Best beaches in Taormina

Giardini Naxos is a laidback resort centred around one of the best sandy beaches near Taormina. 4 kilometres long in total, the crescent-shaped bay stretches from Cape Schisò to Cape Taormina and has several different sections.

Schisò is closest to the town centre and most popular with tourists thanks to its golden sand and the string of cafes, bars and restaurants along the palm-lined promenade. Further north, the shore starts to turn pebbly at San Giovanni, while the area around Porticciolo Saya offers snorkelling potential amongst the rocks.

There’s a small free section that quickly fills up in the height of summer, but most of the stretch is given over to private lidos where you can pay to snag a sun lounger for the day.

Recanati is a long stretch of pebbles and coarse sand on an open section of coastline south of Taormina. Its less sheltered location makes the sea here deeper and wavier than the other beaches in the area.

There are lidos dotted along the shore, but there’s also a large free section, making this a great place to set up camp with your own gear and provisions. The beachfront real estate is largely taken up by hotels, but the main streets of the village just behind are lined with highly rated restaurants such as La Spelonca.

Towards the southern end, you’ll find a diving centre, water sports and the mouth of the Alcantara river, whose gorges (a 20-minute drive away) are one of the best things to visit in Sicily.

Just north of the famous bay of Isola Bella, Mazzarò is another of the most popular beaches in Taormina. It’s a picturesque inlet framed by lush greenery and elegant hotels. The shore is lined with a mix of small pebbles and coarse sand, while the beautifully clear sea is calm but gets deep quickly.

Mazzarò is easy to reach thanks to the Taormina beach cable car, which runs from just behind the beach up to the town centre in just a couple of minutes. The small free portion is at the southern end, while the umbrellas and loungers belong to the handful of beach clubs, which also serve up food and drinks including tasty seafood.

Famed as one of the best places to visit in Sicily, Isola Bella sits at the foot of Taormina. It can be accessed via a staircase from the Via Pirandello viewpoint, and it’s well worth the effort. The cliffs form a majestic backdrop, while the eponymous island sits proudly in the centre of the small bay, which consists of a mixture of pebbles and grainy sand.

The east section is free, while there are a handful of beach clubs and restaurants dotted along the shoreline. The stony seabed gives the water a wonderful aquamarine hue, making it a fantastic place to dive and snorkel – it’s a good idea to wear aqua shoes to avoid jagged rocks. Thrill-seekers will jump at the chance to rent a jet ski, while the nature museum on the island offers more sedate entertainment.

Spisone is a long stretch of sand just north of Taormina. It’s bigger and quieter than Isola Bella and Mazzarò, so it’s a great place to spend a super-chilled day. It’s also ideal for a family holiday, as the shore slopes down gently into the crystal-clear, pan-flat sea.

There’s a whole host of beach clubs with sun loungers and parasols to rent, but some areas are free if you just want to throw down a towel. From here, you can take boat trips including a tour of the nearby caves. If you’d prefer to party, this is where you’ll find Ipanema, an open-air nightclub that hosts top DJs in the summer.

A little further north lies Letojanni, an expansive stretch of sand and pebbles that’s very popular with the locals. It’s well served by the array of cafes, bars and restaurants that line the promenade, and you can choose between pitching up on the free sections or renting a lounger from one of the lidos – Movida Beach brings the vibes with DJs all day long.

The water here is a gorgeous shade of blue and very calm, but aqua shoes are recommended as the seabed is rather rocky. The area in front of the town centre can get quite crowded in peak season, but there’s plenty of space to be had further north.