Taormina is the perfect base from which to discover radically diverse landscapes. A trip to Etna to see Europes highest volcano at a height of over 3,300 meters, is definitely not to be missed. In less than an hour you will arrive at lava-covered areas and discover a place of myth and legend, but also of natures destructive power. A half-hour drive takes you to Catania, the largest city in eastern Sicily. This ancient, medieval, and finally baroque, city has been destroyed many times by natures fury and tenaciously and stubbornly rebuilt. Catania, a cradle of theater and music, is a city to be experienced by day and by night when the sun shines on its baroque palaces, black with lava ash and white with limestone, and when evening comes and the nightspots open and the piazzas fill up with people until the next morning. A drive of an hour and a half takes you to Siracusa, a city with a glorious past, worthy adversary of Athens, Carthage and Rome for domination of the island. Today, Siracusa is one of the most interesting cities in Sicily a cradle of the theater and a splendid monument to the baroque. It is crisscrossed by two legendary rivers: the Ciane and the Ananapo. Siracusas beauty and the mythology of the land have inspired poets and writers from Cicero to d'Annunzio. But Sicily offers other sights that are just as beautiful and charming: The Aeolian Islands, with the famous Panarea, Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples, Piazza Armerina with its Roman mosaics and many more interesting places that we will be happy to tell you about during your stay at the Grand Hotel. Finally, for golf lovers, the Picciolo Golf Club is about 40 minutes from Taormina; here the scenery is truly unusual with Etna in the background. Ten kilometers from the Golf Club is another must-see: the Alcantara Gorges.

Taormina is the principal tourist attraction in Sicily and is easy to reach both by good roads and by rail. It can also be easily reached by air. By car: From Palermo take highway A19 Palermo-Catania and continue on A18 until you reach your destination. From Siracusa take state road 114 to Catania, then take highway A18 until the exit for Taormina. From Agrigento take state road 640 to Caltanisetta, follow hightway A19 to Catania and finally A18 to your destination. From Trapani take A29 in the direction of Palermo, then continue on A19 Palermo-Catania and on A18 to your destination. If you are coming from the Italian mainland follow highway A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria and exit at Villa San Giovanni to take the ferry to Messina. From Messina highway A18 will quickly take you to Taormina. By rail: Taormina is on the Messina-Catania line, with trains traveling frequently in both directions. If you are coming from Palermo or other Sicilian cities, you will have to change trains. From Rome, there are some direct trains to Taormina (via Naples) the trip takes 9-10 hours. For schedules see the website of Trenitalia or call the toll free number: 892021. By air: Catania International Airport (CTA) is located 50 kilometers from Taormina. The airport has connections with all major Italian and European cities, including all the capitals. Grand Hotel offers limousine service to and from Taormina Mare. For those wishing to use public transportation, from the airport the Alibus shuttle offers service to Catania Station every 20 minutes. There is also direct bus service from the airport to Taormina operated by Etna Trasporti.

Join Now Platinum Hotels Newsletter. The Surrounding Area. Welcome to Taormina Mare. Here, between two cliffs, stands the Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace on one of the most beautiful bays in the Mediterranean. With its private beach and exclusive rooms, you will enjoy yourself in an intimate, private atmosphere. No stone is left unturned here to offer our guests every luxury in a top-quality Grand Hotel with traditional Sicilian warmth and hospitality. From the guest suites with private pool, to the wellness center, to the restaurant, to the meeting rooms everything works together to meet your desire to stay in a place like Taormina Mare, where myth, history and scenery come together. Relax and let our discreet and professional guest assistants take care of you; they are available around the clock to make your stay as pleasant as possible and to guarantee you superior service at all times.

A stay in Taormina is not just a seaside vacation. This area, rich in charm and history, must be experienced in a spirit that is outside the ordinary, and for one simple reason: here, everything is extraordinary. Every stone is a thousand-year-old piece of history the glorious sea reflects Taorminas beauty, as it shapes and marks the massage of time, and the places that enchanted the Greeks create to this day a vibrant and exciting ambiance. But trying to describe in words what makes Taormina unique is truly difficult, and perhaps not worth the trouble given its international reputation. We will limit ourselves to letting you know that the Grand Hotel Mazzaro Sea Palace is the perfect complement to this exclusive experience. Imagine the quiet, just you and the sea like an island within an island surrounded by crystal blue water. A private bay, relaxation, the palms caressed by the breeze and the inviting sun shining on all this beauty.

Baia di Mazzaro is one of the most beautiful spots in Taormina Mare. But whats even better is that Grand Hotel Mazzaro is blessed with a private beach, ideal for those who love to vacation close to the sea. Water sports, diving or simply relaxing with a refreshing cocktail served on the beach; these are pleasures that only a Grand Hotel washed by the sea can offer.

The Greeks came to Taormina in 735 B.C. Later, Dionysius the Elder, tyrant of Syracuse, seized the area around Mount Tauro in order to conquer the plain. In 392 B.C., thanks to an agreement with the Carthaginians, Dionysius gained possession of the mountain. Andromachus was chosen to govern the area and he founded the city of Tauromenium. To keep from being attacked, the city subjugated itself to the very powerful Rome in 212 B.C. and became a colony, a resort for consuls and patricians (who had luxurious villas built), and became a cash cow for the Empire. The taxes levied on the city grew increasingly burdensome, holding back the economic development of the territory. The fall of the Roman Empire (476 A.D.) brought the slow and difficult conversion to Byzantine Christianity, and eventually Tauromenium became the seat of the bishop (and remained so until 1082). After the fall of the Empire, Muslims and Christians took turns ruling the city until 962, when the Arabs conquered Tauromenium and renamed it Almoezia. During Arab rule the city went through a period of grandeur: innovations were introduced in agriculture (orange and lemon production, irrigation systems), philosophy, medicine and mathematics. In 1078, the Norman Roger de Hauteville, with the support of the Pope, conquered Almoezia, returning it to the Christians (who enjoyed some freedom even during Arab domination) and restoring the original name. Norman domination also had a positive influence on the city, both from an architectural point of view and a cultural one. After the Normans it was the Swedes turn. During the reign of Frederick II (l194-1250) Taormina enjoyed a brief, but intense, period of prosperity. But the (French) pope did not approve of the Swedes and crowned a fellow Frenchman, Charles d'Anjou, king of Sicily. Taormina, along with other cities on the island, refused to recognize Charles dAnjou as the new king, and continued to support the Swedes. In 1282 hostility to the French exploded in the revolt of the Sicilian Vespers. After almost a century of conflict, Sicily, and therefore Taormina, passed to the Spaniards, and Palazzo Corvaja became the seat of the Sicilian parliament. A centuries-long period of stability followed despite the increasingly burdensome taxes imposed by Spain. Later, from 1713 on, Sicily passed to the control of the house of Savoy, the Austrians and then again to Spain. Spain made a notable contribution to the development of Taormina, executing noteworthy works, such the stretch of road connecting Messina to Catania and one connecting the city to the sea. Spanish domination lasted until August 3, 1860, when the Thousand reached Taormina under the command of Nino Bixio.

 Guest rooms have air conditioning
 Baby chairs and cots are provided
 Luggage storage
 Breakfast may be served in the room
 Rent-a-car service
 Playground for children
 Conference and meeting room
 Credit cards accepted
 Currency exchange service
 Dinner may be served in the room
 Lift
 Facsimile services
 Fitness hall
 Garage places
 Golf course on grounds
 Hairdryer
 Hairdresser's saloon
 Heating
 Access to internet
 Ironing facilities
 Laundry services/washing machine
 Licensed bar
 Fully stocked mini bar
 Parking lot
 Fridge
 Restaurant
 Safe deposit box
 Private/Ensuite bathroom
 Swimming pool
 Phone at reception
 Phones in rooms
 TV sets in rooms
 Patio, summer terrace
 Common room with a TV set