5 Dolphin Watching Tours to Plan a Day Around

1.Giardini Naxos: Dolphin Searching Sunset Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 564 reviews · 3 hours · from $64Our pick

Join Captain Filippo and the Poseidon crew for a three-hour sunset cruise from Giardini Naxos. You will visit the Blue Grotto, Lovers’ Cave, Isola Bella, and *The White Lotus* filming sites, then search for dolphins offshore. Pizza, fruit, prosecco, music, and an optional swim are included.

“Staff were fun and more importantly we got to see dolphins, although they were too quick for me to film. Was a great trip and lovely to see Mount Etna from the boat.”

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2.Giardini Naxos Taormina: Dolphin Watching Sunset Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 276 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $59

Meet your guide at Giardini Naxos and cruise past the Love Cave, Blue Cave, and Isola Bella. You’ll stop to swim, eat Sicilian snacks, and search for dolphins before watching the sun set behind Mount Etna. Guides may include Gianluca, Andrea, Kevin, or Andrei.

“IT WAS AMAZING!! We had a really kind captain, he helped us to find the best view to see the dolphins. We were around the dolphins approximately for 1 hour, the captain and his assistant did their best to always find them but not to scare them. In the beginning the music was a bit loud but the captain’s assistant was also very kind, he gave us champagne and aperol they were really good. We also had local snacks that were delicious and he sometimes told us interesting facts about the spots we stopped. All in all worth every euros, loved the friendliness and the assistance of the staff. We…”

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3.Giardini Naxos: Dolphin Catamaran Sunset Tour with Aperetif

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 218 reviews · 3 hours · from $65

Join a three-hour catamaran cruise from Giardini Naxos to Taormina for dolphin watching with binoculars and a hydrophone, a swim near Isola Bella or Spisone, and a Sicilian aperitif. The crew has worked with The White Lotus and Disney productions. English, Italian, and Spanish guides are available.

“Beautiful views. The captain was funny and welcoming. Had an amazing trip. Night time swim included which was awesome! The aperitifs were so good. 100% recommend.”

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4.Taormina and Giardini Naxos: 2 Hour Dolphin Tour & Grotto

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 63 reviews · 2 hours · from $65

From Giardini Naxos, join Escursioni Pizzichella for a 2-hour boat ride past Isola Bella and the Blue Grotto, then search for free-swimming dolphins before an aperitif at sunset. Guides including Francisco speak Italian and English, though the captain may not always speak English.

“The guide was very friendly and with his full heart into the job. :-) our Kids had really fun! would recommend it!”

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5.2-Hour Dolphin Sunset Tour from Giardini Naxos

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5 reviews · from $46Best value

Set out from Via Schisò in Giardini Naxos at 6 pm for a two-hour sunset cruise around the bay. Expect a small boat, sunset views, and the possibility of dolphin sightings, with arancini and spritz served during the outing. Groups are capped at 10 people.

“An enjoyable experience but not as described. Firstly, the boat looks nothing like the boat on the first review. The boat is basically an upmarket dingy, there isn't much room to manoeuvre so don't get your hopes up for pictures on a deck. We Read more”

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