiful to be called the island of VIPs! The only harbour is in the town of San Pietro, full of restaurants where you could take a nice lunch break! But we don’t think about food too soon! I recommend first to visit the small limestone beach where you can observe different phenomena of volcanic nature.
In some places, among the pebbles on the seashore, the effect of these heat sources makes the water boils and be burning hot. Another treat is the district Contrada di Drautto in the southern part of the island where you can find the red beach contrasting with a wonderful sea. Unfortunately it is very crowded.
I can’t deny a visit to the small town would be fascinating, but after lunch let’s leave for Stromboli. Ferries are connecting directly Stromboli from the town of San Pietro. You might ask: Why visiting Stromboli among all the Aeolian islands? Because it is home of one of the most active volcanoes in the world!
Once there, it will be easy to reach Piazza San Vincenzo strolling along Via Marina while enjoying the landscape of the island. From here you will have a wonderful and privileged view of Strombolicchio, a small volcanic island. Its origins are very ancient and is formed solely by the leakage of solidified magma.
If you want to swim in the sea near the pier you will find the beach of Forgiavecchia, but I recommend to save your strength to take a ferry that will take you to the other side of Stromboli in Ginostra. This wonderful borough held the record of the smallest port in the world, it was recently expanded for safety reasons.
If you wish to visit the volcano crater, the easiest route starts from San Vincenzo square. You don’t really need a guide, but keep in mind that because of the volcano activity it is not allowed to climb to the top without the help of guides since they need to constantly monitor the number of people on the summit.
The trail starts by taking Via Soldato Francesco Natoli which leads to the geological station; from here, once left the main road, you will enter a path surrounded by Mediterranean shrubland. The path leads to the recently restored old cemetery.
The cemetery dates back to the beginning of the last century, contains tombs where the typical ceramics of the place are present. The descent continues towards the new cemetery where a long staircase will take you back to the main road.
You will likely be tired at that point, so take a resting nap on the beach or have a good meal at a nice restaurant! Then return to Taormina.
Tour from Taormina to Panarea and Stromboli:
Lipari and Vulcano
Sicily has so many islands that you will have to spend an entire day for two others… the islands of Lipari and Vulcano!
I definitely recommend you to leave early: take a bus from Taormina, Stazione Giardini that arrives in Milazzo. Don’t worry, the timetable is convenien, buses arrive until about 8.53 pm, after that the option is a taxi!
From Milazzo, the ferry will take you to our first island, Vulcano! I recommend you stop at the eastern port where with a nice walk across the island you can reach the awesome 500 meter crater (547 yards).
The walk is a beautiful hike of nearly an hour, so be prepared! Alternatively, for the laziest or those who love the spa there is a thermal pool very close to the eastern harbour and its volcanic pond fed, of course, by the springs of the volcanic geysers.
In its waters you will find the beneficial steams of sulfur. Its fine clay mud is perfect for body and skin of tourists from all over the world. Right in front of the spa you will also find the bay of warm waters … an incredible natural hydromassage!
Before lunch you can’t miss the Monsters Valley, just the name is enticing, isn’t it? It is in the isthmus of Vulcanello, 2.5 km (1.5 mi) from the eastern harbour, you can easily get there on foot.
Once there you will find a valley full of rocks shaped by time and atmospheric agents in the shape of animals and mythological creatures, to me something you cannot miss! So let’s leave for Lipari from one of the two ports, both very close.
There are all kinds of attractions on the island, I would focus on the most beautiful places and give you a few tips. The churches of this island are fascinating, you should at least to visit the closest to the port which I think is the prettiest. It will take you just a 200 meter (219 yd) stroll to be able to admire one of the oldest structures on the island, built upon the crypt that housed the relics of St. Bartholomew, the St. Joseph parish (“parrocchia di San Giuseppe”). It overlooks the beach, imagine the view! 500 meters (547 yd) on the opposite side is the Cathedral of San Bartolomeo, and nearby are the beautiful Lipari Castle and the archaeological museum.
A little further, about 4 km (2.5 mi) from the cathedral, Belvedere di Quattrocchi is waiting for you: a hill top from where you will see a real-life postcard. The perfect place to shoot lots of photos! Continuing along the road you will reach the Calogero spa. But what may excite you the most are the archaeological excavations that have brought to light the remains of a Mycenaean tholos and several Greek and Roman thermal baths!
For the return trip I suggest you to take a ferry directly from Lipari to Milazzo, there are plenty of them!
Isola Bella
And here we come to the last tour that I propose, not by importance as you are going to visit the Isola Bella (“Beatiful Island”).
This island is truly unique: its very short distance from the coast of Taormina makes it for the most part of the year a peninsula joined to the mainland by a strip of land that turns into a crowded beach.
For this reason my advice is to arrive as soon as possible, get a deck chair and then take a nice walk to the small island. You can visit a villa built upon it with a garden full of aromas and scents. Afterward you cannot deny yourself a nice swim and then leave the beach for lunch as it gets too crowded in the afternoon and besides… it could disappear with the rising of the tides! But fear not! The day is not over, after a delicious lunch you can visit the Isola Bella museum or Regional Natural History Museum, unfortunately it is not located on the island but on the opposite promontory, behind the beach.
Here are preserved many Amazonian plants and unique animal species like the red-breasted lizard. The park can be visited up to an hour before sunset; it may be closed in winter.
Keep in mind that I have only mentioned in these tours only some of the best places in Sicily, but almost every single corner of this region hides something wonderful, so what are you waiting for? Go and discover it!