Minibus Rental Across Italy

Taormina and Etna by Coach

In Taormina the coach climbs the hairpins, parks below the old town and hands the group to a shuttle. On Etna it climbs further. Both days start with knowing where a coach is allowed to stop.

Coach parks, not the old town

The historic centre is a ZTL that tourist coaches can neither drive into nor stop in. They park instead at Lumbi, on the north side (about 40 coach spaces), or at Porta Pasquale, both municipal. For short stops only there is Porta Catania, to the south. The town council set these rules in July 2023.

A shuttle links Lumbi with Piazza San Pancrazio roughly every quarter of an hour; from there Porta Messina and the start of Corso Umberto are close by. Count the shuttle into every pick-up time, in both directions.

Mercedes-Benz 59-seat coach, exterior
Mercedes-Benz 59-seat coach, exterior

On foot in the town

Corso Umberto is pedestrian from Porta Messina to Porta Catania, with Piazza IX Aprile and its view halfway along. The Teatro Antico looks out over Etna and the sea. Isola Bella is reached by the cable car down to Mazzarò and a short walk.

Groups often stay at Giardini Naxos, Mazzarò or Letojanni rather than in the town. Taormina-Giardini station is on the coast below, on the Messina to Catania line.

Airports for groups arriving in Taormina

  • Catania Airport (CTA) — about 65 km by road to Piazza IX Aprile, in the centre of Taormina (about 9 km to the centre of Catania), about 1 h 10 min to Taormina in light traffic (about 15 min to central Catania); longer at peak times and in summer

Coach day trips from Taormina

  • Castelmola — about 5 km, about 10 min
  • Giardini Naxos — about 6 km, about 15 min
  • Gole dell'Alcantara — about 19 km, about 35 min
  • Savoca — about 22 km, about 35 min
  • Etna north side (Piano Provenzana) — about 48 km, about 1 h 10 min
  • Messina — about 50 km, about 55 min
  • Catania (Piazza Duomo) — about 55 km, about 1 h
  • Etna south side (Rifugio Sapienza) — about 56 km, about 1 h 20 min
  • Siracusa (Ortigia) — about 121 km, about 1 h 55 min
  • Noto — about 144 km, about 2 h 15 min
  • Cefalù — about 209 km, about 3 h 15 min

Coach rules in Taormina that shape the day

  • Catania Airport (CTA, Fontanarossa) is about 65 km by road from Piazza IX Aprile (about 1 h 10 min by coach), mostly on the A18 motorway.
  • Taormina-Giardini station is on the coast below the town, on the Messina-Catania line.
  • Tourist coaches may not enter or stop in the limited-traffic zone of the historic centre. They use the municipal coach parks: Lumbi (north side, about 40 coach spaces, open 24 hours) and Porta Pasquale, and Porta Catania (south side) for short stops only. The rules were set by a town council decision of 31 July 2023.
  • From the Lumbi car park a shuttle bus runs about every 15 minutes to Piazza San Pancrazio, near Porta Messina at the start of Corso Umberto. Allow time for the shuttle when planning pick-ups.
  • Etna: coaches reach the Rifugio Sapienza on the south side (above Nicolosi), where the Etna cable car starts, and Piano Provenzana on the north side (above Linguaglossa). The upper slopes and the summit area are open only within the limits set by the mayors' ordinances and civil protection, which change with volcanic activity; above set altitudes, access is only with authorised volcanological or alpine guides. Bring warm clothes and proper shoes even in summer.
  • The road up to Taormina has hairpin bends. The operator plans the route to the coach parks and the coach size.

Etna by coach

On the south side the coach goes up to the Rifugio Sapienza above Nicolosi, at the base of the Etna cable car; the drive from Taormina takes around 1 h 20 min. On the north side, Piano Provenzana above Linguaglossa is closer, at about 1 h 10 min.

Higher up, access depends on volcanic activity. The mayors' ordinances and civil protection set the limits and change them; groups going past set heights need an authorised volcanological or alpine guide. Warm clothes and proper shoes are needed even in summer.

Other days from Taormina

The Gole dell'Alcantara are about 35 minutes away, Savoca about the same and Castelmola about 10 minutes. Catania's Piazza Duomo is about an hour, Ortigia in Siracusa about 1 h 55 min and Noto about 2 h 15 min.

Cefalù is about 3 h 15 min each way, a heavy day at the wheel. With a break due after four and a half hours of driving, it often works better as a stop on a transfer across the island than as a return trip.

Questions organisers ask

What is the nearest airport?

Catania Fontanarossa. From Piazza IX Aprile it is roughly 65 km, mostly on the A18, or about 1 h 10 min by coach.

Can a big coach climb to Taormina?

Yes, as far as the coach parks. The climb has hairpin bends, which the operator takes into account when choosing the route and the coach size.

Can the group walk up to the craters?

Not freely. Above set altitudes, access is only with authorised guides, and the limits change with volcanic activity. The guide confirms what is open on the day.

Other group trips we arrange

Vehicles with a driver