Page 280 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

Piazza Duomo

Duomo daily 8.30am–8pm
Taormina’s intimate Piazza Duomo, set on a quirky slant, makes it very clear just
how small-scale Taormina was until fairly recently. Entered via an arch in the

clocktower, and with a pretty seventeenth-century fountain in its centre, the square
contains the battlemented Duomo, originally built in the thirteenth century, though
much restored since. The interior is simple – the pink marble columns along the nave
are thought to have come from the Greek theatre, while the beamed wooden ceiling is
decorated with Arab-Gothic motifs.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: TAORMINA

By train One of Italy’s most attractive stations, in Sicilian-Gothic style with Art
Nouveau decoration, Taormina-Giardini train station is way below town, on the
water’s edge. To get up to town, you either need to take a taxi (around €15) or catch

one of the Interbus buses leaving once or twice hourly (fewer on Sun) from outside the
station; buy your ticket from the driver.

Destinations Castiglione di Sicilia (6 daily Mon–Sat; 45min–1hr 10min); Catania (1–
2 hourly; 45min–1hr); Francavilla di Sicilia (8 daily Mon–Sat, 1 daily Sun; 30–
55min); Gole dell’Alcantara (9 daily Mon–Sat, 1 daily Sun; 35–50min); Messina (1–2
hourly; 40min–1hr); Randazzo (4–5 daily Mon–Sat, 1 daily Sun; 55min–1hr 40min);

Siracusa (4–7 daily; 2hr–2hr 30min).

By bus Most buses stop in Taormina’s bus station on Via Luigi Pirandello. Buses to
the Alcantara and Randazzo leave from outside the train station, while local bus
services depart hourly from Piazza San Pancrazio up to Madonna della Rocca (for the
castle) and Castelmola, and down to the beach at Spisone/Letojanni.

Destinations Castelmola (hourly Mon–Sat, 9 daily Sun; 15min); Castiglione di Sicilia
(2 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 20min); Catania (1–2 hourly Mon–Sat, 12 daily Sun; 1hr
10min–1hr 50min); Catania airport (15 daily Mon–Sat, 11 daily Sun; 1hr 25min);
Forza d’Agrò (2 daily; 40min); Francavilla di Sicilia (3 daily Mon–Sat, 1 daily Sun;
1hr); Giardini-Naxos (1–2 hourly Mon–Sat, every 1–2hr Sun; 15min); Gole
dell’Alcantara (4 daily Mon–Sat, 1 daily Sun; 1hr); Messina (6–7 daily Mon–Sat, 2
daily Sun; 55min–1hr 45min); Santa Teresa di Riva (8–9 daily Mon–Sat, 3 daily Sun;
35min).

GETTING AROUND

Taxis There are ranks at the train station ( 0942 51 150), at Porta Catania ( 0942

628 090), in Piazza San Pancrazio and in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele ( 0942 23 000).