Taormina holidays

Away from the water, Corso Umberto, Taormina’s elegant main street, offers a slice of retail therapy. Shop for designer fashion, lava-stone jewellery or local specialities such vino alla mandorla (almond wine). As the sun begins to dip, make like an Italian and indulge in the ritual of passeggiata (an evening stroll), gelato in hand.

Elsewhere, Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano, looms nearby, around an hour’s drive away. Take the cable car up the southern slope, hike to still-smoking craters or ride the scenic train around the base of the famously fiery volcano. Etna’s rich volcanic soils produce some excellent red and white wines too, so make time for a tasting tour of the surrounding vineyards.

Alongside the wine, you’ll be dreaming of Taormina’s seafood-heavy Sicilian cuisine long after you leave. Choose from Michelin-starred restaurants, upmarket osterias and traditional trattorias, and feast on regional dishes such as pasta con le sarde (with sardines, pine nuts and raisins) and crispy cannoli pastries filled with sweetened ricotta.

May is often a good time for cheap holidays to Taormina, with spring sunshine that’s ideal for hiking and reasonable hotel rates. October also offers good weather and lower prices, but expect the odd rainy day.

Built in the third century BC, this Greek amphitheatre is Taormina’s star attraction. Set atop steep cliffs plunging down to the Ionian Sea, with crumbling columns and arches framing Mount Etna in the distance, it’s easy to see why.

During Roman times, the theatre hosted gladiatorial games for baying crowds. These days, you can wander among the ruins and enjoy open-air concerts and film screenings from terraced seats carved into the hillside.

Isola Bella

Ride the cable car down to the seafront and cross the narrow sandbar to this tiny island and nature reserve. Scramble along rocky paths covered with exotic flora and stop by the 19th-century villa built by English aristocrat Florence Trevelyan.

Back on the mainland, you can snorkel in crystal-clear waters and laze on the shore of the pebbly cove. Once aperitivo hour draws near, make a beeline for the cafés that fringe the bay for an ice-cold spritz.

Piazza IX Aprile

Lined with buzzy cafés and restaurants, Taormina’s main square is perfect for people watching – preferably with a glass of Mount Etna wine in hand. Enjoy sea vistas from the chequerboard terrace at the heart of the piazza and admire the rose-tinted baroque church of San Giuseppe.

Afterwards, amble through the arch of the 12th-century Torre dell’Orologio (clock tower) and get lost in the tangle of streets in Borgo Medievale, Taormina’s medieval quarter.

Villa Comunale

For knockout views of the Sicilian coast and Mount Etna, visit Taormina’s tranquil public gardens. Built by Florence Trevelyan in the late 19th century, the gardens are filled with native Mediterranean plants, spiky cacti and bright bougainvillea.

Let the kids burn off some energy in the small playground, and stroll along shaded paths past Victorian follies and ponds filled with goldfish.

Castelmola

Swap your flip-flops for trainers and hike to the hillside village of Castelmola above Taormina (or alternatively catch the bus up and walk back down). There are two steep paths leading up to the village, including an hour-long climb past the church of the Madonna della Rocca, hollowed out of the limestone rock.

Your efforts will be richly rewarded: there are plenty of viewpoints along the way and Castelmola’s typical Sicilian streets and café-filled piazzas are utterly charming.