Free WiFi on board the bus!
Free time to explore Taormina, Castelmola, and Savoca on your own!
Enjoy affordable, luxury transportation from your Messina cruise port to explore 3 marvelous towns - Taormina, Castelmola, and Savoca. Once at the destinations, all the time is yours to discover the beauty of Sicily.
Seated spectacularly on the side of a mountain, Taormina is one of Sicily's most popular summer destinations, a chic resort town popular with holidaying high-rollers and those wanting a taste of Sicilian dolce vita. Perched precariously above the community of Taormina on the eastern shores of Sicily is the beautiful medieval village of Castelmola. Ignored by many visitors to Sicily, this quaint mountaintop community offers unparalleled views of Mount Etna, Taormina, the Bay of Giardini Naxos, and the Strait of Messina. Savoca, a quiet and crumbling hill village high above the sea, a world away from the touristy bustle just down the coast, offers a chance to breathe deeply and experience an unspoiled Sicilian hill village. Discover all three of these unique towns!
Upon meeting your professional staff close to your Messina cruise port, you will begin your 1.5-hour journey along the Sicilian coast in the comfort of a luxury, air-conditioned coach bus. Once you arrive in Taormina, the driver will let you know where and when exactly that you will meet up to go to the next stop. Then you will enjoy 2.5 hours of free time to explore this picturesque city by the sea. The Ancient Theater with its spectacular view of Mount Etna and the bay of Naxos, Porta Messina, the northern entrance to the city, lined with small craft shops, antiques shops, small streets, fragrant, and multicolored alleys, the Duomo di San Nicola, built in the thirteenth century, reminiscent of Norman cathedrals, and Park Giovanni Colonna, the public garden of Taormina, which once belonged to the English noblewoman Lady Florence Trevelyan, built in the late nineteenth century on the model of the English garden, are just a few of the sites to explore.
At the appointed time, you will get back on the bus to make the 20-minute winding climb to the village of Castelmola, where you will enjoy capturing the breathtaking panoramic views. In the village itself, there are a number of interesting cafes, shops, churches, restaurants, and narrow alleys to discover. With no traffic inside the center of Castelmola, you can stroll with ease through the historic heart of this ancient community. After about an hour you will hop back on the bus, ready for the scenic, hour ride to Savoca.
A recent restoration program, including the development of an upscale resort, has opened the village to visitors, but a short stroll still passes ancient dwellings and churches along with some amazing rural views. Here, the main attraction is the village's connection with Francis Ford Coppola's film, The Godfather. Scenes for the movie were shot at Bar Vitelli, on the village's little square. A small Movie Museum, catacombs at the Capuchin monastery, and several notable churches are worthy of a visit, but the panoramic perspective encompassing the sea, mountains, steep green valleys, cultivated terraces, sheep, distant hill towns, ruins and far-off Mount Etna, Sicily's giant peak, that all make the climb very worthwhile. Do not forget your camera!
Your departure from Savoca is at 04:00 PM at the designated meeting point. Once on board of the comfort of your luxury transportation, you will return to the Messina where you can return to your Messina cruise terminal or explore on your own if time allows.
Please note: This excursion runs only if there is a cruise on the port! A separate voucher will be emailed to you. You must print the voucher and give it to the local operator in order to do the excursion; do not give them your Shore Excursioneer eticket.
