How much time for Taormina?

[conquesodor]

I realize this is somewhat subjective, but would appreciate suggestions on how much time to devote to Taormina, when this will be first time and only day in Sicily on a cruise docking in Catania. Thanks!

[scubamargie]

We were just there last week, however we docked in Messina. We did a tour with stops in several other little towns (The Godfather Tour) then Taormina. I think 2 - 3 hours is fine if you don't plan on a lengthy lunch. Keep in mind that the shops all close around 1 pm for several hours (Siesta time) so plan to be there in the morning.

[conquesodor]

We were just there last week, however we docked in Messina. We did a tour with stops in several other little towns (The Godfather Tour) then Taormina. I think 2 - 3 hours is fine if you don't plan on a lengthy lunch. Keep in mind that the shops all close around 1 pm for several hours (Siesta time) so plan to be there in the morning.

 

Thanks for the advice. Does everything close or just the shops?

[anthonyy7]

We're stopping in Messina as well but arriving at 12pm and was planning on going down Taormina for at least 3 hrs or so. Shops are gonna lose alot of money if they close up when a few thousand cruisers come to town.

[scubamargie]

We're stopping in Messina as well but arriving at 12pm and was planning on going down Taormina for at least 3 hrs or so. Shops are gonna lose alot of money if they close up when a few thousand cruisers come to town.

 

Yes, it did seem crazy for the shops to close with so many potential customers. The restaurants stayed open. We were there last week, which is the off season, so perhaps more shops normally remain open. The Greek Roman amphitheater stays open all day.

[Morgans]

Don't forget the English Gardens (also known as the Villa Comunale or Giardini Trevelyn.) - a haven of peace and quiet where you can wander/sit and enjoy the views and plants. Spot the follies around, all very interesting. Shop early and sightsee and eat later.

Edited February 15, 2017 by Morgans

[Hlitner]

We're stopping in Messina as well but arriving at 12pm and was planning on going down Taormina for at least 3 hrs or so. Shops are gonna lose alot of money if they close up when a few thousand cruisers come to town.

 

You have a lot to learn about Italy, Spain and some other European countries :). They have their traditional hours, and could care less about some cruisers or other tourists. Afternoon closing hours are the norm throughout Italy (there are some exceptions) and Spain. When you travel in these countries it is a matter of adjusting to the local norms....or you can find yourself having some miserable days. In most touristy places (such as Taormina) there will be some exceptions (especially with some stores that "specialize" in selling tourist junk)....but most of the better shops/boutiques will close in early afternoon (usually by 1pm) and will not reopen until later in the afternoon (usually about 4).

 

 

One should also consider "closing day" when booking a European cruise or planning a land based trip. Many Musuems and some major tourist sites, will close one day a week (usually Sun, Mon or Tues). Many travelers have been disappointed to arrive at a place like the Vatican, Topkapi Palace, etc... only to find it is closed ! And if you happen to be in Europe on a major holiday (and they have many) such as May 1.....you might be shocked to find nearly everything closed. This is one reason why we have long advised folks here on CC....to carefully review cruise itineraries....before you book. Pay particular attention to holidays and where you will be on Sun, Mon and Tues..... Then consider what you want to do and check it against closing days. Also pay attention to the hours your ship will be in a port. For example, if you are on a cruise that stops in Messina, you would want to be docked early in the morning. A ship that arrives at 11am...and departs at 5.....is going to leave a lot of cruisers frustrated.

 

 

Hank

[poss]

How was "The Godfather" tour? I.e. were the towns interesting even aside from the film associations?

[anthonyy7]

Yup, I'm aware of May 1... Princess swapped out one of our ports for a sea day because of this. Yes I know shops can close in early afternoon however I've seen exceptions in tourist/high demand areas and NO it hasn't been just junk shops. However that is totally fine, it's just as much their loss than it is mine. Unfortunately we will be docking in the afternoon. One thing they can't take away is my ability to walk the streets enjoying the architecture and atmosphere!

[DENNAS]

Great topic as I'm just choosing my Messina tour for early June.

Anyone been to Castelmola? Worth the visit? Some private tour guides I'm looking at have it listed in their itineraries and some don't. We are definitely stopping at Taormina and doing The Godfather stops too.

 

 

 

Thanks!

[Softball20]

Castelmola is quaint and beautiful. You don't need long there, but it's worth the visit. We stopped there on our first visit to Taormina. A couple years later, we did the Godfather tour and after seeing the places related to the movie, we opted to skip Castelmola so that we would have more time in Taormina. The Godfather tour was a fun way to see these beautiful villages and how they tied in to the movie and the culture. Loved it, but I can never get enough of Taormina!

[Hlitner]

We will sometimes head up to Castelmola just to escape the hoards in Taormina. There is a local bus that runs from Taormina to Castelmola....which we have used a few times. Another time we had a rental car...and drove up to Castelmola in the morning (no tours had arrived and the town was wonderfully empty) to have some coffee. It is a quaint village, still unspoiled, and some of the cafe/restaurants offer nice views over the valley (with Mt Etna visible in the distance on a clear day). But Castelmola is not a shopping destination or major tourist town.

 

Hank

[scubamargie]

How was "The Godfather" tour? I.e. were the towns interesting even aside from the film associations?

 

We loved it! I wish I'd re-watched the movies before we went because they were so long ago I had forgotten the scenes, but the little towns were adorable. We got some great pictures. The Medieval town Forza d'Agro was like walking through a page of history. The town folk in tiny Savoca were so sweet, even bringing fresh baked cookies for us to sample. And, the scenery looking down to the coastline was breathtaking. Taorimina is just as welcoming and picturesque as the smaller towns. The little restaurants serve delicious food and great wine too! You will absolutely love your day on this enchanted isle.

[poss]

Thanks for the reply about "Godfather." We've been to Taormina several times and enjoyed it (though we have zero interest in shopping-- being in a town with so many shops sometimes feels almost claustrophobic; the amphitheater is a good antidote!) We'll try the G tour when we're there again this summer.

[Lirio]

Can we do Taormina by our own or should we need a private tour? We will arrive 8 AM and departure at 6 PM, so we have plenty of time. We will be there late April, is it to hot? What would be the suggestion for our first visit. not interested in shopping at all.

[Al54]

If you just want to visit Taormina, you don't need a tour. You can use public transports, but it depends on your port of call. I was in Taormina at the beginning of may, a few years ago and the weather was not too hot at all, but who knows, weather is very unpredictable. You should visit the greek theater (may join a guided tour or DIY) There is a small art museum in Cuseni house, pleasant gardens and nice churches and houses everywhere! Just take the main street and stop when you see something interesting. I also remember a very interesting exhibition of old Sicilians puppets on strings, don't know if it is permanent or not. But I think the best in Taormina are the stunning views : you are high on a hill and landscapes are amazing. It's also very pleasant to sit on a terrace and enjoy a drink or a lunch. Taormina is wonderful, but full of tourists ans very expensive, try to arrive as early as possible if you don't want to be trapped in the crowd. Have a good trip.

 

 

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[scubamargie]

Can we do Taormina by our own or should we need a private tour? We will arrive 8 AM and departure at 6 PM, so we have plenty of time. We will be there late April, is it to hot? What would be the suggestion for our first visit. not interested in shopping at all.

 

I think you'll enjoy the time more on a private tour. The roads can be curvy so you wouldn't want to drive. Public transportation can eat up a lot of time. We try to do public transportation whenever we can, but here it's just easier to set up your own tour and customize it to what you want to see. We used Sicily Life and enjoyed our driver so much! He had a lot of insight to share and knew the best places to stop. Definitely worth the 75 euros each, but if you have a larger group the price is even less. Check with your roll call and see if you can get some others to join you.

[Al54]

As I said, it depends on your port of call : from Giardini Naxos, it's a 20 mn bus ride, for about 3 euros pp, but, of course if your port of call is far from Taormina, it could be more difficult.

 

 

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[Softball20]

We've used Sicily Life, too; a few times. Going to Taormina it's nice to have the driver and not have to worry about it. You can go to a couple places, as well, and see more of the area. For our first time there, we did the tour (and I use the term loosely as you can customize your day pretty much as you want) we went to Castelmola first and spent a bit of time there. Afterwards, it was on to Taormina. Along the way to both places our driver (not a guide) gave us lots of info about the area, etc. Once at Taormina, however, he dropped us off and we were on our own. He gave us some info as to good places for lunch and how to get to the theater - but we had a few hours on our own - which is a really good way to see Taormina. We met him back at a pre-arranged time/place, and he took us back to Messina.

[Hlitner]

Can we do Taormina by our own or should we need a private tour? We will arrive 8 AM and departure at 6 PM, so we have plenty of time. We will be there late April, is it to hot? What would be the suggestion for our first visit. not interested in shopping at all.

 

If you plan on just staying in Taormina....a tour is a complete waste of money! There are only 2 basic streets in Taormina that you will use for most (or all) of your visit...and they intersect. The main street (Corso Umberto) is where you will find nearly all the boutiques, cafes, restaurants, etc. Its a nice street where you would ideally want to go from one end to the other (and back again). The other shorter street is called the Teatro Greco...which take you from the Corso Umberto to the Greco/Roman Amphitheater.

 

One caution. You are in Italy...and like most of Italy many of the boutiques will close during the afternoon hours (usually from about 1pm - 4pm). So do your shopping early and consider enjoying lunch during the time when most of the boutiques are closed.

 

Hank

[Lirio]

Thank you all. And what about mount Etna?

[hubofhockey]

Thank you all. And what about mount Etna?

 

We did half day at Etna and half at Taormina. In retrospect, I would spend a little more time in Taormina and see some of Messina. We are docked in Catania and most people will go to Taormina and we're heading to Siracusa/Ortigia.

[griffy116]

Since this post, Mt. Etna has erupted. We have some fabulous photos of Mt. Etna with the steam and smoke when we were there a couple of years ago. We thoroughly enjoyed Taormina and loved all the little shops, the gelato and the wine. It's so adorable. It's like visiting an enchanted village or a Hollywood set, if that makes any sense. We didn't do the Greek theatre. At the time it was closed for a couple of hours (can't remember why) but we found plenty to do and see.