Day Trip from Taormina to Lipari Island and Castelmola

Taormina is a gorgeous, lively hilltop town that is positioned on the sea near the great Mt. Etna volcano.  We flew into the larger city of Catania and motored about 40 minutes to the town. The town is full of quaint streets excellent for shopping, dining, and overall people watching.  There are perfect views of the sea up and down the coastline from Messina to Catania.  One can see the Calabrian coast of Italy on clear days.

One of the main attractions in Taormina is the ancient Amphitheater.  We walked the steep scenic winding pathway across from the Commune park up to the theatre.  This is quite a hike on a very steep incline but well worth every minute for the views.  You can also take the street in town which is flat and an easier walk to the theatre.

This is a pleasant view from the Commune Park towards Mt. Etna and the coastline towards Catania. Mt. Etna was spewing smoke the entire time we were visiting.  What a magnificent sight to see right before our eyes.

Isola Bella, located below the town, is the tiny island and beach area where the locals love to sunbathe and swim.  Its very busy along the street but worth seeing this area.  A Funivia takes you from the top of Taormina to the beach.  Its very near the bus terminal.

The main piazza in Taormina has a great view of the sea and lower town.

Busy weekend night on Taormina.

South of Isola Bella

The food is marvelous!  We loved the variety of fish, pizza, pastas and wines.  

The Italian beers became favorites of ours.

A walk in the Commune park is so serene and peaceful.  It has great views of the sea.

The ceramics here are plentiful.  I particularly liked these huge wall sconces.

Entrance to the Ancient Amphitheater

Everything grows so nicely in Taormina

One of the main side streets in the town.  So many restaurants and shops to visit. Beware there are steep stairs everywhere.

Lots of products and shops to delight everyone.

Aeolian Island of Lipari
(Day trip from Taormina)

We took a boat from Messina to the Aeolian Island of Lipari.  It's a lovely town with just several streets to venture out. This will take you the entire day if you also do another island such as Vulcano.

The marina is the main hub where the boats drop off visitors.

We spotted this bridal group along the street.

The main street where you can walk to the castle.

There are beautiful rock formations around all of the Islands.  We took the boat to Vulcano next, a popular place for taking mineral baths.

Castelmola 
(15 minutes from Taormina)

Local busses and taxis will lead you up to this tiny hamlet.  This place is so clean and fun to see.  The views are absolutely amazing from the entire town.

Lots of stairs!

The main piazza which has plenty of food and shops.

The main piazza can't be missed.

I love this little kitty that turned up in my "off the beaten path" photo.

More stairs and plenty to eat!  So so clean though.

Castelmola view from Taormina

Catania

Catania is the larger of the towns and has one of the main airports. 

There are many trendy restaurants in town.  This is Via Filomena.

The amphitheater shouldn't be missed however, you can miss it easily from the street.  The entrance is an unassuming door that leads back to the theatre but be sure to ask for directions.

Mt. Etna is best viewed from Catania.  This was our hotel rooftop view of the infamous volcano.
Catania is also located on the sea.

All of the these places are easy day trips from Taormina.