Taormina / The verdict
Is Isola Bella worth it?
Yes, if you go early: the walk across the sandbar to the islet and the clear, calm water are what travelers rate, and the islet reserve costs EUR 6. Bring water shoes for the pebbles and expect crowds in high season.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Taormina story
Taormina is Sicily's postcard: a hilltop resort of medieval lanes, a Greek theatre staged against Etna and the sea, and the tiny islet of Isola Bella in the bay below. It has been the island's grand-resort town since the 1800s and still looks it.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Go
Yes, if you go early: the walk across the sandbar to the islet and the clear, calm water are what travelers rate, and the islet reserve costs EUR 6. Bring water shoes for the pebbles and expect crowds in high season.
Go if
- You want a swim in clear, calm water below Taormina
- You can get there early in the day in high season, or outside July and August
- You want to cross the sandbar and walk up the islet reserve
Skip if
- You want a soft sandy beach: this is pebbles, so Giardini Naxos suits sand seekers better
- You can only go at the busiest time of a summer day and dislike crowds
- Long steep stairs are a problem and you will not use the cable car
What it costs
- Isola Bella islet and museum, full ticket: €6 (Open every day 9:00 to 16:00 per the park page). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Isola Bella islet and museum, reduced ticket: €3. Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Funivia Taormina to Mazzaro, single: €8 (Return EUR 15, day pass EUR 20; runs every 15 minutes). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- ASM city bus, single: €2 (Visitor fares: EUR 3 two rides, EUR 3.50 day ticket, EUR 7 three days). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 9 traveler reports (May 2025 to Jun 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 2 were negative.
What people like
- Several reports single out the walk across the sandbar to the islet.
- The water is clear and calm, with a gentle slope that suits children.
- The view of the islet from the Via Pirandello belvedere is the town's best picture of it.
- Lifeguards cover the beach in high season, and restaurants line the shore.
What people complain about
- The beach gets crowded in high season, and the public part is small.
- Pebbles rather than sand make water shoes a must.
- The stairs down are long and steep, and the climb back is hard work in heat and humidity.
- Renting a sunbed is expensive, according to one traveler.
How to do it right
- Take the Mazzaro funivia down (EUR 8 single, EUR 15 return, every 15 minutes) and walk to the beach, or use the long staircase from the Via Pirandello belvedere and plan for a steep climb back.
- Go early in high season: travelers who know the beach say mornings are the only calm time.
- Wear water shoes: the beach and the sandbar are pebbles, not sand.
- Buy the EUR 6 islet ticket on site and check the park's hours (every day 9:00 to 16:00) before you go down.
- Use the free public section of the beach, or rent a lounger at one of the lidos if you want shade.
The trap to avoid
Taking the stairs down on a hot, humid afternoon. One couple turned back after about fifty of the hundreds of steps; take the funivia or go in the cool of the morning.
What to do instead
Why this verdict
Isola Bella stays a go because the reports agree on what makes it special: the narrow pebble sandbar out to the islet and clear, calm water with a gentle slope. Writers who visited call it one of Taormina’s best beaches, a couple on a car-free trip call it one of the places not to miss, and a traveler names the Via Pirandello belvedere above it as the best view in town. Beyond the beach, the islet itself is a nature reserve run by the archaeological park, open every day for a EUR 6 ticket.
The complaints are about conditions, not the place. Most of the beach is taken by paid lidos with a small free section, the shore is pebbles rather than sand, and travelers describe it as crowded in high season, with early morning as the only calm time. One traveler found sunbeds very expensive. Access is the other cost: the staircase from town is long and steep, one traveler puts the climb back at 20 to 30 minutes, and a couple who arrived on a humid September afternoon turned back after fifty steps. The funivia removes most of that effort for EUR 8 each way.
That is why the verdict comes with timing attached. Arrive early, take the funivia, wear water shoes and the postcard holds. Arrive at midday in high season expecting a quiet sandy beach and it will disappoint. Sand seekers do better at Giardini, as forum travelers point out.
Timing and tickets
Cyclone Harry damaged the islet and the beach lidos in January 2026, and the park reopened the site on 20 June after repairs, so check its status after winter storms. The islet is open every day from 9:00 to 16:00 for EUR 6, or EUR 3 reduced. The funivia runs every 15 minutes, EUR 8 single or EUR 15 return, and ASM city buses cost EUR 2 a ride.
Book or check times
Parco archeologico ticket page for the islet and museumOfficial Aditus ticket office, Taormina experiencesASM funivia, Taormina to MazzaroASM urban transport, Sea Line and Linea Verde
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See the reserve from the sea on a guided boat tourpartner site
Questions
Is Isola Bella beach free?
There is a small free public section, while most of the beach is taken by lidos renting loungers and umbrellas. The islet reserve and its museum cost EUR 6, or EUR 3 reduced.
How do you get down to Isola Bella?
Take the Mazzaro funivia from the center (EUR 8 single, EUR 15 return, every 15 minutes) and walk to the beach, or take the long staircase from Via Pirandello. One traveler puts the climb back up at 20 to 30 minutes.
When is Isola Bella least crowded?
Early in the morning. Travelers describe it as packed in high season, and one forum traveler found the public part crowded.
Can you walk to the island?
Yes, across a narrow pebble sandbar when the sea is low, then up a marked path on the islet. Water shoes make the crossing easier.
Was Isola Bella closed in 2026?
Yes. Cyclone Harry damaged the islet and the lidos on 19 to 20 January 2026, and the archaeological park reopened the site on 20 June 2026 after repairs.
Pack for it
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