This photo journal, the last in the Sicily set (waaaaaaa), features the picturesque mountain village of Savoca, which was used in the filming of some scenes in the 1st Godfather movie, & some photos of explosive Mount Etna, both locations near Taormina.

SAVOCA:

This photogenic medieval village & historic artist town, located in the mountainous volcanic landscape of Messina province about 30 km SW of Messina & just north of Taormina, is considered one of the most attractive places in the Taormina area. It is well situated on a rugged mountain slope at an elevation of 303m, with panoramic views over the surrounding countryside & the sea.

Savoca was originally a castle ‘city’ with defensive walls with two gates, & judicial & administrative offices, all built during the Arab period. One of the gates still remains. The ruins of the Pentefur (Saracen Castle) are visible on a nearby hilltop. Savoca was an important religious center at one time, as you can see from the numerous churches from the 14th & 15th century.

There are at least three reasons to come to Savoca, apart from the peaceful atmosphere & the stunning views over the sea from the piazza. The main one is the Godfather 1 (GF1) connection. The village was chosen to stand in for the less-photogenic Corleone (which was also off-limits because the real Mafia were none too keen on Coppola's project). You may recall that after Michael's wedding, he & Apollonia, with family & friends in tow, walked down the hill from a church (Santa Lucia) to Vitelli's Bar on the piazza for the reception. The bar is still there, as is the table where Michael sat earlier to ask the padrone for the hand of his daughter Apollonia. You can sit at that same table & sample their famous granita di limone (fresh lemon slurpee) - the 2nd reason for making the journey to Savoca.

Although we didn’t go there, the 3rd reason to visit Savoca is the Convent of the Frati Minori Cappuccini on the road up to the town, or more precisely, the Catacomb which lies beneath. Around the wall in glass cases or coffins are the corpses of Savoca's worthies, dating from the 17th & 18th centuries. Most are in a standing posture & still wearing the appropriate dress for their professions in life. Few horror films could compare with the grisly reality of sharing a crypt with 35 or so decayed corpses, some 300 years old. Having an ancestor here is a source of great local pride. Apparently, visiting the Catacomb is definitely not for the squeamish! I’m glad we didn’t go......

Another local treasure that we missed is the historic Chiesa Madre (Mother Church). I think it must be out of the way in the hills somewhere? While in the area, you might also want to visit nearby Forza d’Agrò, another attractive medieval hamlet with a splendid view of the coast. It was here that Al Pacino & Sophia Coppola shot some scenes for GF3 in 1990. It also makes a brief appearance in GF1 when Michael & his two companions are walking in the hills & see a picturesque village in the distance, & one them remarks "Corleone". That village was Forza d’Agrò. An historic church in the village appears in GF2 when Vito escapes to America hidden in a donkey, while Don Ciccio's men threaten the neighbors. In GF1, the church appears when Michael goes to Corleone for the first time along with his bodyguards, & when behind young Vito & family during their visit to Corleone. ( I couldn’t wait to get home to watch the Godfather movies again......)

More info here: http://www.thegodfathertrilogy.com/gf1/gf1scene_sicily.html

MOUNT ETNA:

Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano* on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina, Catania & Taormina. At 3,329m (10,922 ft) high, it is the highest active volcano in Europe, although the height may change after the frequent summit eruptions; for example, the mountain is currently 21m (69 ft) lower than it was in 1981. It is the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps. Etna covers an area of 460sq.mi with a basal circumference of 140 kms, making it by far the largest of the 3 active volcanoes in Italy (it is 2.5 times higher than the next largest, Mount Vesuvius). Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of eruption. (It was bubbling when we were there.) Because of its history of recent activity & nearby population, Mount Etna has been designated as one of the 16 Decade Volcanoes** in the world by the United Nations.

Eruptions of Etna are not all the same. Some occur at the summit, where there are currently 4 distinct craters. Other eruptions occur on the flanks where there are more than 300 vents ranging in size from small holes in the ground to large craters hundreds of meters across. Summit eruptions can be highly explosive & are extremely spectacular, but they rarely threaten the inhabited areas around the volcano. Flank eruptions, however, are often lower & close to or even well within the populated areas. There are numerous villages & small towns that lie around or on cones of past flank eruptions. Since 2001, there have been 4 flank eruptions. The longest one is still erupting & has lasted for more than 6 months. Previous eruptions during this period lasted 3 weeks, 3 months, & 6 months, respectively.

There is one positive benefit of volcanic eruptions, however - the extremely fertile volcanic soils that are left behind support extensive agriculture, with vineyards & orchards spread across the lower slopes of the mountain & the broad Plain of Catania to the south.

*A stratovolcano is one type of classical cone-shaped volcano. When it comes to size & the ability to pack a serious punch, stratovolcanoes outclass cinder cones in a big way. They erupt explosively & violently, sometimes completely blowing their tops! Some of the most powerful & destructive volcanoes in human history have been stratovolcanoes. Great info & photos here: http://www.extremescience.com/stratovolcanoes.htm

** The Decade Volcanoes are 16 volcanoes identified by the United Nations as being worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive eruptions, & proximity to populated areas. They are named Decade Volcanoes because the project was initiated as part of the United Nations-sponsored International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. More interesting info & photos, including the list of the 16 volcanoes, can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decade_Volcanoes

There are amazing historical photos of Etna here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Etna

and more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Etna