Half-day tour to Taormina, Castelmola and Isola Bella
Description
Visit with us the places in Sicily that boast the most evocative and spectacular locations, surrounded by splendid beaches between the sea and the mountains. You will spend a whole day of adventure, relaxation and fun among history, culture, scents of tradition and enchantment. Our guide will lead you to discover the historical monuments of Taormina, which attract the attention of the most glittering international society, for an incredibly unique journey. We are committed to providing a high level of service that exceeds industry standards, focusing on the safety, reliability and efficiency of our service.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Taormina is an enchanted place where you can live one of the most exhilarating experiences of your life. Anyone who goes to Taormina to savor its charm must have the feeling of enjoying a privilege. Nestled on Mount Tauro, from which it took its ancient name, Taormina is a natural terrace overlooking the sea which represents a dream for any tourist. defined as "The Pearl of the Ionian", it is among the most famous and picturesque places on the eastern coast of Sicily. Immersed among suggestive ancient ruins, breathtaking views and enchanting beaches!
The historic center of the city, starts from Porta Messina and ends at Porta Catania. Halfway along the course is Piazza IX Aprile, a panoramic terrace overlooked by the churches of Sant'Agostino and San Giuseppe. Not far from the Middle Gate with the seventeenth-century Clock Tower.
From Corso Umberto there are steps and side streets that reach suggestive and quiet corners. One of these leads to the NAUMACHIE, an imposing brick thermal building from the Roman imperial era, of which a wall with 18 arched niches remains.
Palazzo Corvaja, located in Taormina in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, adjacent to Corso Umberto, is a spectacular architectural example of the fifteenth century. It tells the story of Roman domination first and Arab domination later, undergoing changes that also testify to the arrival of the Normans in Sicily. Palazzo Corvaja was the seat of the Sicilian Parliament. Today it is the seat of the Archaeological Museum and houses a rich collection of finds from excavations carried out in Taormina, where you can admire wonderful amphorae, Greek statues, sarcophagi and vases from the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Spectacular for its location, it is the symbol of the city and one of the most famous Sicilian monuments in the world. It dates back to Hellenistic times, although it was almost completely rebuilt in Roman times when it became an arena for gladiators. From the steps the view sweeps over Giardini Naxos and Mount Etna in a breathtaking spectacle.
A window on the sea a stone's throw from Taormina, Castelmola is among the most beautiful villages in Italy. Famous for its ceramics, history, art and architecture come together here. This is a natural terrace built around the ruins of a Norman castle and offers one of the most famous views in the world, with fiery sunsets enlivened by the characteristic almond wine. The alternative environment you will visit in Castelmola is the "Bar Turrisi". Finally, once you arrive here, never leave your destination without first tasting the almonds flecked with sugar and prickly pears!
Isola Bella is undoubtedly the symbol of Taormina, as well as a beautiful nature reserve and protected area, immersed in the sea and can be reached via a very small strip of sand.
At the end of the tour, on the return to Messina, if there is time left, the driver will take you to the Cathedral of Messina, not far from the cruise port, where you can admire the famous bell tower with the largest and most complex astronomical and astrological clock in the world.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The driver will wait at the pick-up point at the appointed time showing a sheet with the traveler's reference name written on it communicated at the time of booking. Sportswear and comfortable shoes are recommended. IMPORTANT NOTE: THE DRIVER WILL ENSURE THAT YOUR RETURN AT YOUR CRUISE WILL BE DONE ON TIME FOR YOUR BOARDING.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(10)
We booked a private tour half day Taormina tour through this company via Tours by Locals. We are here on a cruise and we are halfway through and tired! My mom uses a wheelchair and they were so accommodating for her! The tour was very laid back, just what we needed. We could customize the tour and our guide, Ghazal, was very helpful to point out the sites, talk about the history, and architecture took us to an AMAZING cannoli shop and we did lots of souvenir shopping. Our driver, Daniele, was so nice and helpful with my mom. I highly recommend booking a tour with this company. We had a wonderful time!!!
Dear Jennifer, thank you so much for your review. We're delighted that you appreciated our work and, above all, that the service was accommodating to all of you. Kind regards, from the Private Transfer Sicily team.
Daniele, il Our driver, that was great! Very nice and knowledgeable. He took a lot of pictures in the most beautiful places and booked for our lunch a restaurant with good food and a beautiful view! Also highly recommended for a group of friends!!!
Ciao Fabiana. Grazie per aver dedicato tempo alla nostra azienda con la tua recensione. Siamo lieti che tu e il tuo gruppo abbiate apprezzato il nostro lavoro. Non esitate a contattarci in futuro.
Sicily is a beautiful place to visit with lovely scenery everywhere you look. We were a group of 7 on a day excursion from the port in Messina. Daniele (& his English speaking guide, Martina) took us to see the sights including Taormina & Castelmola. There seemed to be a bit of confusion occasionally on where we were to meet our driver which delayed us, and we already had some physical challenges with our group. We were also offered a stop for lunch at a restaurant they highly recommended in Toaomina with a view out to a little island that you can cross to on foot over a sand bar. Our regret was that we had lunch in this restaurant as it was quite expensive & didn’t allow us time then to go and explore the island Isola Bella; a smaller pizza shop would probably have suited us better & allowed for time to visit the island. Our final destination was Messina. Daniele & Martina we’re both lovely.
Dear all! Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We are very sorry to hear that you wasted more time than expected for your lunch and at the same time we are happy that you enjoyed the rest of your trip with Daniele and Martina. We will treasure your feedback to continue to improve ourselves. Best regards team Private Transfer Sicily
Daniel met us right on time per plan. we were family of 6, one using wheel chair so tour was modified to fit our needs. Daniel took us to a great place for lunch. we were very happy with his service.
Hello!! Thank you so much for your review. It was a pleasure to take care of you and respect your needs!
We had a last minute setup for the tour and honestly we were the luckiest considering our guide Daniel was such an amazing person. He was not only accommodating to the family but was extremely polite. We had a blast and a lot of laughs which will be a memory that we cherish. ❤️
Wow... your thought for us and for me was fantastic!!! I loved sharing my day with you, I felt like I was among friends. We really had a lot of fun and it was satisfying to be able to show you some of the most beautiful and suggestive places of my land, receiving your enthusiasm in return! It will also be one of the most beautiful memories for me and I hope to meet you again soon! Your friend Daniele.
We were on a port of call. Travelled with 3 small children. We had 1 driver and 1 guide ( didn't like as they chatted often together) but very nice people that went out of their way to accommodate us. I had and was told that I could go for a quick swim but on the tour we were told it was impossible. We had an excellent meal (but poor service ) at a restaurant with a view of Etna. Free time in Taormina was great! No sure visit of iconic bar was a good idea but I guess was part of history!
Hello Isabel. Thank you for taking the time to review our product. We are happy that you, in some way, appreciated our work. I agree with your note regarding the exchange of opinions between the driver and the guide, which also took place at the end of the service, during the return to the cruise port of Messina. As for the possibility of swimming at Isola Bella, it was not possible to accommodate you simply because, being in the presence of very small children, who also needed and used a stroller, it was not practical to go down the steps that led to the beach below, even if you yourself found the inconvenience. As for the poor service of the restaurant in question, we can only say that, given the particularly windy and uncomfortable day for the staff, the service, I agree, was not as excellent as usual and we are truly sorry that you did not appreciate it. The iconic bar in question is obviously a tourist destination of great interest and we also apologize for this that the visit to the same bar was not appreciated by you. However, we take this opportunity to thank you again for spending your day with us! Sincerely team Private Transfer Sicily.
We went on a wonderful tour We were brought to some amazing places by our guide she brought us to get some fab Cannoli and later to a lovely open restaurant where we ate great Italian food while looking at great views I would 100% recommend this company and when we go to Italy again I will be contacting this company
Hi Sharon. Thank you so much for your review!! Your thoughts and opinion are always very important to us. It is more than a pleasure, an honor, to be able to take care of you again and of your next holiday in Sicily. We will certainly wait for you with affection. Kind regards, Private Transfer Sicily team
Ghazal was the best tour guide! She is knowledgeable and easy going. She brought us to the best spots for chocolate, limoncello, gelato, and arancini. She also knew the best spots for pictures and took them all for us and then airdropped them to us at the end. Perfect for our family!
Thank you so much Mark for your review. We are really happy that you appreciated our work, especially Ghazy's company. We strive to improve ourselves every day in order to excel in our work and we give great importance to your opinions! Thank you!! Greetings Private Transfer Sicily team
The tour is Wonderful, taormine, isola Bella and Castelmola. Daniel is a very Good men and very pro. Think to take your swinsuit…
Dear Nicolas. We greatly appreciated your thoughts and are happy to have carried out a service to your liking. Best regards from the Private Transfer Sicily team.
Impeccable service, we had a splendid tour, highly recommended, competitive prices, very friendly and helpful drivers Tonino and Daniele. Sabrina from Venice
Ciao Sabrina. Grazie mille per aver dedicato un po' del tuo tempo a noi. Grazie per aver apprezzato il nostro impegno e la dedizione al nostro lavoro. Sei stata da subito una persona cortese e solare e noi abbiamo molto gradito la tua compagnia e di tutta la tua splendida famiglia. Saluti dal team Private Transfer Sicily
