Beaches in Taormina
Mazzarò by cable car, Isola Bella on foot from there, Spisone further along the coast — and all three are pebbly or mixed with pebbles.
- Cable car
- €8 one way
- Mazzarò
- Private lidos and free stretches
- Isola Bella
- Pebbles
Taormina is on a hill and the beaches lie below it: three bays that differ in access, shore and whether you pay. The cable car runs to Mazzarò, 3 min, and you walk from there.
Arriving by cable car
The cable car comes down to Mazzarò, 3 min, €8 one way, and runs summer 8.00–1.30, winter 8.00–20.00, every 15 min. The beach is divided: private lidos rent out sunbeds, umbrellas and cabins for a daily fee, and between them are free stretches where you lie on your own towel.
Pebbles and an islet
From the cable car station Isola Bella is about five minutes on foot. The shore in front of the islet is pebbly; there are areas where you lie free on your own towel and sunbeds hired out by Mendolia Beach Club. The islet itself is a reserve and entry is paid separately, €6; it is open summer 9–19.45 (ticket office until 19.00); closed to visitors in Nov–Dec.
Further along the coast, cheaper
Spisone is sand mixed with pebbles, with tended lidos and a family feel, and cheaper than Mazzarò. From Mazzarò it is about fifteen minutes on foot, or by a local bus that leaves from Via Pirandello and also stops at Mazzarò.
What to bring
On all three beaches — Mazzarò, Isola Bella and Spisone — the shore is pebbly or mixed with pebbles and shells, so water shoes are the one thing worth bringing.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
How do you get to the beach below Taormina?
By cable car to Mazzarò, 3 min, €8 one way; to Spisone also by a local bus from Via Pirandello.
Do you pay at Taormina's beaches?
In part: sunbeds and umbrellas at the lidos are paid, and Mazzarò and Isola Bella also have free stretches. Entry to the islet of Isola Bella is a separate ticket, €6.
What are the beaches in Taormina like?
Mazzarò and Isola Bella are pebbly; Spisone is sand mixed with pebbles.
Ready for Taormina?
Where to next
Taormina in 2 days
→The first day is on foot through the old town, the second goes down to the sea, and Etna is left for a third.
Catania · 45 km
→Black Baroque built from lava stone, a fish market behind the cathedral and a volcano at the end of the main street.
How well does Taormina suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
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