From Isola Bella to the sheltered bay of Mazzarò, and on to Letojanni and Giardini Naxos, each with up-to-date sea conditions so you can choose where to go today.
Taormina looks out over the Ionian Sea from the top of its headland, but below the town, between Capo Sant'Andrea and Capo Taormina, lies a coast of small tucked-away bays: gravel and pebbles, clear water and, at the centre, the islet of Isola Bella joined to the shore by a thin isthmus. You come down from the town by cable car, in a few minutes.
It is a coast open to the east and northeast, so it faces straight out to sea and moves with easterly winds; the more enclosed bays, like Mazzarò, stay the most sheltered. Further south, beyond Capo Schisò, opens the long sandy bay of Giardini Naxos. Below are the most beautiful public beaches, each with today's sea conditions: tap a row to open the full card with waves, wind and water temperature.
Isola Bella and the Taormina bays
The stretch below Taormina is the heart of the coast: small bays of gravel and pebbles, separated by headlands, with the islet of Isola Bella as the symbol. The bay of Mazzarò, more enclosed, is the most sheltered and holds up even on windy days.
The main bay, of fine gravel and small pebbles, between Capo Sant'Andrea and Capo Taormina, right below the cable car. Its enclosed shape makes it the most sheltered in the area: it stays usable even when the wind blows.
To the north: Spisone, Mazzeo and Letojanni
Heading north, beyond Mazzarò, the coast continues with more open gravel and pebble beaches, up to the Letojanni seafront with all its services.
A gravel and pebble beach between Mazzarò and Letojanni, reached by a flight of steps. More open than the bay of Mazzarò, and so more exposed to easterly winds.
Mazzeo is a mixed beach of sand, gravel and pebbles, easy to reach; just beyond, Letojanni offers a long seafront of sand mixed with gravel, with services and a railway station. Convenient and well connected, they are open to the east.
To the south: Giardini Naxos
Beyond Capo Taormina and Capo Schisò opens the bay of Giardini Naxos, with a long seafront and beaches that change their seabed from one area to the next.
The seafront of Giardini Naxos, with fine golden sand in the Schisò area and stretches of dark sand and gravel towards Recanati. The bay is wide and open, so more exposed to winds from the northwest, north and northeast.
When the sea is calm in Taormina and Isola Bella
The coast here is open to the east and northeast, so it moves with the grecale, the levante and the scirocco and calms down with westerly winds, which blow off the land. The practical rule: in the morning the sea is usually flatter, before the breeze picks up; when an easterly wind arrives, head for the bay of Mazzarò, the most enclosed and sheltered in the area, and skip the more open beaches like Spisone or the bay of Giardini Naxos. MareCalmo takes into account each beach's exposure to wind and waves, so you can see at a glance where the sea is calmest today.
Practical tips
- Go early. In the morning the sea is usually calmer, before the easterly breeze picks up, and it is easier to find a spot.
- Use the cable car. To get down from Taormina to Mazzarò and Isola Bella the cable car avoids the traffic and the effort of the descent.
- Water shoes help. Almost all the beaches are gravel and pebbles, with stony seabeds.
- Respect the Isola Bella reserve. The islet is a protected area: follow the signs and the permitted routes.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most beautiful beach in Taormina?
Isola Bella and the bay of Mazzarò are the most famous, but there is no single most beautiful beach: there is the most beautiful one today. With an easterly wind even the most scenic bays turn choppy, while Mazzarò, more enclosed, stays sheltered. That is why it is worth checking the sea conditions before you set off.
How do you get to Isola Bella?
From Taormina you come down to Mazzarò by cable car and then on foot to the beach: the gravel isthmus connects the shore to the islet depending on the tide. The island is a Nature Reserve, so it is worth respecting the protected areas and the signs.
When is the sea calmest?
Usually early in the morning and, with an easterly wind, in the sheltered bay of Mazzarò. The calm sea today page shows you in real time where to find it now.
