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To receive a quotation for the
following excursions we need to know:
Messina & Surroundings Begin with a drive through Messina, passing the Piazza Municipio, Via Garibaldi, Piazza Cairoli, considered the heart of town; continue to Via Canizzaro with the University & the Law Court, on to Corso Cavour. Your drive takes you through the suburbs of Messina and then along the pinewoods to Colle San Rizzo, a hill from where you will be able to admire the magnificent views of the Messina Strait, the Eolian Island and, in the distance, the Calabria on the Italian mainland. As you descend, the tour continues through small villages and lovely countryside, interspersed with citrus groves, orchards, vineyards, and woods of chestnut and pine. Back in Messina a stop will be made at the Cathedral Square with its astronomical clock tower.
Taormina Driving through Messina, your guide will
point out the unique and impressive Clock Tower, the University and Law
Court and the Church of Cristo Re. Thirty miles away is the enchanting
storybook village of Taormina, founded by the Greeks in the third
century BC and later almost completely renovated by the Romans. Since
antiquity, Taormina has attracted visitors lured by its mild climate and
spectacular beauty. Perched on a lofty terrace above the Ionian Sea, its
natural drama is enhanced by the bold backdrop of Mt. Etna. Once there,
you will take a leisurely stroll through the narrow lanes of the
village, passing the 15th-century Corvaia Palace en route to the
impressive Greek theater. If you choose to make the short climb up to
the theater, which was built in the third century BC and is still used
for open air performances, you will be rewarded with a stunning view of
Mt. Etna and the sea. There will be time to wander the Corso Umberto,
with its numerous small handicrafts and souvenir shops.
Tindari Tindari, perched on a cliff high above the
sea, was founded in 396 BC, one of the last of the Greek colonies in
Sicily. Under the Romans, Tindari was one of the first colonies to
accept Christianity and is home to a sanctuary dedicated to the Black
Madonna. After a brief tour through Messina, passing the Piazza Duomo
with its impressive clock tower, the University and the Law Court, you
begin the one-hour drive to Tindari. You will have magnificent views of
the Aeolian Islands and Cape Tindari. In Tindari, you will visit the
famous sanctuary, a place of pilgrimage that is richly decorated with
frescoes, marble and beautiful mosaics. You will also see the
Greek-Roman theater and the Roman Villa (Gymnasium). Following the
guided tour, you will have some free time to browse on your own.
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