So glad we booked this excursion our Italian tour guide was hilarious gave good information about the area then dropped us off in the beautiful town of Taromina before all the big buses came from the cruise ships. The van was very comfortable and we only had 15 people in our group got back to the ship a few hours before the crowds.

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Full Day Taormina and Castelmola Tour with Messina Shore Excursion

Cara_M, Oct 2026

Beautiful excursion in Sicily

This tour was great. We realized that tour groups with smaller vans can go all the way to the top at Castelmola but the big tour buses (those arranged by the cruise) cannot. Those people had to climb up the hill and were not happy. After about an hour drive to Castelmola we had time to explore the ruins and cute town. We then went to Taormina where the guide led us from gate to gate through the town. I had paid for a ticket to the amphitheater so the guide took us there while the others explored on their own. It was worth it! Then there was plenty of time to eat on our own, shop, and explore before it was time to leave. The guide was super sweet and knowledgeable and gave us a local cookie to sample on the bus. We got back to port well before ship departure.

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Messina Private excursion Taormina and Castelmola

Angela_C, Oct 2026

Best day in Sicily with Andre

This is a fantastic tour for anyone wanting to experience the heart of Sicily. Castelmola and Taormina are both incredible places to visit. The views were breathtaking, and we loved the people, food, and shopping along the way. We had the best day with Andre! He truly showed us not only the sights, but also the heart of Sicily. From walking the beautiful streets of Taormina to stopping at a quaint café for granita, he had every detail covered. He was also incredibly flexible with our timing and stops, which made the day feel relaxed and personalized. Andre made this one of the highlights of our trip. We only wish we could have him as our tour guide for every day of our journey!

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Messina Pasta & Tiramisu Experience for Small Groups by Cesarine

Jay_D, Oct 2026

Absolutely FANTASTIC in EVERY way; SO much fun!!!

We knew we wanted to do something a little different from the other bookings we scheduled through Viator. We weren’t exactly sure what to expect to be honest. We were a little anxious with a sprinkle of eager anticipation but mostly anxious lol. Stefania and her husband opened their lovely home for a hands-on cooking experience followed by us having a lunch made from our collective culinary activities!! We had the best of times! Stefania was a joy to be with!! She is a teacher by profession so obviously, it comes to her naturally as a hands-on cooking instructor!! We made two pasta dishes from scratch! She had the nicest cooking stations laid out for us with everything we needed. We mixed, kneaded, rolled, used the pasta maker, then, cut and prepared…ALL the things!! It was such a fun experience!! We ended up making delicious cheese ravioli, and a ribbon-cut pasta (I’m behind in writing this and I can’t remember the name but I think it may have been tagliatelle w/a wonderful meat sauce). For dessert, with Stefanie’s expert help…made the BEST tiramisu we have ever eaten in our lives…oh my goodness, it was SO good! Stefania, her husband, and son graciously opened their home, shared their skill and passion for excellent homemade food and left us with an experience that we will remember for a lifetime!! To date, this has been our MOST favorite Viator experience. When we do go back, we had such a lovely time, it would be great to visit these wonderful people again!!

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Taormina and Castelmola private and guided tour with Arancino

Jeff_F, Sept 2026

Getting a local guide is the way to go

We met Elena, our guide, at the port after our tender dropped us off. Elena was very personable and friendly, and was totally open to how we wanted to customize the tour. She had a great suggestion for heading up to Castelmona first, where she took us to a great pub/bar with some “interesting” decorations. She explained about the various parts of the area, and then later we drove down to Taormina, where we went to a great Arancino spot, which was amazing. We never would have found it or the other sites without Elena’s first hand knowledge of the area. We were very happy with Elena and was glad to hear she was ok after Mt. Etna erupted the day our ship left port.

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Taormina and Castelmola from Messina Shared Group Tour

rosanne_c, Aug 2026

Greta day off the cruise ship

The perfect excursion from a cruise ship. Easy to book and easy to connect with tour guide. We had an air conditioned van and our group was small which I liked. Cristiano our tour guide was great! He delighted us with the rich history of the area and made sure we enjoyed all the key sights to see! Rally enjoyed the day and would definitely recommend if you want an efficient and enjoyable tour.

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Taormina Castelmola : private cruise tour from Messina

aukjegerrits, Aug 2026

Not just a tour - it’s the Sicilian experience!

We had the most wonderful day in Sicily with Alessandro and Marissa, visiting Castelmola, Taormina and Messina. From the very beginning, it was clear that they weren't just there to give us a tour - they wanted to give us a truly memorable experience. We started in beautiful Castelmola, where they took us to what must be the best bar in town. The story behind it is absolutely hilarious - ask Marissa to tell you the story! We had a lovely drink there, tried the original cannoli and, most importantly, had a lot of laughs together. Taormina was another highlight. It is absolutely beautiful, and Marissa brought the history to life with all the stories and details she shared with us. And then, on the way back, Alessandro and Marissa somehow transformed our tour van into a driving karaoke bus! J'& We sang along to some of the most famous Italian songs, which was such a fun and unexpected part of the day. And as if that wasn't enough, they took us for gelato after the tour - the perfect finishing touch to an already perfect day. If you're looking for a day in Sicily that feels personal, fun and full of genuine local experiences, I would 100% recommend Alessandro and Marissa. They have different tours available, so definitely check them out and find the experience that's perfect for you. Thank you both for such a fantastic day - we will remember it for a long time! And when we're back in Sicily, we will definitely book another tour with you!

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Private Tour Taormina, Isola Bella and Messina. Departure from Messina

Ling_C, Jul 2026

In order to fully...

In order to fully experience the town Taormina, there's a lot of hills to climb. If you are not as mobilized, please be aware. This tour also stops by a beautiful beach which has access to an unique island preserve, but you will have to go down a flight is stairs to it. Bring a towel and explore.

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Tour to Etna Volcano and Taormina from Messina

Josh_B, Jul 2026

Fantastic Mt. Etna & Taormina Tour with an Outstanding Guide!

Michael was waiting for us the moment we got off the ship, making the whole day completely stress-free. He drove us to Mt. Etna and Taormina in a clean, comfortable Mercedes and was informative, funny, and personable throughout the trip. The tour was well-paced, and we never felt rushed. Highly recommend—an easy 5-star experience!

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Best of Sicily Taormina & Savoca Tour from Messina Cruise Port

DONALD_P, Jul 2026

Great 1/2 day tour of Sicily highlights

Elizabeth and Anna were excellent. We were on a cruise and docked at Messina. We saw three towns, Savoca, Taormina, and Caselmola. Our tour guide, Elizabeth went out of her way to ensure we saw everything with timely insight into the history and significance of each town.

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Cook and Taste with a Local in Messina by Cesarine

Ryan_P, Apr 2026

Messina Cooking Class

Absolutely wonderful experience! Mariella was an incredible host. She was prompt for our pick up time and drove us ~20 min outside of the city center to her house. We used Google translate for communication and had no issues with that at all. Her home was beautiful and the food was delicious. Would highly recommend this experience for anyone visiting Messina.

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