Messina Private excursion Taormina and Castelmola
Description
The tour departs from the cruise terminal towards Castelmola (approximately 45 minutes by road). Castelmola is a small village on the top of Taormina with a wonderful view of Mount Etna. After about an hour we move to Taormina, one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, reachable only on foot and full of shops and restaurants. After about 2 or 3 hours we return to Messina, but not before a nice panoramic tour of Isola Bella. As a last stop, we will visit the Sanctuary of Christ the King, a panoramic point over the Strait of Messina, and the Duomo cathedral, where you can admire the largest astronomical clock in Europe. The timetable is designed to make the most of your time in Sicily and to be perfectly on time with the cruise ship.
Tour Options
Itinerary
A small village, rich in Norman and Baroque culture, on the top of Taormina with a wonderful view of Mount Etna.
Taormina is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, characterized by a mix of different cultures. A favorite destination for tourists, it can only be reached on foot and is full of shops and restaurants.
Small sightseeing tour of the city of Messina with a visit to the sanctuary of Christ the King, a panoramic point of the city from which it is possible to see the Strait of Messina from above. Finally we will see the Duomo cathedral with the largest astronomical clock in Europe.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The contact method can be via WhatsApp, telephone or email.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(140)
We had the BEST day! Our guide, Andrea, was absolutely amazing… we loved our time with him. So knowledgeable and he took us to so many great stops. What a beautiful area with exceptional view of Mt. Etna. Can’t recommend this tour enough… and ask for Andrea!!
Our driver and guide met us right at the port exit before the drive to Castelmola. It was a neat little town to explore for a bit. Taormina was even better - lots of fun shopping and restaurants. The views all the way up and down the mountains were amazing. They brought us back to the port well in advance of our back on ship time and we were able to explore the town a little bit.
Our group of 4 met our guide and driver exactly as promised at the cruise port. They were very friendly and helpful and sized up our capabilities for a perfectly planned day of sightseeing. We all felt it was the best way to spend our short stay and see a really nice mix of the landmarks, history, food, and beautiful views of the region. We recommend this tour as we were able to go to areas where the large coaches do not go.
Gennaro was professional, lenient on time, informative, and gave us a fantastic recommendation for dinner. He was also patient with us at Mt. Etna. We also booked him last minute and enjoyed every minute! Highly recommend!
Exceptional day, Paria took us on an exceptional tour, we loved it, magnificent landscape, we recommend it... a must-do and a must-repeat.
We loved the excursion so much ! Thank you Paria for your smile, time to educate ourself on the sicilian culture and fun personnality. Thank you Andrea for driving us as well on difficult tiny roads and on time for the return on the cruise ship. We recommend 😊!
A perfectly customized day for our group! Alberto and his fabulous team were attentive to our needs and adapted the tour for us! As soon as we arrived at the port, they were present! The contact link is easy and reassuring at all times. Visit to Castelmona with its famous Turrisi bar / tasting of almond wine and a delicious typically Italian cannoli!! Then, we headed to Taormina to visit the magnificent garden, the colorful and lively streets, ending in a vineyard where we were received like kings. Wine tasting and delicious meal with local products. A day more than perfect with a guide - PARI, excellent, dynamic, funny, whom we quickly adopted as a friend!!!❤️ Thank you Alberto and your entire team for this fantastic day!!!
A wonderful day where we visited Castelmola, then Taormina, ending with a visit to a private vineyard where we were received like royalty for a tasting. The guide Parisa was dynamic and provided very relevant information, and our driver took us safely to our destination despite the sometimes very narrow roads! Great day, we highly recommend it!!!
We had an amazing experience with Sicily Best Tours and would absolutely recommend them to anyone visiting Sicily! Our driver, Fulvio, and our guide, Mek, were fantastic from start to finish. They met us right at the port in Catania, and the entire booking and communication process beforehand was seamless and easy. Both Fulvio and Mek were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and fun to spend the day with. They shared so much about the area while keeping us entertained the entire time — it honestly felt like touring with friends. We visited Castelmola, Taormina, and Isola Bella Beach, and everything was perfectly paced with enough time to explore and enjoy each stop. One highlight was the delicious cannoli recommendation — such a memorable treat! They helped make our one day in Sicily truly special. We experienced so much without ever feeling rushed, and they had us back to the cruise port with plenty of time to spare. Thank you again, Fulvio and Mek, for such a wonderful day!
What an Amazing Day in Messina, Taormina and Castemola, Sicily in May 2026 with Alberto and Pari. Alberto our driver and Pari our Tour Guide were on-time, picking us up at the Cruise Ship in the Port of Messima. From the booking process on Viator to the actual tour our time was amazing! We toured Taormina, Castemola, and Messina including Viewpoints above Messina, Bar Turissi, lunch at Mamma Rosa, shopping in Toarmina, Castemola town and viewpoints, Messina astronomical clocks, Cathedral Duomo, and so much more. We were not rushed and took the tour on our time. Alberto/Pari managed our time in each location very effectively. Pari made us immediately comfortable and throughout the tour. Communications throughout were highly effective with Pari speaking perfect english. Pari shared information on culture, history, food, and her passions for Sicilly, Cannoli's and Pistachio. It was great to see her engage with not only ourselves, but local shop personnel/owners along the way. Pari really knew this area. She requested input from us on our likes/dislikes and tailored the tour to our specific needs. The van for our tour was in great shape. Alberto was a great driver. We had such a wonderful time that we booked another tour with them on our next May 2026 date in Messina. We just loved our tour! I would highly recommend this tour to anyone; especially cruisers! Stop booking Cruise Ship tours and book private tours with Alberto and Pari! See you shortly Alberto and Pari! Thank You!
