Type: Art, Culture, Antiquities, Scenic Drive, Walking
Length: 8 / 8.5 Hours
Walking: Medium
Mobility: Folding wheelchair OK, some sites may be inaccessible (advance notice required)
Guide: Licensed Guide
Language: English

Messina Shore Excursion - This is the most popular tour for visitors to Messina. You see the highlights of Messina including the Regional Museum and you visit Taormina's Greek Theater, one of the most popular attractions in Sicily.

After meeting your guide, you drive into Messina's beautiful city center. You start with a short orientation drive through Messina's main street, the Via Garibaldi. You will see the Vittorio Emanuele Theater, the Town Hall, the church of Catalani, the Court and the University. Plus you enjoy a panoramic drive to the Church of Cristo Re where you will stop to enjoy the breathtaking view of Messina and its Straits.

Next you enjoy a walking tour which highlights the Norman Cathedral. The church was originally built in Norman times, but not dedicated to the Virgin Mary until 1197. None of the Norman construction remains today except the general layout and the overall exterior appearance which, after the 1908 earthquake, the architect Valenti reconstructed based on ancient documents. Other highlights include the world's largest Astronomical clock, with its 33,000 gears, the bell tower and the Orion Fountain.

Later this morning you visit the Messina Regional Museum which has preserved precious artistic productions from the city. Its collections include both civic and religious works including many pieces which were saved from buildings destroyed by the catastrophic earthquake in 1908. The exhibits are arranged in chronological order from the 12th to the 18th centuries. You'll see important architectural fragments, mosaics, sculpture and examples of decorative arts.

After your tour of Messina you have a short lunch break (meal not included).

Later you drive along the eastern edge of Sicily, with the sea on one side of you and Mt. Etna looming on the other, until you reach Taormina. The town is located on a hill overlooking the sea and boasts some of the best Sicilian scenery. The city was colonized by the Greeks in 403 BC and became a federated city of the Roman Empire in 34 BC. Today it is one the most chic resorts in Sicily.

A highlight of Taormina is the gorgeous Greek-Roman amphitheater, the second largest in Sicily. It was originally built by the Greeks and then renewed later by the Romans. Today it still boasts near perfect acoustics and is the setting for music, film and dance festivals.

After visiting Taormina, you return to Messina.