Q – My husband smokes cigars continually, has an eight handicap, runs a five million dollar auto-supply business and knows about 75% of the dialogue from the original Godfather movie. He’s big, loud, obnoxious, and a sort of typical Jersey guy. He’s a sweetie and I want to take him to Sicily as a surprise for his sixtieth Birthday. I don’t think he’d sit still for a tour or even a private guide, so I’d love it if traveltruth could just tell me one or two villages where filming was done that he would immediately recognize. I’ll see if I can find him a big black Buick to rent over there. By the way – is it safe?
A – It is safe but we would recommend that your husband not stand in the middle of the village square demanding that all “Mafioso” identify themselves. Start him out in Savoca, a town that Francis Ford Coppola loved. Many scenes that made it onscreen were filmed here. You have to stop at the Bar Vitelli. Your husband will recognize it and he will respect the patrons – he better. By the way, do not order a cappuccino. The drink of choice is a granite Siciliana. Then, we want you to go to a really old village called Forza d’Agro. The main square will be familiar.
To make all of this happen, try to stay at the Grand Hotel Timeo or Villa Sant’Andrea. They are both excellent Orient Express Hotels. Use our name.
OK? Now, we assume you know where to send the cannoli.
