Taormina Sunset Dolphin Watching Boat Tour with Snacks

The harbour of Giardini Naxos and Capo Schisò

The tour leaves from the harbour on Via Schisò, at the southern end of the bay of Giardini Naxos, sheltered by the lava headland of Capo Schisò. This black rock was formed by an ancient flow from Mount Etna, and on it Greek colonists founded Naxos in the eighth century BC, the first Greek city in Sicily. The archaeological park beside the harbour still preserves parts of its walls.

If you are wondering how to get to the harbour of Giardini Naxos, it is a short bus or taxi ride down from Taormina, or a walk along the seafront if you stay in the resort. Please arrive 15 minutes before the 15:00 departure to check in, and bring a swimsuit and towel for the swimming stop later in the trip.

Dolphin watching in the Ionian Sea

Once out of the bay, the boat heads into open water where the seabed drops quickly and the currents bring fish close to the coast. These are the feeding grounds of bottlenose dolphins and striped dolphins, which are regularly seen in this part of the Ionian Sea, often in small pods that play in the bow wave. The guide explains how to recognise each species and how they live.

The crew follows responsible whale-watching practice: the boat slows down, keeps its distance and lets the dolphins decide how close to come. Sightings are frequent but never guaranteed, as these are wild animals. The best time for dolphin watching in Taormina is from late spring to early autumn, when the sea is calm and visibility is good.

Isola Bella and the sea caves of Taormina

Turning towards the coast, the boat passes below Taormina, perched on its rocky terrace, and reaches Isola Bella, the small island linked to the beach by a thin strip of pebbles. A nature reserve today, it is covered in Mediterranean plants and is often called the Pearl of the Ionian Sea. Seeing it from the water at the end of the afternoon, when the crowds have left, is a special moment.

Nearby, the cliffs of Capo Sant'Andrea and Capo Taormina are cut by grottoes where the water glows blue and green. The boat approaches the caves when the sea allows, and the guide points out the rock formations. Is Isola Bella worth visiting? From the sea, at this hour, it is one of the most beautiful views on the whole coast.

Swim stop, sunset and Sicilian dinner

In a calm cove the boat stops so you can swim in clear water, with the cliffs above and the seabed visible below. Afterwards, as the sun starts to go down behind the hills and the sky turns gold over the bay of Naxos, the crew serves a Sicilian dinner of rustic specialities, enough for a light evening meal, with soft drinks and water.

On clear evenings the outline of Mount Etna rises behind the coast, sometimes with a plume of smoke from its summit, a sight that makes this sunset cruise in Taormina unforgettable. With music on board and a toilet for comfort, the three hours pass quickly, and the boat returns to the harbour of Giardini Naxos around dusk, depending on the season.