THE GODFATHER TOUR

Two of my good friends from North Carolina are visiting us in Sicily! Hollywood and Helen work with me at bob 93.3. Yesterday, we went to Forza d'Agro and Savoca, two of the main filming locations for The Godfather movies. We learned that Al Pacino comes to visit sometimes. He stays in Taormina, and when he visits these towns, they shut them down to tourists so he and his family and friends can see everything. Next year will be the 40 year anniversary of the first movie and they say the whole cast is coming here to celebrate.

First stop, Forza d'Agro. Just like everywhere else in Sicily, it's beautiful.






We walked to a church that was a backdrop of several scenes in The Godfather I and II. Does it look familiar? It was in the scene where little Vito Andolini was smuggled out of town.

This is the inside:
...and the outside, exactly the way it looks in the movies!

Mahlon found a nice fountain full of fish. In the spirit of the day, Mahlon tried to make Hollywood sleep with the fishes.

We saw another church that was used in The Godfather III. Big whoop. We got back on the bus and went to Savoca. Here's the memorial to Francis Ford Coppola. In the background, you can see the church of St. Lucia, where Michael and Apollonia were married.

We walked up to the church.

We got to see inside.
Mahlon and I knelt on the step where Michael and Apollonia knelt during their wedding.

Then we sang the music from The Godfather and marched down the road like they did. By we, I mean I sang it.

Here's what they saw when they walked down the hill. You didn't see this in the movie!

Then we stopped at Bar Vitelli where Michael arranged the marriage with Apollonia.

Then we had lunch at this little restaurant down the street (also, the only restaurant in town.)

Hollywood and Helen learned how to say "Cheers" in Italian..."Cin Cin!"