We recently spent five nights exploring eastern Sicily, with Taormina as our home base. After a few days in Malta, we flew into Catania, rented a car and made the hour-long drive north to Taormina.

Sicily is much larger and more varied than I realized before planning this trip. Ancient Greek ruins, Baroque cities, volcanic vineyards, beautiful beaches and tiny hillside villages are all within reach of one another, yet each area feels completely different.

Our itinerary gave us a little of everything: time in Taormina, a full day exploring the wineries and landscapes of Mount Etna, a beach day at Isola Bella, a day trip to Syracuse and Ortigia, and visits to the small villages of Savoca and Castelmola.

Taormina was absolutely the ideal home base. It had the most amazing restaurants. And it made it easy to balance sightseeing with long lunches, wine, beach time and some of the most beautiful hotel settings in Sicily.

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Exploring Sicily

Where We Stayed

We stayed at Hotel Villa Carlotta, an intimate 23-room boutique hotel located about a five-minute walk from the center of Taormina. The property occupies a restored historic villa with medieval origins and Moorish influences, giving it the atmosphere of a private Sicilian home rather than a traditional hotel.

Many of the rooms and terraces overlook the coastline and, in the distance, Mount Etna. One of the highlights is the panoramic rooftop, where breakfast is served, and there are amazing views of Taormina.

Our room was spacious and comfortable with a nice little balcony where we spent a lot of time. Taormina has several spectacular luxury hotels, but Villa Carlotta was a great choice for us at the right price.

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What We Did

Exploring Taormina

Taormina is one of Sicily’s most famous destinations, and it is easy to understand why. The town sits high above the Ionian Sea, with views stretching across the coastline toward Mount Etna. The center of town revolves around Corso Umberto, a pedestrian street lined with boutiques, restaurants, cafés and historic buildings. We spent plenty of time wandering and shopping.

One of the prettiest places in Taormina is the Villa Comunale, a peaceful public garden filled with terraces, flowers and unusual Victorian-era structures. It also has beautiful views over the sea and makes an easy stop while walking between the center of town and the hotels along the coastline.

The most iconic attraction is the Ancient Theatre of Taormina. Originally built by the Greeks and later expanded by the Romans, the theatre is remarkable on its own, but its setting is what makes it unforgettable. From the upper seats, you can see the sea and Mount Etna in the distance.

As I mentioned, Taormina is also home to several spectacular hotels that are worth visiting, even if you are not staying there. There are two Belmond properties, and we dined at both: Villa Sant’Andrea, set along the beachfront near Isola Bella, and Grand Hotel Timeo, perched above town beside the ancient theatre. The terrace at Grand Hotel Timeo has one of the most famous views in Taormina, stretching across the coastline toward Mount Etna.

We also visited San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel, which many people will recognize as the Sicilian setting for the second season of The White Lotus. Built around a former convent, the hotel has the most beautiful cloister gardens and gorgeous sea views. We had drinks in the garden followed by dinner at Rosso, which made for a perfect final evening in Sicily.

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Visiting Mount Etna and Her Wine Country

Our day exploring Mount Etna was one of the highlights of the trip. The volcanic landscape is unlike anything I’ve seen – with vineyards, forests, lava fields and small villages all layered across the terrain. We visited several wineries, had a fantastic vineyard lunch experience and drove up to Piano Provenzana for a closer look at the volcanic terrain. For anyone interested in wine or just a great hiking experience, I would consider a day on Etna essential!

I will be sharing a separate post soon on the wines and wineries of Mount Etna, with more detail from our visits.

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A Beach Day at Isola Bella

After a full day of wineries, we spent the next day at Isola Bella, the small island and nature reserve just below Taormina.

We reserved chairs at Lido Villeggiatura, the beach club associated with Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea. The beach here is pebbled rather than sandy, but the water is clear and the setting is gorgeous.

The beach club made the experience a ten out of ten, with comfortable loungers, umbrellas, towels and lunch overlooking the water. It was a splurge, but it gave us an easy, relaxing beach day without having to manage the more crowded public areas.

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Syracuse and Ortigia

We devoted a full day to Syracuse and Ortigia, about an an hour and a half south of Taormina. Syracuse was once one of the most powerful cities in the ancient Greek world. The archaeological park includes its enormous Greek theatre, the limestone quarries known as the Latomia del Paradiso, and the Ear of Dionysius, a dramatic cave known for its unusual acoustics.

After exploring the archaeological area, we continued to Ortigia, the small island that forms Syracuse’s historic center. Ortigia has a completely different feeling from Taormina. Its narrow streets open onto grand Baroque squares, waterfront promenades, food markets and small shops. We had lunch, then spent the afternoon walking through the town center. Some of my favorite streets for wandering and shopping in Ortigia were Via Roma, Via Cavour and Via della Giudecca.

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Savoca and Castelmola

For our final day in Sicily, we visited two small villages in the hills surrounding Taormina. Savoca is best known as one of the filming locations from The Godfather. The village is quiet and atmospheric, with stone streets, churches and views over the surrounding countryside.

Its most famous stop is Bar Vitelli, where scenes from the film were shot. Even for visitors who are not major fans of the movie, it is a fun place to stop for a lemon granita and take in the setting.

We also visited Castelmola, a tiny medieval village perched high above Taormina. The views are spectacular, extending across Taormina, the coastline and Mount Etna. Castelmola is only a short drive from Taormina, but the road climbs steeply into the hills. It is not for the faint of heart – I could not even come close to looking over the side of the mountain! Once there, the village itself is compact and easy to explore on foot.

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Where We Ate

Food was naturally a major part of our time in Sicily. Some of our favorite meals and drinks included:

• Nunziatina – A stylish first dinner in Taormina with a beautiful setting and modern Sicilian menu.
• Morgana Lounge Bar – A lively and design-forward spot for cocktails in the center of Taormina.
• Planeta Sciaranuova – A vineyard tasting and Sicilian lunch overlooking Mount Etna’s wine country.
• Brace Bar at Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea – An absolutely gorgeous beachfront lunch overlooking Isola Bella.
• Ristorante Timeo at Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo – Drinks and dinner with, hands-town, one of the best views in Taormina.
• BamBar – a stop-by Taormina institution, known for its colorful setting and granita, which the local and popular semi-frozen Sicilian dessert.
• Bar Vitelli – A classic stop in Savoca for lemon granita and a little movie history.
• Rosso at San Domenico Palace – A beautiful spot for dinner with great views on the impressive Four Seasons property.

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Taormina works especially well as a base because it gives you access to so many different sides of Sicily. Within a few days, you can experience ancient ruins, volcanic vineyards, seaside towns, beach clubs and tiny mountain villages—and still return each evening to one of the prettiest towns in Italy!

Eastern Sicily felt beautiful, layered and wonderfully varied. It’s hard to pick a standout experience as so many were competitors — and I think it was the combination of wine, food, history, volcanic landscape, beaches and spectacular views that made the entire itinerary work so well.

Happy travels!
xx—BB