The ancient theatre of Taormina, the town and Mount Etna beyond under a summer sky
TheMediterranean.com The Luxury Gateway
DestinationsStayResortsSailCruisesFlyTrainsLiveLuxury Real EstateShopDineExperiencePlan a Trip

Home›Mediterranean destinations›Italy›Taormina

Luxury in Italy

Taormina

A town on a terrace above the sea: the ancient theatre framing Etna, palace hotels and gardens, and the baroque towns, wines and islands of Sicily beyond.

The ancient theatre and Etna, TaorminaPhotograph: Reinhard Bruckner

Benvenuti

The theatre and the volcano

Taormina stands on a terrace of Monte Tauro high above the Ionian Sea, and its ancient theatre, built by the Greeks and rebuilt by the Romans, frames the snow-capped cone of Etna across the bay. Goethe came in 1787 and called it a supreme work of art and nature.

Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its black slopes grow some of Italy's most admired wines. Below the town, the tiny island of Isola Bella is joined to the shore by a strip of sand.

Sicily has been Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman and Spanish, and every age left its mark: the Greek temples, the Arab-Norman churches of Palermo, the baroque towns of Noto and Ragusa rebuilt after the earthquake of 1693, and Ortigia, the old island town of Syracuse.

A few words of Italian
EnglishItalianSay it
HelloBuongiornobwohn-JOR-noh
PleasePer favorepehr fah-VOH-reh
Thank youGrazieGRAHT-see-eh
Good eveningBuonaserabwoh-nah-SEH-rah
The bill, pleaseIl conto, per favoreeel KOHN-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh

Where to go

Taormina at a glance

When to go, the one best hotel and table, and how to arrive privately.

Taormina, Sicily

Best time to visitMay, June and September to early October are ideal: warm sea, long dry days and fewer people than in July and August. June brings film premieres in the ancient Greek theatre.

  • Stay
    San Domenico Palace, A Four Seasons Hotelthree MICHELIN Keys

    A 15th-century convent on the clifftops facing Etna, star of The White Lotus season two, with a MICHELIN-starred restaurant.

  • Dine
    St. George by Heinz Beck

    Taormina's two-MICHELIN-star restaurant, at The Ashbee Hotel, under the chef of Rome's three-star La Pergola.

  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA / LICC), about 1 hour by car.
By helicopter
Helicopter transfers from Catania airport take about 15 minutes.
By sea
No superyacht marina here yet meets our standard. Porto dell'Etna (Marina di Riposto), about 6 nautical miles south of Taormina, has a quay reserved for yachts over 15 metres; about 30 minutes by car to Taormina.

Stay

Luxury hotels in Taormina

The finest hotels in and around Taormina: each rated Forbes Five-Star, holding two or three MICHELIN Keys, or among the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean.

Taormina, Sicily

San Domenico Palace, A Four Seasons Hotel

This 15th-century Dominican convent on the clifftops of Taormina became a hotel in the 1890s. It reopened under Four Seasons in 2021 and a year later starred in the second season of The White Lotus.

Visit website ↗

The finest hotels

Each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys.

Private villas and estates

  • Rocca delle Tre ContradeEtna, Sicily

    An 1850s aristocratic country house and winery inside Etna National Park, restored over three years into a 12-bedroom villa with an infinity pool and estate gardens; it is let by the week only through The Thinking Traveller. Visit website ↗

Dine

The best restaurants in Taormina

The finest tables of Taormina and around.

Two MICHELIN stars

Cruises

Taormina by sea

How the ships arrive in Taormina, and the luxury lines that call.

Small ships anchor in the bay of Giardini Naxos, below Taormina, and bring guests ashore by tender; larger ships berth at Messina, about 50 km to the north.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Travel

First-class travel in Taormina

The great hotel trains at our standard. Private jet arrivals are covered in the questions below.

The hotel trains

Overnight journeys in restored carriages.

  • La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Rome-based journeys across Italy

    Italy's own luxury train, in service since 2025, with 1960s-inspired cabins and suites by Dimorestudio and dining overseen by chef Heinz Beck. Visit website ↗

Experience

Events and things to do in Taormina

The Taormina year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

Opera houses, concert halls and festivals

  • Teatro AnticoTaormina

    A Greek theatre rebuilt by the Romans, with summer concerts, opera and ballet overlooking the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna.

Wine estates that receive visitors

  • DonnafugataMarsala, Contessa Entellina and Pantelleria (Sicily)

    Sicily's leading family house offers visits and tastings at its historic Marsala winery, Contessa Entellina and Pantelleria, booked through its own visit portal. Visit website ↗

  • PlanetaMenfi, Noto and Etna (Sicily)

    The Planeta family receives visitors at its Ulmo, Buonivini and Sciaranuova wineries and hosts guests at La Foresteria in Menfi. Visit website ↗

  • Tasca d'AlmeritaRegaleali (Sicily)

    The Tasca family's historic estate in the hills of central Sicily, home of Rosso del Conte since 1970, offers guided tours of the winery and cellar with tastings from all five of its estates, including Capofaro on the island of Salina, where the family also has a resort among the Malvasia vines. Visit website ↗

Golf

  • VerduraSicily

    Rocco Forte's resort on 230 hectares of coast, with Kyle Phillips courses that have hosted the European Tour's Sicilian Open, and sea views from nearly every hole. Visit website ↗

Sport and motoring

  • Targa Florio ClassicaSicily, Italy

    ACI Sport's revival of the Targa Florio, the Sicilian road race first run in 1906, with classic cars covering about 600 km of the island from Palermo. Visit website ↗

Live

Luxury real estate in Taormina

A home in Taormina: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

  • Italy Sotheby's International RealtyMilan

    The Sotheby's affiliate for Italy, with 15 offices including Porto Cervo, Genoa, Palermo and Noto, covering Portofino, the Amalfi Coast and Sardinia. Visit website ↗

All the leading agencies in Italy ›

Looking for a home in Taormina? Write to travel@TheMediterranean.com and we will introduce you, in confidence, to the right agency.

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Taormina and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Taormina

Where is Taormina?

On the east coast of Sicily, between Messina and Catania. Catania airport takes private jets and is about an hour by road; helicopters land closer to town.

What is Taormina famous for?

Its ancient theatre with the view of Mount Etna, its palace hotels such as the San Domenico Palace, Isola Bella, and as a base for Etna, Syracuse and the baroque towns of Sicily.

When is the best time to visit Taormina?

May, June and September to early October are ideal: warm sea, long dry days and fewer people than in July and August. June brings film premieres in the ancient Greek theatre.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Taormina?

San Domenico Palace, A Four Seasons Hotel (three MICHELIN Keys).

How do you arrive in Taormina by private jet?

Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA / LICC), about 1 hour by car.

Which are the best restaurants in Taormina?

The finest table on our list: St. George by Heinz Beck.

Do you tip in Taormina?

Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.

What should you wear in Taormina?

Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.

Beyond Taormina

More in Italy

The rest of Italy, and the Mediterranean beyond.

ItalyLuxury Italy Holidays: Amalfi Coast & CapriExplore ItalyThe MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the MediterraneanPlan your journeyFrom your home to Taormina, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Taormina

How Italy does things.

Language
Italian. English is widely spoken in luxury hotels and leading restaurants in Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and the main coastal resorts; less so in the countryside.
Greetings
A handshake on first meeting; cheek kisses among friends and family. Titles matter: dottore / dottoressa for anyone with a university degree, signore / signora otherwise.
Dress
Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.
Dining
Lunch about 1–3 pm; dinner from about 8 pm, often 9.30 pm or later in the big cities and in summer. Book ahead for good restaurants. A per-person cover charge (coperto) for bread and table setting is normal and is not a tip. Ask for the bill; it will not arrive until you do.
Tipping
Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.
Good to know
Smaller shops often close for a midday break and on Sunday. Many towns fine people for sitting on monument steps or eating and drinking beside major churches and monuments; entering or bathing in public fountains is an offence in many cities, including Rome and Florence, and swimming in Venice's canals is banned. Taking sand, shells or pebbles from the coast is illegal.
Tourist tax
Venice charges day visitors an access fee on set days from April to July, from €5 booked in advance; guests staying overnight in the city are exempt but must register online.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.