The mild climate, its panoramic location, its monuments, and lush vegetation have made Taormina an exclusive resort town appreciated throughout the world. The city is nestled on a terrace overlooking the sea and Mount Etna, and its ancient theater at the top of the hill opens up to embrace the Ionian Sea and the verdant panorama of citrus groves. The Greek name for Taormina was Tauromenion, a settlement founded in 358 BC by the surviving inhabitants of nearby Naxos.
It then became an exclusive, high-class place, frequented by artists and prominent figures, actors, and influential people from the world of culture. A picturesque salon full of exclusive hotels and characteristic corners, its fame remains known throughout the world, even though the city now manages to blend exclusive visitors with the more popular ones linked to mass tourism.
Rich in internationally renowned tourist facilities, Taormina is also home to art, with the Cathedral of San Nicolò, the spectacular Greek Amphitheater, venue for important events and shows, the Church of San Giuseppe, the Church of Sant'Agostino, the Porta di Mezzo, the Palazzo Ciampoli, the Palazzo dei Duchi di Santo Stefano, the convent of San Domenico, and the Naumachie. Among the major events are “Taormina Arte” and the Taormina Film Festival.
