Tour Dilemna - Mt Etna & Wine Vs Taormina & Mt Etna Full Day

[kuddles 2008]

I cannot decide between these two ship tours for Taormina, Sicily. Has anyone been on either one? We will be docking there on a Sunday and it was my understanding shops etc will be closed.

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated. thanks for the help.

[hulamoon]

aloha,

 

I was skimming through these messages as I am considering trying an Azarmara cruise for next year and wanted to see what people were saying about it.

 

This past May 25th, I celebrated my birthday in Taormina and it was a sunday. We were in Messina from the Zuiderdam. We got a taxi and went to Castlemola and Taormina. Beautiful both of them, and all the shops were open there but only the drug store was open in Messina. You can see Mt Etna from both locations on a clear day. From Messina there is a train on limited schedule that day but you can take it. You may not be landing in Messina however.

 

If you take a taxi you may try to book ahead of time as they only let one car in at a time and I think 200 euros for 5 was a bit high for 2 hours. Also, Sicily life is very good, we almost took it and ran into those who did and they raved about it. teh owner called me a couple of times before we dicided to double up with other folks.

 

good luck!

[brian_uk]

We took a private tour to Mt Etna and Taormina, making several stops along the way. When you get to the final drop off point you can hike way up high although not certain what more you will see...we did not. It can get quite chilly up there so take a sweater just in case. There is a snack bas and rest rooms which can get very busy at peak times......take plenty of water.

 

Taormina was a really nice Town and we toured the shops etc and found a great place for lunch. This year we will only visit Taormina Town.

 

Brian

[Moeve]

OH NO!!! For your own safety please do not try to drive on Sicily on your own!!!! These guys are the worst drivers in the whole of Europe. There are no street signs so forget using a map to get anywhere. The red robots/trafic lights are simply decoration and the drivers down there have a 3rd hand for the hooter/horn. I wonder what tells you I have done this before and then also bear in mind none of us are beginner drivers - we all do between 35.000 and 65.000 km through out Europe every year.

 

Save your nerves and enjoy the sights either with a private operator or a ships tour. The Sicilian ports are one of those in Europe I would not try and drive in on my own.

[Toots]

We did the ship tour to Taormina and Mt. Etna and loved it. The drive up to Mt. Etna is quite steep and it gets colder as you go higher. We walked around the little shops and had a hot drink to ward off the chill - definitely take a sweater or jacket. You walk around a small crater full on black lava. The top of Mt. Etna was shrouded in fog, but you don't go all the way up anyway.

 

The second stop was in the picture-postcard town of Taormina where we had a historical tour and then time on our own to walk among the quaint houses and shops and lovely flowers. The view from the Roman ruins in Taormina is fantastic. I believe you're docked right at Taormina, so you'll have plenty of time to walk the town. We have found many shops open on Sundays when they know cruise ships are in town.

[Moeve]

Ooops I think some people misunderstood what I mean't by not doing it on your own - I mean't to rethink the bit about hiring a car and driving on your own.

[brian_uk]

Actually you dock in the small Port and we were tendered ashore. Taormina itself is higher up in the hills and you will certainly need a Bus or Taxi to get up there.

 

Brian

[kuddles 2008]

There are two ship tours we are interested in - one is Taormina & Mt Etna Full Day which has Greek Theatre, stroll through shopping area of Taormina - going to 6400 above sea level Mt Etna

 

The other is Mt Etna Lava & Wine - with cable car and minivans to 8000 feet above sea level - walk in the craters and then off to a winery.

 

Has anyone experienced one of these? My concern was that being a Sunday that everything would be closed up.

 

Thank you so much for the input.

[Steamboatin]

A word to the wise.

 

We were extremely disappointed with the physical trip to Mt. Etna.

 

When we were there the road ended about half way up. At the end of the road was your classic TOURIST TRAP SHOPS. Nothing else just these shops. No view of the the top of Mt. Etna.

 

My advice is to see Mt. Etna from a distance and FORGET ABOUT GOING UP CLOSE TO SEE IT!!!!

 

Spend your time enjoying the town and the view of Mt. Etna from the TOWN.

[goody1]

A word to the wise.

 

We were extremely disappointed with the physical trip to Mt. Etna.

 

When we were there the road ended about half way up. At the end of the road was your classic TOURIST TRAP SHOPS. Nothing else just these shops. No view of the the top of Mt. Etna.

 

My advice is to see Mt. Etna from a distance and FORGET ABOUT GOING UP CLOSE TO SEE IT!!!!

 

Spend your time enjoying the town and the view of Mt. Etna from the TOWN.

 

I totally agree. My wife and I did this trip some years ago and it was very disappointing. Taormina on the other hand is well worth the visit.

[Jan_Calif]

I have been to both Mt Etna and Taromina and would go back to Taromina and skip Mt Etna if I had a choice. Castlemola, above Taromina, looked very intriguing. I've always regretted that I didn't find a way to get up there.

[kuddles 2008]

I believe I am going to take you advice and just spend all my time in Taormina . I had thought that Mt Etna would have some pretty spectacular views but it doesn't seem to be worth it. Thanks for the help.

[Mexfolkart]

The view is from Taormina over towards Mt Etna..especially from the coliseum area there. Taormina is NOT to be missed! It is one of our very favorite ports of all!

Sherry

PS..if you really want to experience the furnicular you can go up and down it right there in Taormina..