Taormina Ancient Greek Theatre Fast-Track Tickets with Audio Guide

The Ancient Theatre of Taormina

The Ancient Theatre of Taormina was built by the Greeks in the third century BC, carved into the slope of the hill so that the audience looked out over the sea. In the second century AD the Romans rebuilt and enlarged it, adding the brick stage building whose columns and arches still stand, and later adapted the space for gladiator shows. It is the second-largest ancient theatre in Sicily after the one in Syracuse.

The semicircle of seating measures about 109 metres across, and from the upper rows you understand why the Greeks chose this spot: the stage opens onto the coast, the bay and the snowy cone of Mount Etna. Is the Taormina Greek Theatre worth visiting? For most travellers it is the single most memorable view of the town, and summer concerts are still held here today.

Inside the theatre: stage, stands and the view of Etna

Once inside, follow the audio guide from the entrance corridor to the stands, where you can sit on the ancient seats and look down at the stage. The Roman stage wall, with its brick niches and a few marble columns raised again in modern times, has a large gap in the centre that frames Etna and the Ionian coast like a painting. This is the classic photo of Taormina.

Walk up to the top of the stands and along the terraces for wider views over Giardini Naxos and the cape of Taormina. The audio guide explains how performances worked, how the Romans changed the building and how it was rediscovered by travellers in the eighteenth century. Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours for an unhurried visit, more if you stop for photos at every corner.

Taormina Greek Theatre tickets, opening hours and access

Your fast-track ticket lets you skip the queue at the ticket office, which can be long in high season, and walk straight to the entrance. The theatre generally opens at 9:00 every day, with closing times that change through the year, later in summer and earlier in winter; the last entry is usually shortly before closing, and hours can change on event days.

If you are wondering how to get to the Taormina Greek Theatre, it stands at the end of Via del Teatro Greco, a short walk from Corso Umberto, the main street of the old town. From the coast at Mazzarò you can take the cable car up to the town, and drivers can use the public car parks at the edge of the centre. Bring your own headphones for the audio guide app.

Around the theatre: Corso Umberto and Isola Bella

After your visit, the old town of Taormina is right outside. Corso Umberto runs between two medieval gates past churches, palazzi and shops selling Sicilian ceramics, and opens halfway along onto Piazza IX Aprile, a large terrace with sweeping views of the sea and Etna. The public gardens of the Villa Comunale, a few minutes away, are a shady place to rest.

Below the town lies Isola Bella, a tiny island linked to the beach by a narrow strip of pebbles and now a nature reserve, often called the Pearl of the Ionian Sea. The best time to visit Taormina is spring or autumn, when the weather is mild, and early morning is the quietest time in the theatre itself.