Messina Sicily

[jeno]

We are stopping in Messina and the ship tours don't seem very interesting. We would prefer to go on our own anywaY. Any ideas?

[hagnel]

Hi.

we were in the port last year and decided to just wander around the town. The ship docks within walking distance.It is an easy place to visit on your own and we had no problems navigating the town.

There are attractive squares and broad tree lined streets. We visited the Duomo Cathedral which has been restored to it original splendour. it contains a belltower and a fascinating astronomical clock. Some of our friends took the train to Taormina and said it was well worth the trip.

Enjoy.

[bon voyage!]

Hi, we were on the Star Princess in September. Messina is very easy to navigate on your own, but also very boring! There is only a cool clock tower there, but that is pretty much it. Almost nothing is old, as it was all destroyed by an earthquake, therefore the buildings are uninteresting. We did the ship's tour to Taormina, and LOVED the town. We wished we could spend longer. Friends took the train, which was not very user friendly, and due to the infrequent train schudule, ended up with less time in the city than we did. If we had to do it over, we would love to splurge and hire a taxi for the day and spend the morning in Taormina and the afternoon on the beach below. However, if you are watching your pennies, the ship's tour was pretty nice, and I am not a ship's tour kind of girl. You will have plenty of time to explore Messina on your own if you take one of the morning tours. Our bus actually showed us the sites of Messina as we went through the city (there weren't many). Have a wonderful time, I LOVED Sicily, but Messina was kind of the pits!

[caryh]

We took the train to Taormina with about 20 other people from the ship who we met walking to the station. The walk to the station was about 1 mile and the ride was beautiful. I think the fare was about 6 euro each way. There is a shuttle from the Taormina/Guardina (sp?) station that takes you up to Taormina for a few more euro. Taormina is a beautiful town with a spectacular view of the Med.

[JHUNTGOLF]

We're on the 8/25 sailing of the Liberty and decided to book a private tour from Messina to see Mt. Etna and Taormina when the ship docks on September 1. Here's the tour description from the operator--Salvatore Lucibello (*****):

 

We operate a tour that includes a visit to the highest active Volcano in

Europe, Mt.Etna. We will drive up to a height of 1.950 mts. above sea level

for a real botanical adventure, surrounded by colorful wildflowers. We will

get on top of the Silvestri Craters to have a feel of what it is like on top

of the Volcano. We Proceed to Taormina driving along charming Etna town.

High on Monte Tauro and dominating two grand sweeping bays below, is

Sicily's best-known resort. The outstanding remains of its classical

theatre, with Mount Etna as an unparallelled backdrop, arrested passing

travellers when Taormina was no more than a medieval hill-village. Goethe

and D.H. Lawrence are the two big names touted by the tourist office;

Lawrence was so enraptured that he lived here (1920–23) in a house at the

top of the valley cleft behind the theatre. Although popular with tourists

over recent years, Taormina still retains much of its small-town charm. The

one main traffic-free street is an unbroken line of fifteenth to

nineteenth-century palazzi and small intimate piazzas, and there is an

superb ruined castle and rows of flower-filled balconies. The Taormina's

Greek Theatre (Teatro Greco) hewn out of the solid rock of Mt. Tauro, with

spectacular views of Mt. Etna and the Ionian Sea, is itself a piece of

theatre. Although it was begun by Greeks in the 3rd century BC, the present

structure is almost entirely the work of 1st-century AD Romans, who rebuilt

it as an amphitheatre for animals and gladiators. Time permitting we will

visit the town of Castelmola, once a Norman Fortress whose view dominates

the bay of Taormina...surely a spectacular view. not to be missed is a stop

at Caffe San Giorgio for a glass of almond wine. Lunch is taken in Taormina

at a lovely restaurant with a terrace overlooking the sea.

As you know, the cost varies depending on the number of passengers. We've got 16 booked for a total cost of 1000 euros, or 62.5 euros per person. This doesn't include lunch or entrance fees. Hope this helps.

 

John

[lipoppop]

Taurmina is a lot of expensive stores, little else. The theater is completely restored, very little original pieces left, only part of the stage.

 

If you go to Taurmina take a taxi to Castlemora and walk through the old town.

 

 

A boat ride to the Ionian Islands from Messina is a good choice.

[rayz]

is is better to take the train or the bus to taormina from messina? is the bus from the train station on a frequent regular schedule to taormina town center or mazzaro?

[ECCruise]

Rent a a car in Messina from Avis and you can do Taormina and Etna on your own, inexpensively and at your own pace.

[libertygirl05]

1. Does anyone know how long or how difficult it is to get to the Ionia Islands from Missina , the cost and what to do there.

2. I had heard Taormina Mare is a great beach area with caves and a cable car to the beach. Has anyone been there to describe what you can do there and how far it is from Taormina. Isola Bella is also suppose to be beautiful (blue grotto) etc.. is this area better than Taormina Mare. Are these three areas connect or close to each other?

3. How long is the train ride from Massina to Taormina? So many choices!!!