Well today we visit Messina, Sicily and Al and I took a tour of the parts of rural Sicily where the movies scenes from “The Godfather” were filmed.
Heading into dock this morning.
The above picture is taken as we travel in the bus. Once again the tinted windows cast their color over my pictures.
Our first stop was up the hillside (lots of hills!) to a small town of Forza d’agra. This is an old town on a peak with a higher peak that has the remains of a Norman castle on it that overlooks the bay. Getting there included many hairpin turns up the sides in a large bus…meaning that whatever was oncoming had to stop and back up while we took the turns!
Entering the town
In the distance.. Mt. Etna
Snow covered peaks of Mt. Etna
Walking along the streets to the church
The front of the church.
Inside the church was beautiful. Its called the church of the Annunction or church of St Mary.
After walking around for a while we decided it was snack break time…
Our first stop was up the hillside (lots of hills!) to a small town of Forza d’agra. This is an old town on a peak with a higher peak that has the remains of a Norman castle on it that overlooks the bay. Getting there included many hairpin turns up the sides in a large bus…meaning that whatever was oncoming had to stop and back up while we took the turns!
After many curves we come into Frorza d’agra. The importance of this little town is that there is a church that was used at the set for “The Godfather” movies.
Entering the town
In the distance.. Mt. Etna 
Snow covered peaks of Mt. Etna
Walking along the streets to the church
The front of the church.
Inside the church was beautiful. Its called the church of the Annunction or church of St Mary.Outside the streets were jut as quaint as I had hoped!
Cannoli and cappuccino! Delightful snack!
Down every street there’s something interesting!
Another church! 
As we drove to Savoca we again needed to travel on curvy bendy roads and close to the guard rail….that was excitement enough! 
Then we arrived at the town square…a lovely little area with benches and trees providing shade. Across the street was the coffee shop where a scene ( that Albert quoted to me, just in case I forgot it) where Michael Corleone asks the father for his daughters hand in marriage….You all know Al so you can use your imagination on this one…anyway, we were invited inside to get a sample of good Italian gelato..and was it ever delicious!
Then we arrived at the town square…a lovely little area with benches and trees providing shade. Across the street was the coffee shop where a scene ( that Albert quoted to me, just in case I forgot it) where Michael Corleone asks the father for his daughters hand in marriage….You all know Al so you can use your imagination on this one…anyway, we were invited inside to get a sample of good Italian gelato..and was it ever delicious!
In the movie, Michael sits underneath this sign when talking to the father.
The name was written above the bar by the movie props department
View of the bar from the city square
Inside Bar Vitelli
Lots of memorabilia 
Up the hill is this city’s church where the wedding scene was filmed. The group will walk up the hill to look at the church.. I ,on the other hand will take a local taxi because I don’t think I need to try the uphill walk:
Its a modified golf cart but has lots of power to head up the hill at a break neck speed. Lots of fun and certainly worth the 5 euro it cost me! No sweat, no worry!
The front of the church
Baptismal font
St Andrew
Its a very small church inside but has a very large patio where the wedding scene was filmed. We watched a few videos when we returned to the ship and sure enough..there was the front of the church! Its kinda cool to see the actual location!
This is the woman who played the mother
Along the way to the church are the stations of the cross
This was a jewish synagogue before WWII and then left and abandoned due to persecution.
Interesting to see pottery shards imbedded in this buildings walls
Another station of the cross
An arch over the walkway.
The openings in the wall are where the synagogue was
This is the woman who played the mother
Along the way to the church are the stations of the cross
This was a jewish synagogue before WWII and then left and abandoned due to persecution.
Interesting to see pottery shards imbedded in this buildings walls
Another station of the cross
An arch over the walkway.
The road heading down the mountain to the port
Two happy travelers 
From the bus returning to the port- the port is watched over by a gold statue of Mary, the patron of the city of Messina.
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