Godfather tour from Messina: Savoca and Forza d'Agro with lunch

Walk the streets where Michael Corleone hid, eat where the wedding was filmed

A private Godfather tour from Messina visits the hilltop villages of Savoca and Forza d'Agro where Coppola filmed the legendary movie, with a personal English-speaking guide, pickup from your hotel or the cruise terminal, and a traditional Sicilian lunch included. The tour runs five to nine hours depending on how long you linger at each stop. A minimum of two people per booking is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Godfather tour and traditional lunch

• Start tour from Messina port or accommodation
• Visit Savoca medieval town and Santa Lucia church
• Walk down hill and visit 13th century church
• Visit Bar Vitelli and see movie locations
• Taste Sicilian cannoli and lemon granita
• Explore Forza d'Agro hilltop town and historic square
• Visit ancient churches and Norman castle remains
• Enjoy panoramic Ionian coastline views
• Have traditional Sicilian lunch with local products

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from your Messina hotel or cruise terminal in a private air-conditioned car. Your guide is a local who speaks English and knows both the film history and the real Sicilian mafia story: its structure, rise and how it developed. You'll drive to Savoca first, an unspoilt medieval town that stood in for Corleone in the movie. Walk the ancient streets unchanged since filming, visit the church of Santa Lucia where Michael and Apollonia knelt in the doorway to marry, and follow the same path down the hill the newlyweds took. On a good day you might meet locals who appeared in the film: like the woman who played Apollonia's mother and still lives there.

Bar Vitelli is the next stop: the exact spot where Al Pacino's Michael told Apollonia's father his name and warned him about the price of that knowledge. The bar looks exactly as it did on screen. You can pose with an authentic Sicilian shotgun called a Lupara, see stills from the movie, and take in the Mediterranean view from the square where the wedding ceremony was shot. Taste original Sicilian cannoli and lemon granita here, or browse Godfather souvenirs. Then the tour moves to Forza d'Agro, another hilltop town with its own Godfather connection: the piazza where young Vito Andolini hid in a basket on a donkey's back to escape Don Ciccio's men. Walk the abandoned streets, explore the historic square, visit ancient churches, and climb to the remains of a 12th-century Norman castle for views of the Ionian coastline.

Lunch happens at a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the sea. The meal consists of locally produced cheeses, salami, prosciutto, caponata, parmigiana, olives, extra virgin olive oil, fresh homemade bread, a glass of wine from Etna vineyards, and lemon sorbet for dessert. Everything is made from organic ingredients sourced within the region: what Sicilians call km0. Your guide returns you to your Messina hotel or the cruise terminal when the day ends.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned car for your party only.
• hotel or cruise terminal pickup and drop-off in Messina.
• personal English-speaking local guide.
• walking tours of Savoca and Forza d'Agro.
• entry to the churches and Bar Vitelli.
• traditional Sicilian lunch with wine and dessert.
• protective masks, gloves and hand sanitizer provided.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (17 and older) · Child (4 to 16 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Prestelli Sicily Tours

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so only your party travels together: no strangers on the bus or waiting for other groups to finish. Choose it if you want the Godfather locations explained by someone who lives there and knows the real history behind the film, or if you're docking in Messina and want a full day that doesn't require arranging your own transport or worrying about timing back to the ship.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 16 years); Infant (under 4).

What exactly happens at Bar Vitelli in Savoca?

Bar Vitelli is the actual location where Michael Corleone revealed his name to Apollonia's father in the film. You can photograph yourself holding a traditional Sicilian shotgun, see original movie stills and a mirror monument to Coppola, enjoy the panoramic Mediterranean view from the square where the wedding scene was shot, and eat authentic cannoli and lemon granita at the same bar.

Can I visit these villages if I'm arriving on a cruise ship in Messina?

Yes. Pickup is included from Messina cruise terminal, and your guide will time the return to match your ship's departure window. The tour runs five to nine hours depending on how long you spend at each location.

What's included in the traditional lunch?

Lunch includes locally produced cheeses, salami, prosciutto, caponata, parmigiana, olives, extra virgin olive oil, fresh homemade bread, a glass of wine from Etna vineyards, and lemon sorbet. All ingredients are organic and sourced locally, and you eat on a terrace with sea views.

Is this tour only for Godfather fans?

The tour centers on Godfather filming locations and mafia history, so interest in the film or Sicilian culture helps. But the villages themselves (Savoca and Forza d'Agro) are medieval hilltop towns with ancient churches, Norman castle ruins, and pastoral landscapes that stand apart from the movie connection.