Messina Gate (Taormina)

Taormina’s Teatro Antico is certainly one of the most famous Sicilian monuments in the world. An authentic jewel both for its historical value and for the incredible view it offers.

Isola Bella is one of the most iconic places in Taormina. Connected to the mainland by a thin tongue of sand, it is one of the most beautiful and famous beaches in Sicily.

The Villa Comunale of Taormina is the main green area of the town. It was originally the garden of the villa of Lady Florence Trevelyan, an English noblewoman on the run from a court scandal.

The Palace of Badia Vecchia (Old Abbey) is located in the upper part of Taormina, along the road that leads to the Castle of Monte Tauro and Castelmola.

The Blue Grotto of Taormina is the largest of the sea caves that open into the rocky walls of Capo Sant’Andrea. It is about thirty meters deep, while the seabed reaches a depth of eighteen meters.

Casa Cuseni was the residence in Taormina of the English painter Robert Hawthorn Kitson. It is a small architectural jewel set in a historical garden of great artistic and cultural value.

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Taormina is considered the oldest in the city. It is located outside the town center, not far from the so-called Byzantine tombs.

The Church of Madonna della Rocca (Lady of the Rock) is one of the most fascinating places in Taormina. It is located at the foot of the Castle of Monte Tauro, in one of the most spectacular vantage points in the entire city

Taormina’s Piazza Duomo Fountain, also known as the “Four Fountains”, is located in the square in front of the Taormina Cathedral. It was built in 1635 in baroque style.

Taormina Cathedral, dedicated to St. Nicholas of Bari, is one of the city’s most famous monuments. Together with the nearby Fountain in Piazza Duomo, it is one of the most photographed corners of Taormina.

The Church of San Pancrazio in Taormina is located just outside the city walls, near the so-called Byzantine Baths. The construction of the building dates back to the Byzantine period, reusing the remains of an ancient Greek temple dedicated to the gods Isis and Serapis.

The so-called Byzantine Baths of Taormina are an archaeological area located just outside the city walls in front of the Church of San Pancrazio.

Piazza IX aprile is the main square of Taormina and its “living room”. Passing through Porta di Mezzo (coming from Porta Catania) the square opens up with the Church of San Giuseppe on the left and the former Church of Sant’Agostino on the right.

In the Salita del Carmine of Taormina, just before arriving at the Cathedral of San Nicola, fragments of a Hellenistic mosaic can be seen. It was part of the external pavement of the peristyle of a private house and dates back to the II century BC.

The Church of Santa Domenica is a small church located in the center of Taormina, a short walk from the Naumachia. It was built in the 1600’s and has a very simple architecture both inside and out.

The former church of Sant’Agostino in Taormina is a 15th century building that now houses the town library and is also used for art exhibitions and cultural events.

Taormina’s Church of Varò or the Church of the Visitation is reached by a flight of steps near the Porta di Mezzo or Clock Tower. Its construction began at the end of the 18th century and was completed at the beginning of the following century.

The Church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria in Taormina is located in Corso Umberto, just in front of Palazzo Corvaja. The building was built in the first half of the 1600’s on the remains of the Roman Odeon, which can still be seen in the rear part of the church.

The construction of the Carmine Church of Taormina dates back to the 16th century. Attached to the baroque building was a convent of Carmelite monks. Bombings in 1943 destroyed both buildings.

The term Byzantine tombs of Taormina refers to the remains of an ancient necropolis that can be seen when walking along Via Pirandello.

The Church of San Giuseppe is one of the two churches in Taormina that overlook Piazza IX Aprile, one of the most beautiful squares in the city. The church, built in Baroque style, was the seat of the “Confraternity of the Souls in Purgatory”.

The Naumachia of Taormina is a long brick wall interrupted by niches. The name is actually a misnomer and is the result of a misinterpretation of this site by Jacques-Philippe D’Orville.

The Odeon of Taormina is a small theater leaning against the church of St. Catherine. In the Greco-Roman culture these buildings were used for performances, lectures and public readings.

The Porta di Mezzo (Middle Gate) or Clock Tower is the ancient entrance to the medieval city of Taormina. In fact, the city of Tauromenium, as it was then called, extended between the present Porta Catania (Catania Gate) and the Porta di Mezzo.

Porta Catania (Catania Gate) is one of the ancient city gates and part of the second city wall of Taormina. Together with Porta Messina, diametrically opposite, it delimits Corso Umberto, the main street of Taormina.

The small church of San Michele Arcangelo (St. Michael the Archangel) in Taormina is located just outside the ancient city walls and a few meters from the Palazzo dei Duchi di Santo Stefano.

The Museum of Folk Art and Traditions in Taormina is a collection of more than 430 works, mostly from the “Panarello Collection.” Officially established in 1997, it was initially set up inside Palazzo Corvaja.

The former church of Sant’Antonio Abate (St. Anthony Abbot) is the first monument to visit when you start your Taormina itinerary from Porta Catania

The Castle of Monte Tauro is one of the defensive fortifications of the ancient city of Taormina. Due to its dominant position, it had, together with the Castle of Castelmola, a fundamental function in the defense of the territory.