Taormina, Castelmola and Giardini Naxos
A 5-hour private tour: the Giardini Naxos seafront, Isola Bella, Taormina on foot and Castelmola higher up.
Highlights
- A car and driver reserved for your group, 5 hours
- The Giardini Naxos seafront
- The viewpoint above Isola Bella
- Corso Umberto and Piazza IX Aprile in Taormina
- The Teatro Antico, with its own ticket
- Castelmola, the village above Taormina
About this tour
Taormina is seen on foot: the pedestrian Corso Umberto with its shops and palazzi, Piazza IX Aprile looking over the sea, and the Teatro Antico, with its own ticket, where Etna shows behind the stage. The car drops you at the nearest car park allowed and picks you up there. To finish you drive up to Castelmola, the village above Taormina, to see from above the coast you have just visited.
Your driver drives, waits for you and suggests timings. Inside the Teatro Antico he does not guide: an authorised guide is booked separately.
Itinerary
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Pickup
Your driver meets you at your hotel or address, or at Catania port if you arrive by ship.
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Giardini Naxos 30 min
A walk on the seafront, with the bay and Etna in the background.
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Isola Bella
A photo stop at the viewpoint above the bay.
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Taormina 2h
Free time on foot along Corso Umberto, Piazza IX Aprile and the Teatro Antico.
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Castelmola 30 min
The village above Taormina, with views over the coast.
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Return
Back to where you were picked up.
What's included
- Private vehicle for your group only: by car for up to 3, by van for up to 8
- English-speaking driver
- Pickup at your hotel or address and return to the same point
- Fuel
- Your driver waits for you at every stop
- Free time in Giardini Naxos, Taormina and Castelmola
- Photo stops where the road allows
Not included
- Entrance tickets to sites, monuments and parks
- Lunch, snacks and drinks
- Authorised guide at the Teatro Antico in Taormina: on request, paid separately
- Tips: up to you
Good to know
- Corso Umberto in Taormina is pedestrian: the car drops you at the Porta Catania or Lumbi car park, or the nearest point allowed, and picks you up there. Teatro Antico (official park website, October 2026): about 14 euro per person, 7 euro reduced for EU citizens aged 18 to 25, free under 18.
- Opens at 9:00, last entry 16:00 in November and December. The ticket is not included: buy it online or at the entrance.
- From Syracuse the drive is longer: about {{DUREN:siracusa-taormina}} to Taormina, and the same back, so your time in the three towns gets shorter. Tell us when you book and we choose the stops together.
- Your driver drives, waits for you and suggests stops and timings, but does not guide inside sites and monuments: at the Teatro Antico in Taormina you can have an authorised guide, on request, paid separately.
- Entrance tickets, the cable car and tastings are not part of the tour price: you pay for them yourself, on site or online.
- Pickup at your hotel or address at the time you choose: in historic centres the car comes to your hotel where traffic rules allow, otherwise to the nearest point, agreed beforehand.
- Arriving by ship at Catania port? Pickup is at the cruise terminal exit or the port gate agreed at booking. Add the ship name and the all-aboard time, and plan the return with a margin.
- Private tour: the car and driver are for your group only, up to 8 people. The price is per group, not per person.
Pickup
Pickup at your hotel or address (Catania, Acireale, Aci Trezza, Catania port, Syracuse). Add the exact address in the booking notes.
Frequently asked questions
Can we swim at Isola Bella?
Yes, just say so to your driver in the morning: the stop gets longer and you go down to the beach on foot or by the cable car from Taormina, at your own cost.
Is there a guide at the Teatro Antico?
Only if you ask: an authorised guide is arranged on request, paid separately. Your driver does not guide inside the theatre.
Can we start in the afternoon?
Yes, at 14:00. At sunset the view from Castelmola makes a good end to the day.
Can we start from Syracuse?
Yes. From Syracuse to Taormina is about {{DUREN:siracusa-taormina}} each way, so the time in the towns is shorter.
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Arriving by plane or train?
We also run private transfers from airports and stations. Door to door, on your schedule.
