Walking In Sicily

Your Sicilian adventure begins in the charming seaside town of Giardini Naxos. Once a tranquil fishing village, it's now a popular resort known for its stunning beaches and panoramic views of the bay, hills, and Mount Etna. Our tour leader will meet you at the hotel reception at 6pm for a welcome meeting. If you wish, join us for dinner to get to know your fellow travelers. If you're arriving from Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), it's about an hour's drive to the hotel. Depending on the month of your visit, you'll be staying at Hotel Villa Linda or Hotel Sabbie D'Oro (or similar).

Today, we'll venture to the northern slopes of Mount Etna, Europe's highest volcano. This active volcano offers an otherworldly landscape of craters and lava formations. We'll hike from a height of 1,700 meters to the site of the 2002 eruptions and the former ski resort area of Piano Provenzana. Afterward, we'll descend through pine forests to our waiting bus, which will take us back to our seaside base.

We'll start the day with a drive to Milazzo, from where we'll take a ferry to the beautiful island of Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian Islands. We'll tour the island by minibus, stopping at several sights and viewpoints, including the harbour town of Canneto, the thermal baths of San Calogero, and the open mines. Afterward, we'll return to Lipari town for lunch and a visit to the local museum before heading back to mainland Sicily.

Today, we'll drive to the medieval village of Castelmola, the starting point for our hike to the summit of Monte Venere. The breathtaking views from the top encompass the Strait of Messina, the Ionian coastline, Mount Etna, and the Alcantara Valley. We'll follow old mule tracks through unspoilt Mediterranean scrub, retracing the steps of Freida Von Richthofen, the wife of author D.H. Lawrence.

Today is yours to relax on the beach or explore the nearby town of Taormina. This cliffside town is home to historic churches, lively bars, and cafes, as well as a Graeco-Roman theatre offering iconic views of Mount Etna. You might also want to visit the scenic mountain towns of Savoca and Forza D'Agro, where scenes from The Godfather were filmed.

Today, we'll explore the Pantalica Gorge, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site home to over 4,000 burial chambers. After a moderate hike and a picnic lunch by the Anapo River, we'll drive to Syracusa, the largest city in the ancient world. Here, you'll have free time to explore landmarks such as the spring of Arethusa and the Temple of Apollo.

We'll spend the day exploring the sleepy mountain towns on the lower slopes of Etna's northern side. Our first walk starts just outside of Linguaglossa and follows an old farm trail to Castiglione di Sicilia. After some free time in Castiglione, we'll drive to Francavilla di Sicilia for a shorter walk around the ruins of a Norman castle. We'll end the day with a visit to a panoramic terrace overlooking the Alcantara Gorge.

Our Sicilian adventure comes to an end today. After breakfast, you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, you can store your luggage at our hotel. For those departing from Catania Fontanarossa Airport (CTA), your tour leader will provide you with a ticket for the airport bus.