Audio Guide: Taormina Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Taormina

In 396 BC, the notorious tyrant Dionysius I of Syracuse instructed his commander Andromachus to establish a settlement at the foot of Mount Etna. This came after Dionysius had destroyed the ancient Greek city of Naxos, leaving its displaced inhabitants in need of a new home. The settlement's original name, Tauromenion, meaning “dwelling on the Taurus,” referred to the nearby mountain ridge.

Perched high above the Ionian Sea, Taormina offered both natural protection and striking beauty. It quickly developed into a thriving community with temples, homes, and public buildings. Its most enduring monument is the Ancient Theatre, built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC and later expanded by the Romans into a grand amphitheater. Today, the theatre stages concerts and performances, set against the breathtaking backdrop of Mount Etna and the sea.

During Roman times, Taormina became a favored resort for the elite, prized for its mild climate and sweeping views. Villas and baths dotted the hillsides, transforming the town into a luxurious retreat for Rome’s wealthy classes. Under Byzantine rule from the 6th century, Taormina was heavily fortified and became one of the empire’s last strongholds in Sicily, resisting Arab advances until the 10th century.

When the Arabs eventually took control, they revitalized the region through new agricultural practices-introducing citrus, sugar cane, and sophisticated irrigation systems-and re-established trade links that connected the town to the broader Mediterranean world. In the 11th century, the Normans incorporated Taormina into the Kingdom of Sicily, blending Latin, Greek, and Arab influences into the town’s cultural fabric. Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Taormina maintained its reputation as one of Sicily’s jewels, attracting traders, scholars, and travelers alike.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, the town gained renewed fame as a stop on the Grand Tour of Europe-a cultural journey through the continent, particularly Italy, undertaken by young aristocratic men from northern Europe to complete their education and broaden their cultural horizons.

In modern times, Taormina’s reputation as a haven for artists and intellectuals only grew. Celebrated as a cultural sanctuary and the “Shangri-La of Sicily,” it has drawn famous personalities from Oscar Wilde and Greta Garbo to Elizabeth Taylor and Woody Allen. Perched 250 meters above the Ionian Sea, Taormina continues to inspire visitors who gaze from the Ancient Theatre out toward the sparkling waters below.

Despite his reputation as a cruel tyrant, Dionysius I did at least one thing right: he founded Taormina.