Taormina Surroundings

Tourist Attractions
If you are planning your holiday in Sicily, one of the destinations you absolutely must visit is the Taormina area.
The splendid village of Taormina, the pearl of the Mediterranean,
alone offers everything a traveler could wish for:
monuments of considerable value, breathtaking views and landscapes, a splendid sea, shops, clubs, restaurants...
But Taormina is also the hub of a marvelous area dotted with picturesque villages and where unspoiled nature offers a unique
spectacle in the world: the majestic Alcantara gorges.
You can decide to spend a few days or a weekend in the Taormina area and admire just the main beauties of the place, or spend a few more days and fully enjoy your holiday in these splendid places by discovering their little hidden treasures, flavors and traditions.
When planning your holiday in this suggestive corner of Sicily, it is natural to start from
its pearl: Taormina, set on a splendid natural terrace, is a unique combination of art, history, nature, sea, entertainment...
from its Greek theater, of imposing beauty, you can enjoy one of the most beautiful views in the world.
Isola Bella offers unusual landscapes, clear waters and splendid backdrops.
Corso Umberto in Taormina is a succession of pretty and picturesque clubs, shops, restaurants...
You can see all the attractions in Taormina by clicking on the following link:
What to see in Taormina
Continuing through an itinerary in the area of Taormina we reach Giardini Naxos, small seaside village that rises at the foot of Taormina. Giardini Naxos is the first Greek colony of Sicily and it preserves an extraordinary archaeological park, but also a splendid seaside town that boasts beaches considered among the most beautiful in the whole Ionian Sea.
Discover all the attractions of Giardini Naxos by clicking on:
What to see in Giardini Naxos
The area of Taormina also offers a spectacular naturalistic itinerary in the Alcantara river valley which culminates with the discovery of its impressive gorges: deep canyons with spectacular lava walls with basaltic prisms. There are several activities to practice to discover these places: trekking, bike tour, river trekking, canoeing, body rafting and baby body rafting, shuttle tour and Nordic walking.
You can see all the attractions of Parco Fluviale dell'Alcantara clicking on the following link:
What to see in Alcantara Park
The Taormina area also offers an interesting historical-artistic journey to discover the wonderful villages that dot this area. Immersing yourself in a surreal atmosphere along narrow streets, lingering in the charming squares, admiring impressive castles and ancient monuments, will enrich your holiday in Sicily.






The area of Taormina is the ideal place for your beach holiday, it has beautiful beaches that offer
all the comforts for the bather but also hides suggestive views and magnificent caves. There are many possibilities to discover
these little hidden treasures: boat tours, rental of rafts, canoes, kayaks, jet skis ...
The multiplicity and variety of services offered allow you to practice any type of water sport
but also offer the possibility of fly over this wonderful area aboard hang gliders, parasailing, paragliders...
To discover all the places to visit and all the attractions in the Taormina area, select the place you are interested in by the top menu.
Towns and Villages
Towns and Villages to visit in Taormina surroundings
Antillo Calatabiano Castelmola Castiglione di Sicilia Fiumefreddo Forza d'Agrò Francavilla di Sicilia Giardini Naxos Motta Camastra Parco Fluviale dell'Alcantara Savoca Taormina
Events, Festivals and Fairs
Traditional and Religious Festivals, Historical reenactments, Exhibitions, Musical enterteinment, Sport events, guided Tour,...
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2023 24 June - 01 July

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Typical Products
Typical food and drinks to taste in Taormina area
To fully experience the holiday in Sicily, you have to stop and taste the local products and the typical specialties of the island in general and of the Taormina area in particular. Among the typical agri-food products of these places we recommend:
In the Taormina area you can certainly easily find the typical dishes of Sicilian cuisine, granitas, cannoli, parmigiane, caponate ... and enjoy them in the many clubs, bars and restaurants in the area. But trying the typical dishes of the Taormina area is an opportunity not to be missed: the recipe for each dish is jealously handed down for generations and only in the place where it was born, the dish retains its authentic flavor.






Discover all the dishes and typical products of the Taormina area and where you can taste them by selecting the location of your interest from the top menu.
Handicrafts
Typical and traditional sicilian items to buy in Taormina area
The Taormina area is the ideal place for your shopping: Sicilian ceramics, pine cones and Moor's heads, decorated tiles, wrought iron objects, Sicilian puppets, tambourines and other typical Sicilian musical instruments... in this area you will find a large assortment of typical Sicilian clothing and hand-made textiles.
Discover where to buy them by selecting the locality of your interest by the menu at the top.
Interesting Facts
Interesting and fun facts, legends, traditions and folk tales to know about Taormina Area
After having admired the beauties of this island, tasted its culinary excellence, having taken part in entertainment and folklore events, discovered the small masterpieces created by the skilled hands of Sicilian master craftsmen, all that remains is to immerse yourself in the Sicilian, discovering the interesting facts, traditions, fun facts, anecdotes hidden in the places of this splendid area of Sicily, the area of Taormina.
The beauty of this area has always enchanted poets, writers, artists but also directors. The list of films shot in Taormina and its surroundings is really very long. "The Godfather" by Francis Ford Coppola deserves a special mention, considered one of the best films ever made, which has found numerous sets in the Taormina area.

Castle of Slaves: places of the Godfather
The Castle of the Slaves is famous throughout the world because it was used as a set in the film trilogy "The Godfather"...

Places of The Godfather - Savoca
Savoca and the Vitelli Bar have become famous throughout the world as the set of some scenes of The Godfather...

Places of "The Godfather" - Motta Camastra
The village of Motta Camastra is famous all over the world because it is the "Corleone" in the film "The Godfather"...
Many other successful films have been shot in this area, and seeing the places already seen in a film always gives a little emotion.

Places of "Cars 2" - Forza D'Agrò
The Church di Forza D'Agrò was designed to become the set of some scene of the animated film Cars 2...

Places of "Johnny Stecchino" - Taormina
In the film "Johnny Stecchino" the famous scene in which Dante steals the banana in a greengrocer is shot in Taormina...

Places of "Le Grand Bleu" - Taormina
Taormina and its splendid sea were the setting for the film Le Grand Bleu, a film in which the sea is the protagonist...
The area of Taormina is a land full of treasures ... not only figuratively but also literally.
Ancient tales, handed down from generation to generation, reveal the place where immense treasures are kept.
These tales are part of the "Truvatura", an ancient Sicilian belief according to which great hidden treasures are protected by goblins, gnomes, demons or brigands and can only materialize following the execution of rituals to break bond spells.

Truvatura of Monte Venere
A legend very much alive in the memory of village of Castelmola is that of "truvatura", or rather the discovery of a treasure...

Legend of the epigraph in Calatabiano
In Calatabiano, on the main portal of the church of the Holy Crucifix there is an epigraph and a legend was born about it...

"Trovatura" of mount Balsamà in Castiglione
The legend of Mount Balsamà, in Castiglione di Sicilia, is linked to the "finding" of a hidden treasure...
The area of Taormina is an ancient land: its origins are shrouded in myth, fantastic creatures inhabit it, ancient traditions still survive ...

The legend of Theocles
The legend of Theocles explains the origin of ancient city of Naxos, the first Greek colony in Sicily...

Legend of dragon of Alcantara gorges
The legend of the dragon of the Alcantara Gorges tells of a monstrous creature that inhabited the waters of the river...

The cult of the Dead in Savoca
In the village of Savoca the cult of the dead was deeply felt and this led to the birth of very particular rites...
If you want to know more, select the place you are interested in by the menu at the top and then go to "what to know" section.
Nearby Areas
Tourist Areas you can visit close to Taormina Area