Two very different Sicilian experiences
Catania is Sicily's second-largest city — a gritty, energetic, historic urban centre. Taormina is a small, polished hilltop resort town. Both are on the east coast within an easy drive of each other, but the experience of visiting each is completely different.
Catania: city life and history
Catania offers baroque architecture, a lively fish market, genuine big-city energy, and lower prices than Taormina for food and accommodation. It's less immediately "postcard pretty" but rewards visitors interested in authentic urban Sicilian life, nightlife, and history.
Taormina: scenery and polish
Taormina trades city energy for dramatic coastal views, the Ancient Theatre, and a more curated, resort-like atmosphere. It's smaller, more walkable, and — reflecting the views and polish — generally more expensive.
Which should you choose?
If you want beaches, views and a relaxed resort holiday, Taormina wins easily. If you want authentic city life, better food value, and a base with an international airport on your doorstep, Catania is the better choice — and many visitors do both, using Catania as an arrival/departure point and Taormina as the holiday itself.
Getting between them
Interbus and other coach services connect Catania and Taormina directly, and Catania-Fontanarossa Airport is the main gateway for reaching Taormina — see our airport transfer guide for details.