Savoca
A medieval village perched on the hills above the Ionian coast, half an hour from Taormina, with churches, the ruins of a castle and quiet lanes.
The story
In 1971 Francis Ford Coppola chose Savoca to film the Sicilian scenes of The Godfather: at Bar Vitelli Michael Corleone asks for Apollonia's hand, and their wedding is celebrated in the church of San Nicolò. The bar is still there, with photos from the shoot. The village also has a Capuchin crypt with the mummified bodies of 18th- and 19th-century notables.
Why go
A lemon granita on the terrace of Bar Vitelli and an intact village, far from the crowds of Taormina.
In the itineraries
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Weather forecast
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
Getting there
- By train. The nearest station is Santa Teresa di Riva station, 2.6 km away. Alternatively: Sant'Alessio Siculo - Forza d'Agrò station, 3.5 km away.
- By air. The nearest airport is Reggio Calabria Airport (REG), about 30 km away; with more flights, Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA) is about 59 km away.
- Parking. There are 3 signposted car parks within a kilometre; the nearest is 100 m away.
- ZTL. Many Italian historic centres are limited traffic zones (ZTL) monitored by cameras: if you arrive by car, leave it outside the centre and check opening times and permits on the town council's website (your hotel may be able to register your plate).
Stations, ports, airports and car parks from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); distances as the crow flies. Timetables and connections change: check them before you travel.
Climate month by month
The most pleasant months for weather are from May to June and from September to November, with average highs between 18 and 29 °C. The wettest month is November (about 115 mm), the driest July.
| Month | Temperature | High / low | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | from 9 to 13 °C | 13° 9° | 68 |
| Feb | from 9 to 13 °C | 13° 9° | 60 |
| Mar | from 10 to 15 °C | 15° 10° | 63 |
| Apr | from 12 to 17 °C | 17° 12° | 29 |
| May | from 15 to 21 °C | 21° 15° | 32 |
| Jun | from 20 to 26 °C | 26° 20° | 21 |
| Jul | from 24 to 30 °C | 30° 24° | 13 |
| Aug | from 24 to 30 °C | 30° 24° | 27 |
| Sep | from 22 to 27 °C | 27° 22° | 61 |
| Oct | from 18 to 23 °C | 23° 18° | 95 |
| Nov | from 15 to 18 °C | 18° 15° | 115 |
| Dec | from 11 to 15 °C | 15° 11° | 64 |
Averages for 2015–2024, estimated for an altitude of 298 m. Air: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), corrected for the altitude of the place; rain: average monthly total. These are indicative values: the weather on any given day can be very different, so always check the forecast before you go.