Corso Umberto

Corso Umberto I, Taormina’s principal thoroughfare, runs between Porta Messina and Porta Catania. Dedicated to Umberto I, king of Italy from 1878 to 1900, it follows the line of the ancient Via Valeria, which once connected Messina with Catania before descending towards the sea.

Shopping here is inseparable from the town’s architectural character. Buildings and facilities reflect successive Arabic, Norman, Gothic and Baroque influences, while piazzas, centuries-old palazzi and discreet courtyards lend the promenade an intimate, elegant atmosphere.

Luxury fashion houses, local artisans and historic ateliers sit alongside one another. Among the most distinctive purchases are hand-painted ceramics from Caltagirone, Santo Stefano and Taormina, as well as traditional marionettes, handcrafted wooden objects, textiles and embroidery rooted in Sicilian traditions.

Jewellery and decorative pieces often draw on the island’s materials and craft traditions, including coral, lava and silver. Sicilian puppets and lava-stone sculptures add a more characterful dimension to the selection, extending beyond fashion into objects with a strong sense of place.

Taormina’s food shops and wine boutiques offer another reason to linger. Their shelves include Sicilian wines such as Etna Rosso and Nero d’Avola, alongside artisanal jams, pistachio cream, Modica chocolate, olive oils, capers from Salina, regional sea salt, limoncello, amaro and flavoured liqueurs.