Discover the sites and destinations near Taormina in Sicily, with the pretty sites of Forza d’Agro and Castelmola, or the gorges of the Alcantara Valley, in the immediate vicinity. Mount Etna rises a few tens of kilometres to the south-west of the town. The city of Messina is located on the coast 50 km to the north, while Catania is reached to the south by following the coastline for about 50 km.
The second most populous city in Sicily after Palermo, Catania has faced terrible earthquakes and volcanic eruptions over the centuries, undergoing numerous urban transformations and seeing several cultures pass through its lands. Located between Etna and the Ionian Sea, the volcano still influences its urban planning, where black lava stone is often found in the […]
Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe with its 3,330 metres. With its vast park it is a remarkable site for its lush landscapes at its feet, or austere and lunar at altitude, with its volcanic and geological formations such as its many craters, including the Bocca Nuova at the summit, and its regular eruptions.
A charming tourist destination Located in a magnificent setting, between sea and mountain, on a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea from 200 metres above, and dominated by the majestic Etna volcano, Taormina is undoubtedly the most famous Sicilian seaside resort.Thanks to its beauty and its heritage, Taormina was mentioned by Goethe in his Italian Journey […]
Novara di Sicilia is a picturesque village in Sicily, listed among the “most beautiful villages in Italy”, thanks to its medieval historic centre, and its location in the heart of a wooded region of the Peloritani Mountains, at 650 metres above sea level. It is built on the side of the mountain Rocca Salvatesta, from […]
Together with Forza d’Agrò, a remarkable stop north of Taormina, known in particular for having served as the setting for several scenes of Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather, is the medieval village of Savoca. It is listed among the “most beautiful villages in Italy”, and a few kilometres away lies an Arab-Norman abbey full of charm, […]
The beautiful Alcantara Gorges are located in the valley of the Alcantara River, a natural area of great geological and ecological richness. This site is at the heart of the Parco Fluviale dell’Alcantara, a regional nature reserve covering approximately 573 km², encompassing the neighboring municipalities. The valley is crossed by the 53 km long Alcantara […]
At the foot of the northern slope of Etna, the village of Castiglione is perched on a hill reaching 620 metres that overlooks the unique Alcantara valley. It is a village of medieval origin that has retained much of its authenticity, listed among the “most beautiful villages in Italy” (borghi più belli d’Italia), on one […]
North of Catania, a stretch of coastline known as the “Cyclops Riviera” extends between Aci Castello and Acireale, with several fishing villages and a striking volcanic-rock shoreline.
Randazzo is a charming medieval village perched at about 765 m above sea level on the north-western slopes of Etna, facing the Alcantara valley. Of Byzantine origin and later Norman and Aragonese, it preserves traces of multiple eras. Halfway between the Etna Park and the Nebrodi Park, it offers an exceptional natural setting. Its architecture […]
Naxos, today the locality of Giardini-Naxos on the Ionian coast of Sicily, is the site of one of the oldest Greek colonies in Sicily. Founded in the 8th century BC, it was gradually ruined, moved inland towards Taormina, but retains archaeological remains and a local museum. Giardini-Naxos is above all a seaside resort, with developed […]
The Circumetnea is an opportunity for an original discovery of the Etna region by train, which runs along an old railway line over much of the circuit around the volcano, between the Catania Borgo station in Catania and the one in Riposto. It allows you to discover beautiful landscapes with old lava flows, and passes […]
Mount Etna (overview) In the environs of Catania, the Etna park offers a spectacular discovery of the highest active volcano in Europe, with its lunar landscapes and the surrounding unspoiled nature.One of the “gateways” to the park is Nicolosi, a village at the foot of Etna near Catania. → See the section dedicated to Mount […]
