Castelmola Taormina Walk
The scenic route connecting and discovering the sights of the two beautiful Sicilian villages
Want to find out if the Walk from Castelmola to Taormina is for you? Then keep reading.
I discovered this beautiful hike between Castelmola and Taormina while looking at possible parking spaces for our visit to Taormina.
This outstanding tour connects the two picturesque towns on Sicily’s east coast, gives you great views of Taormina and the sea, and also spares you the expensive and narrow parking lots in the popular tourist town.
I just loved that walk, and it is a win-win-win for all those who are able and willing to hike a few meters in altitude.
Read on to find all the information and my hiking description for this beautiful and circular Castelmola Taormina Walk.
Castelmola Taormina Walk Description
Starting point in Castelmola
I thought back and forth for a long time about the best way to visit Taormina. We wanted to explore the Taormina sights, not park our rental car in the popular town, and also do some hiking.
After several studies of my hiking app, the idea of walking from Castelmola towards the sea and Taormina was born.
I am already celebrating this decision as we drive through Taormina to get to Castelmola. The narrow streets, the many cars, tourists, and buses: absolute chaos!
We take the winding road to the parking lot underneath the Castello in Castelmola and decide to visit this petty village, on the way back.
Even from the parking lot, I have an outstanding view of Taormina and the surrounding bays. The famous amphitheater is also clearly visible! Beautiful!
Castelmola – Chiesa Madonna della Rocca
A steep, paved pedestrian path leads directly from our parking lot towards Taormina. Along the way are the last small houses of Castelmola and beautiful spring flowers. After a few minutes, we reach the main road, on which we were just traveling by car.
Just a few steps along the road site, then we turn left to walk towards the famous Chiesa Madonna della Rocca and the Castello di Taormina.
The Arab-Norman castle from the 11th-12th century, also known as Castello Monte Taura, is perched on the impressive rock of the same name, almost 400 meters above Taormina.
Unfortunately, the castle has not been open to tourists for years… A construction fence blocks the staircase. Shame, as the view from the top must be fantastic!
Luckily, the views from the nearby rock church Chiesa Madonna della Rocca are absolutely stunning! Built in 1640, the really small chapel is built directly into the rock, integrating the stone into the church’s ceiling and walls.
Additionally, there are the remains of mosaics and beautiful wall paintings to admire inside the holy building.
Chiesa Madonna della Rocca – Taormina old town
After enjoying the wonderful view for a few more minutes, we continue downhill on the concrete pedestrian path.
The staircase-like serpentines lead down the side of the hill to the beautiful old town of Taormina in about 10 minutes.
Taormina Promenade Corso Umberto I
We practically fall onto the Taorminas main street and promenade, Corso Umberto I. The cities main artery is marked by the city gates Porta Messina in the north and Porta Catania in the south.
Expensive boutiques, souvenir stores, cafés, and bars line both sides of the street.
While we were no longer alone walking down from the rock church, it is now packed around us. Despite being in low season and on a weekday, there are an incredible number of tourists out and about. I don’t even want to know what’s going on here in summer….
There are several of Taorminas main sights along the beautifully restored Corso Umberto I.
Piazza IX Aprile
The beautiful Piazza IX Aprile is very inviting to linger and relax. From its terrace, I have an unforgettable panoramic view of the coast and the remains of the ancient theater of Taormina.
Depending on the weather, you can also enjoy a wonderful view of Mount Etna from here. Unfortunately, we don’t have that luck today.
Nevertheless, we use the benches for a short break to enjoy the view and the hustle and bustle. This square is also home to the “Wunderbar”, Taormina’s oldest café, where Ernest Hemingway once enjoyed the atmosphere.
Right next to the café stands the church of San Giuseppe, built in the 17th century. Opposite it, in the middle of the piazza, is the former church of San Agostino. Built in 1448, it is now the municipal library.
We walk on through the Porta di Mezzo towards the west. There is a beautiful mosaic in the archway under the bell tower, which was built in the 12th century.
Piazza Duomo
Piazza Duomo is the site of Taormina Cathedral, built around 1400 during the reign of Frederick III of Aragon.
The medieval cathedral, Duomo San Nicolò, is dedicated to Saint Nicola of Bari. I find the three portals from different eras interesting and admirable.
Also in Piazza Duomo stands the 3-tiered fountain, crowned with the city’s emblem, the Centauressa. She is a hybrid creature, similar to the Minotaur. However, her upper body is female. The Centauressa can also be found on Taormina’s coat of arms.
Porta Catania through the old town alleys
Just a few steps further along Corso Umberto I, we reach the southern gate, Porta Catania. The historic archway, within the remains of the city wall, once protected the ancient city of Taormina.
To avoid strolling through the crowded pedestrian zone again, we keep to the left and next to the small streets of the old town to walk back.
There are small staircases everywhere that connect the individual levels within the town. There are also many lovely little bars that provide evidence of the town’s outstanding nightlife.
At Piazza IX Aprile, we return to the popular and lively Corso Umberto I. Now we stroll north towards Porta Messina until we turn right to the next highlight among the Taormina sights.
Teatro Greco
Opening hours: April to September 9.00am – 6.00pm, October – March 9.00am – 4.00pm
Entrance fee: € 12.00 per person
My tip: Buy your ticket online in advance to avoid the long queues in front of Taorminas main sight.
Past the Palazzo Corvaja and the Palazzo dei congressi on the Via di Teatro Greco, the route leads to the most famous of the Taormina attractions, the ancient Greek theater.
Built in the 3rd century BC under King Hieron II, the Greek theater is Taormina’s landmark. After the theater in Syracuse, it is the 2nd largest in Sicily.
The view of the stage and the city from the upper tiers, with Mount Etna in the background (in good weather), is legendary and a picture Sicily is known for!
The dimensions of the beautiful theater are 50m wide, 120m long and 20m high, with seating for around 5,400 spectators.
The theater construction was probably started by the Greeks, but was restored and completed by the Romans, who added columns, statues and sophisticated roofs. As tourists, we are allowed to move freely within the ancient buildings.
I found the stone seats perfect for relaxing and enjoying the view. Further up, in the outdoor area, there are great lookouts from which you can admire the Bay of Naxos and Taormina to the south and the Calabrian coast with the Strait of Messina to the north.
Insider tip: During the summer months of July and August, Taormina Arte organizes international festivals with concerts, ballet performances, films and theater performances.
A night-time visit under the stars, with a view of the illuminated town and Mount Etna in the background, must be a very special experience!
Via Timoleone – Giardino Pubblico
After that visit and the crowds, we need some peace and quiet. Very close by, and the ideal location for that, is Taormina’s beautiful city garden.
We take Via Timoleone, which branches off to the left from the street leading to and from the theater, and climb down the stairs. These great, wide steps have beautiful flowers and seating on the sides. Very idyllic!
The 3-hectare park, just below the theater, is an oasis of peace and tranquility in the middle of the bustling city.
The beautiful garden was laid out at the end of the 19th century in the English style and contains olive trees, palm trees and exotic plants.
There are also sculptures, wooden temples and Victorian-style brick buildings. What a great place to just sit and enjoy life. We have a beautiful view over the sea and in good weather, you can also admire the Etna.
Opening hours: 08.00 – 20.00 in winter, 08.00 – 24.00 in summer
Entrance fee: free of charge
Porta Messina – Isola Bella
Back through the beautiful, narrow alleys of Taormin old town and hidden staircases, we return to the hustle and bustle and the northern exit, Porta Messina.
From here, there are 2 options to descent to the sea: past the cemetery and with a few steps only or via the Belvedere di Via Pirandello viewpoint and many steps. Both options take about 20 minutes to reach the shore.
The really small peninsula of Isola Bella is connected to Mazzarò beach by a sandbank. After the Greek theater in Taormina, it is probably the most popular spot for photos in the city.
Mazzarò beach is a pebble beach with a beach bar, restaurant, and sun lounger hire.
Even though the beach is really beautiful, and the sea is also said to be very good for snorkeling in summer, I wouldn’t come here in high season: it’s absolutely overcrowded, so the beach feeling is lost.
Isola Bella can be visited for € 4.00 per person. Parts of the island are currently being renovated, so only a small section can be explored. Whether the price is worth it, is up to you, we skipped that.
Isola Bella – Toarmina city center
To return to Taormina, you can eighter walk or use the Funivia di Mazzarò (cable car). The acent to Porta Messina takes approx. 30 minutes and we used the walkway we skipped when coming down.
Alternatively, you can take the cable car. Its station is just a little further north on the coastal road and takes you back to the city in just 2 minutes, covering the 170 meters in altitude. Departure is every 15 minutes.
Opening hours: In winter from 8.00am – 8.00pm and in summer from 8.00am – 1.30am
Admission price: € 6.00 per person (one-way) or € 10.00 per person (return ticket)
Via Branco, Taormina – Castelmola
Of course, we walk back up from the beach….. From Porta Messina, in leave Taormina behind and continue acending along Via Branco.
This is the alternative pedestrian ascent to Castelmola as I don’t like walking the same route twice. The concrete path with a just few steps is generally easy to walk.
Climbing up is getting harder by the minute as we have been walking quite a distance today….
We reach the Strada Provinciale again, where the small road to the Chiesa Madonna della Rocca branches off, and from here we tackle the same ascent back towards the parking lot.
Alternatively, we could have descended a little to take the Salita dei Saraceni hiking trail, but Jan is no longer interested in any detours….
This city walk, as he initially called our excursion, is now almost as strenuous as our Mount Etna hikes of the previous days.
So we take the shortest route up the mountain to complete our Taormina Castelmola walk. Shortly below the parking lot, the hiking trail then leads left into the village of Castelmola, which we still want to visit.
Village and Castello of Castelmola
The beautiful mountain village is actually similar to Taormina, only more authentic and less crowded. There are beautiful, narrow winding streets, small churches and great viewpoints.
The main square, right at the entrance to the village, is Piazza Sant’Antonino. The beautiful square with its mosaic paving of white stone alternating with black lava stone is home to a tourist information office, public toilets and the oldest bar in Castelmola, Bar San Giorgio.
You also have, once again, a fantastic view of Taormina.
We take a short rest and then stroll through the narrow streets of the old town. Apart from us, there’s nobody around while we keep turning right or left into the beautiful little streets.
Then at some point we follow the signs to the Castello. A few last steps for today and we are inside the anciant Norman walls. There’s not much left of the castle, but the view is just amazing!
Once again, stunning views in all directions! Mount Etna (only slightly visible to us today in the haze of the clouds), the bay of Naxos, Taormina, the coast to Messina: absolutely unique!
With these fantastic views, we make our way back to the parking lot and our rental car after a long but outstanding hiking day, filled with impressions of the all the sights we dicovered on our Castelmola Taormina Walk.
Route details for the Castelmola Taormina Walk
How to get to Castelmola
From Catania to Taormina and further on to Castelmola it takes about 1 hour by car for the 55km (34mi) on the toll highway and maybe the best of many day excursions.
Castelmola parking: The Castelmola parking lot (⇨ location) is easy to reach as it is located on the main road. There is a parking meter, the cost is € 1.00 per hour.
Good to know: Taormina is built on a mountainside. Accordingly, the streets or rather roads in town are narrow and steep and an additional challenge to Sicilian driving stlye. I generally recommend not driving into Taormina by car.
FAQ’s
Can I walk to Castelmola from Taormina?
You can absolutely walk from Castelmola to Taormina. It is a beautiful scentic way on different foot path connecting the 2 beautiful villages.
Is it worth going to Castelmola?
Castelmola is absolutely worth a visit. The beautiful village is like Taormina but without the crowds. Like Cefalù on Sicily’s north coast it belongs to the borghi piu belli d’italia (en: Most beautiful villages in Italy).
How far is Taormina from Castelmola?
By car the distance between Taormina and Castelmola is 7km (4,3mi). Driving time is about 10-15 minutes. If you walk, you may need 1 hours for the decent and 1,5 – 2 hours for the acent between the towns due to the altitute difference.
How do I get to Castelmola from Taormina?
To get to Castelmola from Taormina I recommend taking the bus or the taxi. For the decent and your return trip I highly recommend the beautiful Castelmola Taormina Walking Trail.
Conclusion
The Castelmola Taormina Walk is a fantastic option to combine 2 lovely villages and a scenic hike. Additionally it saves you a lot of stress finding a parking spot in the lively twon of Taormina.
The path itsself is easy and always paved, no technical challenge but it is quite long and with some difference in altitude.
You could eas the way by using the cable car from the beach back into Taormina, leve the beach out of your hike entirely or by using the bus between Castelmola and Taormina for your return.
