Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Taormina, Sicily
Facts in brief
Official star rating 5
Location The hotel is adjacent to Taormina's ancient Greek theatre
Annual opening 7 March to 1 December
Closest airport Catania Airport
Distance from airport About one hour's drive from Catania Airport
Closest railway station Taormina Giardini Naxos
Distance from railway station About 15-minutes' drive from Taormina Giardini Naxos
Hotel facilities and services
Swimming Pool, Restaurant, Pool restaurant, Piano bar, Pool grill open summer months 1pm to 4pm, Wellness centre, Gym, Sun terrace, Gardens, Complimentary transport service to private beach at sister property Villa Sant'Andrea with free use of umbrella, deckchairs and beach towels, Diving centre on private beach, Babysitting service, Lift, Parking in grounds and garage available (with supplement), Excursions can be arranged to Etna, a local clam farm, Noto and by Ape three-wheeler.
Out and about nearby
Taormina's Greek amphitheatre and public gardens, Mount Etna, Giardini Naxos and the Coast, Agrigento, Messina, Ragusa and Siracusa.
Sports nearby
Watersports, Tennis, Il Picciolo Golf Club (18 holes).
Excellent staff, beautiful hotel & settingMrs A, August 2015
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Classic double room for 7 nights
From about
£1,750
Holiday Code IE230
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Taormina, Sicily
The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo was Taormina's first hotel, which may explain why it is situated in such a privileged position, with the impressive Greek theatre dating from the third century BC on one side and the lovely public gardens on the other. This elegant villa was originally transformed into a hotel in 1873 and has undergone extensive restoration work, during which no expense seems to have been spared to recreate the sumptuous surroundings which made the original hotel a favourite destination of numerous illustrious guests. The hotel was made up of two buildings - the Grand Hotel Timeo and the adjacent Villa Flora. From the mature and luxuriant gardens which surround the property one can enjoy marvellous views over Naxos Bay and across to Mount Etna. The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo's restaurant is bordered by a panoramic terrace, where guests can eat when the weather is fine and which offers the best in Sicilian and Mediterranean cuisine. Other public rooms include a stylish piano bar, literary terrace and several lounges and reading areas decorated in warm, natural colours, all enjoying the same stunning views over the coastline. Bedrooms are richly furnished and well equipped with modern comforts. The Grand Hotel Timeo also offers a complimentary transport service to the nearby private beach at its sister hotel, Villa Sant'Andrea, where umbrellas, deckchairs and towels are provided for guests. This hotel is excellently located for access to the centre of Taormina, just a short walk away.
Room descriptions
Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo has 70 rooms and suites with bath or shower and wc, air-conditioning, television, satellite telephone, minibar and safe.
Excellent staff, beautiful hotel & settingMrs A, August 2015
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Classic double room for 7 nights
From about
£1,750
Holiday Code IE230
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Taormina, Sicily
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo in Sicily, our clients usually fly to Catania airport. From the airport, we recommend a private car transfer which we would include in our holiday price, or we recommend that you use a hire-car for the duration of your holiday, especially if you want to tour the region.
Additional information
Children: Children are welcome at the hotel all year. Children 11 years or younger stay free on B&B basis when sharing a room with 2 adults, avaialble in all of the suites and Gallery Rooms.
Special offers
Call to make your booking and save an extra £50 per adult Call us instead of emailing us when you are thinking of booking a holiday and save an extra £50 per adult (in addition to any special offers that might be available). We want to talk to you to discuss your requirements and a phone call is usually the best way for you to define what you want enabling us to respond more accurately. We want to talk to you and you save an extra £50 per adult.
Excellent staff, beautiful hotel & settingMrs A, August 2015
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Classic double room for 7 nights
From about
£1,750
Holiday Code IE230
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Taormina, Sicily
About Sicily
An Expressions tailor-made holiday in Sicily allows visitors to discover a unique and captivating island. The rich tapestry of Mediterranean history can be witnessed on the southerly island of Sicily, fascinating not only for its amazing blend of cultures including Greek, Arab, Byzantine and Norman and its architectural treasures which reflect these influences but also for its breath-taking scenery of coast, parched mountains and fertile groves of almonds, oranges, lemons and olives. The people are proud and independent, reserved but sincere and helpful. Traditions thrive to an extent that the atmosphere of Sicily is unrecognisable in the context of other parts of Italy further north. The towns and villages are contrasting with picture postcard scenes of mediaeval labyrinthine alleyways adorned by wrought-iron balconies and baskets of flowers or severe dilapidation punctuated by grand Baroque or austere Norman cathedrals and churches. Additionally, there are of course some of the most important sites of the ancient Greek world such as the temples at Agrigento, the theatre at Taormina and numerous relics at Siracusa, reputedly one of the most beautiful cities of the Greek world. High above the island looms Mount Etna, one of the largest volcanoes in the world and an awe-inspiring sight. Off the north coast of Sicily, the beautiful Aeolian Islands offer escape and remoteness, natural scenery and a startling light, a sleepy way of life and romantic isolation. A holiday in Sicily appeals for those who want typical rest and relaxation with cultural activities at hand, and for those who want to be more adventurous and experience more of this captivating island.
Highlights of Sicily
An ascent of Mount Etna, partly by car and then further on foot (guides available) through the luxuriant vegetation which includes oranges and lemons, bougainvillaea and poinsettias and then higher up the groves of walnuts, cherries, almonds, pistachios and vines. Palermo is known for its street markets, especially Vucciria and Ballaro, where traders and hawkers, pickpockets and shoppers converge amongst narrow streets and stalls of wares. See the traditional costumes and dialect of Piana degli Albanesi, where Albanians settled in the 15th Century. Revel in the splendid site of Taormina above the sea with views to Etna. Local crafts include cork, ceramics, honey, embroidery, raffia. Enjoy the calm and remoteness of the Aeolian Islands with their clear waters, beautiful scenery and peaceful way of life. Enjoy the gardens of the Villa Giulia in Palermo and the Public Gardens in Taormina.
Cultural highlights of Sicily
Palermo contains some of the greatest Arab-Norman buildings in existence - San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Palazzo Reale with its striking Cappella Palatina and La Martorana. Monreale outside Palermo is the greatest work of Norman architecture in Sicily and contains beautiful 12th and 13th Century mosaics and cloisters. The Doric temples of the 5th Century BC in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. Cefalu has the `Portrait of a Man` by Antonello da Messina, dating from 1465 in its Museo Mandralisca.
Festivals in Sicily
Many Sicilian local festivals are linked to Saints’ Days. A few of the most well-known festivals generally include Carnival celebrations in Taormina and Acireale. Easter is celebrated especially in Trapani, Marsala and Piana degli Albanesi. Messina celebrates Ferragosto on the 15th August with a firework display over the Straits. The Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore takes place in Agrigento in the first and second weeks of February to celebrate the almond blossom. Taormina Arte is a summer festival of music, cinema, ballet and theatre, held in the Greek theatre. The Palio dei Normanni takes place in Piazza Armeria in August.
Gastronomy in Sicily
The gastronomy of Sicily, like much of the culture of the island, has been heavily influenced by its history. Cuscus is a Sicilian version of couscous, and marzipan features heavily in sweets. Local produce includes citrus fruits, almonds, capers, olives, peppers and fish. Local specialities include Maccheroni con le sarde (pasta with sardines, fennel, raisins, pine nuts and saffron), Pesce spada (grilled sword fish), 'alla Siciliana' with capers, red peppers and herbs. Cassata is a popular dessert made with ricotta, candied fruit and pistachios and Cannoli are almond biscuits stuffed with ricotta. Sicily produces a variety of red and white wines including Corvo di Salaparuta and Etna, Marsala and Malvasia.
