Last Updated on 30 May 2024
Introduction
In this article you will find out what to see in Giardini-Naxos, but first let’s start with a brief introduction. The town lies at the foot of Taormina, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, and is the first Greek colony in Sicily (735 BC). The ancient Greek city was then razed to the ground by the tyrant Dionysius of Syracuse and many inhabitants were enslaved. Some, however, managed to escape and take refuge near Monte Tauro, founding Tauromenion, Taormina.
Tip from Topsecretsicily: In Giardini-Naxos you can book various tours and experiences, such as dolphin watching boat trips, visits to Taormina, horseback riding, day tours to Etna’s craters, and more. On this page you will find all the possible activities.
What to see in Giardini-Naxos
The Archaeological Park of Giardini-Naxos
The archaeological park of Giardini-Naxos is surrounded by nature, between citrus and olive groves, with Etna on one side and the sea on the other. Unfortunately, not much remains of the ancient Greek colony except some ruins, but the spectacle offered by the surrounding nature is really beautiful. Inside the Park also, in a small 18th-century fort, you will find a museum, filled with various ancient Greek artifacts, such as vases, decorations, amphorae, ship remains, and kitchen tools.
The beach with the ancient lava flow
After visiting the park you can relax on the adjacent beach, very nice, sandy and with rocks born from ancient lava flows, where also curious dwarf prickly pears grow. There you will also find two small beaches, where you can go and eat fresh fish. This beach unlike the others in Giardini-Naxos is quite quiet and not very crowded.
The port area and other beaches
The area of the small port, also very close to the park, is one of the things to see in Giardini-Naxos. Here you can stroll along the promenade and breathe the sea breeze. The landscape is very suggestive, in fact you can admire Taormina, the bay of Naxos and its green hills that gently descend towards the sea.
Right in the bay of Naxos there is the most beautiful beach in the country, very wide, sandy and panoramic. Unfortunately, however, it is almost entirely in the hands of the beaches, a small strip of the public beach remains and the place is very crowded. However, you can move to the beaches towards the center of the country, generally quieter and with fewer beaches. These are the main things to see in Giardini-Naxos, for the rest the country is full of restaurants, bars, pubs and discos, so certainly a little paradise for a young audience.
Interactive map of Giardini-Naxos – Points of interest in purple
To locate yourself once in the area, click on the enlarge symbol at the top right of the map
Typical dishes
Giardini-Naxos is part of the province of Messina. Advice on what to eat in the province there find here . Here you find the typical Sicilian dishes .
What to see around Giardini-Naxos
Giardini-Naxos is located in the province of Messina. Here you will find listed the places to visit in Messina and surroundings .