In May 2016, Debra and I took a 12-day cruise of the eastern Mediterranean. We sailed from the seaport town of Civitavecchia (north of Rome) to Barcelona on the Celebrity Equinox, with port stops in Italy, Greece, and Turkey. Click HERE to read a short introduction about this magical cruise.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Sicily, the last port of call on our cruise.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our day in Sicily, the last port of call on our cruise.
Sicily, Italy (May 29, 2016) – Yesterday was a “sea day” as we cruised from the Greek island of Santorini, our last port of call. And a relaxing day it was, as Debra and I slept in, read novels, listened to music, talked with shipboard friends, had three square meals, and saw a show. It’s a “hard knock life,” I know!
I was on deck before 6 to watch as the captain navigated the Equinox along the coastline of Sicily towards the harbor city of Messina (pop. 235,000). The coast was dotted with homes and other buildings against a backdrop of mountains. The temperature was in the mid-60s and the sky was overcast. However, the forecast was promising – mid-80s and mostly sunny by late morning. Great weather for our day of sightseeing!
I was on deck before 6 to watch as the captain navigated the Equinox along the coastline of Sicily towards the harbor city of Messina (pop. 235,000). The coast was dotted with homes and other buildings against a backdrop of mountains. The temperature was in the mid-60s and the sky was overcast. However, the forecast was promising – mid-80s and mostly sunny by late morning. Great weather for our day of sightseeing!
To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not
to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything!
~ Goethe, German poet
to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything!
~ Goethe, German poet
Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, is often called “the heart of the Mediterranean.” Its proximity to Africa, Europe, and Asia made Sicily strategically important to the trade routes between these continents.
The island is surrounded by three seas – the Mediterranean, Ionian and Tyrrhenian – and separated from mainland Italy by the Strait of Messina. The island sits near the “toe” of Italy’s high-top “boot” – an odd-shaped ball that Italy seems prepared to kick. Messina, the third largest city on Sicily, is located at the northwest corner of the island, across from the toe. No wonder that Messina is often called “the door to Sicily.”
The island is surrounded by three seas – the Mediterranean, Ionian and Tyrrhenian – and separated from mainland Italy by the Strait of Messina. The island sits near the “toe” of Italy’s high-top “boot” – an odd-shaped ball that Italy seems prepared to kick. Messina, the third largest city on Sicily, is located at the northwest corner of the island, across from the toe. No wonder that Messina is often called “the door to Sicily.”
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I booked a private tour through Sicily4you because they offered several tours from Messina, had great reviews on TripAdvisor, and were competitively priced. After Debra and I perused the tours, one stood out: The Godfather Tour, so named because the itinerary included a stop at filming locations for the first Godfather movie. This was the one we booked.
After breakfast, Debra and I went to the Customer Relations’ desk on the Equinox to exchange dollars for euros. As we stood in line, we met Clara and Joe, a couple from Australia. They told us that their tour was cancelled at the last minute, and that they hoped to find another option to sightsee Sicily. Debra and I looked at one another – in only the way that two people married 42 years could – and gave slight nods. With that, we asked Clara and Joe to join us. They were thrilled!
We met Antonella, our guide, and Giuseppe, our driver, soon after we disembarked. Our ride was a new black Mercedes SUV that comfortably seated the six of us. Giuseppe put the car in drive and off we went.
After breakfast, Debra and I went to the Customer Relations’ desk on the Equinox to exchange dollars for euros. As we stood in line, we met Clara and Joe, a couple from Australia. They told us that their tour was cancelled at the last minute, and that they hoped to find another option to sightsee Sicily. Debra and I looked at one another – in only the way that two people married 42 years could – and gave slight nods. With that, we asked Clara and Joe to join us. They were thrilled!
We met Antonella, our guide, and Giuseppe, our driver, soon after we disembarked. Our ride was a new black Mercedes SUV that comfortably seated the six of us. Giuseppe put the car in drive and off we went.
Savoca
We headed south along the east coast of the island on Strada Statale (“State Route”) 114. Many small communities with wonderful sounding names clicked by – Santa Margherita, Ali Terme, Furci Siculo, and others. Giuseppe turned inland just past Santa Teresa di Riva. There, we followed a winding road that climbed through the hills, and soon we arrived at the village of Savoca (pop. 1,700).
Savoca sits on a ridge between two opposing hills. The first historical reference to a settlement there was in the early 12th century – a settlement that grew around the fortress of Pentefur. According to legend, the village was named for the elderberry, a species of flowering plants that were prevalent in this area. Huh? While the elderberry has natural healing properties, it was also used to produce sambuca, an Italian liqueur. In the Sicilian dialect, sambuca is “savucu,” and with a couple of vowel changes, savucu becomes Savoca!
The first thing we noticed when we exited the car was that Savoca had a commanding and breathtaking view of the valley below!
We headed south along the east coast of the island on Strada Statale (“State Route”) 114. Many small communities with wonderful sounding names clicked by – Santa Margherita, Ali Terme, Furci Siculo, and others. Giuseppe turned inland just past Santa Teresa di Riva. There, we followed a winding road that climbed through the hills, and soon we arrived at the village of Savoca (pop. 1,700).
Savoca sits on a ridge between two opposing hills. The first historical reference to a settlement there was in the early 12th century – a settlement that grew around the fortress of Pentefur. According to legend, the village was named for the elderberry, a species of flowering plants that were prevalent in this area. Huh? While the elderberry has natural healing properties, it was also used to produce sambuca, an Italian liqueur. In the Sicilian dialect, sambuca is “savucu,” and with a couple of vowel changes, savucu becomes Savoca!
The first thing we noticed when we exited the car was that Savoca had a commanding and breathtaking view of the valley below!
The village is a tourist mecca, and the tour buses filled with passengers from the Equinox and other cruise ships would soon descend on Savoca. But for now, it was quiet and peaceful, and we pretty much had this lovely village to ourselves.
Antonella led us on a short walk to Bar Vitelli, where several scenes in The Godfather were shot. (Sounds like a terrible pun – “shot” – doesn’t it?!) In the movie, Michael Corleone, who was the youngest son of The Godfather, fled to the village of Corleone, where his family came from, after he shot and killed a corrupt police captain in New York City. In one scene, Michael sat on the patio of Bar Vitelli. There he told Vitelli, the owner, about the beautiful girl he saw in the countryside. Vitelli was incensed! Why? The beautiful girl, Apollonia, was his daughter. Soon, though, Michael was courting Apollonia, and they later married.
Antonella led us on a short walk to Bar Vitelli, where several scenes in The Godfather were shot. (Sounds like a terrible pun – “shot” – doesn’t it?!) In the movie, Michael Corleone, who was the youngest son of The Godfather, fled to the village of Corleone, where his family came from, after he shot and killed a corrupt police captain in New York City. In one scene, Michael sat on the patio of Bar Vitelli. There he told Vitelli, the owner, about the beautiful girl he saw in the countryside. Vitelli was incensed! Why? The beautiful girl, Apollonia, was his daughter. Soon, though, Michael was courting Apollonia, and they later married.
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Inside the bar we saw a lot of movie memorabilia – photos of the actors and actresses, storyboards, and more. Joe and I spotted a couple of rifles used by Michael’s bodyguards – replica rifles, of course. We grabbed and slung the rifles over our shoulders and struck a pose reminiscent of the bodyguards. Do we look as intimidating as they did?!
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Back outside, Debra, Clara, Joe, and I sat on the patio where Michael met Vitelli. That's us at the left!
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“So,” you ask, “why were movie scenes shot in Savoca if the story took place in Corleone?” Francis Ford Coppola thought Corleone, where the movie set was, looked too modern, while Savoca appeared more “old world.”
We went from one film location to another as we walked up a short hill along Via S. Michele. At the top of the hill we arrived at the Church of San Nicolo. Built on a large outcrop of rock, it was used to film the wedding of Apollonia and Michael. Unfortunately, the church wasn’t open, so we only got a view of the outside.
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I loved the Godfather movies – well, maybe not Godfather III – and so it was a real treat to see these movie locations!
Taormina
From Savoca we headed back to the coastal road and then drove south to the town of Taormina (pop. 11,000). Perched on the side of a mountain, Taormina was founded in the 7th century BC by the Greeks and subsequently held by the Romans. The town is known for many things, including an ancient Greek-Roman theater still used today. Debra and I saw A LOT of ruins on this trip, so we skipped the theater in favor of other sightseeing activities.
In “days of yore,” this medieval town was surrounded by high stone walls. There are vestiges of this protective structure, including where Antonelli and Giuseppe dropped us for an hour of free time. There we walked through an arched gate in a section of the ancient wall, and with that, we were inside the Old City. We wandered the narrow, pedestrian-only streets lined with shops, bakeries, and restaurants. And of course, there were churches – many churches, in fact. Debra and I stepped inside two – Chiesa di san Giuseppe, a baroque church that overlooked the town square, and Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a catholic church built in the 17th century.
From Savoca we headed back to the coastal road and then drove south to the town of Taormina (pop. 11,000). Perched on the side of a mountain, Taormina was founded in the 7th century BC by the Greeks and subsequently held by the Romans. The town is known for many things, including an ancient Greek-Roman theater still used today. Debra and I saw A LOT of ruins on this trip, so we skipped the theater in favor of other sightseeing activities.
In “days of yore,” this medieval town was surrounded by high stone walls. There are vestiges of this protective structure, including where Antonelli and Giuseppe dropped us for an hour of free time. There we walked through an arched gate in a section of the ancient wall, and with that, we were inside the Old City. We wandered the narrow, pedestrian-only streets lined with shops, bakeries, and restaurants. And of course, there were churches – many churches, in fact. Debra and I stepped inside two – Chiesa di san Giuseppe, a baroque church that overlooked the town square, and Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, a catholic church built in the 17th century.
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In the plaza we saw a street performer – as a statue, he was not very animated, but he was very good! And there were many vendors who sold those things that tourists “just can’t do without.” While Debra and I did without the tourist kitsch, we did go to a jewelry store where we bought earrings that our daughter Jill asked us to look for.
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It was great fun wandering through the Old City. Yes, it was “touristy,” but this was balanced by many examples of the cultural heritage of this town. As we left, we stopped for a photo op overlooking the coastline and beach. (Clara apparently didn’t get the memo to “look up” when Giuseppe snapped this photo!)
Castelmola
It was midafternoon and we were hungry. When I researched area restaurants ahead of this cruise, I found a great restaurant for us to go to: Gallo Cedrone. Located a few miles further up the hill from Taormina in the village of Castelmola, Gallo Cedone had a spectacular view of towering Mt. Etna, an active volcano about 30 miles to the southwest as the crow flies. Mt. Etna, the highest volcano in Europe (11,000 feet), was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1983. Here was our view of Mt. Etna from the patio of the restaurant.
It was midafternoon and we were hungry. When I researched area restaurants ahead of this cruise, I found a great restaurant for us to go to: Gallo Cedrone. Located a few miles further up the hill from Taormina in the village of Castelmola, Gallo Cedone had a spectacular view of towering Mt. Etna, an active volcano about 30 miles to the southwest as the crow flies. Mt. Etna, the highest volcano in Europe (11,000 feet), was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1983. Here was our view of Mt. Etna from the patio of the restaurant.
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Gallo Cedrone is owned by Ricardo and his mother Mama Maria. Ricardo spoke some English – more than enough for us to have a conversation. However, Mama Maria didn’t speak English – instead, she smiled and gestured a lot! With Antonella as our interpreter, we ordered spaghetti and lasagna, served family style, along with salad and wine. Ricardo and Mama Maria treated us to cannoli for dessert. “Eat, drink, and be merry!”
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All good things must come to end, and so it was with our tour. We said “Arrivederci!” to our new friends Giuseppe and Antonella when they dropped us at the port. Soon after we returned home, I sent Facebook friend requests to them, which both accepted.
The Equinox set sail late afternoon, and as we left port, we passed a gilded-bronze statue of the Madonna atop a tall spire. The statue was a gift from Pope Pius XI in 1934. The Latin inscription on the base, “Vos et ipsam civitatem benedicimus,” comes from a letter sent by the Virgin Mary to the people of Messina in 42 AD. “We bless you and your city.” Terrific sentiment, to be sure!
Tomorrow will be a day at sea as we sail to Barcelona, our debarkation port. Debra and I have had a wonderful time on our cruise. We saw amazing sights, met many interesting people, experienced local culture, and throughout our trip, we were blessed with beautiful weather. While we leave behind the physical locations we were in, we will always have great memories from our first trip to Italy, Greece and Turkey!