Who visit Sicily for Christmas or the winter period, generally does these questions: (For a direct enquire about tips and vacation proposals you can contact us)

• What can I expect in terms of weather and what are the Sicily temperatures in winter ? – In Sicily Winter are generally mild. But Sicily could be much colder in December than you might expect. Look here for more info on weather forecast

• Where to stay at this time of year? – The best place to stay as bases is Taormina. Taormina would be a base town to visit:

• Etna
• Giardini-Naxos
• Siracusa
• Catania
• Excursion to the Aeolian Islands

• Are there any special events during this time? – Generally Christmas is a Family festivity. The festivity are from (24 December) through the Epiphany (6 January). In Italy, the day after Christmas (Saint Stephen’s Day) is a national holiday, and so is the Epiphany.

• What type of activity can I do?

• There’s a wine route you can take. This site will have 4 wine routes. Strada del vino dell’ Etna
• The winter ski resorts on Etna will also be open.
• Visit the entire volcano towns with the Circumetnea Railway (The service does not run on Sundays, or holidays.)
• Relax
• Shopping
• Ancient ruins
• Maybe a beach
• Feel for Sicily’s culture

Map of Ski spots on Mt Etna

View Larger Map

• Can I visit Mt. Etna to go skiing? Are there other spots for Sicily ski holidays? – The Etna mountain is covered of snow, the ski season on Etna runs from November to March, and skiing is possible. Mt. Etna offers 1400 meters of vertical skiing. There are two ski areas on Etna, the southern – Nicolosi and the northern – Linguaglossa. In these areas are available Hotels, Chalet and ski rentals.

Here a video, clik on the menu button in the lower right corner to see other related videos

Here you can practice:

• Downhill
• Cross-country skiing
• Snowshoeing
• Telemark
• Alpine ski
• Snowboarding

The main experiences are with the snowshoes and cross country ski. Here you can cross the forests, open spaces and the paths over the 1.800 meters.

Snowboard is very good because over 2.000 meters there aren’t trees.

Here the list of the ski stations in the South- Rifugio Sapienza, Nicolosi

• 1° ski lift: Silvestri 1910mt. to 2100 mt.
• 2° ski lift: Capannina 2100 mt. To 2300 mt.
• 3° ski lift: Omino 2300 mt. To 2550 mt.
• 4° ski lift: Montagnola 2450 mt. To 2650 mt.
• Cross country path: Piano Vetore
• Cable car 1910mt. to 2500 mt.

Here the list of the ski stations in the North- Piano Provenzana, Linguaglossa

• 1° ski lift: Baby
• 2° ski lift: Tanaurpi
• 3° ski lift: Le coccinelle
• 4° ski lift: Monte Conca
• 5° ski lift: Anfiteatro
• Cross country skiing: Poiana

More and more people like to do show-shoes excursions, because they are the substitute of trekking during the winter.

The main itinerary is:

• Day 1 Catania.
• Day 2 Western Etna – Monti Sartorius (4 Hours walking: + 350 – 100mt.)
• Day 3 Northern Etna – Piano Provenzana (5 Hours walking: + 680 – 680 MT)
• Day 4 Etna – Randazzo (4 Hours walking: + 350 – 620 MT)
• Day 5 Park of Nebrodi (4 Hours walking: + 50 – 290 MT)
• Day 6 Southern Etna (6 Hours walking: + 400 – 400 MT)
• Day 7 Taormina
• Day 8 Catania

Other tips:

• Many hotels and restaurants take a month or two off between November and February, when spa and beach destinations become padlocked ghost towns, and it can get much colder than you’d expect.
• From late October to Easter, most attractions go on reduced winter hours or are closed for renovation.
• Taormina will be very, very quiet!

You’ll discover real life tips and tricks fruit of my real holiday rentals Sicily experience.

This is my trip report about my Sicily beach holidays passed with my girl friend Valeria. We don’t like to travel in other regions of Italy because we think that Sicily mix all the Italian attractions. So before visiting Italy we want to visit all the Sicily island.

This is the time of the Northern coast in the province of Messina exactly in the Town of San Gregorio near Capo D’Orlando. The trip was of 4 days and 3 nights and in a self guided tour. We were very lucky while choosing our tirrenic coast hotel Sicily because in that period (August), all the accommodation were full booked.

Here the detail of the Itinerary:

• Period: 10-13 August 2007
• Location: San Gregorio – Capo D’orlando, Messina
• People: 2
• Accommodation type: 4 stars Hotel
• Vacation type: Activity Holidays Sicily + relax + Ecotur
• Meals: B&b and self provided
• Transfers: By Car
• Total cost: 548,00 €
• Here the map of the Itinerary

Details of costs
All the vacation cost us 548,00 € (274,00 € per person)

We spend our money in:

• Accommodation + breakfast: 450,00 €
• Gas: 45 € (500 km of distance A/R + sightseeing tour – starting from Catania)
• Freeway tickets: 14,80 € (We took 2 freeways: A18 Catania-Messina and A20 Messina-Palermo)
• Food and beverage: 38,10 € (Arancini, pizza, Ice creams, granita, etc…)

Considering the high season period i think it was a bargain holiday…;-)

Some considerations about our Holiday accommodation – Hotel & Village “La Mia Valle”

When we arrived we had a great impression of this accommodation. It’s a good structure in the nature with a lot of trees. The hotel is built on an hill. Our room was a double room with bathroom and a little terrace.

The hotel has a private beach “Lido l’Ancora” where you can see the Aeolian Islands (Vulcano, Lipari, Salina, Alicudi e Filicudi).

If you like you can pay for a boat tour to these islands starting from the port of Capo D’Orlando (Average price 38-60 € http://www.nologommoni.com)

Things we like:

• Nature
• Relaxing landscapes
• Good position near the main attractions
• Very tasty breakfast
• Clean and comfort rooms
• Sweet horses and donkeys to do tour of the property

Whos is the Donkey?

Things we don’t like:

• Too much car rumors from the near freeway
• If the hotel is full it looks like it is empty and you can feel you are too isolated
• You have to wait for a shuttle bur to move around the property
• Too much bugs and mosquitos

In summary i’ll suggest this accommodation. We enjoyed too much and found a very relaxing atmosphere. You can see its pictures and description here

Sicilian touristic attraction we saw:

• The Nebrodi mounts
• Capo D’Orlando
• The landscapes of the Aeolian islands
• The little villages of Ucria, Naso, Castell’Umberto, Sinagra, Brolo
• Gioiosa Marea

The best attraction to see is the Coast. You can do with a car the SS113 (Statal road n°113) that connects Palermo with Messina and visit all the sea villages and see the magnific landscapes.
You can see all the pictures of this trip here

Here the daily itinerary

Day 1 – Arriving in the hotel

• Starting from Catania, 2 hours of freeways (A18 and A20)
• Arrive in the hotel
• Afternoon on the beach
• Dine with “Panino ca’ cutuletta” (bread with chicken)
• Sleep

Day 2 – It’s raining man…alleluja!!

• Breakfast
• Rain
• In the morning visit to the Nebrodi parks (Sinagra, Naso, Ucria, Castell’Umberto)
• Lunch with Granita and Brioche in the Bar “Mamy and Papy” Morosito bar – San Gregorio
• Afternoon on the beach
• Evening a visit in Capo D’orlando for a Pizza in “Crazy Pizza”
• Walking on the Long Beach

Day 3 – Arancini mon amour…

• Breakfast
• All the morning on the beach
• Luch with typical Sicilian food (Arancini and Siciliane) in “Da Matteo” Restaurant, San Gregorio Phone: 0941 955029
• Afternoon on the Beach
• In the evening an excursion in Gioiosa Marea and dine with a Brioche and Ice-cream in Bar “Miramare”

Day 4 – Come back home

• Breakfast
• On the beach to 12:00 o’clock
• Come back home…:-(

Here my trip…if you like you can post your comments or if you need more advices you can contact me to ask all you want…thanks for reading…Enrico and Valeria.

So, if you want to live the best vacation you can get, then read this short guide. I’ll help you discover how to feel an unique experience in 10 simple ways.

In Sicily there are tons of places where live wild adventures and sport activities. The best ones are on the Etnean territory in the middle of 3 natural parks: Etna, Nebrodi and Alcantara.

Here you can practice:

• Trekking/Hiking
• Mountain Biking
• Winter sports
• Water and pluvial sports
• Extreme sports
• Bio and natural watching
• And other adventure outdoor sports

I’ve tried to do a simple search on forums and social websites to verify what exactly people know about adventure travels in Italy and I’ve found a lot of interesting questions that I’ll try to answer in this post:

The main questions are:

• What are the best spots for cycling holidays in Italy?
• What type of mountain biking experiences are possible in Italy?
• How can i find company specialized in walking tours in Italy?
• Have you skiing holidays ideas?
• What the best period to do and outdoor adventure vacation in Italy?

So…lets’go start discover all possible experiences that the Mount Etna territory can give you…

On the Etna you can live the best hiking – trekking holidays of Italy

This territory has a particular characteristics. It’s in the middle of 3 natural parks: The Etna, the Nebrodi and the Alcantara river.

Here practice adventure sports activity holidays of easy/medium difficulty with a duration of 4-5 hours can cost you 70-100€ all inclusive for the group (not at person)

The main trips are:

• Walking tours in the north Etna’s paths to see the recent eruptions, caves, forests and natural landscapes
• The Malabotta forest in the Nebrodi parks
• The lake’s path in the Nebrodi
• The Alcantara river and the little volcano Mojo
• A tour in the caves of the Etna

On The Etna it’s possible to practice the Nordic walking, a new way to combine travel activity and weight loss, and the Geocaching, with the help of GPS you have to find an object let by another and let a message for the future visitor.

For the most skilled there is a complete tour of 2 days between the Etna and the Nebrodi.

To find an adventure travel company you can send an email here

Useful resources:
http://www.etnaviva.it
http://www.entefaunasiciliana.it
http://www.italianostra.org
http://www.caicatania.it
http://www.siciliamountaintrekking.it
http://www.kalura.org
http://www.guidetnanord.com
http://www.etnatrekking.it
http://www.acquaterra.it
http://www.etnanatura.it
http://www.etnaescursioni.it

http://www.etnaguide.com
http://www.aitnemed.com
http://www.volcanotrek.com
http://www.magmatrek.it

Ecotourism holidays to watch the nature and the fauna

Another type of adventure tours that add an educational values are the Nebrodi mounts. These mounts are famous for their animal observation points to see the nests of rare birds. For example some years ago there was a webcam pointed directly on a nest of a couple of Real Eagles, where you could see the nest and chicks.

Birdwatchers will appreciate the extraordinary shows given by the Nebrodi’s lakes and the river reserves in the province of Catania

• Pozzillo lake
• Biviere Lake
• The Trearie lake
• The Gurrida Lake on the Etna
• The Salinelle and ponte barca
• The pluvial park of the Alcantara
• The Fiumefreddo river reserve
• The Simeto’s oasis

Whale watching to admire dolphins and whales near the gulf of Catania, is another animal watching activity to practice.

Useful info:
http://www.naturasicilia.org
http://www.bioscatania.it
http://www.whalewatching.it

Horseback riding tours of the Etna

This is my favourite example of adventure vacation. Everybody know how beautiful could it be a ride on an horse…and if you link it to the views offers by the tallest volcano of Europe and the possibility to visit its historical towns and traditions…wow!

The main trip is of 3 days where you’ll do the complete tour of the volcano.

1. Day: Across the tows of Belpasso and Ragalna (Etna south)
2. Day: In the forest of the Pista “Altomontana� (A path that links the South and the North of the Volcano)
3. Day: Piano dei Dammusi and the Etna caves
4. See the eruption of 1991-1993 that was dangerous for the Zafferana etnea town
5. Day the say path of day 1 to come back home

Accommodation is in the shelters along the path. You can contact me if you are interested in receiving more information on this tour

Useful resources:
http://www.amicodelcavallo.com

Skiing holidays in Italy and other winter sports on the Etna mountain

Have you ever skied on a lava flow?

Yes…most people don’t know that during winter you can ski on the Etna mountain.
The starting point of the skiing season is between December and January. On the Etna there are 2 main ski stations: Rifugio Sapienza in the south and Piano Provenzana in the north.

Here you can practice:

• Downhill
• Cross-country skiing
• Snowshoeing
• Telemark
• Alpine ski
• Snowboarding

The main experiences are with the snowshoes and cross country ski. Here you can cross the forests, open spaces and the paths over the 1.800 meters.

Snowboard is very good because over 2.000 meters there aren’t trees.

Here the list of the ski stations in the South- Rifugio Sapienza, Nicolosi
1° ski lift: Silvestri 1910mt. to 2100 mt.
2° ski lift: Capannina 2100 mt. To 2300 mt.
3° ski lift: Omino 2300 mt. To 2550 mt.
4° ski lift: Montagnola 2450 mt. To 2650 mt.
Cross country path: Piano Vetore
Cable car 1910mt. to 2500 mt.

Here the list of the ski stations in the North- Piano Provenzana, Linguaglossa
1° ski lift: Baby
2° ski lift: Tanaurpi
3° ski lift: Le coccinelle
4° ski lift: Monte Conca
5° ski lift: Anfiteatro
Cross country skiing: Poiana

More and more people like to do show-shoes excursions, because they are the substitute of trekking during the winter.
The main itineraries are:

• “Valle del Bove”
• Nocturnal excursion

If you need more information you can contact us today

Useful info:
http://www.caicatania.it
http://www.scuolaitalianascietna.com
http://www.etnasci.it

Cycling holidays around the Parks

The territory of the Etna is very indicated for Downhill mountain biking and bicycle tours. Around the park there a series of road well used by bikers to:

• Ride in the middle of free natural parks
• Conquest the Etna throw the “Pista Altomontanaâ€?, a 8 hours trips
• Visit the most known attraction like Taormina and Giardini Naxos
• Pass throw the sea villages along the coast
• 40 Km. Across forests, lakes and ancient towns between the Etna and Nebrodi
• Nebrodi and Peloritani mounts for a 60 km ride for a duration of 8 hours

To discover what are the best experiences with your bike, you can contact us now

Useful resources:
http://www.etnafreebike.com
http://www.solebike.it
http://www.mountain-bike-alcantara.com
http://www.bikepeopleadventure.it
http://www.ciclofree.com
http://www.mtbadventures.com

What…? Do Yoga on the Volcano?

Yes it’s so!! Who practices Yoga, knows that Volcanoes are a great energy source. Every year are organized a lot of Yoga courses on Mount Etna and Stromboli volcano.

More info:
http://www.trekkingyoga.com

Boat tour and shore excursions

The Ionic coast of the Etna is a great patrimony for boat passionates or owners. You can use the different ports available and visit the internal touristic attractions.

The coast can be divided in 3 main zones:

1. Simeto – South Etna (This zone comprises the ports of: Catania, Caito, San Giovanni Li Cuti and Porto Ulisse)
2. Ionic – Etnean coast (This zone comprises the ports of: Acicastello, Acitrezza, Capomulini, Santa Maria la Scala, Santa Tecla, Stazzo, Pozzillo)
3. North Etna – Alcantara valley ( This zone comprises the ports of Riposto)

If you need more information of boat tours of Sicily and info on how to contact the port authorities please send us an e-mail

Other types of boat/sea activities can be:

• Fish-tourism – You’ll live like a fisherman: Start in the early morning to go fishing, recovery the nets, cook the fish directly on the boat, discover the best attractions of the Sicily coast and feel exactly the cultural meetings with the sea populations.
• Sailing
• Ship with transparent bottom
• Submarine excursion

More info here:
http://www.pescaturismo-valdinoto.it
http://www.totisail.com
http://www.easy-sicily.com

Scuba diving and Snorkeling

It’s the ionic coast between the little villages of Acicastello and Acitrezza that offers the best underwater excursions. Here there is a natural marine reserva called “Isola Lachea e I faraglioni dei Ciclopiâ€?

This is a sea view where admire the first phase when Mount Etna born thousand of years ago and follow the submarine paths to discover:

• Faro di Capo Molini
• Archaeological rests
• The Panettoni lava rocks
• Submarine photos landscape path
• The Castle with a little canyon
• Lot of typical Mediterranean fishes and others

Useful resources:
http://www.cassiopeasub.it
http://www.divesicily.com
http://www.siciliadiver.com

Caving on the Etna volcanic Caves

Mount Etna is the only place in Europe where to find caves of Volcanic origin.

The main Caves are in the northern side of the Volcano in the territory of the Linguaglossa town.

• Cave of Ices, to approximately 2000 meters high. Sure the most “famousâ€? and known of the Etna.
• Cave of the Vannette, to approximately 1700 meters high
• Cave of the Raspberries, to 1700 high
• Cave of the Females, to 1650 high
• Cave of the Palombe, to 1560 high
• Cave of the Ladri, to 1550 high

More info here:
http://www.gruppogrottecatania.it
http://www.cse-speleo.it

Extreme sports to practice…

It’s amazing to see how many touristic activities you can practice and how many different ways are there to live Sicily instead of the same “Boringâ€? cultural tours.

Some example of other active travels could be:

• Bungee jumping
• Free climbing: On the Etna, there are not too much places where practise this sport. The main points are Acqua Rocca degli Zappini, in the territory of Zafferana, the Peloritani mounts, The zone of Castelmola (near Taormina) and the Climiti mounts close to Augusta.
• Hang gliding
• Ultra light airplane
• Parachuting

Water and pluvial sports

• Rafting and pluvial canoa on the Alcantara and Simeto river
• Hydrospeed on Alcantara
• Canyoning on the Alcantara gorges
• Kayak on Alcantara river, the Acireale’s Timpa, The Taormina’s coast and the natural reserve of Lachea island in Acitrezza

http://www.etnacenter.net
http://www.acquaterra.it

Now you know how to live an adventure travel in Sicily…do you think it’s to much for you?

Try to imagine: You are travelling to Sicily and you’d like to enjoy and discover more about this island…

Here the list of the best news and events of this week about Sicily.

The Sicilian Arancino festival in Acicastello, Catania

From the 6 to the 9 September 2007, Ficarazzi (fraction of Aci Castello) will accommodate the festival of the arancino.

The manifestation represents an occasion to taste the varieties of different types of arancini from the classic with the “ragù” to the arancino with chocolate!

Also will be prepared a giant arancino to try to enter in the Guinness World Records.

Food and wine tour of Mazara del Vallo, Trapani

The Sicilian typical products in a “Gastronomic collections”

The manifestation “Gastronomic collections” will be in Mazara del Vallo (Trapani, Sicily) from the 12 to 14 October 2007.

In the Kempinski Hotel Garden of Costanza, the best sicilian chefs will realize the dishes of the ancient sicilian tradition. They will propose ancient dishes left by historical dominations that, today, are part of the sicilian culture.

Horseback riding in the Nebrodi Park

On 2 August 2007 there will be the way of the Nebrodi by horse. This second edition will be an occasion to promote a tourism in the green area of the Sicily.

The horsemen who will participate at the initiative, will cross the forests, lakes and the summits of the Nebrodi until catching up the sanctuary of the Three Virgins, for a naturalistic route of extraordinary beauty.

Ecotourism holidays in Salina, Aeolian islands

Returns, after the success of the last year, the Salina Festival. In this manifestation, will be inaugurated the Acoustic Park.

This is a part of the island dedicated to the listen of the atmosphere. The event previews numerous concerts, cinematographic projections, extensions like “19 loving fragments”, tastings of typical products of the zone with “Sea of Malvasia” and sonorous walks with some not seeing guides.

An opportunity to discover the charming nature of Salina and promote a responsible tourism. More

Video of the last eruptions of mount Etna in Nicolosi,Catania

The Volcanology’s Museum of Nicolosi will be open every weekend of August for the review “Vulcania, Works in progress”.
The manifestation will be in Nicolosi in the days 24 of July, 8, 22 and 29 August. It will illustrate the Etna’s eruptions. There will be projections of video that contain extraordinary images of the volcano’s activity.

The projections, for every evening, will start on 09,00 pm, with this program: the 24 of July the documentary “The perfect eruption”; the 8 of August the association “Etna viva” will remember Vincenzino Barbagallo, the first guide of the Etna; the 22 of August will be the projection of the documentary “The rope broken” and during the last evening, 29 of August, will assist to a multimedial reproduction of the Etna’s activity.

On Mt Etna the event “Etna under the stars”

For the promotion and the appreciation of the Etna, the event “Etna under stars” will be in scene from the 5 to 15 August 2007.

A rich program of sport and gastronomic appointments, that will be carried out on volcano, at 1800 meters of altitude in “Contrada Serra La Nave”.

The review will be opened with the manifestation in honor of the “Madonna delle Nevi”, on 5 August. In the other days, there will be:

• “Glasses under stars”, a manifestation with typical wine tasting of the Etna and a guided visit at the Astrophysical Observatory of Serra La Nave
• Races of trekking and mountain bike that will be carried out in the night
• Kite constructions and flight demonstrations

The event will finish on the night of “Ferragosto” (the 15 August) with astronomical observations with the telescope, tastings of typical sicilian products and with the show of pyrotechnician fires.

Now you know all you have to know…Enjoy your trip and Good luck

The Aeolian islands are an archipelago of 7 islands of volcanic origin situated at the north East of Sicily in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The islands of the archipelago are: Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli the volcano, Filicudi and Alicudi.

Highlights:

By visiting these 7 unique of a kind little islands you could:

• Admire the nocturnal explosion of the Volcano Stromboli
• See a real example of Italian dolce vita
• Visit picturesque sea villages and archaeological sites
• Taste meals prepared with local recipes and products
• Do a bath in black sand beaches like ebony or mud baths
• Scuba diving in the eruptive fondals of the islands

Accommodations tips…

As little islands, the Aeolian are crowded during the summer months (in July and August it’s practically impossible to find an accommodation). It’s for these reason the prices are a bit more expensive in respect the other Sicilian towns.

The main characteristic of the accommodations in these islands are:

• Views of all Sicily
• Hospitality of simple people
• Good cuisine
• Relax
• Nature

The most known accommodations are:

• Farm houses (Especially in Lipari on the beach front); Houses for rent (The best place is Stromboli);
• Bed and breakfast (The best ones are in Lipari near the sea);
• Campings (The last alternative when all accommodations are full. The best place is Vulcano near the famous beach “Sabbie nere” – Black sand -);
• Hotels (The best ones are located in Salina, Lipari and Panarea, it’s better if you book as much early possible 3 months before June -);
• Residences (Similar to the hotels, the best is Lipari)

A tour of the Aeolian islands in 5 days…

Here an example of tour from Catania for 5 effective enjoying days.

• Day 1: Arrive in Catania and accommodation in the city center.
• Day 2:Transfer to Milazzo to take the hydrofoil to Lipari (1 hour). In the late morning hiking in the west side of the island to the thermal Spring of San Calogero. Overnight stay in Lipari
• Day 3: In the morning hydrofoil to Vulcano (10 min.). Excursion to Vulcano’s crater to see the Fumarole. Time for going to the beach and to the Thermal Springs. In the afternoon hydrofoil back to Lipari. Overnight stay at the same hotel of day 2 with breakfast included.
• Day 4:In the morning free time for discovering the old city center of Lipari. Also worth of being visited is the Archeological Museum. Transfer by hydrofoil from Lipari to Stromboli. Check in at the hotel and relax in the Volcano Stromboli black beaches. In the late afternoon trekking to the “Sciara del Fuoco” Overnight stay in an hotel with breakfast included.
• Day 5: In the morning free time to visit the lovely village of “San Vincenzo” and also the interesting volcanological center of the island. Chance to make a boat tour of the island to visit the enchanting small village of “Ginostra“. In the afternoon leaving for the excursion to the active volcano with certified volcano guides. Overnight stay in hotel with breakfast included.

Note: On this travel package can be added 2 days for a complete Mt Etna tour for a total of 8 days and 7 nights (average price per person 685€ inclusive of transfers, guide, accommodations and meals)

A general view of these islands and their main attractions…

Vulcano and Stromboli have both active volcanoes. The last eruption of Vulcano was in 1890, while the volcanoes Stromboli is always active.

Vulcano contains several volcanic centers and the separate little island of Vulcanello. It’s a few minutes hydrofoil from Lipari. The most important attractions are the beaches, hot springs and sulfur mud baths.

Stromboli take its name from the Volcano. The main attraction to visit is the Sciara del Fuoco (”Stream of fire”), a big depression in the western side of the cone. It is remarkable because there is generally and explosion every 20 minutes. There are two villages on the island: Stromboli and the smaller Ginostra, a fishing village. Do not loose the visit of the black lava sand beach.

Both volcano summits can be climbed by the help of a guide. According to Italian laws, for this escorted tours, people are allowed to climb up the top in groups (max of 20), escorted by a certified volcanic guide. They have the right to stop the excursions according to safety measures.

It’s also possible to practice Scuba diving in the small island of Strombolicchio, a nature preserve.

Lipari boasts a rich archeological museum about the history of the islands and its submarine information. Don’t loose an excursion on “Terme di San Calogero”, in the north-east part of the island.

Salina is the second biggest island. It’s formed by six inactive volcanoes. Don’t forget an excursion to “Mt Fossa delle Felci” (mt 960) the highest peak of Aeolians Island. The island is famous for its well-known production of Malvasia wine (Very known for Italy wine tour lovers) and capers. There are three principal towns on Salina: Santa Marina, Malfa and Leni.

Panarea is the most “Luxurious” island: its hotels and nightclubs are crowded with VIPs every summer. On this island can be found archaeological evidence dating back to Mycenaean inhabitants.

Alicudi and Filicudi (3/4 Natural Reserve) are very isolated and inhabited by only a few people. There are several small villages on the island, which include Pecorini Mare and Valdichiesa. Filicudi’s lands are capable of producing wine, olive oil, grain, and vegetables.

How to arrive and move around the islands…

If you come from Italy the best way to arrive in the Aeolian islands is by ferries from Naples -Napoli to Stromboli- (Week departs). From Sicily (Messina and Milazzo) and Reggio Calabria there are frequent ferries and hydrofoils.(Daily) Prices starts from 9€ and can be purchased in the port of Milazzo and Naples.

The main hydrofoil and ferry operators are

• SIREMAR and here
• Ustica Lines
• NGI

1. Lipari is the HUB to transfer to all the other islands.
2. Don’t rent or land with a full-sized car with you, as you’ll have no place to use it.
3. To move around the islands the best way to do is to hire a motor scooter or a “Ape car” (a 3 wheels mean) The only other way to move around the island is by walking

The Sicilian volcanotrail

This is Running competition on the most active volcanoes of World.
The “sky runners” will participate at this 100 Km race divided into 5 timed runs to conquest the top of this volcanoes.

Now you are ready. All you have to do to join your unforgettable Aeolian Islands holiday is to contact us today. Think only to enjoy…it’s our job

Need absolute ways to increase your walking holidays experiences?

Then read this simple guide to help you discover the wonders of the Volcano Etna in Sicily…you’ll be enthusiast of what most people don’t know about this incredible volcano.

While travelling in Sicily, you can’t loose the visit of the Etna mountain. Try to imagine what could it be to live an unforgettable hiking vacation in the south of Italy and conquest the top of its active craters.

The Etna natural park: Your outdoor adventure vacation throw savage trails and free nature…

This park was the first eco-friendly park in Sicily. In fact Mount Etna is not only a Volcano but it’s also a mountain where find a lot of forests and trekking paths.

The park is dived in 3 main zones:

1. A: 19.000 hectares of free nature without man impact. This area is the reign of big rapaces like the eagle.
2. B: 26.000 hectares. This area is characterised by ancient rural houses as rest of the past farm culture of Sicily.
3. Pre-park: Is the zone where find the tourist insediaments and the towns

Top Trekking trips to test your capabilities…

Generally there are 2 type of excursions you can do on the Etna:

• Excursions to the summit craters:
• The “Natural paths”: 6 itineraries that cover the main attractions of the volcano. They are more easy then the excursions to the summit craters and don’t require a professional guide. Along the itinerary there are check-points that help complete the itinerary.

N°1 Monte Nero degli zappini: It starts near the “Grande albergo dell’Etna” (biggest information point of the volcano) and offers the view of ancient lava flows, hornitos, forest and the botanic garden “Giardino nuova Gussonea”
Distance: 4km
Difficulty: Easy

N°2 Monte Zoccolaro: This is a tour to understand what are the geological evolution of the Volcano. At the top of Monte Zoccolaro it’s possible the view the immense volcanic desert of the Bove Valley (the only terrain on the heart similar to Mars) and the lava of 1991-93. This is a magnify point for naturalistic photos.
Distance: 2km
Difficulty: Medium

N°3 Pietracannone – Cubania: This path starts in the House “Pietracannone” in the “Mare neve” road (a road that connects the Etna with the sea in a bit of minutes). The itinerary is all on an ancient “Mulattiera” (road travelled by mules) that arrive in an place where sheppers use to stove the snow to have good ice reserves during the summer.
Distance: 4 km
Difficulty: Easy

N° 4 Monti Sartorius: The itinerary link together forest and volcanic rest of ancient eruptions. Of particular interest is the “Bottoniera”.
Distance: 4 Km
Difficulty: Easy

N° 5 Piano dei Grilli: Starting near the territory of Bronte, this path goes along the lava called “pahoehoe” similar of those of the Hawaiian volcanoes.
Distance: 12 Km
Difficulty: Easy

N° 6 Cisternazza Monte Spagnolo: This tour starts in the territory of Randazzo, in the Monte Spagnolo where there is the biggest forest of the Etna. Along the path there are hornitos of the eruption of 1981.
Distance: 10 Km
Difficulty: Easy

Points of interest:

1. Montagnola: The most imponent cone of the Etna.
2. Monti Silvestri: These mounts were formed during the 1892 eruption.
3. Crateri sommitali: There are 3 mouths: Central crater; North-East crater and the South-East crater
4. The Caves: There are more than 200 caves. The most known are the “Grotta dei Lamponi”, “Grotta dei 3 Livelli”, “Grotta del Gelo” and “Grotta delle Palombe”
5. “Il castagno dei 100 cavalli” (The Chesnut of 100 horses): One of the most ancient tree of the world. Its name derive from a legend where the queen “Giovanna D’Angiò” found repair for her 100 knights.
6. The Bove Valley: It’s an enormous volcanic desert originated by a collapse of the crater. Actually it’s 7×5 km.
7. The Gurrida Lake: In the territory of Randazzo, this lake is an artificial lake created by a lava flow that block the “Flascio” river. Actually the lake during the summer months is a wineyard and during the other months it’s a base point for thousand of migratory birds.
8. Forests: There are a lot of forest on the volcano. This is the nature that re-build after an eruption. The main forest are: ginestre, beeches, birches, pines.
9. Alpine garden “Nuova Gussonea”: This is a place where find the last base point for rare flora species.
10. Pistachio nut forest of Bronte: The Arabs were the first to import this plant in Sicily. Actually this plant is cultivated only in Sicily
11. Passo dei Dammusi: The lava that can be found here, are the most ancient. The eruption was the one the started on 1614 and finished on 1624.
12. Saint Nicholas Abbey: This is an ancient Benedictine abbey where actually there is the bureau of the Etna Park. In its inside there is a complete bibliothec, an information point, a photo museum and 3d miniature of all the volcano.

The Etna towns:
Around the Etna there a 20 little villages. They characterised by the presence of Baroque buildings, lava stone palaces and medieval churches. Every town has its own traditions, events, history and food and wine culture.

• Zafferana, city of honey
• Randazzo: The medieval city
• Ragalna: The terrace of the Etna
• Piedimonte: To the stratum of the volcano
• Pedara: to the feet of the altar
• Tourism in Nicolosi, Sicily: The village of the red Mounts
• Milo and its wines
• Mascali: The little village of Etna
• Maletto: The city of strawberries
• Tourism in Linguaglossa: The Big langue of lava
• Giarre, country of ancient traditions
• Castiglione di Sicilia: City of wine
• Bronte: The city of the pistachio nut
• The city of Biancavilla
• Belpasso: The city that revives two times
• Adrano: Antiquity and nature

Here how to improve your adventure experience in the Etna:
During your visit it’s avoided:

• Take rocks
• Hunt animals
• Damage plants
• Create garbage
• Free camping
• Fire

An remember to:

• Keep silence
• Respects the structure of the park and the public services

Now that you have a complete view of what could it be your next walking tour of Sicily, you can simply contact us today and ask how we can help build your next exclusive vacations…we’ll think at the rest.

Guided tour in Sicily across the Natural Reserves

“Reserve on.. scene” is a plan, from July to September, to visit the natural oasis of Sicily. The scope is to introduce the beautiful Natural Reserves of the island, through guided visits inside the naturalistic areas.
There will be the possibility to visit the Vendicari Reserve, the Zingaro Reserve, Pantalica and  other various places.
A tour around the Sicily island – A travel across the history and the tastes

“The distances of the wonders” is an initiative that approaches all the tourists who want to know better the secrets of the territory of the Etna through 4 routes.

With the buses and the trains of the Fce (Circumetnea Railroad), leaving from the station of Catania  Borgo, every weekend is possible to visit the Nelson Castle, the Gorges of the Alcantara, Piano Provenzana and other places.

The 4 routes travel across the historical and architectonic patrimony of these zones,  illustrate the history and the culture, rediscover the tastes of the Etna with guided visits in the gastromic wineries.

Cycling in Sicily – A tour around the Etna

The appointment with the “Italian Championship of the Mountain” is Sunday 15 July in Zafferana Etnea. The contest consists in a climb of 12 Km until Piano del Vescovo, a zone of the Etna that is approximately 6 Km from the Rifugio Sapienza.

The gathering is at 8,00 AM in Umberto public square in Zafferana Etnea and the departure is fixed for the 9,00 am for the several categories.

Archaeology in Sicily: the 3°edition of “Stone Theatres”

Begun in Ortigia (Syracuse) in the Church of Saint Giovannello at the Giudecca, the sicilian manifestation “Stone Theatres” and will conclude on 11 August.

Between dance, music and prose in the archaeological areas of the Sicily, this 3° edition of the event will arrive also at the Greek Theatre of the archaeological area of Monte Jato in Palermo and at the ancient cemetery of Realmese in Calascibetta, Enna.

An opportunity to appreciate the art of music, the dance and the prose through the places of the sicilian archaeology.

Art itinerary across the ancient sicilian families at Ciminiere of Catania

From 14 July to 2 September, it will be introduced the extension called “The settle of Sicily”.
A saloon prepared for the section “Art of Etnafest review”, in the Cultural Center “Le Ciminere” (the Chimneys) of Catania.
In this event, you can admire the 80 objects exposed. There are pieces of extraordinary handicraft, of the period that goes from the ‘600 to the ‘900 and belonged to several generations of ancient sicilian families.

Castiglione di Sicilia, Sicily – The I° Wine Competition

The first edition of the “Wine Competition City of Castiglione di Sicilia” is an occasion to find an alternative tourism at the classic offer “sun – sea”.
The wines of Etna will be the protagonists every week-end, from 9:00 pm, in the equipped area “Valle dell’Eremita”, near the Medieval Castle of Ruggiero di Lauria.

The competition involves the presence of one jury for the 4 companies wine manufacturers that, for every evening, they will be in contest. Moreover there will be moments of selection and rewarding of the participants and wine tasting with the wine steward and experts of the field.

The cultural summer of Cefalù, Palermo – Sicily   The event “Cefalù, summer encounter of 2007″ 

The summery review “Cefalù, summer encounter of 2007″, than will conclude in September, will start from the historical center of Cefalù, in the terrace of Corte delle Stelle (Court of Stars).

With important protagonists, that have contributed to the Sicilian culture, it will be an occasion to reflect above all on the artistic topics and on the present time. There will be journalists, men from the cinema, art and general culture field.

At the end of every encounter, there will be tasting of sicilian typical wine.

Quality tourism in Ragusa and Catania with the event “Notes of Night”

“Notes of Night” has arrived to its 6° edition. This year, from the 7 July to 8 August, the event will be in the province of Catania and Ragusa, it will touch the common of Caltagirone, Modica, Ispica and many others.

Between the artists who will participate at the musical review, there is the name of the Avion Travel, that will conclude the manifestation with their concert in the common of Victoria.

There will be exposures of paintings, handicraft and tastings of typical wine and products of the zone.

Castle of Lombardy (Enna, Sicily): The “Week of International Music”

The Lombardy Castle of Enna has accommodated the first edition of the Week of International music, an event dedicated to Arthur Toscanini.
Last days there have been the exhibitions of the Kore orchestra, Mallests Quartet and the Italian pianist Vincenzo Bazzani.

The musical review will close, thursday 12 July, by the chorus and the orchestra of the Free University Kore of Enna, directed by Massimo Leopardi.

Mascalucia, Catania – Sicily : “The Etna Blues Festival”

From the 15 to the 17 July, there will be an important sicilian manifestation: the Etna Blues Festival.

The blues event will be accommodated in the public square Falcone – Borsellino in Mascalucia.

The programming previews the opening of the evenings by the emergent groups: the “Strange Fruit”, the “Blues Inside”, the “Bluezz”, the ” Catfish Blues Band ” and the “Bad Chili “.

The review will be opened with Sandra Hall, that will exhibit during the first evening.
On 16 July there will be Joe Bonamassa, and during the last evening there will be John Mayall with his “Bluesbreakers”.

Concert to the Mounts Sartorius, Etna – Sicily

On 15 July 2007 there will be an appointment on the Mounts Sartorius (Etna, common of S.Alfio). There will be the concert of Alvin Curran, an american master of contemporary music who, with more than 100 musicians, will do an irrenounceable show.

It will be also an occasion to discover and discover these mounts, called “Sartorius” in honor of Sartorius von Waltershausen, that brought back cartographically more important eruptions of the Etna.

So I’d like to share my conquests with you. Here a list of natural resources near the Etna mountain…maybe You could consider to visit them. They are less knows and more cheap…but worth a visit.

Lakes

• The Pozzillo lake, near Enna, is a lake populated by a lot of types of fish. There other sport structures available.
• The Biviere lake is a place where find between 200 species of birds.
• The Trearie lake, has a surface of 10 hectares, between the commons of Tortorici and Randazzo. It’s one of the most humid zones of Sicily and center of migratory birds.
• The Gurrida lake, in Randazzo, is the only lake in Europe formed by a lava obstruction. Its humid atmosphere, allows the grow of wonderful plants. Here numerous birds find the place during the migration.

Natural parks and oasis

The Alcantara river park. This is one of the 4 Sicilian regional parks. It’s a river that flows along 50 kilometers. The bed of the river has been overflowed by a lava tap. This created a wonderful Canyon.

The Park of the Nebrodi is known for its immense forests full of majestic trees. It’s the ideal place for excursions and walking trips. It’s very interesting the little forest called “Bosco di Malabotta”.

The Volcano Etna park. The Etna is not only a great attraction exclusively for the presence of the craters, but It’s also an wonderful natural park with evocative landscapes, forests, vineyards, and walking paths.

Other natural resources:
The Timpa is a plateau of volcanic origin, under the city of Acireale. It’s placed at 102 meters of height. The coast along the Timpa is called Lemon beach. This is a coast full of seamen villages.

The fiumefreddo river, is a fluvial reserve in the common of Fiumefreddo. The fauna for 65% is composed by nest and migratory birds.

The Oasis of the Simeto river, is one of the biggest migratory bird locations. Its territory is localized along the sides of the Simeto river and is extended for 768 hectares.  After a sea storm, along the Simeto it is also possible to find the Amber. This is one of the most valuable stone in the world.

The Monteserra park, is a park under the Mount Monteserra. This is an ancient volcano that today is the House of the butterflies, unique in Italy. In summer there is a summer ski school. The park is in the Common of Viagrande.

The Salinelle of Paternò, are little mud volcanoes. These little volcanoes have legacies to the sismic activity of the Etna. Some studies says that there is a link between the temperatures of the Salinelle with some sismic events of the oriental Sicily.

The Lachea Island and the Faraglioni make part of the Natural Reserve of the Cyclops Islands. An ancient legend wants that the Faraglione were the masses that the Cyclops Polifemo launched to Ulysses. But in reality they are the first volcanic activity of the Etna.

The chestnut of 100 horses. This is the most ancient tree of the World. It’s near the common of Saint Alfio. Its age is estimated between 2000 and 4000 years. Its name derives from a legend which, Queen Giovanna of Aragon and its continuation of 100 knights, found shelter during a thunderstorm.

The caves of the Etna. The best place to do cave excursions is Linguaglossa. These caves were formed by lava taps of the Etna. The best ones are the Cave of the Palombe, the Cave of the Females, the Cave of the Raspberries, the Cave of Ices, the Cave of Aci. The most known is the Cave of Ices because since 300 years in its inside is accumulated the ice.

Thanks to Flickr for some pictures