From Messina Cruise Terminal: Private Godfather tour + Lunch
Description
Private tour from Messina by comfortable air-conditioned car with a personal local guide to the must-see Sicilian hilltop villages that have become world-known thanks to F.F. Coppola, who filmed his legendary "The Godfather" here - Top Three of the Greatest American Movies. This tour is private - only for your party, nobody else, to ensure the highest standards for our clients. Get the fascinating, friendly and informative insight into the filming process and trivia, learn the real Sicilian mafia story, its structure, rise and development till nowadays, discover the history and culture of the movie locations and Sicily itself, and feel the romantically rustic atmosphere of old Sicily. At the end of the tour you will have a traditional lunch in restaurant. Lunch consists of typical local products: cheeses, salami, ham, sun-dried tomatoes from Taormina, olives, homemade bread, a portion of parmigiana, pasta alla norma, a glass of wine made from Etna vineyards and dessert.
Tour Options
Itinerary
During "The Godfather" tour, starting from your accommodation or Port in Messina, you will walk along the authentic picturesque streets of Savoca and Forza d'Agro remained unchanged since the movie was made, visit ancient churches, famous Bar Vitelli where Michael Corleone asked Apollonia's father her hand in marriage, church where they married, and other movie locations. Later, you will enjoy a traditional lunch, consisting of locally produced cheeses, salami, prosciutto, caponata, parmigiana, olives, extra virgin olive oil and fresh home-made bread and lemon sorbet, while having a with romantic sea view from the terrace.
First stop is Savoca, an unspoilt medieval town that acted as stand-in for Corleone where Michael was hiding out during the "going to the mattresses" time. You will walk to an ancient church of Santa Lucia, where Michael and Apollonia were married kneeling in the doorway. Then follow the same path down the hill that the newlyweds did, and visit another old church dating back to the 13th century. Walking along the fabulous streets of Savoca, on a good day you can also meet some actors - for example a lady who played Apollonia's mother and who still lives in Savoca. Later, optionally you can visit a family-owned restaurant and at a terrace with romantic sea view taste local Sicilian wines with traditional food (locally produced cheeses, salami, prosciutto, caponata, olives, extra virgin olive oil, fresh home-made bread, home made lemon granita - everything is prepared with organic ingredients of local origin - "km0"!).
In Savoca you will visit Bar Vitelli that looks exactly the way it did in the movie, and see the exact spot where Al Pacino informed Apollonia's father that his name was Michael Corleone, and that "there are people who'd pay a lot of money for that information, but then your daughter would lose a father instead of gaining a husband". Here you can take pictures with an authentic Sicilian shotgun "Lupara", see pictures from the movie and a mirror monument for Coppola, enjoy panoramic view of the Mediterranean opening from the square where the wedding ceremony scene was shot, purchase The Godfather souvenirs, and - "leave the gun, take the cannoli" - taste original Sicilian cannoli and lemon granita at Bar Vitelli.
The tour will continue in Forza d'Agro, another stunning hilltop town with a "Godfather" connection. You will walk the abandoned streets ("Where have all men gone?" - "They're dead from vendettas"), explore the historic square and see the pictures from the movie, visit ancient churches, see the piazza where young Vito Andolini (later Vito Corleone) escaped Don Ciccio's men by hiding in a basket on a donkey's back, walk up to see the remains of a 12th century Norman castle, admire delightful panoramic view of the Ionian coastline, and get a flavour of the Sicilian pastoral lifestyle remained unchanged since ancient times.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your private guide will meet you at your accommodation, port or train station in Messina
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- We have private tours, only for your party, however at the beginning of the excursion we will give each guest a mask, protective gloves and hand sanitizer
Reviews(31)
We had a decidedly mixed experience on this tour. Savoca and Forza d’Agro are absolutely spectacular. No fan of the Godfather should miss seeing these gorgeous villages, and even those who aren’t deeply attached to the story can appreciate the timeless beauty, the jaw-dropping views, and the other history of the region. Our guide, to his credit, was extremely knowledgeable about all of that. He knows the movies almost to the frame, as well as much of the behind-the-scenes context. He is born and raised in the area, so can speak thoughtfully about the films’ place in the region’s culture and the controversies they evoke among locals. However, we found our particular guide under-developed and lacking some polish. To begin, he was nearly 30 minutes late to meet us. He had also forgotten his phone, so calls and messages to him went unanswered. We even had trouble reaching the tour operator until we asked Viator for help. When he did show up, because he had forgotten his phone, he didn’t have our name… he was wandering the area with a hand-scrawled sign that said “Godfather Tour,” and luckily we had his cellphone number - that let us validate he was actually the guide we were waiting for. To make amends, he wanted to take us for coffee and pastry at a bakery near his home on the way to Forza d’Agro. While thoughtful, this ended up being somewhat awkward of a detour. Likewise, between Forza d’Agro and Savoca, he wanted to stop home to retrieve his phone. Maybe all this could be overlooked, but he also needs some coaching as a guide. We have taken dozens of tours around the world - through Viator and other services - and this was the first guide we’ve had who was unable to hold a real conversation. Instead, he spoke nonstop, almost without taking a breath, for 20 or 30 minutes at a time over the five hour tour - literally 20 or 30 minutes without anyone else speaking a word. It was great that he knew to take us to the church in Savoca (where Michael married Apollonia) just at noon, when they play Ave Maria in the square. But we actually had to shush the man from talking over this beautiful moment of hearing the music and taking in the view. By the time he drove us back to the port in Messina, we were almost dizzy from his chatter. With his knowledge and sweetness and good cheer, he can surely learn to be a great guide if he learns to engage in some dialogue and sometimes let a moment breathe and speak for itself.
Dear Matthew, Thank you so much for the positive review and for the kind words you used to describe Marco: "He was extremely knowledgeable about all of that. He knows the movies almost to the frame, as well as much of the behind-the-scenes context. He is born and raised in the area, so he can speak thoughtfully about the films' place in the region's culture and the controversies they evoke among locals." As for Marco, unfortunately he forgot his phone at home, and by the time he realized it, he was already on the highway to meet you at the port. This can happen to even the best of people. To be fair, he arrived at the port on time, but he didn't have your phone number, so it was difficult to meet you. I called you 25 minutes after the scheduled time, and you were already with Marco. You affectionately scolded Marco for talking too much. Marco talks about the film's content, the history of Sicily, geology, the culinary and gastronomic history of Sicily, Etna, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, and all the peoples who have visited Sicily in the past. He talks about everything as it should be. As you wrote, he is extremely knowledgeable. He didn't talk about ice hockey or how to change a tire on a car. I'd rather a client tell me that the guide often speaks with content than that the guide is silent because he's poorly prepared. Marco lives in the town where the film took place and asked you for a four-minute break to get his phone at home. What could he have done that was so bad? At the end of your review, you write about Marco: "With his knowledge, kindness, and good humor, he can certainly become an excellent guide." If I may say so, Marco is already an excellent guide. He's a guide who's done over 1,000 Godfather tours. We're not talking about a beginner, and I demand respect for that. He can certainly improve, too, and we're sure he will. Best Regards Pasquale
We had such a great day in Sicily! Omar our tour guide was fantastic. Beautiful coastline, roads and tunnels that cut through the hillsides…the views were breathtaking. We love The Godfather movies so walking through the village of Savoca where the movies were filmed was a blast! 🎥🍿🇮🇹 “I respect those who tell me the truth no matter how hard it is.” — Michael Corleone
Bruno was the best guide ever! His love of Sicily exudes and it shines through. This experience is worth every penny! Thank you Bruno!!!!
A must see authentic Godfather tour. The people of Sicily were amazing. We especially enjoyed Mauricio’s our wonderful driver and guide’s expertise on the godfather & mafia history, the scenic mountain top views of the near distant towns of Taormina, Calabria and Mt Etna. The visit to Bar Vitelli and the church where Michael & Appolina were married was special as the church bells rang and playing to the music of Ave Maria. A most impressive wine and luncheon experience is something we will carry in our hearts back to the USA. To top off our excursion we were taken to a beach bar for a toast of limoncello and granita. Excellent driver, personal and we had a great experience. We recommend asking for Mauricio.
Such an enjoyable day! Marco is a man with a wealth of knowledge about The Godfather and the area. The views were breathtaking! Well worth the money for the day!
Comfortable transportation with good driver. Full day with an excellent guide, Davide. Very knowledgeable about each of the placed visited and their role in history as well as the Godfather trilogy. Lunch was at a family owned restaurant where everything was fresh made and delicious.
Everything was amazing. Marco was the best! We got to see some really cool filming locations from all three movies and enjoyed a private lunch in a family owned restaurant.
From the moment we were picked up and met Marco I knew this was going to be a special day and we were right. Marco took us to all the sites and explained everything along the way. He took us to this amazing restaurant, Sikania, for lunch which was amazing. I highly recommend this tour.
Maurizio was our driver very kind professional and knowledgeable of Sicily. The towns the Godfather was filmed in were so rustic and breathtaking!! We took our time to walk around and take in the history and beauty of these places. The movie history and sites just add to the experience!! Loved everything! Maurizio also setup a private lunch at an authentic Sicilian restaurant SIKANAI, the owner cooked and served us a delicious (the best!) beautiful meal and the view was spectacular. We’re still in awe of this tour.. just ask for Maurizio he’s the best! Just go, see what the Coppola vision was you won’t regret it!
Passion, knowledge and joy. That’s Marco! What an amazing, intimate experience we had on the Godfather tour. He also had perfect photo opportunities for my husband and I. We visited several places from the movie including the iconic church where Michael married Apollonia. He took us to a very local restaurant where we truly had the best lunch and VIEW. on our way back to our cruise port, we stopped at a Food festival and shared huge, delicious Cannoli’s together. Perfecto! If we ever come back to Sicily, which I hope we do, we will definitely see to reconnect with Marco and see more of this beautiful city! Thank you Marco - highly Recommend!
