Official Information
Official site: https://parconaxostaormina.com
Official tickets: Acquista online
Address: Via del Teatro Greco 40, 98039 Taormina ME, Italy
Map: View on Google Maps
Opening Hours
Generally open daily from morning until late afternoon (exact times vary by season, with last entry typically an hour before closing). The theatre may close early or restrict access to some areas on performance days, check the official website for current hours and scheduled events.
Perched high on a rocky terrace with Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea as a backdrop, the Ancient Theatre of Taormina is one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Built in Hellenistic times and later remodeled by the Romans, it combines massive stone seating with a partly reconstructed stage wall, offering a dramatic sense of how performances once framed the landscape beyond. The cavea, the semicircular seating area, is the second largest in Sicily after Siracusa, but here, the view is arguably unmatched. Visits usually begin with a gentle climb from Taormina’s main street up to the ticket gate; once inside, you pass through vaulted passageways before emerging into the light-filled arena. From the lower tiers you can examine original masonry and remnants of decorative elements, while climbing higher delivers the classic postcard view: curving stone seats, fragments of columns and arches, the rooftops of Taormina below, and Mount Etna rising on the horizon. Informational signs explain the theatre’s evolution from Greek stage to Roman arena and, today, to a modern venue for concerts and film festivals. Because of the exposed position, the site can be hot and bright in summer, bring water, sunscreen, a hat, and shoes with good grip for the worn steps. Early morning and late afternoon are the most pleasant, and photogenic, times to visit. Some evenings, the theatre hosts music and cultural events, which makes for an unforgettable setting but may limit access during the day, so always check the official schedule when planning. Taormina’s compact town centre makes it easy to pair a theatre visit with a stroll on Corso Umberto, a detour to the public gardens, or even a cable-car ride down to the beaches at Mazzarò, turning the archaeological stop into a broad experience of Sicily’s Ionian coast.