Giardini Naxos, Taormina and Castelmola half day Tour from Catania

Start with an 8:30am pickup from the Catania station, port, or your hotel, then travel to Giardini Naxos, the pretty seaside town just south of Taormina. Sicily’s first Greek colony, Giardini Naxos is rich in history as well as beauty and you’ll learn about its Greek roots as you travel along the seafront, looking out at Naxos Bay.

Stop at Isola Bella, a wildlife reserve known as the “peal of the Ionian Sea,” and use your free time here for a dip in the water. Afterward, you’ll head onwards to Castelmola for a stroll through the town. Admire the ruins of its Norman city walls, and stroll around Piazza Duomo to see the Mother Church of Castelmola, a rebuilt cathedral dedicated to St. Nicholas of Bari.

Later, you’ll visit Taormina to tread the pavements of Corso Umberto and discover its monuments. See the Messina and Catania gates, and check out the medieval Palazzo Corvaja, Teatro Antico, Badia Vecchia, and the Torre dell’Orologio, among other sights. Finally, you’ll have some time to browse Taormina’s shops at your leisure before your return to Catania.