Taormina and Greek Theatre
You will depart from the port of Messina by AC deluxe coach and with your local guide.
You will reach Taormina, a town with a charming medieval character, perched on a natural terrace overlooking the beautiful coastline and Mount Etna.
You will first stop to admire the famous Palazzo Corvaja, a 15th Century Palace. The building is indicative of the architectural style of the period and is adorned with classic double windows. The portal is in Gothic-Catalan style. In 1410 it was the seat of the Sicilian Parliament.
The guide will then lead you to the imposing Theatre.
The ancient Greek theatre in Taormina, is a beautiful example of Greek architecture. Its setting, acoustics, preservation and care of construction is the reminder of the ancient splendor. The monument dates back to the 2nd century BC and these ruins are still used for performances.
Fantastic views overlook the bay of Naxos out to the Calabrian coasts, Mount Etna, and the majestic Castle Mola.
Before returning to the ship, there will be time for some free time in “Corso Umberto”, with its elegant shops, restaurants and cafés.
Messina City Tour
Meet your guide at the port and depart to Messina town centre by AC deluxe coach.
Messina is a busy seaport and a commercial, industrial centre.
Founded by Greek colonists and named Zancle, the city was captured by Anaxilas of Rhegium and renamed Messana. It became involved in several wars, particularly against Syracuse and Carthage, and was taken in 282 B.C. by mercenaries called Mamertines. Messina was then allied with Rome, and it shared the history of the rest of Sicily. The city was conquered by the Arabs in the late 9th century but was liberated by the Normans in 1061. It developed a thriving silk industry which declined in the 18th century. Messina later came under the rule of the Angevins, the Aragonese, and the Spanish Bourbons.
The city suffered a severe plague in 1743 and major earthquakes in 1783 and 1908. The earthquake of December 28, 1908, destroyed 90% of Messina’s buildings, including fine churches and palaces, and cost about 80,000 lives; afterward the city was completely rebuilt in conformity with standards for quake-resistant construction.
This tour will take you to discover the highlights of the city.
You will first visit the Regional Museum. The museum illustrates the development of art and culture in Messina from the 12th to the 18th centuries, with outstanding figures such as the renowned artists Antonello da Messina, Girolamo Alibrandi, Polidoro and Caravaggio.
You will then continue to Piazza Duomo, where you will visit the Norman Cathedral, where Richard the Lionheart worshipped in 1190 en route to a Crusade, was erected during the 12th century Norman dominion and its style resembles that of both the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and the cathedral at Bari.
In the Piazza del Duomo you will also admire the Fontana di Orione with allegoric statues of four rivers.
Taormina and Mount Etna with Lunch
Castelmola & Taormina
Mount Etna 4×4 Expedition
In the Godfather’s Footsteps
Wine Tasting in Sicily
Tindari
Taormina and Wine Tasting
