Explore The Best Beaches In Taormina (2025) – Travels with Missy

The town of Taormina perches high on the Sicilian coast, overlooked by Mount Etna, and with spectacular views of the coastline. You can easily spend a couple of days exploring the town and its many sights, but in the height of summer, there is no better feeling than cooling off in the beautiful beaches of Taormina.

For visitors who want to spend some time at the beach in Taormina, there are several to choose from. The easiest of the Taormina beaches to access is Mazzaro Beach and Isola Bella Beach. 

@travelswithmissy The dreamy beaches of Taormina – Mazzarò Beach and the infamous Isola Bella. #europeansummer #sicily🇮🇹 #taormina #italy🇮🇹 #isolabellataormina #isolabella #mazzaroseapalace ♬ La Lecon Particuliere – Bof La Lecon Particuliere – Francis Lai & Christian Gaubert

Mazzaro Beach

Mazzaro Beach is the easiest beach to get to from Taormina. If arriving from Taormina town, the beach is directly in front of the Taormina cable car and parking lot. There are 3 entrances to the beach, with the closest access point at the beginning of the parking lot. 

Mazzaro Beach is a delightful crescent beach that has two 5-star hotels, two beach bars, and restaurants. There’s a small section of public beach if you continue walking past Lido il Delfino and Mazzaro Sea Palace.

Lido il Delfino

Lido il Delfino has one of the largest sections of Mazzaro Beach in Taormina. You’ll find rows of blue beach chairs and umbrellas, as well as a popular restaurant where you can enjoy a lunch with a view.

Located right next door to Mazzaro Sea Palace, a 5-star hotel, you should try and get to the beaches in Taormina as early as possible during the summer months in order to avoid disappointment.

Sun loungers are available to rent at Lido il Delfino for €20 per day per lounger. At the time of visiting Lido il Delfino they did not offer table service, and instead you could order from the small take-away restaurant that served pizza’s, drinks, and a fantastic ham & cheese taste (aka Toast).

Lido La Pigna

A personal favorite beach club of mine in Taormina is Lido La Pigna. Located right next door to Lido il Delfino, the blue and yellow striped umbrellas also adjoin the stunning Belmond Sant’ Andrea (where you can spy celebrities such as the cast of White Lotus season two when I visited in May 2022).

The sun loungers in Lido La Pigna are €25 per bed and include table service. There’s no need for you to move an inch from your sun lounger for your afternoon pizza or Aperol spritzes. Divine!

There is a very small section of this Taormina beach that is available for beachgoers who don’t want to pay for a sun lounger and lie on the beach instead. 

Visitors will also find Boat Excursions Taormina that tour the local area around Isola Bella, Grotta Azzurra, and Mermaid’s Bay depart from Mazzaro Beach. Tours start from half-day and visitors will find ample opportunities for swimming and snorkeling in hard-to-reach areas. The beautiful traditional boats to the area are used to transport guests around the island and Mediterranean waters. 

If the idea of laying out on a sun lounger sounds incredibly boring to you, there is also an opportunity for active visitors to rent Stand Up Paddle (SUP) boards in Taormina. Located beside Boat Excursions Taormina, SUPs are available to rent per hour. 

Isola Bella Beach

Isola Bella Beach is one of the most famous and popular beaches in Taormina. Known for the beautiful island (Isola Bella) that is connected to the rest of the beach by a small sand spit. Isola Bella Beach is hugely popular and you’ll find that the beach bars and sun loungers, and every single sun is packed with people from early in the morning until the evening.

Once you’ve navigated the numerous stairs down to Isola Bella Beach, you’ll find a number of beach restaurants and bars at sea level.

Prepare to arrive very early to claim your spot on the pebbles if you’re planning on spending the day at Isola Bella. We arrived at 9 am and the small area where the beach connects with the island was already filling up quickly.

If lying on the pebbles and stones of Isola Bella doesn’t sound appealing then you are in luck as there are 3 beach clubs here that offer sun loungers for a price. They also happen to have restaurants on site too, so if you fancy grabbing some lunch on one of the best beaches in Taormina with one of the most incredible views, you’ve come to the right place.

Pizzichella

Located on the far left of Isola Bella is Pizzichella, a restaurant and beach bar that has been set up with sun loungers on a wooden platform. This is my favorite spot on Isola Bella as it means you can climb directly into the water through the wooden ladder without having to wear sea shoes or brave the large pebbles.

Pizzichella has been an established favorite with beach goers since the mid-1970s and serves some great seafood directly on the beach, as well as offering a variety of excursions by sea. Its seclusion from the rest of the beach clubs on Isola Bella made it a little bit more enjoyable (especially on a Sunday when the beach becomes super busy).

Mendolia Beach Club

The largest beach club in Isola Bella is Mendolia Beach Club which stretches across a good chunk of the beach. You’ll find endless rows of blue and white striped umbrellas, restaurant and changing rooms.

There is also direct access to the water if you don’t fancy navigating the stones, with a ladder and small jetty leading into the deliciously clear waters around Isola Bella. Beach beds at Mendolia Beach Club are €20 each and include an umbrella.

La Plage Resort

Tied to the nearby 5 star hotel La Plage Resort offers visitors to Taormina’s Isola Bella with a 5 star experience. The aquamarine umbrellas are located right next door to Mendolia Beach Club, and you don’t need to be a guest staying at the hotel to enjoy La Plage Resort.

You’ll find a restaurant and changing rooms available at the La Plage Resort Taormina.

Isola Bella is a pebble beach, so renting a bed from one of the numerous places is recommended. 

How do I get to Isola Bella from Taormina?

The easiest way to get to beautiful Isola Bella from Taormina is to take the cable car (Taormina Mazzaro Funivia) from Taormina town down to Mazzaro beach. From the foot of the cable car, turn right onto the road and you can walk 3 minutes up a very small hill.

Once you reach the crest of the hill you will come within view of the stunning Isola Bella Beach. There are a number of small cafes, shops, ATM, and restaurants just before you descend the stairs to this amazing Taormina beach. 

Access to the island is best done in the early morning when the tide has retreated. Bring sea shoes as the stones can be very slippery and uncomfortable barefoot.

The island of Isola Bella was once a private island that fell into disrepair in the early 20th century. Saved in the late 1980s by the Department of Cultural Heritage, it’s now possible to visit the island and the former home for €4. 

Are there sandy beaches in Taormina?

The beaches in Taormina are not sandy. Mazzaro Beach and Isola Bella Beach are rocky beaches that require sea shoes to access the water. Mazzaro Beach has small pebbles and it’s easier to get into the water without sea shoes. 

Where can you swim in Taormina?

Swimming is possible at Mazzaro Beach and Isola Bella Beach. Pay attention to the flags that will indicate whether swimming is permitted and if there is a lifeguard on duty. 

Nearby Taormina Beaches

There are several beaches near Taormina that are easy to access if you have a rental car or don’t mind paying for a taxi.

You’ll find several beach clubs between Spisone and Letojanni. You can also take the cable car from Taormina to Mazzaro Beach and walk for 1.5km to reach the beaches. The views are staggeringly beautiful. 

In the opposite direction towards Giardini Naxos, the sandy beaches are very popular with families. Its close proximity at only 5km from Taormina gives a lot of options for visitors seeking fine sand and its marine park makes Giardini Naxos a popular place to be based.

Getting to Taormina Beach

Cable Car to Taormina Beach

The easiest and cheapest way to get to Taormina beach is by cable car. The cable car (Mazzaro Taormina Funivia) operates every 15 minutes and takes around 4 minutes to reach either the beaches in Taormina or the town.

During my visit in June 2023, the cable car was operating until 1 AM each night, but do check the timetable in case times have changed. 

Do be warned that if you have a fear of heights or suffer from vertigo then you should probably skip this experience. 

Taxis to Taormina Beach

Taxis in Taormina appear to operate on a flat rate of €15 to go anywhere in the vicinity. We traveled 2 minutes with suitcases from Taormina Train Station to our hotel and were charged €15. Always make sure to ask the price before you get into the taxi so you don’t end up with a large and nasty bill. 

Bus to Taormina Beach

If traveling by cable car or taxi doesn’t sound appealing to you, consider the local bus that takes 10 minutes from Taormina Bus Terminal to Isola Bella. Departing every hour, you can take the InterBus for €1.90 each way to the beaches of Taormina. Check the local bus timetable for a more detailed and up-to-date version. 

The Etna bus operator also has a hop on – hop off service that tours the area and local sights, which also has stops in Mazzaro beach. If you are visiting the town on a short visit and want to hit all the tourist attractions, this is a great option to explore the area. 

Parking at Taormina Beach

There is a large parking lot at the base of the cable car. There is also an underground car park too. If you are fortunate you may even find parking on the side of the road, but the easiest thing to do is to park your car in the Mazzaro Parking Lot.

Arriving as early as possible will guarantee a space during the high season, otherwise, you may end up driving up the mountain to the numerous parking lots around Taormina town. 

Meet Missy…

Missy spent the first 2 decades of her life living in her native Dublin, Ireland. Before a life living overseas called to her, and she spent the next decade living in China, Laos & Belgium. She now splits her time in Antwerp, Belgium, and wherever the sun is currently shining. You can follow Missy’s real-time travels on her Instagram.