Cable Car — Funivia
Funivia Taormina – Mazzarò
Taormina ↔ Mazzarò Beach
€6
One way
€10
Return
Free
Under 1m tall
📍 Upper station: Via Luigi Pirandello 22 (near Porta Messina)
🏖️ Lower station: Mazzarò beach, Via Nazionale
⏱️ Ride time: ~2 minutes
👥 Capacity: 8 people per cabin
📞 ASM Taormina: +39 0942 682408
🐾 Pets: Allowed — muzzled & on lead
⚠️ Important: Always check the last cable car time before you go down for dinner or an evening at the beach. The service can be suspended for maintenance without notice. When in doubt, check asmtaormina.com or call ahead.
Avoiding the cable car queue
Peak queue times are 10am–12pm and 5pm–7pm in July and August. Go early morning or mid-afternoon. The walk down takes 30 minutes (700 steps via Via Pirandello) and is scenic — a good option going down. Coming back up on foot is 40 minutes and steep. The cable car is absolutely worth the €6 on the way back. Multi-trip tickets are available if you're using it every day of your stay.
Trusted Taormina Taxis
Tap to call — these are TT's recommended drivers
All six drivers below are local, trusted, and English-speaking. Negotiate the price before you get in — taxis in Taormina are not metered. Always agree on the fare upfront. For airport transfers, Etna tours and day trips, book in advance via WhatsApp. Payment is usually cash.
Approximate taxi fares from Taormina (high season): Mazzarò beach €20 · Giardini Naxos €25–50 · Letojanni €20–30 · Castelmola €20–30 · Catania Airport €100–150 · Messina €70–120 · Alcantara Gorge €50–80 · Savoca €50–60 · Mount Etna (Rifugio Sapienza) €80–150.
Always agree on the price before getting in — taxis in Taormina are not metered. Early morning taxis (before 7am) and late night taxis (after midnight) are significantly more expensive — add 20–30% to the estimates above. Evening and Sunday rates are also higher. Payment is usually cash.
Always agree on the price before getting in — taxis in Taormina are not metered. Early morning taxis (before 7am) and late night taxis (after midnight) are significantly more expensive — add 20–30% to the estimates above. Evening and Sunday rates are also higher. Payment is usually cash.
Interbus — Bus Routes
Taormina Bus Terminal — Piazza Pirandello
All Interbus routes depart from Piazza Pirandello, next to the cable car upper station on Via Luigi Pirandello. Buy tickets at the ticket office (window), from the driver, or online at interbus.it. The Interbus office in Taormina: +39 0942 625301. Bring cash as a backup — machines at smaller stops can be unreliable. Wi-Fi available on most buses.
Buying tickets
Book online at interbus.it or at the Taormina ticket office (Piazza Pirandello). For Catania and Catania Airport, booking ahead is strongly recommended in summer — buses fill up. Return tickets are available and usually cheaper than two singles. Interbus allows one checked bag + one carry-on per passenger. Small pets allowed in carriers.
Train
Taormina-Giardini Station
The train station is not in Taormina itself — it's at the bottom of the hill in Giardini Naxos, about 3km away. Take a taxi down (€10–12) or the Interbus to Giardini Naxos and walk 5 minutes to the station. From the station you can reach:
🚆 Catania — 35–40 min, ~€4.50, frequent departures
🚆 Messina — 35–40 min, ~€4.50, frequent departures
🚆 Siracusa — ~1.5 hrs via Catania (change required), ~€9 — faster than the bus
🚆 Giarre-Riposto — 15 min, ~€2.80 (change here for the Circumetnea train around Etna)
🚆 Palermo — ~3 hrs direct (Intercity), ~€15–25. Book in advance on trenitalia.com — Intercity seats sell out. Spectacular coastal views along the northern route.
🚆 Reggio Calabria — ~1.5 hrs (and on to mainland Italy by ferry)
Buy tickets at the station, at tabacchi shops, or via the Trenitalia app. Validate your ticket in the yellow machine before boarding — fines are issued on the spot.
🚆 Catania — 35–40 min, ~€4.50, frequent departures
🚆 Messina — 35–40 min, ~€4.50, frequent departures
🚆 Siracusa — ~1.5 hrs via Catania (change required), ~€9 — faster than the bus
🚆 Giarre-Riposto — 15 min, ~€2.80 (change here for the Circumetnea train around Etna)
🚆 Palermo — ~3 hrs direct (Intercity), ~€15–25. Book in advance on trenitalia.com — Intercity seats sell out. Spectacular coastal views along the northern route.
🚆 Reggio Calabria — ~1.5 hrs (and on to mainland Italy by ferry)
Buy tickets at the station, at tabacchi shops, or via the Trenitalia app. Validate your ticket in the yellow machine before boarding — fines are issued on the spot.
Day Trips from Taormina
Alcantara Gorge
Gole dell'Alcantara — lava canyon + cold river wading
One of the most spectacular natural sites in Sicily — a dramatic canyon carved through basalt lava rock by the Alcantara river, with walls up to 30m high. In summer visitors wade through the icy cold river water between the volcanic walls. Arrive before 10am — it gets crowded fast in July and August. Two entry options: paid park with lift access (€7–10) or free entry lower down.
🚌 Interbus from Piazza Pirandello — ~50 min, €3.20 each way. Check interbus.it for times.
🚕 Taxi — ~€35–45 one way, ask driver to wait or agree a return time.
🚕 Taxi — ~€35–45 one way, ask driver to wait or agree a return time.
Mount Etna
Europe's highest active volcano — 3,357 metres
The most dramatic day trip from Taormina. Book a guided tour — strongly recommended both for safety (summit access changes daily based on volcanic activity) and experience (guides have real-time info on which crater rims are accessible). Full-day Etna + Alcantara tours (~€130–150) include lunch and equipment. You can also hire a taxi driver who knows Etna well for a private half-day.
🚕 Taxi (recommended) — €50–70 to Rifugio Sapienza. Ask your TT taxi to wait.
🎫 Guided tour — bookable through Taormina Walking Tours or local agencies. Best option.
🎫 Guided tour — bookable through Taormina Walking Tours or local agencies. Best option.
Savoca & Forza d'Agrò
Where The Godfather was filmed — unchanged since 1972
The hilltop villages where Coppola filmed the Sicilian scenes of The Godfather. Bar Vitelli in Savoca is where Michael Corleone asks for Apollonia's hand — the props are still there. Forza d'Agrò is arguably even more beautiful — a perfectly preserved medieval village with views that will stop you mid-sentence. Combine both in a half-day.
🚕 Taxi — easiest option, ~€25–30 each way. Ask your taxi to take you to both villages.
🚌 Bus — limited service, check interbus.it. Not the easiest without a car.
🚌 Bus — limited service, check interbus.it. Not the easiest without a car.
Castelmola
400m above Taormina — the view that changes everything
The village directly above Taormina with views that dwarf even those from Taormina itself — Etna, the bay, the whole coastline in one panorama. Famous for its almond wine (vino di mandorla), the quirky Bar Turrisi, and lunch at La Taverna dell'Etna. A half-day from Taormina. The walk up through olive groves is beautiful (early morning, not midday).
🚕 Taxi — €15–20, 10 min. Most drivers happy to wait.
🚌 Interbus IN10 — from Taormina bus terminal, ~15 min, €1.50.
🚶 Walk — 45 min uphill via Via Circonvallazione. Views along the way.
🚌 Interbus IN10 — from Taormina bus terminal, ~15 min, €1.50.
🚶 Walk — 45 min uphill via Via Circonvallazione. Views along the way.
Siracusa
One of the greatest Greek cities in the ancient world
A full-day trip — the ancient Greek theatre, the archaeological museum, and the stunning island of Ortigia (the old city) with its Baroque cathedral and labyrinthine streets. Start early — Ortigia alone needs 3–4 hours. Pair with a lunch of fresh swordfish at the Ortigia market. A genuinely unforgettable city that most Taormina visitors sadly miss.
🚌 Interbus — from Piazza Pirandello, ~2 hrs, ~€10. Book ahead.
🚆 Train (recommended) — Taormina-Giardini → Catania → Siracusa, ~1.5 hrs total, ~€9.
🚆 Train (recommended) — Taormina-Giardini → Catania → Siracusa, ~1.5 hrs total, ~€9.
Catania
Sicily's second city — baroque, gritty, alive
The best fish market in Sicily (La Pescheria — go before 1pm), spectacular Baroque architecture, and the best street food on the island. Arancini at Savia, granite at Spinella, horsemeat sandwiches at the market if you're feeling brave. Also the transit hub for ferries, trains, and Etna access. A half-day is enough for the highlights.
🚌 Interbus — from Piazza Pirandello, ~1 hr, €4–5. Up to 98 departures/day.
🚆 Train (fastest) — Taormina-Giardini station, 35 min, ~€4.50. Frequent.
🚆 Train (fastest) — Taormina-Giardini station, 35 min, ~€4.50. Frequent.
Parking
Don't try to drive into Taormina centro
The historic centre is a ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) — cameras fine non-resident vehicles automatically. The streets are also genuinely too narrow for comfortable driving. Park below or outside and take the cable car or bus up. Your hotel will have a specific car park recommendation — always ask them first.
🅿️ Parking Lumbi
~€1.50/hr · free shuttle into centro
Large car park on the northern side of Taormina near Porta Messina. Free shuttle bus runs into the historic centre. One of the best options — easy to find, plenty of space, cheaper than the other car parks. Good for arrivals from the Messina direction.
🅿️ Parcheggio Pirandello
~€2/hr · at the cable car upper station
Directly beside the cable car upper station on Via Pirandello — very convenient if you're heading straight to the beach. Limited spaces. Also near the Interbus terminal. Gets full early in peak season — arrive before 9am or you'll be circling.
🅿️ Porta Catania
~€2/hr · southern entrance to the centro
Car park near the Porta Catania gate, southern entrance to the old town. A convenient option if arriving from the Catania/Giardini Naxos direction. Walking distance into Corso Umberto. Fills up quickly in July and August — worth checking space availability before committing to this route.
🅿️ Porta Messina
~€2/hr · northern entrance to centro
Near the northern gate of Taormina, close to Porta Messina. A smaller car park but well located — steps from the start of Corso Umberto. Good for a quick visit or lunch stop. Near the Interbus terminal and cable car.
🅿️ Mazzarò Car Park
~€2/hr · ASM operated · day rates available
At the cable car lower station on Via Nazionale — park here and take the cable car (€6 one way, €10 return) straight up to Taormina. Open year-round. The most popular option for beach days — arrive before 10am in peak season.
🅿️ Giardini Naxos seafront
Free or very cheap
If all else fails, park along the Giardini Naxos seafront (much easier than Taormina) and take the Interbus up — 15 min, ~€1.50. Removes all parking stress in peak season. The Interbus runs very frequently. A surprisingly good option that locals recommend.