The Godfather Tour of Sicily: Palermo & Taormina

Settlers around the world, from Arab armies to Spanish kings, have left their mark on the island, leaving traces in the culture, architecture, and even dialect of Sicily. At breakfast, you find the enticing aroma of freshly baked ciambelle, fried dough brushed with sugar. Your guide greets you in the lobby of the hotel and leads you out into the embracing streets. Kids play soccer in the streets near Borgo Vecchio. The aroma of grilled calamari sprinkled with a squeeze of lemon overtakes the walkway. Fishers showcase their fresh daily catches along the marketplace, and local restaurants offer to cook your choice right then and there for you to enjoy. The Norman Palace was first erected in the 9th century but was overhauled by the Normans in the 11th century.

Inside the palace, you find the stunning Palatine Chapel. Gold mosaics decorate the interior, casting an ethereal glow across the nave when the sunlight pours through the windows. The 12th-century chapel contains a wooden honeycomb ceiling embellished with star-shaped panels. The geometric elements connect the mixture of Arab culture that persisted in the city after the Norman invasion. Depictions of saints are carved in wood and painted along the vaulted ceilings. The significance of devotion remains strong in Sicily, and the church has always been important to the Corleone Family. We first meet Don Vito on the day of his sister’s wedding. In the evening, you make your way to a restaurant that specializes in traditional local cuisine. Indulge in the stunning flavors of Palermo with a selection of wines paired with each dish.

At breakfast, you sip your freshly brewed frothy cappuccino. You can hear the sounds of the market coming to life across the city. After your meal, you venture to the bustling edges of Corleone, the town from which Vito Corleone took his name after he entered America. The tale of the Don may be fictional, but it was inspired by an amalgamation of lives throughout Sicily affected by family squabbles, business vendettas, and a sense of the town being forgotten after the reunification of Italy. Your guide is a local of the town providing a history of Corleone and the mafia inside Sicily. Corleone is a developed city with a history as a mafia stronghold.

Your guide leads you through the cobbled streets off Piazza Garibaldi, where you come across the CIDMA, a captivating museum dedicated to anti-Mafia sentiment and documenting crime-family evolution. When you enter the complex, a large “No Mafia” sign greets you. In the final room are pictures of famous and infamous faces, those of Dons and soldiers, along with the men and women who have fought organized crime in Italy with justice or sometimes even their lives. The museum has a powerful impact due to the documentation of those who continue to work for justice, along with the city’s historical connection the mafia.

You continue to the Royal Palace of Ficuzza outside of Corleone. The structure was erected in the 19th century and maintains its original neoclassical look. Rocca Busambra, the mountain framing the palace, rises 5,291 feet above sea level. The largest forest in western Sicily surrounds the village of Ficuzza, of which the palace crowns. The sandstone color shines brightly against the emerald trees. It was once a hunting lodge for Ferdinand III of Sicily, son of King Charles III of Spain. The aroma of chestnut and oak trees sweeps across the grounds. Trails lead through the forest and to the mountain summit.

In the morning, fishing boats glide into the harbor with freshly caught seafood. The fishermen are eager to head to the market and display their fresh catches. At breakfast, you sip a refreshing espresso accompanied by a flaky brioche before venturing to Sicily’s northern coast. The scenic drive takes you along the Palermo-Messina motorway. You notice the large church perched on the summit of a tall mountain overlooking the sea. It is the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna of Tindari.

The church stands on an archeological site peppered with Greek and Roman architecture dating back to the 4th century BC. Floor mosaics decorate the baths. Archways lead to the well-preserved theater. The plateau overlooks the shimmering azure waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. You can see the Aeolian Islands scattered across the horizon. The Sanctuary of the Black Madonna is located on the highest point of the hills at 590 feet above sea level. The sanctuary was erected in the 1960s on a particular area of local legend. Outside of the local village, goats and sheep graze on the landscape.

The Byzantine statues of the Madonna originated in the 9th century and were brought by pilgrims. It is easy to imagine the Corleone Family participating in the Feast Ceremony every September, in dedication to the Black Madonna. You continue to Taormina. The seaside city overlooks the quiet turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea. Cobblestones pave the historic lanes winding along the hillside. The Sanctuary of Madonna della Rocca was constructed over the base of a medieval fortress. The architects built the nave into the hillside using the limestone as a ceiling. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy the luxuries of Taormina. Linger in cafés, sipping wine along the elegant streets or enjoy a view of the illustrious sea from the public gardens.

In the morning, you listen to the gentle warm ocean breeze brush along your villa. On the horizon, you can see the towering summit of Mount Etna rising to a height of nearly 11,000 feet above sea level. Today your guide meets you at your hotel and leads you to the village of Savoca, nestled between the sea and the Peloritani Mountains. Rustic stone cottages line the medieval streets. Quiet churches make you recall Michael Corleone’s wedding. Your intuition is correct, as this is the town in which his marriage to Apollonia was filmed.

Bar Vitelli retains its rustic ambiance and stands at the village entrance. The table where Michael requests Apollonia’s father for her hand in marriage sits underneath the shaded patio area. Curtains sweep across the door. You feel that any minute a man with a mustache will walk through the curtains and pass out drinks. The main street leads to the church. You can follow in the footsteps of Michael Corleone and Apollonia after their wedding by strolling along the main street beneath the fading shadow of the church’s façade.

You continue to the village of Forza d’Agro. The narrow streets lead to the Norman castle overlooking the city from atop the nearby mountain. The town of Forza d’Agro acted as the backdrop for the town of Corleone during the films. The church in the town appears in Godfather Part II when Vito escapes to America after hiding from Don Ciccio’s men. It is also the church when Michael first appears in Corleone alongside his bodyguards. Neither Savoca nor Forza d’Agro feels as though they have changed since Michael Corleone called Sicily his home.

In the morning, the cafes around Taormina set out their tables and chairs alongside the cobbled walkways. The 17th-century clock tower adorns the central square and contains foundations set in the 4th century BC. The fountain in Piazza del Duomo spritzes the warm morning air with refreshing water. The day is yours to enjoy Taormina and its surroundings as you please. Trek to an altitudinal crater along Mount Etna or linger in the warm sand on the shores below Taormina. The history of Syracuse is captivating, filled with ancient allure blending with contemporary lifestyle. The past is quickly visible on the small island of Ortygia. The Fontana Aretusa is an ancient spring set in front of the cathedral.

Freshwater continues to bubble around the wild-growing papyrus. The spring was once the city’s main water supply, attributed to the goddess Artemis. Ducks glide across the water, lingering in the shade of the papyrus. The historic walkways turn into a labyrinth of alleys winding through the old guild quarter and former Jewish Ghetto. A mikveh, a traditional cleansing bath, was discovered more than 65 feet below the city. The celebrated antique puppet theater is located nearby, reenacting treasured tales of magicians and princesses, knights and dragons, stories once promoted by the dons of the region who helped enforce the laws of the land during the ever-changing political landscape of Sicily.

From atop the Greek Theater in Taormina, you have an unadulterated view of the azure waters of the Bay of Naxos brushing the coastline and the sweeping landscape rising to the snowcapped peak of Mount Etna. Marble pillars and red ruins frame the view. At breakfast, you retrace your time in Sicily, recalling the connections to the Godfather films. You ponder the evolution of the Cosa Nostra, an entity created to enforce the law among the townships and which ended up growing to be an influential powerhouse that extended beyond Sicily. Your private transfer meets you at the hotel after your meal and escorts you the airport in Catania for your flight home.