Mount Etna, Savoca & Taormina tour from Messina: Godfather sites

Walk the Silvestri craters at high altitude, then hunt Godfather scenes in a medieval village.

A half-day tour from Messina covers Mount Etna's Rifugio Sapienza with a walk around the Silvestri craters, a farm tasting of Sicilian honey and wine, two hours free in Taormina's Corso Umberto I, and the medieval village of Savoca where The Godfather was filmed. The tour includes an air-conditioned van, a live guide in English, Spanish or Italian, and pickup from your hotel. The Cathedral of Messina and its astronomical clock are also on the route. A minimum of four participants is required to confirm the booking.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Mount Etna40m
2. Corso Umberto I2h

Visit Etna, Savoca, Messina and Taormina

• Drive on the highway
• Walk 1.5 hours to Rifugio Sapienza
• Free walk on Silvestri craters
• Break with tasting of Sicilian products
• Visit medieval village of Savoca
• See Bar Vitelli and San Nicolo' church
• Visit Cathedral of Messina
• Free time in Taormina's Corso Umberto
• Shop and explore Greek Theatre area

The experience

If you've just landed in Messina or have a free afternoon, this tour packs three distinct stops into one route without requiring a rental car or separate transport bookings. The van picks you up and heads toward Mount Etna, climbing to Rifugio Sapienza at 2,000 meters where you walk the Silvestri craters on your own. The vantage point is what makes the panoramas work. A short stop at a farm follows, where you taste local honey, olives, wine, limoncello and olive oil with bread before moving on.

Taormina's Corso Umberto I gives you two hours to wander the ancient Greco-Roman street, browse the shops, eat street food, or visit Piazza IX Aprile and its bars. The route also passes the Cathedral of Messina, which holds Europe's largest astronomical clock tower. Then comes Savoca, a medieval village where you'll see Bar Vitelli and the church of San Nicolò: both real locations from The Godfather filming. The guide narrates the route in your chosen language. The van is air-conditioned and includes a water bottle.

Minimum group size is four people to confirm the tour. Theater tickets, museum entries and meals are separate purchases, as are gratuities. The tour runs six to eight hours depending on how you spend your free time in Taormina.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned van throughout the route.
• live guide in your choice of English, Spanish or Italian.
• hotel pickup in Messina.
• water bottle.
• and a farm tasting of Sicilian honey, olives, wine, limoncello and olive oil with bread.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (3 to 95 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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 levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Sicily Best Tour

Is this one for you?Pick this if you have a half-day and want to cover Etna, Taormina, and Godfather filming sites in one loop. You'll travel with other visitors on a set route rather than a private guide, so you move as a group through each stop.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.

Can I book this tour if I'm traveling alone or with just one other person?

The tour requires a minimum of four participants to confirm the booking. If you're a smaller group, you'd need to wait for other bookings to reach that threshold or look for a private option.

What exactly happens at Mount Etna? Do I need hiking boots or special gear?

At Rifugio Sapienza, you walk around the Silvestri craters on your own for about an hour and a half at 2,000 meters elevation. Comfortable walking shoes are enough. No special gear is required, and the walk suits all fitness levels according to the operator.

Is the Godfather bar in Savoca actually open, or just a museum?

Bar Vitelli in Savoca is a working bar where scenes were filmed. You visit it during the tour, though any food or drinks you order there are separate purchases.

How much free time do I get in Taormina, and can I skip it to spend more time elsewhere?

You have two hours of free time in Taormina to shop, eat, or visit sites like the Greek Theatre and Piazza IX Aprile. The itinerary is fixed, so you can't trade that time for another stop.

Does the tour include entry to the Cathedral of Messina or the Greek Theatre?

The tour passes the Cathedral of Messina so you see the astronomical clock tower from outside. Theater and museum entries are not included and cost extra if you choose to visit them.