Taormina .... Beach Life

Isola Bella
Getting on board a cable car is always exciting!!! In a few minutes from the centre of Taormina you can reach Mazzaro’s deep blue sea otherwise known as Taormina’s seafront. Departure is from Via Luigi Pirandello a 3 minute walk from Porta Messina in Taormina, departures are every 15 minutes. So after a walk in Taormina why not end your day by taking the cable car and enjoy a swim in the clear blue waters of Mazzaro and Isola Bella.

Isola Bella is a beautiful island that emerges from the sea between Capo San’Andrea and Capo Taormina. It is accessed by steps leading down to an enticing beach and the little island is accessible by foot when the tide is low. The island is protected as a marine life sanctuary and is open to the public. The beach is mostly pebbles and stones, further to the end of the beach the stones are so big that if you find one big enough to sunbathe on you feel like you are on your own private island. There are a few cute trattorias down there for a bite to eat.
Isola Bella as seen from Taormina 


Scuba diving, snorkelling and boat tours can be arranged at Taormina’s beaches. In a typical wooden boat skillfully captained by one of the local sailors you can get close to the lava cliffs and sea caves of Taormina’s coastline that create spectacular scenery. With the boat moored you can jump into the crystal clear water for snorkelling.

One of the stops is the Blue Grotto, an underwater cave. You will be amazed by the beauty of the blue cave with its wonderful light reflections and diversity of sea life.

The Blue Grotto
For the more adventurous and experienced divers, trips can be arranged with fully qualified instructors in the natural lagoon which forms Capo San’Andrea  passing through a tunnel about 5 feet long running through a wall. You will see colourful corals and sponges, starfish, parrot fish, lobster, shrimp and octopus all that live in the crevices of the cave. At Capo Taormina you can see Roman columns which have been lying on the seabed for over 2000 years.

The beach of Mazzaro is not among the largest but it is certainly one of the most beautiful and exclusive ones. It is where the designers Dolce and Gabbana chose to shoot their advertising campaign for their Spring/Summer collection in 2013.
Dolce and Gabbana S/S 2013, Mazzaro Beach


A short walk from Mazzaro are the beach bars and restaurants of Spisone, many bars stay open until the early hours enabling you to watch the Sicilian sun rise over the Ionian sea.

5km north you will find Letojanni which is a beach resort in its own right.

The best sandy beaches close to Taormina are those at Giardini Naxos where a strip of sand curves around the bay of Naxos backed by a promenade of bars, restaurants, cafes and hotels. Of course I am biased as this is my home town. 

 For those seeking a beach wedding the beaches of Taormina and its many seaside hotels are the perfect choice for a dream weddings sure to impress you guests. 

For more details on Taormina’s beach life and boat trips, diving and other activities email me for my local recommendations. 

Next Blog post, Taormina ... Victorian Follies

Photo Gallery

Taormina Cableway

Mazzaro Beach
Mazzaro Beach

Isola Bella
Giardini Naxos

Miss Daisy Doo .... #beachlife # itsadogslife 

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