EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Delight in the medieval character of Taormina while strolling its atmospheric streets and admiring landmarks such the Greek theater from the 2nd century. After departing from the pier, you will have a short panoramic tour of Messina. Continuing along the coast to the south, you will approach Taormina, an ancient city that rises almost perpendicularly from the sea. It's a beautiful setting with an alluring medieval character, as you will discover while navigating its narrow, cobbled streets. As French author Guy de Maupassant wrote of his stay in 1883, "Were a man to pass a single day in Sicily and ask, 'What must one see?' I would answer him without hesitation, Taormina." Among the highlights are the Arabian-influenced Palazzo Corvaja and the ruins of a 2nd-century Greek theater. It sits on a seaside hilltop with a view of Mount Etna that is so inspiring that it can detract from the entertainers that still perform there in the summer. After visiting, you will enjoy free time to wander about the areas that interest you the most. You might take in the views from the fragrant public garden or shop along boutique-lined Corso Umberto. The most popular merchandise includes designer fashions, jewelry and colorful ceramic pine cones, a Sicilian symbol of hospitality.

Your city drive takes you through the main squares and sites of Messina. Stop at Cristo Re Church's viewpoint. Continue your sightseeing along the north coast, with views of Ganzirri Lakes, Messina Strait and Capo Peloro.

Before returning to your ship, you'll stop at Cathedral Square with its astronomical clock tower and have a chance to visit the cathedral and the treasure rooms. Here you can see Golden Manta, of Our Lady of the Letter, among other other historical and artistic works.

Comienza con un breve recorrido guiado por Mesina en tu viaje hacia la encantadora Taormina, un poblado con aire medieval y gran encanto. El imponente Monte Edna a sus espaldas no hace más que resaltar su dramatismo natural. Tu recorrido a pie te permitirá ir por caminos angostos y pasar por el Palazzo Corvaja, camino al impresionante Teatro Griego. Aquí tendrás tiempo de pasear en Corso Umberto, un lugar lleno de calles angostas repletas de tiendas. Camino al Monte Etna, la carretera panorámica rodea la montaña y pasa por aldeas pintorescas. Continue to Cratere Silvestri, situated over 6,000 feet above sea level. Desde este punto de observación podrás admirar las increíbles vistas del golfo de Catania y sus alrededores. Pero, por supuesto, la atracción más importante es el cráter y los restos de los imponentes ríos de lava. Enjoy a lunch in a local restaurant.

Spend a full and delightful day exploring two medieval villages on craggy hills overlooking the sea, each setting with its own personality.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a scenic drive south to Taormina, an ancient city that rises almost perpendicularly from the sea. It's a beautiful setting with an alluring medieval character, as you will discover while strolling its narrow, cobblestone streets.

Among the highlights are the Arabian-influenced Palazzo Corvaja and the ruins of a 2nd-century Greek theater. It sits on a seaside hilltop with a view of Mount Etna that is so inspiring that it can detract from the entertainers that still perform there in the summer.

After visiting, you will enjoy free time to explore on your own, taking in the views from the fragrant public garden or shopping along boutique-lined Corso Umberto. The most popular merchandise includes designer fashions, jewelry and colorful ceramic pine cones, a Sicilian symbol of hospitality.

A bit farther inland and above Taormina, you will find the village of Castelmola, which arguably boasts even better views. Although first fortified in the 9th century, Castelmola was repeatedly attacked and the ruins of the castle that remain are from the 16th century.

Like Taormina, Castelmola is wonderfully atmospheric with cobblestone streets and lovely squares flanked by small shops. Still, it's the breathtaking views that will linger long in your memory. Before returning to the pier, you will enjoy a traditional Sicilian lunch and perhaps a glass of almond-flavored wine, the local specialty.

Nowhere does the antiquity and scenic splendor of Sicily come to life as in Taormina, whose spectacular location overlooks the Ionian Sea and has attracted visitors for more than 20 centuries. Here, bougainvillea is splashed about as if by a painter's brush and dusty olive groves shimmer in the midday sun. Enjoy an orientation drive of Messina before arriving in Taormina, where you'll start your walking tour. You'll walk through the town to the impressive Greek Theater while your guide points out many other interesting sites. Enjoy some free time to wander the shops around Corso Umberto.

Continue towards the slopes of Mt. Etna along the scenic winding road to visit a local vineyard. Here, you'll visit the wine cellars in the company of an expert and best of all, enjoy an assortment of local specialties and of course the local wines.

Enjoy free time in medieval Taormina, and then see the aftermath of Mount Etna’s eruptions by stopping at a hardened lava flow and sampling wines grown in volcanic soil.

After departing from the pier, you will drive through the center of Messina, which will offer a brief but enlightening introduction to this historical city on the northernmost point of Sicily's Ionian coast. To the south lies the medieval village of Taormina, where you will enjoy free time to explore its narrow, cobblestone streets.

History buffs might visit the Arabian-influenced Palazzo Corvaja or the ruins of the 2nd-century Greek theater. It sits on a seaside hilltop with a view of Mount Etna that is so inspiring that it can detract from the entertainers that still perform there. Or you may prefer to shop for designer fashions and exquisite jewelry along boutique-lined Corso Umberto.

Rejoining your coach, you'll travel into the countryside and before long, come upon a hardened wall of lava, the result of Mount Etna's violent eruption in 1992. The lava came dangerously close to several villages, as you will see when pausing for photos.

While lava can be devastating, on the positive side, it contains nutrients that enrich the soil and lend a distinct flavor to the grapes grown in it, as you will discover at an estate wine tasting. You will sample several Etna-certified Sicilian wines that may include a classic red made from local nerello mascalese grapes. Then after browsing the gift shop, you will return to the pier.

After a short sightseeing tour of Messina's Piazza Duomo, you'll continue to Savoca, a village where scenic beauty and historical,artistic heritage make it one of the most attractive, although less-known places in the area. At the entrance to the village you'll make a short stop at 'Bar Vitelli', which houses a collection of local artisans' tools and photographs taken when Francis Ford Coppola shot some scenes for the movie 'The Godfather'. You'll visit the Cappuccini Church and see 37 mummified bodies of friars and noble people who lived there in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Then start a slow walk along the village's main street which climbs up the hill, featuring several churches dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Along your walk you'll also see ruins of a Norman castle and magnificent views. Continue to Forza d'Agro, a charming little village overlooking the Arab-Norman Castle of Capo Sant'Alessio and the coastline towards Messina. In 1990, Al Pacino and Sophia Coppola came here when they filmed some scenes for the movie 'The Godfather III'. From the main square, you'll walk up a lane that leads to the Gothic-Catalan portal in front of the Church of San Agostino and you'll also see the Baroque Mother Church before driving back to the pier.

Europe's largest active volcano and man made works of art are available for you to enjoy this morning. Start with a short orientation drive through Messina, passing by Piazza Duomo with the Cathedral, Corso Cavour and Via Boccetta, as you head to Mount Etna, 62 miles away. Enjoy the views of the coast before reaching the scenic road which winds around the slopes of the mountain, passing the town of Giarre and the villages of Santa Venerina and Zafferana.

Mount Etna, Sicily's greatest natural attraction is also its highest mountain, soaring to over 10,800 feet - a volcano that has been active for over 2,500,000 years. You'll stop at Cratere Silvestri, at about 6,397 feet above sea level. From here you can gaze out across the Catania Gulf and admire the view from this vantage point. But of course the major attraction is the crater and the remnants of the awe inspiring streams of lava.

Head to the town of Giarre, to visit GI VAL's historic jewelry workshop located in an exquisitely decorated mansion set among landscaped gardens. Your gracious hosts will treat you to tasty Sicilian specialties and refreshments before you head down to the workshop to see how expert goldsmiths create unique pieces of jewelry. A visit to the exhibition room allows you time to shop before returning to Messina.

See the now-hardened wall of lava from a volcanic eruption that almost engulfed the town of Zafferana in 1992, and then watch goldsmiths create one-of-a-kind jewelry nearby. After departing from the pier, you will have a short panoramic tour. Then settle in for a relaxing drive that follows the coast until turning inland in the shadow of Mount Etna, Italy's largest active volcano. Its first recorded eruption was in 425 B.C. and the volcano still erupts regularly, although slightly and usually poses little threat. That all changed in 1992, when a huge lava flow endangered the town of Zafferana until being diverted into a makeshift trench that was created with explosives. You will see just how close the molten rock came by visiting its stopping point not even a half-mile from Zafferana. What remains is a hardened wall of lava, where you will pause for photos. You will then visit a jewelry workshop in the fashionable town of Giarre. The setting in an exquisitely decorated mansion will be as inspiring as the jewelry produced in the workshop. After being greeted by your gracious hosts and treated to some tasty Sicilian specialties and refreshments, you'll have the opportunity to watch the expert goldsmiths create unique jewelry, sometimes incorporating lava from Mount Etna into the pieces. Afterwards, you will follow a picturesque route back to the pier.

Before reaching Mt. Etna, you'll enjoy a panoramic drive through Messina. Take in the scenery of the slopes of this magnificent mountain before arriving at Cratere Silvestri. From this vantage point, you'll be able to gaze out across the Catania Gulf. You'll have some free time to enjoy the major attraction - the crater and the remnants of the awe-inspiring streams of lava.

After an orientation drive through Messina, you'll head towards the slopes of Mt. Etna through the scenic countryside and see the impressive views from the vantage point of Cratere Silvestri. Here, you begin your ascent, first by cable car and continuing in 4x4 vans. With the assistance of Alpine guides, you'll walk to see the last lava flow. Lunch will be at a local restaurant on the volcano.

Explore the timeless city of Taormina with approximately two hours on your own to do as you wish. You'll enjoy a scenic transfer along a winding road to Taormina, a town graced with an extraordinary natural setting and an evocative medieval character. You might stroll to the exquisite Palazzo Corvaja, a beautifully ornate building whose construction began in the 15th century and which bears Arabic, Norman and Gothic influences. Wander to the Greco-Roman theater, an architectural treasure that dates back to the 3rd century BC, a reminder of how long Taormina has been a vibrant city and a superlative spot from which to take in a breathtaking panorama of Taormina, the glittering Mediterranean and striking Mount Etna in the distance. Perhaps shop along Corso Umberto, the town's main commercial street, and wander the quaint jumble of elegant homes and picture-perfect churches, a reminder that for centuries Taormina has fascinated poets and artists much as it will inspire you today.