Isola Bella in Taormina: The Most Picturesque Place in Sicily

Affiliate Disclaimer: Please note that some links found in our posts are affiliate links. Should you choose to purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Discover the best places to take photos, where to stay and how to get to the famous island of Isola Bella in Taormina!

The captivating Isola Bella in Taormina has been a dreamy destination for decades. Isola Bella is half peninsula and half island, merely connected by a narrow strip of land that at times is submerged. The miniature island itself holds an interesting past and is home to a regional museum.

Additionally, it is part of a nature reserve, which means the island is left undisturbed and surrounded by two perfect half-moon bay beaches.

Isola Bella’s scenery is picture-perfect and one of the most astonishing locations, not only on the island of Sicily but in Italy. In this brief guide, find out everything you must know before visiting the gem of Taormina.

Essentials for Visiting Isola Bella in Taormina

📍The closest place to stay near Isola Bella is in the hillside town of Taormina. However, the neighboring coastal town of Naxos is just as close and likely to be slightly cheaper.

🛌 Find a place to stay in Taormina

🛫 If you are flying to Sicily, book a flight to Catania, which is the nearest international airport to Isola Bella.

🚶🏻‍♂️ It is possible to walk all the way down to Isola Bella from Taormina, but it’s not recommended to walk back up unless you’re prepared to climb a ton of stairs. The easiest method to visit Isola Bella from Taormina is by taking the 2-minute long cable car ride.

⛱ As long as you aren’t renting a beach umbrella or lounge chairs from a lido (beach club), visiting the Isola Bella beach is 100% free for visitors.

⛵️ For an experience that’s more than just a trip to the beach, book a boat tour of Isola Bella.

Where Is Isola Bella?

Its name isn’t very distinctive, which could lead to confusion in even finding the right Isola Bella to begin with. The Isola Bella we reference in this guide is located along the Ionian Sea coast, beneath the town of Taormina. The charming Taormina is situated on the east coast of Sicily.

Sicily is not only the largest island in Italy, it’s an entirely independent region. Isola Bella sits on the edge of the Metropolitan City of Messina’s municipal lines and in the shadows of the temperamental Mount Etna volcano.

Isola Bella, Taormina in History

The enchanting island of Isola Bella consists of a past with multiple owners throughout its history. Originally donated to Taormina’s mayor by Ferdinand I of Bourbon (the King of the Two Sicilies) in the early 1800s, it later underwent its first exchange of hands to Florence Trevelyan in 1890.

Lady Florence Trevelyan was a wealthy noblewoman from England and even a relative of Queen Victoria. Unfortunate circumstances (that are still blurry to this day) caused Florence to be exiled from the court, which landed her in Taormina.

Being the wildlife preservationist she was, Lady Trevelyan ordered in her will that the property remains in its natural state and unharmed, even after her death.

In the 1950s, a business family from Messina by the name of Bosurgi purchased Isola Bella. Their reign of the property unfortunately came to a halt when their business failed and declared bankruptcy.

Isola Bella was doomed to a brief state of abandonment and damages caused by looters in the 1980s.

In 1990, Isola Bella was finally placed into better hands during the sale to the Department of Cultural Heritage. Since 2011, it has been a Regional Naturalistic Museum with recent restorations in 2023. The environmental department of the University of Catania is currently managing Isola Bella with the love and respect it has deserved this entire time.

🧳 Read More: How to Get to Sicily From Rome

Know Before You Go to Isola Bella

Visiting the Regional Museum of Isola Bella (Museo Naturalistico regionale di Isolabella)

The actual Isola Bella island, including the historic house and museum which sits on it, has been closed for many years. In June of 2023, it reopened to tourists after much-needed renovations. The island is now officially open every day for visitors from 9am to one hour before sunset. There is a gate at the very beginning of the island, and entry tickets cost €4 per adult.

Access to the Isola Bella public beach is free. Do not allow anyone to request payment for just visiting the beach.

There’s No Sand or Shade

There are no sandy beaches surrounding Isola Bella. Whichever side you visit, expect to sit on a mixture of pebbles, both small and large. Most Italians are well-versed in this and often travel to the beach with some variation of a yoga mat, inflatable mattress, or float to lay on.

A fluffy towel or even a beach chair will also suffice.

Additionally, there is no natural shade provided by trees on the actual beach areas. There are umbrella rentals at the nearby beach clubs. However, if you’re visiting the free public beach, you need to bring your own umbrella or prepare to endure the sun.

🏖 Read More: Best Beaches in East Sicily

No Facilities

Although Isola Bella is one of the top reasons for visiting the already famed town of Taormina, the beach remains humble. The public beach doesn’t have any facilities, including bathrooms or changing rooms.

The nearest restrooms can be used at Mendolia Beach Club, who may or may not let you use the bathroom without being a customer. As far as changing rooms go, do as the Europeans do and change clothing under a towel.

How to Visit Isola Bella

Flying to the Closest Airport Near Taormina, Sicily

Sicily has four international airport which is an impressive number for just one island. To visit Taormina by flying, tourists will likely choose the airport in Catania to fly into.

The Vincenzo Bellini Catania Airport is less than 70 km away from Taormina and takes less than one hour by car to reach. Comiso Pio La Torre is the second closest international airport to Taormina and is located in the southern part of Sicily, nearly two hours away.

Can You Walk From Taormina to the Beach?

If you’re up for the walk, the best way to get to Isola Bella from Taormina is by following the pedestrian path. The walking route from Taormina begins at Belvedere di Via Pirandello where you’ll access the stairs, just below L’Oblò Cafè. As you follow these stairs, you’ll continue towards Sentiero Taormina Isola Bella.

From here, prepare for more stairs that lead to the exit here in Mazzarò. There are signs which you can follow whenever in doubt.

Walking down to Isola Bella from Taormina isn’t too difficult and should take around 30 minutes. However, trekking back up is some serious business and quite the workout.

Consider walking down to Isola Bella and choosing an alternative method to get back up to Taormina. Nobody’s judging you!

How to Get to Isola Bella From Taormina: Walking Route

Taking a Bus to Isola Bella From Taormina

The bus service from Taormina to Isola Bella takes 5 minutes and leaves multiple times per day with added journeys during peak season. From Taormina, you’ll want to catch the Interbus at Taormina Via Pirandello Terminal (location here) and towards ISOLABELLA MAZZARO (location here). The short ride costs less than €2 one-way.

You must purchase bus tickets before boarding. Tickets for Interbus are sold at tabaccheria storefronts, directly with Interbus, or online with Busbud. Most recent timetables can be referenced on the Interbus website directly.

Visiting Isola Bella by bus from somewhere else in Sicily? Interbus has wide coverage – check their routes and timetables here.

Taking a Train to Isola Bella

As if Isola Bella wasn’t picturesque enough, it also features a railway which runs in parallel with Taormina’s rugged coastline. Although it’s not possible to take a train and get off directly in front of Isola Bella, you can still ride the rail from nearly anywhere in Sicily and get off in the town next to Taormina.

The nearest train station to Isola Bella is Taormina-Giardini, about 2km south.

The possibilities of train travel to Isola Bella are abundant. From the major city of Catania, you can take the train to Taormina-Giardini in just 35 minutes without any stops. In less than 5 hours, you can reach Taormina-Giardini station from Palermo, all the way on the other side of Sicily.

From the Taormina-Giardini station, you can need to catch a bus (towards Taormina Via Nazionale) to complete the journey to Isola Bella. During the summer, buses are frequent from train stations to meet the number of tourists headed toward Taormina.

Driving to and Parking at Isola Bella

Driving to Isola Bella is one thing, but parking is a whole other piece of the puzzle. Essentially, there is only one primary parking lot near Isola Bella. It’s located here, above Mazzarò Beach. It is a combination of covered parking and uncovered spots, which is ideal for larger or taller vehicles. Given it’s a tourist destination, expect prices to be anything but local and around €2/hr.

This same parking lot is a good solution not only for visiting Isola Bella but also for leaving your car before taking the cable car up to Taormina.

Street parking is virtually impossible to find during normal hours near Isola Bella or Taormina. Although it shouldn’t be your first plan of attack, you may get lucky.

Street parking indicators to follow in Italy are quite simple: blue lines are paid, white lines are free, and yellow lines are off-limits.

It’s not clear whether this is an official or unofficial parking lot, but at the time of our visit, it was not gated or roped off and had zero signs. The best part is, it’s a free parking lot.

The empty lot is located along the walking path (the one with a lot of stairs), which means you’ll still need to walk down the rest of the hill (400 metres) to reach the actual beach.

Isola Bella Cable Car

The Taormina cable car is not only a quick way to reach Isola Bella but also just plain fun. Who doesn’t love a cable car journey? From Taormina, it’s a brief 5-minute walk from the center of town to the departure point of the cable car here. In just two minutes, you arrive at the bottom, and within 300 meters of Isola Bella beach.

The cable car from Taormina costs €3 for a one-way trip or €10 for an entire day pass. It does not require any reservations and travels every 15 minutes.

Isola Bella Beach Clubs

Similar to any coastline in Italy, you’ll find a selection of paid beach clubs, also known as a lido in Italian. The beach clubs near Isola Bella are often changing in name and management, but it’s certain that you’ll always come across a couple of paid clubs in addition to the public beach.

A lido will provide beach loungers and an umbrella for rent, most of the time at a daily rate. You can expect to pay anywhere from €20 – €30 per person, given the popularity of the area.

If you’re set on visiting an Isola Bella beach club, arrive somewhat early so you’re able to score a seat in the front. The location of your rented sunbed can make or break a beach club experience.

If you’re looking at Isola Bella, the paid beach clubs will be situated on the left beach. Mendolia Beach Club and Pizzichella are the most known lidos near Isola Bella; however, any small bar or restaurant can decide to set up their own chairs for rent.

Beach clubs are a lovely way to spend an entire day or a long time at the beach because of the convenience and options of food and drinks. Essentially, you don’t have to bring any gear of your own to the beach and just enjoy being there.

The Best Spot for Pictures of Isola Bella, Taormina

One of the most marvelous things about Isola Bella is the view itself. The way the island sits just offshore but is faintly connected to the mainland creates one of the most magical and distinct scenes.

After visiting the actual beach and swimming at Isola Bella, we may be so bold as to recommend that catching a view of it is better than visiting it.

The town of Taormina sits perched above on the hill so finding an aerial view isn’t particularly difficult but can get tricky to find one that isn’t unobstructed. However, we came across a couple of spots that offer the best views of Isola Bella, in all its glory.

Getting around Taorima by car is challenging, let along making stops to take photos. Therefore, we recommend reaching the best viewpoints of Isola Bella on foot.

Belvedere di Via Pirandello

Located just off the main road which reaches Taormina town. You can access this location by car because there are just a few parking spots (quick parking only). This is an observation deck and offers one of the most panoramic views.

Stairs to Taormina

Instead of following the main road, most pedestrians will opt to take the stairs to Isola Bella, which begin here. Throughout the duration of the hike, you’re rewarded with incredible views and photo opportunities of Isola Bella.

Bar Oasi Isola Bella

This bar has a terrace overlooking Isola Bella without anything blocking the view. It’s by bar the best place to take a photo of Isola Bella with a drink in your hand.

Along the SS 114 Motorway

As weird as it sounds, the motorway tunnel above the beach is hands down the best place to take photos of Isola Bella. The SS 114 runs along the mountainside and below Taormina town. This section is covered and has a dedicated walkway for pedestrians that runs next to it, similar to a skybridge. It is completely safe and blocked off to the cars driving along the motorway. Most people don’t seem to know about it, which makes it that much better! You can access the walkway here.

🌸 Book Now: White Lotus tour of Taormina

Best Hotels Near Isola Bella in Taormina, Sicily

Taormina Panoramic Hotel (Best Views) – CHECK PRICES

UNAHOTELS Capotaormina (Best Waterfront Hotel) – CHECK PRICES

Isola Bella Infinity Suites (Best Honeymoon Suites) – CHECK PRICES

Paradisea Taormina (Best Apartment) – CHECK PRICES

Isola Bella Travel Resources

☔️ TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA or VisitorsCoverage

✈️ FLIGHTS: Skyscanner, CheapOair or Kiwi.com

🚙 CAR RENTALS: Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com

🚊 TRAINS & BUSES: Busbud, Trainline or Omio

🛳 FERRIES: Direct Ferries

🛌 ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com, Agoda or Trivago

☎️ ESIM / CELL PHONE DATA: Airalo

📸 TOURS & ACTIVITIES: GetYourGuide or Viator

---