Italy/Greece 2023 – Day 9: Messina (Sicily), Italy (September 10, 2023)

Trip: Rome and Cruise through Italy and Greece (Norwegian Breakaway)
Dates: September 1 – 15, 2023
Who: Me (Jess), Emily (one of my best friends), Beverly (my mom), Jeff (my stepdad), Jen (my aunt), and Megan (my sister).

Today was a sister day! Megan and I were the only ones to book our excursion (once again through Shore Excursions Group – Taormina and the Blue Grotto). I woke up about 6:45am and got ready for the day. Megan and I met at Lido around 7:30 for breakfast (bagel with PB and some bacon). Poor Jen was having some real trouble with her back and wasn’t going to get off the ship. We wished her well and got off the boat about 8:15am.

The excursions were very easily found just past the pier gate. Everyone had signs and the vehicles were well marked. Our tour had messaged us a couple days prior with very specific instructions, which was great. We easily found our tour guide, boarded the bus, and were shortly on our way!

Our first stop was the marina to board a boat for a ride along the coast!

The ride was NOT for the easily seasick. We were fine, but members of our travel party (namely Jeff and Emily) would have had issues. It was a beautiful day and a great ride along the coast.

We rode around the Naxos and Taormina coasts. Along the way, we saw the hotel from White Lotus and all the yachts associated with that type of wealth.

We also saw Isola Bella….

One of my favorite stops was the Blue Grotto and the Cave of Lovers. Pictures just don’t do them justice….

The typical area they let people swim was deemed too rocky. Our boat captain took us to an area that was a little less rough. Swimming in the Ionian Sea was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip! The water was cold, but not freezing. The salt density made it pretty easy to just float. It was so relaxing and refreshing! Getting back into the boat was a trip, though, lol!

Our guides treated us to cold Prosecco, Italian cookies, and fresh fruit while we just drifted for about 15 minutes. It was AMAZING. Then, we made our way back to the marina, listening to Italian music all the way back. It felt like the epitome of Italian luxury.

We got back to the bus and rode to Taormina. The only downside of the day was that there really wasn’t any place to change out of our wet bathing suits. I was still trying to dry off and ended up carrying my towel all through Taormina.

We had the choice of going off on our own or being guided through the town before having free time on the way back. Megan and I opted for the tour, slowly being shown different points of interest.

Our tour included entrance to the Ancient Theatre, so we walked around for a few minutes. We could have taken a full tour. However, it would have seriously cut into our time. So, we just got the gist of it. It was really amusing to see this ancient theatre being set up for a concert.

From there, we parted from our tour guide. We had two(ish) hours to explore on our own. There was a granita stand right outside of the theatre, so that was a must! I got a Orange and Lemon Granita.

We decided to leisurely make our way back in the direction of the bus. Our tour guide had pointed out a Cannoli shop and noted it was one of her favorites. We stopped there and were not disappointed. They had us come to the back where the lady made ours right in front of us. They were delicious!!

After all the sweets, we were ready for some actual food! We wanted pizza. We found a restaurant that was almost a little hiding spot. It looked like a little spot. However, it wove down a staircase. It opened into a larger room that overlooked the cliffs. It was wonderful! We decided to split a pizza.

Next up was a mission that Megan had been on since we got to Italy – Louis Vuitton. Taormina has a store, so that was Megan’s desired destination. I have no interest in bags, so I merely watched while Megan perused her options. She eventually settled on one. While they were going through the ceremonial procedures of purchase, I told her I was going to run to a store I’d seen earlier in day.

I wound my way back to the shop that caught my eye when we were starting out (storefront 211). They had some gorgeous handmade ornaments. I made some purchases, both for myself and as souvenirs for family back home. Megan met up with me and we headed back to the bus.

We rode back to port and immediately went to the cabins to drop everything off. We told Jen all about our day and decided to go with her to the hot tub.

After a nice soak, I got a shower and readied for dinner. It was another Savor night for Em, Jen, Megan, and I, as we had plans for after dinner!

Pictured above was my dinner…. Cheese Tortellini Soup (Good, but it was chicken noodle soup not cheese tortellini); Not Pictured -Mixed Green Salad (Good); Braised Beef Brisket (Good, but not what I expected); and Chocolate Raspberry Torte (Good).

After dinner, we had a reservation for the ship’s performance of Six. I was SO excited about this since seeing it was playing on our ship. A few of my friends and family were super jealous. It was PHENOMENAL. That’s the best way I can describe it.

After exclaiming how much we loved it, it was time to call it a night. We had another early morning and a long day coming up.. I went up for my Nightly H2O, back to the room, and went to sleep. It was a day I’ll never forget!

Italy/Greece 2023 Trip Report (September 1 – 15, 2023)
– The Beginning (Vivi Alla Giornata!)
– The Planning Process (Rome)
– The Planning Process (Greece Ports)
– The Planning Process (Italy Ports)
– Flight Confusion
– Day 0: Leave for Rome (September 1, 2023)
– Day 1: Rome Arrival and City Tour (September 2, 2023)
– Day 2: Board the Breakaway (September 3, 2023)
– Day 3: Sea Day (September 4, 2023)
– Day 4: Santorini, Greece (September 5, 2023)
– Day 5: Athens (Piraeus), Greece (September 6, 2023)
– Day 6: Mykonos, Greece (September 7, 2023)
– Day 7: Olympia (Katakolon), Greece (September 8, 2023)
– Day 8: Valletta, Malta (September 9, 2023)
– Day 9: Messina (Sicily), Italy (September 10, 2023)
– Day 10: Naples, Italy (September 11, 2023)
– Day 11: Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy (September 12, 2023)
– Day 12: Disembark and Vatican City (September 13, 2023)
– Day 13: Rome (September 14, 2023)
– Day 14: Leaving Rome (September 15, 2023) and Some Final Thoughts

Italy/Greece 2023 – Day 9: Messina (Sicily), Italy (September 10, 2023)

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