Catania Trip Overview
Idyllicly perched on a rocky promontory high above the sea, Taormina has been the most popular tourist destination on Sicily for a couple of hundred of years. Beautifully restored mediaeval buildings, breathtaking views around the corner. The ancient theater is without question the most important feature in Taormina, because of its natural setting, with splendid view toward the Calabrian coast, the Ionian coast of Sicily and the spectacular cone of Etna. While in Sicily, Francis Coppola filmed his masterpiece “The Godfather”? If youve seen the movie, you´ll recognize Bar Vitelli, in the tiny village of Savoca, at first glance: it is exactly the same as it was on the silver screen.
Additional Info
Duration: 8 to 9 hours
Starts: Catania, Italy
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Catania Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Catania, Province of Catania, Italy
Idyllicly perched on a rocky promontory high above the sea, Taormina has been the most popular tourist destination on Sicily for a couple of hundred of years. Beautifully restored mediaeval buildings, breathtaking views around the corner. The ancient theater is without question the most important feature in Taormina, because of its natural setting, with splendid view toward the Calabrian coast, the Ionian coast of Sicily and the spectacular cone of Etna. While in Sicily, Francis Coppola filmed his masterpiece “The Godfather”? If youve seen the movie, you´ll recognize Bar Vitelli, in the tiny village of Savoca, at first glance: it is exactly the same as it was on the silver screen.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Ancient Theatre of Taormina, Via del Teatro Greco, 1, 98039, Taormina, Sicily Italy
In the 1800s, after having praised its beauty throughout Europe, mentioning it in his book “Italian Journey”, Taormina became a mandatory stop on the Grand Tour – by the young European aristocracy of time, to enrich their own culture. Perched on a cliff, Taormina was a center for European artists and writers during the early 20th century. Within the city, modernity and ancient ruins are mixed together. A particularly important place is the ancient theater, the Greek Theater, a celebrated and loved ruin of Sicilians. The building is almost intact, it is made of brick, giving evidence that the structure is more Greek than Roman. Today it is still used for theater purposes and performances almost year round, with opera, pop and classical concerts by some of the best artists and performers of the world.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Bar Vitelli, Savoca, Sicily Italy
This tour takes you around Savoca, which, apart from being the filming locations for “The Godfather”, are also, some of the most beautiful villages in Sicily. Savoca was chosen by Francis Ford Coppola to stand in for the less photogenic Corleone when Michael and his two companions are walking in the hills, they see this picturesque village in the distance. The first part of the tour is Savoca, where we will take a brief walk around the historic center and where you can immediately stumble across the first structure left intact from 1972, the Bar Vitelli (Trimarchi Palace), where Michael Corleone asks Mr. Vitelli permission to woo his daughter Apollonia. The second location is the Church of St. Nicholas where the wedding between Apollonia and Michael Corleone was celebrated. Even if this place was not included in the movie, the Capuchin Monastery, with adjoining crypt containing the mummified bodies, is certainly a must-see location.
Duration: 2 hours
