The Best Private Tour: Taormina, Castelmola, Savoca From Messina.

I first booked with Sicily Best Tour in 2019 when I visited on a cruise with friends for my 40th birthday, so when I returned with my husband and parents seven years later, I already had confidence in Filippo's company. We did an almost identical itinerary this time, and Filippo himself was actually our driver for the day. Our guide was Sonia, a Massachusetts transplant who was so sweet and stayed with us throughout the day. My elderly parents especially appreciated how easy she was to understand, along with her American sense of humor. She was a great fit for our group. We started in Savoca and arrived a little before the other tour groups, which made a huge difference. We had the unexpected pleasure of being there when the church opened for the morning, and I would absolutely recommend timing your visit that way if you can. It was a really special way to start the day. We then had about two hours in Taormina. They dropped us off at one end of town and met us at the other, which was perfect because we didn't have to waste any of our limited time backtracking. If you're able to walk the length of town, two hours IS enough time to include the ancient theatre, but I would definitely purchase those tickets ahead of time. In Castelmola, we had a lovely lunch (although my parents played it safe with pizza!). It was warm but a little overcast, so we didn't feel like we were missing too much by sitting on the covered patio rather than outside with the best views of Mt. Etna, where I'd eaten on my previous visit. The town itself is charming, and we found a spot where my parents could sit while my husband and I climbed up to the castle ruins for the views. One thing we hadn't done on my previous tour was actually stop at the cathedral in Messina, and I'm so glad we did this time. It was beautiful and absolutely worth the visit. It can be risky trying to recreate an experience from a previous trip, but this time was actually even better than the first. Between Filippo and Sonia, we had a wonderful day in Sicily, and the itinerary offered a great combination of scenery, history, small towns, and time to explore independently.

A great day in Sicily. Excellent communication throughout. Our driver Luca was waiting when we arrived and was very informative about the three different towns we visited. Beautiful views and picturesque towns. Definitely recommend.

If you’re visiting Sicily, do yourself a favor and book a private tour with Sonia and Franco! This was, without question, one of the highlights of our trip. Sonia is an exceptional guide—her knowledge of Sicily’s history, culture, and local traditions brought every stop to life. She shared fascinating stories and insights that you simply wouldn’t get exploring on your own, and her warm, engaging personality made the entire day enjoyable from start to finish. She was also incredibly flexible, tailoring the itinerary to our group’s interests and pace while making sure we experienced the very best locations. Nothing ever felt rushed, and we appreciated how accommodating she was throughout the day. A special thank you for recommending our lunch—it was absolutely outstanding and the best meals we had in Sicily! Franco was an excellent driver, making the day comfortable, relaxing, and stress-free while navigating the island with ease. Together, Sonia and Franco make an incredible team. Their professionalism, local expertise, kindness, and genuine passion for Sicily created an unforgettable experience. We couldn’t have asked for a better day and would highly recommend them to anyone visiting Sicily. Five stars aren’t enough

From the moment we disembarked the ship….Sonia met us with a smile! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you’re visiting Sicily on a cruise and looking for an unforgettable day, I cannot recommend Sonia and Francesco enough! We spent 7 wonderful hours touring the island with them, and it was truly one of the highlights of our trip. They took us to beautiful locations that we never would have found on our own and shared fascinating stories about Sicily’s rich history, culture, and traditions along the way. Their knowledge, passion, and genuine love for the island made every stop even more meaningful. Beyond being incredibly informative, Sonia and Francesco were warm, friendly, and made us feel welcome from the moment we met them. The entire day was well organized, relaxing, and so much fun. If you’re getting off a cruise ship and want to experience the very best of Sicily with knowledgeable, personable guides, look no further. Sonia and Francesco are absolutely the best. Thank you both for an amazing day and memories we’ll never forget!

Erica and Francesco were excellent. Very knowledgeable and attentive. Highly recommend this trip! Beautiful countryside and unique sights!

Amazing tour with Sonia. Thank you so much.

It was amazing! Fillipo and Sonia were so accommodating and friendly. They picked us up (early) and got us back to the ship with room to spare. Amazing

We had a fabulous time with Erika and Filippo! We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the some of the beautiful sites of Sicily, and hearing the intriguing stories. Thank you so much for an amazing day! We look forward to coming back again someday!

This tour with Erika was amazing! Filippo was an excellant driver, navigating the twist and turns with caution. Erika was a wealth of information and made this tour so special. Sicily is so, so beautiful and the three towns we visited were beyond our expectations. We were a group of 16 and they were able to accomodate our group with a mini bus. Also, made lunch reservations in Castelmola at a restaurant with a beautiful view. Savoca, Castelmola, and Taormina are definitely worth visiting. Many thanks to Erika for a very special day!

The whole experience in Messina was absolutely captivating. Sonia, who showed us around was extremely informative, professional, and they may add funny! Would definitely choose this tour again.

By far, Erika was the most knowledgeable tour guide we had during our wonderful three week trip to Italy. She was so flexible in her approach to ensuring that all 10 of us experienced all that we hoped for. Her obvious and sincere passion for Sicily made the day even more enjoyable. We highly recommend this tour not only because of the beautiful stops but for the richness of the day provided by Erika and her coworkers. Thank you to all of them!! You all remain in our hearts.

Filippo, our driver and Erika, our tour guide were excellent! Filippo navigated the narrow streets with expert precision. Erika was friendly, socialable and knowledgeable. They knew all the best overviews for photos and the historic structures and landmarks. They helped tailor an enjoyable day around our wishes and requests. I highly recommend this tour!

We had a wonderful tour with Erica!! She was so knowledgeable and you could tell she loved Sicily. The tour was timely but never felt rushed. Highly recommend Erica and her tour. A great experience and I can not wait to return. Would book again for sure!! It truly in the best private tour!

This was a real tour with a driver and guide for four of us. Tour guide was excellent, spoke perfect English…and driver very knowledgeable. They customized our tour according to what we wanted. It was a great time!

Our family of six, including one teenager and three young adults, recently toured with The Best Private Tour Sicily. Sonia was our tour guide and Filippo was our driver. We toured Savoca, Castelmola, and Taormina. They also provided an excellent recommendation at a family-run restaurant in Taormina that we all loved. The tour was excellent, interesting, and saw beautiful scenery! Sonia and Filippo were great and highly recommend using them while in Sicily! This was one of our favorite tours.

Sicily Best Tours provided excellent service for our party of 10 in Sicily. Picked up and delivered tour on time. Back to cruise ship with no issues. Easy access to promised, advertised sites. Provided site seeing history information and great town food recommendations. Ensured service level met expectations. Vehicle was clean and spacious. Sonia and driver were great.

We can’t thank this company enough. Erika was an outstanding tour guide, knowledgeable, personable, and very clear with her communication. We ticked all the boxes we wanted to, she allowed for some flexibility, and we were back at the ship at a very comfortable time despite the relatively short port stop. Wouldn’t hesitate to book with Sicily Best tour again. Thank you from Daniel, family, and friends.

Sonia was a superb guide! She was very knowledgeable about Messina and the surrounding areas we visited. Our driver, John Paul, was a fantastic driver. Very caring about his passengers!

Easy to see why they get such great reviews. The entire experience was excellent from beginning to end. Our guide was enthusiastic and very knowledgeable about the history of the region. Our port call was a little short, but we made the absolute most of the time we had available. A must do if you're visiting Messina!

What a great tour! Erika was extremely friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. She and her father (yes, her father was the driver for the tour!) picked us up at the cruise port and showed us all the sites of Savoca, Taormina, Castelmola, and even Messina, their home town. Erika provided all the history and funny stories for the places we met and made it an extremely special tour. She also provided several recommendations for places to eat, visit and shop when we had free time in a couple of the cities. When you end up building a relationship with a tour guide, you know it was a special tour. That is what Erika did for us.

Have to say what beautiful places we got to see on this tour. Savoca was just a charming town. Taormina was just breathtaking. Castlemola had an incredibile view being over 500 meters above sea level. Our tour guide Erica was just wonderful. Loved that it was just us with the guide Erica and driver Francesco.

We had such a lovely day on our tour with Fillipo and our guide Sonia. We started where the first Godfather film was shot in a beautiful little town of Savoca. Then to Castlemola and the gorgeous town of Taormina. We got free time to walk around and enjoy a delicious pizza lunch. Then we ended up with seeing a beautiful view of the strait and the spectacular Duomo of Messina.

We had a great time on our tour to Taormina and Messina. Along with showing us the beautiful sites, they were very helpful and flexible as we have several small children. We had a delicious meal at a pizza place. Thank you again for a beautiful day!

THIS is who you use when you want stellar service. Felippe accommodated every need that we had. My husband has mobility issues, and Felippe handled him and his scooter like a professional! A smooth ride from Savoca to Taormina to ristorante back to Messina. Our tour guide, Luca, made us feel most welcome in Sicily. We learned so much from his extensive knowledge of the rich history of Sicily and their lovely towns. The food was absolutely delicious. This was worth EVERY single penny. Mille Grazie Signori!!!!! Fellippe.......Calabria in 2026???? Hope we can do that tour then.

Our driver/guide Lillo was the best. He was knowledgeable, personable & a great driver. We thoroughly enjoyed Bar Vitelli in Savoca, Castelmola, Taormina & Messina. Highly recommend this tour and Lillo.

Can't thank Filippo and Sonia enough for our time in Messina. We got to see where the first Godfather was filmed in the beautiful town of Savoca. Then to the breathe taking Taormina and made our way up to Castlemola. We then ate at a wonderful little resturant with a view. Just a wonderful day.

The day we had out tour ended up being very hot outside. But thanks to Fillipo the car wasn't far and with the A/C ready. We had a great time seeing the beautiful sights at Savoca, Taormina, Castelmola  Messina and delicious lunch. Great day and Great service!

One of the best tours we took during Mediterranean cruise! Very friendly & informational. We had a group of 6 & they made reservations for us at a wonderful restaurant along the water. One of the best meals off our ship! Our tour guide went above & beyond for me. My husband blew up my hairdryer & she located one for me at the end of the tour. They also arranged a stop to have the best cannoli's! We will look you up the next time we come back!! You're the best!!!

Tour was excellent, if we come back we will do it again even though we tough on alot of sights many more to be seen.

Filippo is the best!! We met him a few years ago after a chance airport pick up and have continued to call him each time we are in Sicily . He is the most knowledgeable, kindest, accommodating person that you can fully trust !! Each time we travel and do tours with him, the experience is top!! Every time we leave , we leave sadder because of the wonderful friendship we have developed, it feels like we are leaving family! You cannot go wrong with Filippo!! He’s professional and always helpful in any way possible! He knows many people and has helped us also find drivers in other parts of Italia!! Can’t say enough good things about him !! You won’t be disappointed!!

A few years ago we were lucky to meet Filippo and each year we keep coming back. This year with some friends and family we spent the week with Filippo going around Sicily and he was the best tour guide! Knowledgeable, fun and an all around great time! If I could give him more stars I would! Do yourself a favor and book this tour, you won’t regret it! :)

We had a great time on this tour, although I'd say it was a bit longer than anticipated. First stop was Messina - we visited a small town where the Godfather was filmed - fun and unexpected. There's a lot of walking to be done here, so be prepared and wear sneakers or comfortable walking shoes; it's hilly. Then off to Taormina, which is gorgeous!! We had so much fun in this quaint town with it's beautiful shops. This is where we could have ended the tour and be thrilled. It was definitely busy and crowded with tons of tourists and given the heat, might have been the perfect stop for a quick lunch/drink.....but we went on to Castelmola, another quaint but more quiet town. This is where we would have done it differently since the drive to Castelmola was long - appx. 45 miinutes (?). We had lunch at a small restaurant recommended by the guide. It was very good, although a bit more pricey than we expected. Nonetheless, it was delicious. When we left, it was another hour before getting to our drop-off point.....we could have done without that drive for sure. That all said, our guide was fun and the tour overall was worth it.

We took this instead of doing a cruise ship tour which tends to be big busses full of lots of people. We were able to get to many of the places before the other tour busses which made for a more enjoyable and comfortable tour. They met us right at the port and were very friendly and helpful. We saw many sites and took many fantastic photos. Only criticism was sometimes it was hard to hear each other talk in the van.

Cannot say enough good about Filipo!!! Everything was perfect. We traveled to Sicily with extended family and he was spot on with everything from driving us everywhere, to recommending restaurants and helping us with reservations, to his tours, and introducing us to new local food and drink. Filipo provided an absolutely first class experience that everyone in our group thoroughly enjoyed. We will be a repeat customer. Thank you Filipo!!!

Driver and guide met us at the port as promised. As a group we had a good time, thought it was a little pricey for what we did, but could not have navigated without private driver.

What an amazing day we had on this tour. Loved the beautiful little town of Savoca where the first of the God Father was filmed. Taormina was breathtaking. Loved all the little shops. Got to have coffee at the Dolce & Gabbana Mocambo coffee bar. Beautiful views from Castlemola and Messina. Fillipo and Sonia were just great!

Our tour was exciting!!! Filippo let us know the best places, the best food and the best stories about Sicily! Moreover he's a very good driver😊! We recommend "Sicily best tour"💯!!!

We had a family of 7 traveling together and Messina was our favorite stop on our cruise. This tour to Toramina and Castelmola was the best tour of our whole trip!! Toramina was the best place ever!! We are all planning to come back! Erika and our driver made our tour perfect!! Erika is AMAZING!!! She told us all about the area and the history of Toramina and Castelmola. We went to this fantastic beach called Isola Bella and the swimming was great and then we had a great lunch in Castelmola with a stunning view of Mt. Etna and then got to visit a very unique bar. We then roamed some more before heading back down to Messina where we got to see the largest astronomical clock of its kind in the world. I highly suggest this tour to anyone!!

Great tour. We got to see 3 different places. Filippo was very knowledgeable and friendly. Excelente recommendations

Thank you so very much for our tour. This was the best tour of our whole trip. We had a delicious lunch in Castlemola at Taverna Etna.  Our guide Sonia was amazing and made this day wonderful for all of us.

Sonya was a wonderful and amusing tour guide! Loads of information given. Chose as many interesting places for us as we could fit!!

Great tour! Our guide was wonderful and never rushed us. She was very informative and the places we visited were amazing!

Filippo our tour operator was fabulous, a great driver, punctual and knew every area. He brought Sonia with him as our host/guide who was fabulous and made us feel at home. Very knowledgeable, fun, easy to talk with. And lots of energy. I fell in love with Sicily and want to come back. Each town was precious and unforgettable.

This was an excellent tour, would recommend it, especially if you are a fan of The Godfather movie. We went in with that approach, but our tour guide was so excellent we learned so much more. He showed us so many interesting things and we learned so much from him. He took the time to completely explain the history of the different areas we were visiting and point out interesting facts. Our tour guide really took pride in his city and it showed! Would recommend and urge everyone took book this tour.

Amazing tour we had with some friends from Australia! Phillipo was outstanding with his knowledge of all the places we visited - taking us to beautiful, authentic and local hidden gems. Nothing was ever too difficult, no question unanswered. Thank you for being so patient and sharing your love of Sicily with us!

Had a great time seeing the sites where the first Godfather was shot. The town was very picturesque. Had a little bakery where you could taste some fresh baked cookies and focaccia bread. Then a lovely shop that you could taste fresh different kinds of olive oils, lemoncello, wines, almond wine and more. Then we had 2 hours free time time in Taormina where we got to eat some focaccia and arancini. We then got to see Castlemola where we had a few from 500 feet above sea level that was just fantatic. Our tour ended back at Messina where we got to eat delicious cannolis. Great day.

Commentario We had a nice time on our tour. We got to see where the first Godfather was filmed in a beautiful little town called Savoca. Saw so many beautiful views and had 2 wonderful hours to shop around Taormina. Then a delicious luch at the Taverna Etna in Castlemola. Our guide and driver were just great

On our 8 stop cruise, this was our favorite stop. We had 9 people, so in addition to Fillipo, we also had Lilo driving us in a second car. The 2 car solution worked well as the smaller vehicles allowed them to park in smaller spaces. Both were super helpful and allowed maximum flexibility. I was able to rent a Ferrari in Tormina and drive separately up to the restaurant on top of the mountain as they followed with the rest of my group. All of their recommended stops were awesome and I highly recommend this your. It is one of the few ones that actually will pick you up right at the cruise port which was hard for me to find!

Lillo was great!! Very helpful and knowledgable!!! We loved eating lunch overlooking Me. Etna. A wonderful day of site seeing!!