Sicily wine shore excursion

[millergj]

I am looking for a private wine shore excursion for next year. Has anyone gone on a private tour visiting wineries from the port of Messina?

Thanks

[wantocruisemore]

My DD, BIL & my 2 nieces took a tour to Mt. Etna with Etna Experience. Part of this was a tour, lunch and wine at the Gambino winery at the bottom. The wine they brought back was really good. I know other wineries do tours and such too. You can arrange them as part of a private excursion or maybe directly by just googling Mt. Etna wineries.

[gumdentist]

We were in Messina in early October 2011. I arranged a private tour with this company: http://www.sunnysicily.com

 

It was €270 for 3 of us for an all day tour with an English speaking driver and a brand-spanking new Mercedes air conditioned van. Very nice. Did not expect that. Our guide had our name on a placard just outside the port gate. If returning to Sicily, I would have no problem using them again. Ahead of time I emailed that I wanted to see Mt. Etna and visit Taormina. They also wanted to take us to a garden, but I preferred a winery, so they arranged that instead. We also went to Gambino's.

 

Just so you know, it is lunch too and will cost about €15/person. A big lunch was more, so we went with the "bambino" size lunch and it was antipasti style, very good, and more than enough for us to eat. Lunch includes tasting 6 wines. I was impressed. I was fully expecting the price to be about €18-20. When I found the price was €8 for the white wines & €9 for the red wines, I bought 6 bottles. I asked for a shipping box the the airplane and they packed it up in a good shipping box and taped it up ready for the plane at no added cost. Even with $50 in baggage fees for the box, it was a good value. It arrived on the baggage carousel in perfect condition.

 

BTW--Gambino wines are not available in the USA currently. http://www.vinigambino.it/e_index.html

 

There are numerous wineries in the area. Gambino's caters to the day tourist with the tour guides. That sometimes would be a negative, but in this case not at all. If you visit Gambino's, do so around lunch time.

 

Be sure to spend at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours at Taormina if you have never visited there. Just email and have the tour guide arrange for the tour you want.

 

**Since many Europeans smoke like chimneys, be sure to specify with any tour or driver you book anywhere, that you want no smoking, period. Our Sicily driver/guide (Paolo Gallo) did not, and I highly recommend him as being very professional. He is one of the tour company owners.

[millergj]

We were in Messina in early October 2011. I arranged a private tour with this company: http://www.sunnysicily.com

 

It was €270 for 3 of us for an all day tour with an English speaking driver and a brand-spanking new Mercedes air conditioned van. Very nice. Did not expect that. Our guide had our name on a placard just outside the port gate. If returning to Sicily, I would have no problem using them again. Ahead of time I emailed that I wanted to see Mt. Etna and visit Taormina. They also wanted to take us to a garden, but I preferred a winery, so they arranged that instead. We also went to Gambino's.

 

Just so you know, it is lunch too and will cost about €15/person. A big lunch was more, so we went with the "bambino" size lunch and it was antipasti style, very good, and more than enough for us to eat. Lunch includes tasting 6 wines. I was impressed. I was fully expecting the price to be about €18-20. When I found the price was €8 for the white wines & €9 for the red wines, I bought 6 bottles. I asked for a shipping box the the airplane and they packed it up in a good shipping box and taped it up ready for the plane at no added cost. Even with $50 in baggage fees for the box, it was a good value. It arrived on the baggage carousel in perfect condition.

 

BTW--Gambino wines are not available in the USA currently. http://www.vinigambino.it/e_index.html

 

There are numerous wineries in the area. Gambino's caters to the day tourist with the tour guides. That sometimes would be a negative, but in this case not at all. If you visit Gambino's, do so around lunch time.

 

Be sure to spend at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours at Taormina if you have never visited there. Just email and have the tour guide arrange for the tour you want.

 

**Since many Europeans smoke like chimneys, be sure to specify with any tour or driver you book anywhere, that you want no smoking, period. Our Sicily driver/guide (Paolo Gallo) did not, and I highly recommend him as being very professional. He is one of the tour company owners.

 

Thanks for the great information. I will check in to it.

[hylasgirl]

We were in Messina in early October 2011. I arranged a private tour with this company: http://www.sunnysicily.com

 

It was €270 for 3 of us for an all day tour with an English speaking driver and a brand-spanking new Mercedes air conditioned van. Very nice. Did not expect that. Our guide had our name on a placard just outside the port gate. If returning to Sicily, I would have no problem using them again. Ahead of time I emailed that I wanted to see Mt. Etna and visit Taormina. They also wanted to take us to a garden, but I preferred a winery, so they arranged that instead. We also went to Gambino's.

 

Just so you know, it is lunch too and will cost about €15/person. A big lunch was more, so we went with the "bambino" size lunch and it was antipasti style, very good, and more than enough for us to eat. Lunch includes tasting 6 wines. I was impressed. I was fully expecting the price to be about €18-20. When I found the price was €8 for the white wines & €9 for the red wines, I bought 6 bottles. I asked for a shipping box the the airplane and they packed it up in a good shipping box and taped it up ready for the plane at no added cost. Even with $50 in baggage fees for the box, it was a good value. It arrived on the baggage carousel in perfect condition.

 

BTW--Gambino wines are not available in the USA currently. http://www.vinigambino.it/e_index.html

 

There are numerous wineries in the area. Gambino's caters to the day tourist with the tour guides. That sometimes would be a negative, but in this case not at all. If you visit Gambino's, do so around lunch time.

 

Be sure to spend at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours at Taormina if you have never visited there. Just email and have the tour guide arrange for the tour you want.

 

**Since many Europeans smoke like chimneys, be sure to specify with any tour or driver you book anywhere, that you want no smoking, period. Our Sicily driver/guide (Paolo Gallo) did not, and I highly recommend him as being very professional. He is one of the tour company owners.

 

 

Sounds LOVELY!