Taormina winery

I booked a tour through our ship that visits Taormina and then goes to a winery but I keep hearing how fun Taormina is to explore on your own so I'm wondering if I should book a different tour that leaves us with some time to look around on our own.

Can anyone who has gone on a local winery tour there comment on the experience?

We did a private tour where we stopped in Taormina (walked the main street and Greek Theater), Castelmola, drove through and stopped in the Alcantara Valley (and looked at the town that was Corleone in the movie), stopped at Castiglione di Sicilia, before ending at the Gambino Winery on the side of Mt. Etna. We had a great time at the vineyard tasting all sorts of Sicilian wines. It all depends on how much time you want to spend in a place. We spent about 1.5 hours in Taormina which was enough for us but we only window shopped. Shops did look interesting...

You can do both, but the wineries are all on the slopes of Etna so a bit of trek from Taormina.

Taormina is very easy to do on one's own since there are basically only two streets (for tourists) which are almost in an L shape. The historical highlight is the well preserved (it is still used) Greco-Roman Amphitheater which has some spectacular views from its seats (there is a small admission fee). The main street has many small shops/boutiques and a fair number of cafes, restaurants, gelato places, etc. The town is pretty well known for their wonderful Cannoli's...so if you have lunch look for a cannoli for dessert. For those who enjoy walking (and browsing) you can easily walk from one end of town to the other (and back). Keep in mind that some of the best stores close in the afternoon (around 1pm)...so do your shopping/browsing early,

We have been to Taormina 4 times...and always enjoy spending time having a nice lunch (we walk around and check out the menus and daily specials). It is a delightful resort town that is popular with both Italians and other visitors. As to Castlemola, is it more of a lazy town high up in the hills. There is a regional bus that runs between Taormina and Castelmola...for those who have the time and want to do it on their own. Or, you could do as we have done...and just rent a car (in Messina) and do as you please. Had to smile at the post about 1 1/2 hours being enough. There are a few very pricey hotels in Taormina....and folks (including Italians) pay a lot of money to spend a few days in this town/region. On the other hand, we have a friend who hates Paris, France because he says its Old! So you never know what pleases some folks.

Hank

We loved our stop at Gamibino Vineyards. We did a tasting that included many local food samples to accompany the wines. Nice place - the visit was one of the highlights of entire trip. We even ordered wine to be shipped back home (they have a distributor in the US).

Another vote for Gambino. We just visited there. Great place, great wine and great food.