Taormina

This 3rd-century BC Greco-Roman theatre, reworked by the Romans, is Sicily's most spectacular: it opens directly onto Etna and the bay. Leashed dogs are admitted in the outdoor archaeological area (confirm with the Parco Archeologico before visiting). The summer Taormina Arte concerts fill it nightly.

The pedestrian artery that crosses Taormina from Porta Catania to Porta Messina concentrates shops, gelaterie and cafés. An ideal leashed walk, especially in the morning before the crowds or at dusk for the passeggiata.

The "Parco Duca di Cesarò" public gardens, laid out in 1922 by Florence Trevelyan, offer a panorama over Etna and the Ionian Sea. Leashed dogs are welcome on the shaded paths, ideal in summer heat.

"The pearl of the Mediterranean", an islet linked to the shore by a pebble causeway crossable at low tide. A regional nature reserve: leashed dogs are admitted on the causeway and beach outside the bathing season (October to April).

The 5-minute cable car links central Taormina to Mazzarò cove 200 m below. Small dogs in a carrier are admitted; large dogs muzzled and leashed are generally accepted (confirm at the ticket office).

The hilltop village 4 km west of Taormina at 550 m altitude offers a 360° view over Etna and the bay. The walk up (1h30) with a leashed dog is demanding but rewarded by the village lanes and a stop at the Bar Turrisi.