Etna and Taormina from Cefalù

Great experience. Knowledgeable guide who explained about Sicily and Etna and Taormina. A trip worth doing.

Our driver, Auto, and guide, Alice, were wonderful. Alice provided clear instructions and plenty of information about Mt. Etna and Taormina. We had about 2 hrs at each location. The crater at Etna were a very easy walk. We didn't realize how windy it would be up there. The volcanic sand kind of sand blasted us a bit! We still had a great time. In Taormina we had a lovely meal and tried the granita (shaved ice) in lemon and orange. I would highly recommend trying it!

Etna was fine…lots of time to experience a slightly daring activity. Taormina was not as advertised for me. I guess I expected the amphitheater that you used to advertise the trip would be visited by the group. Although our guide showed us the route, we barely had time to get to the amphitheater, let alone see it, grab a fast bite and get back for the return trip. I guess it was really just a high end shopping trip for most of the others. I REALLY hoped to see the featured amphitheater!

Summary: absolutely unrealistic and unejoyable schedule, the whole day is just sitting in a bus and then running up&down to the Etna and Taormina. The 2 hours for the Etna is ridiculous the 1,5 hours visit to Taormina is totally pointless. A clear NO-Recommendation for this Trip as it is. The facts: The Trip we booked: Sicilian gems - Mt. Etna & Taormina + Etna 2900 We paid pro Adult ~ EUR 150,-- "Etna 2900" is an extra package, costs about EUR 50-70 pro Person extra, so you can take the Funicular and the special Jeep to climb up to the top of Etna at 2.900 meters. Our expectations: 1) bus transfer and competent guidance in english 2) to visit the top of the Mt. Etna => Torre del Filosofo at 2.919 meters and spend there ~30 Minutes to take some photos and enjoy the view 3) to visit the city of Taormina and visit Teatro Greco-Romano and spend there ~15 Minutes to take some photos and enjoy the view What we experienced: 06:45 AM: Pick-up at at our hotel 08:45 AM: short stop at a Gas station 10:40 AM: Arrival at Etna, Rifugio Sapienza (1.881 meters) => finding Parking place for the bus => the Tour Guide tells us to be back at exactly 13:00 PM at the bus. 11:00 AM: the Tour Guide disappears and turns up around 11:00 AM with our ticket to the Funicular and Jeep => so at this point we have exactly 2 hours to go to the top, spend some time there and come back to the bus => this is (now we now) totally impossible!!! 11:10 AM: our funicular leaves the station 11:25 AM: our funicular arrives at the End station at 2.500 meters where we have to wait to take the Jeep to the top. => waiting time 15 minutes 11:45 AM: the Jeep leaves to the top 12:00 PM: the Jeep arrives at 2.919 meters at Torre del Filosofo => it took exactly 1 hour to get to the top. At this point, to get back to the bus at 13:00 PM is already impossible, as the we have to wait to the returning Jeep at least another 15 Minutes. But instead of turning back, we walk up to the top, because this is actually what we have paid for! 12:20 PM: we arrive at the top and spend there ~5-10 Minutes 12:45 PM: the Jeep starts back downhill 13:05 PM: our funicular leaves the station 13:20 PM: we step out from the funicular 13:25 PM: we arrive with ~25 Minutes "delay" back to the bus, where the Guide & Bus-driver behave very impolite with us because of our delay. => 1 hour to Taormina with the bus 14:30 PM: our Bus arrives at Taormina Parking-house => the Tour Guide tells us to be back at exactly 16:00 PM at the bus. This means: if you take a short break to move your body after sitting in the bus, go to toilet, take the elevator up to Taormina and walk to the entrance of the old-town, you have about 1 hour net to visit Taormina actually. => the Teatro Greco-Romano is 1 kilometer from here, so if you want to visit the theater you must run like crazy, and you can forget to see or enjoy the old town, to go shopping or stop for an ice or coffee. We decide to skip the Teatro Greco-Romano and spend our 1 hour in a Coffee and just walk 30 Minutes in the old town before returning to the bus, so we basically miss to see the Teatro Greco-Romano .. however this is what we paid for. 19:30 PM: arrival back to the hotel. Our feedback to CASSATA TRAVEL: Less is more! 1) to visit the Top of Etna at 2.919 meters, you need at least 3 hours or more, you plan 2 hours 2) to visit Taormina you need 2,5 hours or more, you plan 1,5 hours The Taormina part is absolutely pointless, instead of this, 3,5 hours Etna would be much enjoyable.

Our tour guide, Lauren, and our bus driver, Salvo. Both were friendly and gracious. Lauren did a very well managed tour and. Communicated directions and instructions clearly, which was important for us, both active seniors. It was a good time!