← Catania Marathon·Day trip

Taormina: The Greek Theatre Above the Sea

A hilltop resort town north of Catania, with an ancient Greek theatre, a single pedestrian main street and a view of Etna across the water.

DurationDay trip
TransitTrain about 40 to 50 min, then bus up the hill
DepartsCatania

After the Catania Marathon: Taormina

The Route: Catania → Taormina-Giardini station → Taormina Logistics: Regional train from Catania Centrale to Taormina-Giardini station, about 40 to 50 minutes, then a bus or taxi up the hill to the town. Marathon Month: December Duration: Day trip

Catania Centrale ──(40-50 mins train)──> Taormina-Giardini ──(bus/taxi 10-15 mins)──> Taormina

Taormina sits on a ledge about 200 m above the Ionian Sea and has been a holiday destination since the Greeks built a theatre there. The train from Catania is flat and slow. The town itself is not flat, and the recovery advice for a runner is simple: take the bus up, walk gently along one street and take the bus down.

December in Taormina: cool and quiet, around 12 to 15 °C, with the summer crowds absent. Some hotels and restaurants close for the winter. Etna is often snow-covered and clear from the terraces.

Regional trains run from Catania Centrale along the coast to Taormina-Giardini. Buy the ticket at the station or on the Trenitalia app. Check trenitalia.com for the Monday timetable. From the station, a bus runs up the hill to the town and a taxi is the alternative. Check the current bus times.

The day

The Teatro Antico is the main attraction. It is a Greek theatre later rebuilt by the Romans, cut into the hillside and framed by the sea and Etna. There is an entry fee, and the theatre has some steps, so allow a slow pace. Check the opening hours and current price.

Corso Umberto is the main street, a pedestrian route running through the town from one gate to the other. It is about 1 km long, level for most of its length and paved in smooth stone. Walk it slowly, with stops for a coffee or a granita, the semi-frozen Sicilian ice that comes with a brioche for breakfast in this part of the island.

The Villa Comunale, a public garden below the main street, is a quiet place to sit with a sea view. The steps down to the beach at Isola Bella are steep, and it is a descent that punishes the quads twice, on the way down and on the way up, so consider skipping it.

Restaurants on the side streets serve fish and pasta. Many close on one day a week, so check before you commit.

Getting back

Take the bus or taxi down to the station and the train back to Catania. Check the last train.