Messina/Sicily--What to do?

[karinad]

This will be our first time in Messina this coming Oct. I've read mixed reviews about going to Mt. Etna, that there's more time spent on the bus getting there. I'm sure that it depends on what tour company you book with, too.

 

What's your favorite things to do in this port and who to tour with? I've read that this is a port that you should do a tour in. I'm open to suggestions.

 

Thanks!

[oshmom]

This was one of my favorite stops on our Med cruise last summer. We hired a cab and had them take us to Taromina. It was a wonderful day! Beautiful town with great views. We just wandered and enjoyed the sights.

[CruznRagtop]

This was one of my favorite stops on our Med cruise last summer. We hired a cab and had them take us to Taromina. It was a wonderful day! Beautiful town with great views. We just wandered and enjoyed the sights.

 

Was in Taormina in 2000 and it was so memorable I'm looking forward to following your recommendation in October! Have visited many ports of call in the last 15 years, but am looking very forward to returning to Taormina.

[karinad]

Does anyone think that Mt. Etna is worth the time on the bus?

[marazul]

Does anyone think that Mt. Etna is worth the time on the bus?

 

Driving time is almost 1.5 hours. Yes, the volcano is really interesting, but on a half-day tour you may or may not feel you had enough time there before turning back. Instead of doing just a half-day tour to Mt Etna you could consider a Mt Etna and Taormina full-day tour. That would be an afternoon very well spent and it would break up your return trip. IMO, it would be a shame to be in the area and not go to Taormina.

[karinad]

Driving time is almost 1.5 hours. Yes, the volcano is really interesting, but on a half-day tour you may or may not feel you had enough time there before turning back. Instead of doing just a half-day tour to Mt Etna you could consider a Mt Etna and Taormina full-day tour. That would be an afternoon very well spent and it would break up your return trip. IMO, it would be a shame to be in the area and not go to Taormina.

 

Yes, for sure we want to do Taormina. Maybe we'd be better off just taking a taxi into the town. Is there a ho ho bus there?

[marazul]

Yes, for sure we want to do Taormina. Maybe we'd be better off just taking a taxi into the town. Is there a ho ho bus there?

 

Taormina is small. The area visited by tourists is a pedestrian area. No ho ho buses.

[Cindy]

We'll be there next April. We chose a tour that visits the "unknown" Sicilian villages of Savoca (think The Godfather), Forza D'Agro, and Castelmola as well as Taormina. I didn't know anything about them before I started researching, but the pictures are stunning. Sicily is breathtakingly beautiful.

[karinad]

We'll be there next April. We chose a tour that visits the "unknown" Sicilian villages of Savoca (think The Godfather), Forza D'Agro, and Castelmola as well as Taormina. I didn't know anything about them before I started researching, but the pictures are stunning. Sicily is breathtakingly beautiful.

 

I've seen tours listed that are called "The Godfather Tour". I do love seeing small, old towns. Maybe that would be a better choice for us. I guess I should watch the Godfather series again and brush up on my "places" so we could recognize them when we see them. I love seeing stuff on t.v that are places where we've been.

[CruznRagtop]

I've seen tours listed that are called "The Godfather Tour". I do love seeing small, old towns. Maybe that would be a better choice for us. I guess I should watch the Godfather series again and brush up on my "places" so we could recognize them when we see them. I love seeing stuff on t.v that are places where we've been.

 

I believe you will not be disappointed if you were to take "The Godfather Tour." There may be others who would disagree saying such a tour is "for tourists only" or something similar, but you definitely would have, in my opinion, an interesting ride (sweeping vistas, gorgeous scenery) and walks (back in time) on "The Godfather Tour."

 

If you haven't visited Sicily before, I believe you will want to visit again--no matter what tour you take!

[Fozwald]

We are on Westerdam in August and our ship doesnt arrive into Messina until 1.00pm ..... and departs at 10.00pm.

Accordingly, it would be too late to do a haf day tour by the time we disembark ..... therefore we are thinking best to spend our day around Messina.

Would appreciate what others suggest we do for the afternoon. Is there a HOHO bus?

[Cindy]

We are on Westerdam in August and our ship doesnt arrive into Messina until 1.00pm ..... and departs at 10.00pm.

Accordingly, it would be too late to do a haf day tour by the time we disembark ..... therefore we are thinking best to spend our day around Messina.

Would appreciate what others suggest we do for the afternoon. Is there a HOHO bus?

 

 

I'm on the Westerdam next month with a 1:00 arrival, and we've booked a half day tour. Most of the tour operators will work with the ships' schedules.

 

 

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[maryann ns]

We are in Sicily now on our own. We loved Taormina. Be sure to see the Roman Theatre.

 

We took a full day jeep tour to Mt. Etna. This was with Legendary Sicily and was fantastic.

 

We went to the towns in the Godfather tour on our own - meeting at least two tour busses in each town. Savona was pleasant but I would choose Taormina.

[karinad]

I'm the OP from last August and happy to say that we did do The Godfather Tour. I think we did it with Italy Tour Sharing. They first took us to where the scenes from the Godfather was filmed. It was a quiet area that we spent about 45 mins. there and then we went to Taormina and walked the streets on our own going in and out of the stores and taking pictures. It's a nice place to explore on your own and naturally, never enough time when on a tour! We were lucky to have beautiful weather throughout the cruise last October. I'd love to go back this yr again if we find a good price. We were on the Celebrity Equinox.

[llan1957]

I have used Tripadvisor loads of info on Messina / Sicily, Vagabond is the local expert and plenty of links for buses / trains and local tour operators.

We are on a Cruise in November and just had our port of call changed from Catania to Messina and within a few mins i found a DIY walking tour of Messina.