I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse…..Michael Corleone, The Godfather, 1972

Bar Vitelli, Savoca (ME), Italy

I must say that 1972 was a great year!. It was the year when the classic movie The Godfather hit the cinemas (no pun intended here) and it was the year when I was born!

You will be wondering why I chose a quote from The Godfather to start off my latest writing. Well the reason is simple. The Godfather is one of my favourite movies and my fascination increased some years ago when I visited the Niebaum-Coppola Winery (recently renamed to Rubicon Estate, owned by Francis Ford Coppola – for those of you who don’t know, he was the director of The Godfather Trilogy) in Napa Valley, California and had the opportunity to see, on display, the Oscar that Francis Ford Coppola won for The Godfather.

In 2007, I discovered that some of the scenes in The Godfather were filmed in neighbouring Sicily, specifically in the town of Savoca. Forming part of Messina, Savoca lies 300 metres above sea level, between Taormina and Messina. A sleepy town with approximately 1,600 inhabitants, it is famous for being chosen as a location for the wedding scene in The Godfather. This was because the town of Corleone was too developed even in the early 1970's, and Savoca was used for shooting some of the scenes.

My recent visit to Taormina therefore could not be complete without a visit to this enchanting village, which is only approximately 30 minutes away by car from Taormina. Arriving in Savoca I made a beeline towards Bar Vitelli which was used to film Michael Corleone’s wedding to Apollonia. The Bar has been run for the past 44 years by the Signora Maria, a feisty 84 year old Sicilian from Palermo. A weather beaten face and old fashioned clothes belie a lively and intelligent woman, full of interesting anecdotes especially those relating to when Francis Ford Coppola and his crew were filming.

Whether or not a Godfather fan, a visit to this Bar is a must! Unfortunately the building is quite dilapidated, and requires some attention however it still retains its character, and whilst sitting down to enjoy one of the best home made lemon granitas in the area, one can soak in the fantastic views of the area.

A dash of Zibibbo, a liqueur made in Palermo, makes the granita taste even better!