What It Is

The Villa Comunale (also called Parco Duca di Cesarò) is Taormina's historic public garden, opened in 1922 after having been the private property of Florence Trevelyan (1852–1907), an English noblewoman who moved to Taormina following a court scandal.

The park covers ~3 hectares on a balcony overlooking the Bay of Naxos and Etna. Florence Trevelyan, a keen botanist and ornithologist, planted over 200 species here and had a series of Victorian follies built — small decorative buildings shaped like pagodas, cottages and turrets — which remain the park's most recognizable feature.

Why It's Worth Visiting

• Free, right in the centre, with a view identical to Piazza IX Aprile but without the crowds
• Florence Trevelyan's follies: absent in other Italian parks, an Oriental-Victorian mix out of context and, for that very reason, fascinating
• Genuinely kid-friendly: lawns, benches, a playground, room to run. Rare in Taormina.
• Picnic zone: one of the few areas where you can sit on the grass without paying
• Vegetation: palms, ficus, succulents, exotic plants — interesting for anyone who loves botany

Practical Info

• Address: Via Bagnoli Croci, Taormina (main entrance)
• Official Comune hours: every day (holidays included)
  • Summer: 8:00 — 24:00
  • Winter: 8:00 — 20:00
• Ticket: free
• Recommended visit time: 30–60 min (90 min for a picnic with children)
• Accessibility: partially accessible. The main avenue is level and navigable by wheelchair and stroller. Some secondary paths have steps or gravel.
• Public toilets: present in the park. Variable conditions — if you have an alternative, use a bar's toilet before going in
• Drinking fountain: present, potable

When to Go

• Morning (9–11): few people, good light, great for a breakfast picnic
• Late afternoon (17–19 in summer): golden light on Etna, good temperature
• To avoid: no particular time, it's almost always pleasant

Honest Assessment

• The follies are in uneven states of repair. Some are restored, others crumbling. There's no serious signage explaining what you're looking at.
• The park has no structured internal café: there's a drinking fountain, but bring snacks if you stay a while.
• The public toilets are often not in excellent condition. If you have an alternative, use a bar's before going in.
• It's underrated by printed guides: it gets a couple of lines, but it's actually one of the best places to bring children or rest for 30 minutes without spending.

How to Get There

• On foot from Piazza IX Aprile: 5 min on a slight downhill along Via Bagnoli Croci
• From Porta Messina: 7 min
• From Lumbi parking: 12 min on foot
• Car: you can't reach it (ZTL — see the ZTL page)

Itineraries That Include This Stop

• Taormina Essentials — 1 day

Nearby POIs (5–10 min on foot)

• Piazza IX Aprile — 5 min, an equivalent panorama with more people
• Sant'Antonio viewpoint — 8 min, a less crowded panoramic alternative
• Ancient Theatre — 10 min uphill

Related Practical Info

• Parking in Taormina
• How to get to Taormina

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Last verified: 2026-05-31. Sources: Taormina Italia — Villa Comunale · Grandi Giardini Italiani — Parco Trevelyan · Comune di Taormina — schedule notices.