Gli articoli della settimana

A boat tour in Taormina for couples works because the coast does most of the planning for you. Between the two of you there is only one decision to make, which is where to swim first. The cliffs, the little island, the caves and the long evening light are all there the moment you leave the shore.

Whether you are on honeymoon, marking an anniversary or just escaping the queue for the cable car, here is how to shape a day on the water so that it feels like yours.

Why a boat tour in Taormina for couples beats a day on the beach

The beaches below the town are lovely, but they are shared, and in high season very shared. Mazzarò and Isola Bella fill up early, and a surprising amount of the afternoon goes on finding a spot, guarding towels and shuffling along as the shade moves. On a boat the shade travels with you, the swimming stop changes when you want it to, and the only crowd is a few gulls.

The view is better, too. From the streets, Taormina looks like a stage set. From the water you see how the old town sits on its terrace above the sea, with Etna smoking gently behind it on a clear day. It is the kind of view people photograph once and then stop talking about, which is rather the point of coming as a pair.

Choosing your moment: morning calm or sunset gold

Two times of day suit couples best. Mornings are quiet and clear: the water is flat, the cliffs are lit from the side and the swimming is at its most inviting. If you are early risers, this is your slot. Our guide to the best time of day for a boat tour in Taormina explains why the sea behaves the way it does.

The sunset tour is the softer option. Gold on the rock, pink on the water, and the lights of the town coming on above you as you turn for the shore. Nobody talks much for the last twenty minutes, and nobody minds.

If you would rather not choose, a half-day or full-day rental gives you room to have both a swim in the clear morning water and a slow drift home in the evening, without watching the clock.

What to do on board

The best couples' days are the ones with space in them. A few ideas to build around:

• Swim in a cove of your own. Between Taormina and Capo Sant'Andrea there are small bays where the water is glass-clear and the only sound is the rock ticking in the sun.
• Snorkel together. Isola Bella and the rocks around it are the classic spot, and two masks in the same patch of water is a good way to make the fish easier to point out.
• Eat and drink afloat. Lunch on board and an aperitivo at anchor are among the things guests mention most, and it is easy to see why. Our piece on the aperitivo on the water sets the scene.
• Look for the sea caves. The cliffs below town hide hollows that turn the water a deep, electric blue when the sun hits it at the right angle.
• Keep an eye out for dolphins. We cannot promise them, and nobody honest can, but the crew watches the water and a sighting makes the day.

Making it your own

You do not have to pick from a menu. Nicolò and Alessandro, the skippers, build custom days around what the two of you actually want: a slower route, a longer lunch stop, a quieter bay, a plan for a special occasion. Tell them what the day is for and they will shape the route around it. If you want to see how that conversation goes, read about planning a tailor-made boat day.

One practical note: the sea decides in the end. If the wind is up, the skipper will suggest a sheltered stretch of coast or a different time, and it is worth listening. A calm hour is worth more than a fixed schedule.

Is a boat tour in Taormina romantic?

It can be, provided you let it. The setting does a lot of the work, but the trick is not to overfill the day. Choose one or two stops, leave time to do nothing, and let the coast provide the rest.

Can we swim on a couples' boat tour?

Yes, swimming stops in the coves are one of the best parts of the day, sea conditions permitting. Bring a towel, sun cream and something dry to change into. The packing list for a boat trip in Sicily covers the rest.

If you would like to put a day on the water together, message us on WhatsApp at +39 342 110 9242 or visit the Reservations page. Tell us what kind of day you have in mind and we will take it from there.

Snorkelling for beginners in Taormina starts with one odd moment: you put your face in the water, breathe through a tube, and every instinct says to lift your head. Then a shoal of small silver fish turns as one, the light ripples across the rocks below you, and something clicks.

It is far easier than it looks, and this coast is a good place to learn. The water is clear, the bays are sheltered and there is plenty to see within a few strokes of the boat.

Snorkelling for beginners in Taormina: what you actually need

Very little. A mask, a snorkel and, if you like, a pair of fins. Everything else is confidence. Ask when you book what equipment is on board and what you should bring yourself; if you have your own mask that already fits, bring it, because fit matters more than price.

To check a mask, hold it against your face without the strap and breathe in gently through your nose. If it stays put, it fits. If it falls off, try another. A mask that leaks is the fastest way to give up in the first five minutes.

Three tricks that make the first swim easier

• Stop it fogging. Rub a little saliva on the inside of the glass, rinse it briefly and put it on. It is an old trick and it works.
• Breathe slowly and deeply. Fast, shallow breaths tire you and make you feel short of air. Long, calm breaths do the opposite.
• Let your arms rest. Beginners flap everything. Keep your hands by your sides or loosely in front, and let your legs, particularly with fins, do the work.

If water gets into the snorkel, a short sharp puff of breath clears it. If you panic, stop, lift your head and stand or float on your back. There is no prize for pushing through.

Where the water is friendliest

Choose calm, shallow places with a bit of rock and a sandy or grassy floor. Isola Bella is the obvious one: the water is clear, the rocks are full of life and it is sheltered on a calm day. Have a look at our list of the best snorkelling spots near Taormina and Isola Bella for more.

Further along, the small coves towards Capo Sant'Andrea and the shelter of the Baia delle Sirene give you shallow, quiet water away from the busiest stretches. A boat can reach these places without effort, and the skipper knows which one is best on the day, depending on the wind and the swell.

What you will probably see

Do not expect a coral reef. What you get here is quieter and more Mediterranean. Small shoals of damselfish and bream, wrasse of every colour, the occasional octopus tucked into a crack, sea urchins on the rocks and the swaying meadow of seagrass below. Our note on Posidonia seagrass off Taormina explains why that meadow matters. For a broader idea of the wildlife, read about the marine life off the Taormina coast.

Two things to watch for as a beginner. Sea urchins sit in the rocks in shallow water, so keep your hands and feet away from the bottom. And read up on jellyfish near Taormina so that nothing surprises you.

Good habits from the first swim

Never snorkel alone, and let the crew know you are a beginner so they can keep an eye on you. Stay close to the boat until you are comfortable. Cover your back with a rash vest or a T-shirt, because the sun on your shoulders is surprisingly strong when you are lying flat on the water and not noticing. Do not touch or chase anything, and take nothing away but photographs.

Do I need to be a strong swimmer to snorkel in Taormina?

You need to be comfortable in the water, but not fast. If you are hesitant, tell the crew when you book and ask what flotation aids are available. Staying near the boat in shallow water is a fine way to begin.

Is the water too cold for snorkelling in autumn?

Not at all, in the early autumn. The sea holds its summer warmth for weeks, as our note on sea temperature near Taormina in autumn explains.

If you would like to try it, message us on WhatsApp at +39 342 110 9242 or visit the Reservations page. Tell us you are a beginner and we will choose a calm spot for your first swim.

A Castelmola day trip from Taormina is one of the easiest and best half-days you can add to a visit. Look up from the sea at the right moment and you can see a small cluster of stone houses perched on a rock, high above the town, as if someone had forgotten to bring them down.

Here is what to expect, how to get there and how to pair it with the sea so that you see this stretch of coast from both above and below.

What Castelmola is

Castelmola is a hill village of narrow lanes and steps, sitting on a rocky crag several hundred metres above the sea, directly above Taormina. Its name comes from the Latin for a millstone, a nod to the shape of the rock. The ruins of a medieval castle cap the summit, and the village below is quieter, older-feeling and far less crowded than the town beneath it.

It has a different rhythm from Taormina. There are no big shops and no traffic worth speaking of, just small bars, a handful of restaurants, a church or two and, everywhere you turn, a view.

How to reach Castelmola from Taormina

There are three ways, and you should choose depending on your energy and the heat:

• By bus or taxi. The road winds up from Taormina in a series of bends. Check current timetables locally, as they change with the season.
• On foot. A steep path and stairway climb from the town. It is a proper walk, and in summer heat it deserves an early start and plenty of water.
• By car or scooter. Possible, but parking in the village is limited, so patience helps.

Most visitors go up by road and, if they are feeling brave, walk down.

What to do when you arrive

Start with the view. From the main square, the coast opens out below you: the curve of the bay, Isola Bella reduced to a tiny green fleck, the beaches around Giardini Naxos and, on a clear day, Etna above and behind the whole scene. If you like photography, our photographer's guide to the Taormina coast has some ideas on how to catch that light.

Then walk up towards the castle ruins for a wider outlook, and afterwards settle at a bar for a glass of the local almond wine, the village's best-known drink. It is sweet, so a small glass is enough. Almond, in various forms, runs through this part of Sicily, and you will taste it again in pastries and granita.

Give yourself an hour or two to wander. The lanes are the pleasure, so do not aim for a checklist.

Pair your Castelmola day trip from Taormina with the sea

The trick is to do the two in the right order. Go up in the morning, when the air is clear and the paths are cool, and come back down for a swim in the afternoon. Or reverse it if you prefer the sea while it is flat. Either way, the two views complement each other. From Castelmola you look down at the coast; from the boat you look up at Castelmola and understand how high it really sits.

If you are building a wider plan, our one perfect day in Taormina and the longer three-day itinerary show where a Castelmola morning fits. And to see the village from the sea, read about why Taormina by boat gives you the best view.

Is Castelmola worth visiting?

Yes. It is small, so it does not need a full day, but it gives a calmer, more local counterpoint to the busy centre of Taormina, and the views alone justify the trip.

How long do you need in Castelmola?

Two hours is comfortable if you are only there for the view, a drink and a short wander. Add more if you want a long lunch or the walk up the castle path.

What should I wear?

Comfortable shoes with a grip. The streets are steep and the stone is polished by centuries of feet. Bring a light layer, since it can be a few degrees cooler and windier up there than at sea level.

When you are ready for the sea half of the day, message us on WhatsApp at +39 342 110 9242 or visit the Reservations page. We will happily suggest a plan that fits a morning in the hills.

Getting from Catania Airport to Taormina is straightforward once you know the options. Nobody dreams about the transfer, but it sets the tone for the first day of a trip, and a little planning means you can be standing on a quay, or floating off Isola Bella, sooner than you think.

Here is a plain guide to the routes, with the pros and cons of each, and how to link your arrival to a day on the water.

How far is Catania Airport from Taormina?

Catania Fontanarossa is the main airport for eastern Sicily, and Taormina sits roughly fifty kilometres up the coast to the north. By road it usually takes somewhere between forty-five minutes and an hour, depending on traffic and where in Taormina you are heading. The motorway runs along the coast, with Etna on your left as you leave the airport and the sea appearing on your right as you approach the town.

Catania Airport to Taormina: your options

• Private transfer. A driver meets you at arrivals and takes you to your door. It is the most comfortable choice, especially with luggage or children, and it is worth booking in advance so nobody is left waiting after a late flight.
• Taxi. Easy and immediate, but agree the fare before you set off, as prices are not something to discover at the end.
• Coach. A long-distance coach runs between the airport and Taormina. It is the budget option and works well if you are travelling light. Check current times, as the schedule changes through the year.
• Train and taxi. There is a rail line along the coast, and the station for Taormina, called Taormina-Giardini, sits down by the sea, a good way below the old town. You will need a bus or taxi for the last stretch, so it suits a light bag and a flexible plan.
• Hire car. Useful if you plan to explore Etna or the interior, but driving and parking in Taormina itself is awkward. Our note on getting around Taormina without a car makes the case for leaving the wheels behind.

Where to base yourself for the sea

If your days are going to be spent on the water, the location of your bed matters more than you might think. Staying by the sea in Mazzarò or Giardini Naxos puts you close to where the boats operate, while the old town has the views and the restaurants but a steeper trip down. Our guide on where to stay in Taormina near the sea compares the areas one by one, and the note on Giardini Naxos is worth reading if you would like an easier, flatter base.

Planning your first boat day around a flight

Arrival day is rarely the day to do everything. If you land in the morning, a late-afternoon or sunset trip is a lovely way to shake off the flight: sit, sip something cold and let the coast do the talking. Our piece on the Taormina sunset boat tour describes what that evening looks like.

If you land late, keep the next morning free and start easily. The 2-hour excursion along the Taormina coast is a gentle first look at the cliffs and Isola Bella, and you can plan a longer day afterwards.

Delays and long queues at the airport are common enough that it is wise not to squeeze a tight schedule. Mention your flight time when you write to us and we can talk it through.

How do I get from Catania Airport to Taormina without a car?

Book a private transfer or take a taxi for the simplest door-to-door option, or take the coach if you are travelling light and prefer to spend less. The train works too, but you will need onward transport from the station up to the town.

Is it better to stay in Taormina or Giardini Naxos?

It depends on what you want. Taormina has the atmosphere and the views; Giardini Naxos is flatter, closer to the beach and often easier if you plan to spend most of your time near the water.

Once you have landed and settled in, message us on WhatsApp at +39 342 110 9242 or visit the Reservations page to plan your first day on the water.

The Isola Bella causeway is a thin curve of pale pebbles joining the island to the mainland, and you can see it from the cliff path above the bay. Sometimes it is a dry path. Sometimes it is a line of shallow water with the waves breaking gently over it. It is the reason the "island" is not always quite an island.

Here is how it works, when you can cross it and why it is worth seeing from the sea as well as from the shore.

What the Isola Bella causeway is

Isola Bella is a small rocky island in a sheltered bay below Taormina. A narrow strip of shingle and pebbles runs between it and the mainland beach, formed over time by the way currents and waves deposit stones in the shelter of the island. It is a natural link, and it is not fixed. Storms can reshape it, and the level of the water above it changes with the weather.

On a calm day it can be a walkable path with the sea on both sides, the bay on one side and open water on the other. It is a pleasing thing to stand on: a bridge that the sea itself built.

Can you walk across to Isola Bella?

Often, yes, but not always. The Mediterranean has only small tides, far smaller than on an Atlantic coast, so the main things that change the height of the water over the causeway are wind, swell and atmospheric pressure. On a still, settled day the strip is usually exposed, or covered by only a few centimetres. After a strong wind from the sea, waves wash across it and the crossing is wet and less pleasant.

If you go, wear water shoes or sturdy sandals. The pebbles are rounded but hard on bare feet, and the stones under the water can be slippery with weed. Take your time and do not carry anything you would mind getting wet.

Access to the island itself is regulated because it is a protected nature reserve, so check the current arrangements locally before you plan to go on to it. Our guide to the Isola Bella nature reserve explains what it protects and why.

A little history of the island

The island has been shaped by more than the sea. In the nineteenth century, an Englishwoman named Florence Trevelyan fell in love with this corner of Sicily, settled in Taormina and built a small house on the island. She is also remembered for the public gardens in the town. The island's charm, its architecture and its gardens have been admired ever since, and the name "the pearl of the Ionian Sea" is repeated in almost every guidebook.

Seeing the causeway from the water

From the shore, the causeway is a path. From a boat, it becomes a shape: a pale curve linking the dark rock of the island to the beach, with clear water on either side that turns from turquoise to deep blue as it gets deeper. The light shows it best in the morning, when the sun comes in low and the pebbles stand out against the darker water.

A boat also lets you approach from the open side, where you can see how steeply the island drops away and how sheltered the little bay is behind it. The swimming is at its best when the boat anchors a short distance away, so that you can slip in and look up at the whole scene from the water. For the practical side, read our guide to swimming at Isola Bella and the note on the three ways to get to Isola Bella from Taormina.

When is the best time to see it?

Early morning is best, both for the light and for the fewer people. Late in the season, from mid-September onwards, the beach is quieter than in high summer, and the causeway is easier to enjoy. Wind is the thing to watch: a calm day makes for an easy crossing and a clear view of the strip from the sea.

Is Isola Bella really an island?

Most of the time it behaves like one, with sea on nearly every side, but the causeway means it is technically linked to the mainland when the water is low enough to expose it. That is the whole charm: it is an island that sometimes forgets to be.

Is it safe to walk across the causeway?

On a calm day, with sensible shoes, yes. Avoid it when the sea is rough or the waves are washing across, and never cross if there is a swell that could knock you off your feet. Children should be watched closely.

If you would like to see Isola Bella from the water, with the causeway in the morning light, message us on WhatsApp at +39 342 110 9242 or visit the Reservations page.

A Taormina boat tour on a cloudy day is often a very good one. You wake up, open the shutters and the sky is a flat, pale grey. Etna has vanished. The instinct is to write the day off and find a museum, but do not be too hasty: it can be better than the postcard version.

Here is what actually changes when the sun goes in, what does not, and how to decide.

Is a Taormina boat tour on a cloudy day still worth it?

In most cases, yes. Cloud on its own does not make the sea rough. What matters is the wind and the swell, and those can be calm under a grey sky and lively under a blue one. A high, even layer of cloud often comes with a windless, glassy sea, which is exactly what you want for swimming and for looking at the cliffs.

The real question is the sea, not the sky. Our note on Taormina boat tour weather explains how wind and swell shape a day, and what the crew looks at before deciding whether to go out.

What looks different under cloud

The colours change, and not always for the worse. Without direct sun the water loses some of its glare, so you see more of what is beneath the surface. The green of the seagrass meadows, the pale sand and the dark rock all read more clearly. The cliffs look moodier, the old town takes on a soft, silvery tone and the sea holds a deeper, steelier blue.

For photographers, a bright overcast sky is a gift. There are no hard shadows and no blown-out highlights, so faces, boats and rock all come out evenly lit. Our photographer's guide to the Taormina coast has more on working with the light.

What you may lose is the view of Etna, which often hides in cloud, and the vivid turquoise of the shallows. If the volcano is your reason for coming, ask yourself whether you would rather wait for a clearer day.

The sea stays warm

One of the pleasures of early autumn is that the sea is still warm even when the air is not. On a cloudy day in late September or October, the water can feel warmer than the air, which makes the swim more pleasant than you expect. Our piece on sea temperature near Taormina in autumn has the details, and Taormina in October describes the mood of the season.

Fewer people, quieter coves

There is another quiet advantage. Many visitors read a grey forecast as a reason to stay indoors, so the coast is noticeably less busy. Isola Bella has more room around it, the coves feel more private and you have the swimming stops largely to yourself. If you like the idea of a calmer day on the water, an overcast morning in the shoulder season can be the best of the week.

Things to remember on a grey day

• You can still burn. Ultraviolet light passes through cloud, and the reflection off the water makes it worse. Wear sun cream anyway.
• Bring a layer. It feels cooler out on the water, especially once you are wet and the breeze picks up.
• Bring a towel and something dry. Nothing dries quickly in damp air.
• Check the forecast for storms. Autumn brings the occasional thunderstorm, and those are a reason to stay ashore, not a matter of taste.

The packing list for a boat trip in Sicily covers the rest.

When you should not go

Cloud is fine. Strong wind, a heavy swell, or the threat of a storm are not. If conditions are not sensible, the skipper will tell you honestly and suggest another time. That is the whole point of having someone local at the helm: a decision made on the water, not in a hotel room from a weather app.

Can I book a boat tour in Taormina if the forecast is cloudy?

You can, and it often works out. Message the crew on the morning if you are unsure. They will tell you how the sea looks and whether it is worth going.

Will I still see Isola Bella and the caves?

Yes. The island, the cliffs and the caves are all there in any light, and on a soft grey day they can look quieter and more atmospheric, with fewer people about.

If the weather looks uncertain, message us on WhatsApp at +39 342 110 9242 or visit the Reservations page and we will tell you honestly how the day looks.

Granita and brioche in Taormina is breakfast for a Sicilian summer: a glass of crushed ice and a soft bun, eaten standing at a bar counter before nine in the morning. Locals do it without a second thought. Visitors usually blink, then order a second. If you want to eat like a Sicilian before you go out on the water, this is the place to start.

What granita and brioche actually is

Granita is not a slush or a sorbet. It is a semi-frozen dessert, made with water, sugar and a flavour, stirred as it freezes so that the crystals stay fine and soft. The texture is somewhere between snow and silk. In eastern Sicily, it is traditionally served with a brioche, a light, slightly sweet bun with a little round topknot, known as the tuppo. You tear off the top, dip it in the granita and eat it in alternating spoonfuls. It is a good way to start a hot day.

It is not a dessert here. It is breakfast, and often lunch on a very hot day.

Flavours to try

• Almond. Creamy and pale, the classic of the area, and a good first choice.
• Lemon. Sharp and clean, made with the lemons that grow all over the island.
• Coffee. Dark and slightly bitter, often served with a spoon of whipped cream on top.
• Pistachio. Rich and green, and connected to the pistachios grown on the slopes of Etna.
• Mulberry, or seasonal fruit. Ask what is in season, since the best flavours change through the year.

Coffee with cream is the choice many locals make, but almond is the one most first-timers remember. You can ask for two flavours in the same glass.

Where to have it

Taormina has plenty of cafés along Corso Umberto and around Piazza IX Aprile, and most serve granita in the warm months. It is nicest to take it slowly at a table with a view of the square, but you can also stand at the counter as the locals do. Down by the sea, the bars along the seafront at Giardini Naxos and around Mazzarò are also good, especially if you are heading to a boat straight afterwards.

One tip: watch where the locals are eating. A queue of Sicilians at eight in the morning is a good sign, and a tourist menu with photographs of the food is not.

Granita and brioche in Taormina before a boat day: a few notes

It makes a lovely start to a day on the water, but with a small caution. Granita is cold and sweet, so it is best enjoyed as part of a light breakfast rather than a full meal on its own. If you are prone to feeling queasy afloat, have something plain as well, such as bread or fruit, and read our advice on avoiding seasickness on a Taormina boat tour.

The rest of the day follows naturally. A morning swim, a slow lunch on board and an aperitivo later in the afternoon give you a proper Sicilian day from start to finish. Read about lunch on board and the aperitivo on the water for the other two thirds. If you want to see more of what the coast eats, our note on the fishing villages and flavours of Sicily's Ionian coast goes further down the food trail.

What is the best time to eat granita in Taormina?

Morning, for the traditional breakfast, or mid-afternoon on a hot day. Granita is at its best when it has just been made, so a busy bar with a steady turnover usually serves the freshest.

Is granita only for summer?

It is most popular in the warm months, but you will still find it in early autumn while the weather is warm, and many bars serve it well into October. Later in the year you will find hot chocolate and pastries instead.

Can I have granita on a boat trip?

It is hard to keep on a boat, since granita melts fast. Enjoy it in town, then look forward to a different kind of refreshment on the water. Ask the crew what is available on board when you book.

If you would like to follow a Sicilian breakfast with a day at sea, message us on WhatsApp at +39 342 110 9242 or visit the Reservations page.