Having sailed through the Straits of Messina at sunrise, we went ashore for a full day in Sicily. In the morning, we drove to the romantic cliff town of Taormina, where ancient history and modern merriment mix. As we learned about the various monuments and churches sprinkled along the main road, the streets were bustling with shops, cafes, and artists. We even saw an iconic Fiat 500 decorated with typical Sicilian ceramic motifs. The sky was clear enough for us to see Mount Etna in the distance from the ancient Greek (and then later Roman) theater nestled high up on the cliff face.
We had a very special lunch at the Castello degli Schiavi, the setting for several important scenes in The Godfather movies. When we arrived, the villa was a flutter with activity as they adapted quickly to sudden unexpected winds and light rain. The owner, Franco, was a gracious host, allowing us to tour the upstairs of the home before heading into the cellar for a delicious lunch of local specialties accompanied by local musicians. Back on the ship, National Geographic Expert Massimo Bassano gave an exciting presentation, “The Main Attraction: Why Travel to Sicily?
