ARTS & CRAFTS

Question 1

Day 1 - Arrival in Sicily | meeting in Syracuse

Answer

The meeting point is at your hotel set in Ortygia (Siracusa) at 3 pm. After checking in and the welcome meeting, we will attend the Teatro dei Pupi show. After, you will enjoy a guided tour of Ortygia, the romantic old town of Syracuse, and a dinner with the group.

Question 2

Day 2 - Hike Vendicari | wine tasting | Noto

Answer

Today you will visit the Natural Reserve of Vendicari, south of Syracuse. You will have an easy hike along the coast from the beach of Eloro to the Tonnara of Vendicari. Prepare your swimwear because it will be impossible to resist swimming in the crystalline water. After the hike and relaxing at the beach, be prepared for a lunch and wine tasting at a local winery. Before going back to Syracuse, you will visit Noto, the capital of Hyblean Baroque. There you will also taste the best pastries at a pastry shop awarded one of the best in Italy. Back in Ortygia you will be free to decide where to have your dinner.

Question 3

Day 3 - Noto Antica | Cava Carosello hike | Almond farm | Palazzolo Acreide

Answer

In the morning you will travel through the Noto countryside in the direction of Noto Antica, the original location of Noto, on the top of Monte Alveria. After a visit of the ruins your hike will start through Cava del Carosello and along the Asinaro River. You will have a stop at one of the plunge pools to refresh in its clear water. Then you will arrive at a farm where an authentic lunch is prepared and served for you. You will feel warmly welcomed by the genuine hospitality of the farmers. You will visit the farm, where Mandorla di Noto -a Slow Food presidium- is cultivated and learn about local cultivations. After lunch you will travel to Palazzolo Acreide, where you will check in at your hotel. You will feel the rhythm of authentic Sicilian life by exploring the town. Then you can have dinner at one of the numerous genuine restaurants, as Palazzolo is a reference in the area for excellent food.

Question 4

Day 4 - Pantalica hike | Akrai | Palazzolo Acreide

Answer

In the morning you will be transferred to the wonderful necropolis of Pantalica and the Anapo River. After exploring the breathtaking natural reserve with your guide, you will enjoy lunch at a local agriturismo. In the afternoon you will visit the Akrai with the beautiful Greek theatre. Then you will have a free evening in Palazzolo.

Question 5

Day 5 - Buscemi | Cheesetasting | Caltagirone | Enna

Answer

Today you will leave the Hyblean area to reach the centre of the island. On the way to Enna you will stop at Buscemi, an antique mountain village where you will follow an ethnographic itinerary, led by the director of the Museum who promoted it, 30 years ago. The first ecomuseum in Sicily where you will discover the traditional crafts in their original locations: the smith’s shop, the carpenter’s shop, the traditional weaving materials, the antique wine making room. An incredible cross section of Sicilian traditional arts & crafts. You will then go to a cheese maker in the outskirts of Buccheri, where you will have your lunch based on a gorgeous cheese tasting together with other typical food. You will then have another stop at Caltagirone where your guide will show you the highlights of the capital of ceramics. You will arrive in the late afternoon at the Agriturismo where you will be restored by dinner.

Question 6

Day 6 - Off-road trip | Sulphur Mine | Enna

Answer

Today our local guide will pick you up for an off-road trip with a 4x4. You will first visit the Pupi Ballerini, or Enchanted Rocks of the Rossomanno forest. Then you will have an exhaustive tour of the sulphur mine of Floristella, where you will learn about the dramatic history of the mines in central Sicily. A traditional lunch will be served at a local Agriturismo. Then you will visit the remote Castello di Pietratagliata, from where you will have incredible views of Sicily. You will then visit Enna, with an easy walk in the town centre. Dinner in Enna.

Question 7

Day 7 - Milazzo | Stromboli | guided visit

Answer

In the morning you will be transferred to Milazzo, where the hydrofoil for the Eolian Islands departs. After a quick lunch at Milazzo, you will board the hydrofoil to reach Stromboli. You will check-in at your hotel. After a short guided visit, you will have a free afternoon where you can go to the beach, stay at a bar tasting a lemon granita or just enjoy the relaxing view of the blue sea. You can decide where to have dinner.

Question 8

Day 8 - Stromboli volcano hike | Night boat trip Sciara del Fuoco

Answer

In the morning your guide will accompany you on a hike on the volcano from where you will have breathtaking views of the sea and the other islands. You will enjoy a picnic lunch and hike back to the village. After a free time in the afternoon, you will have an early dinner at a local restaurant so as to go after on a boat trip, at night, to see the Sciara del Fuoco, on the northern face of the island, a breathtaking view of the lava flowing.

Question 9

Day 9 - Vulcano Island | hike or mud bath | Etna

Answer

Early in the morning you will take the hydrofoil to Vulcano Island where you will have a nice breakfast at a local bar before your hike to the top of Vulcano. If you prefer, you can stay at the mud baths or visit the village. After your lunch you will go back to Milazzo and from there you will reach your hotel on the slopes of Etna. There you will have a rest and you will have dinner at a nearby village.

Question 10

Day 10 - Etna hike | Wine tasting | Farewell Dinner

Answer

The hike will start at 1700 metres of altitude, in the magnificent centuries-old Ragabo pine forest. The first stretch through the forest will show you an unusual aspect of the volcano. The chameleonic landscape changes when you pass by the majestic lava flows. From the pine forest to the lava flows and then the high mountain vegetation: astragalus siculus, saponaria and beech trees. At 2000 metres altitude the side crater of Monte Nero, which appeared during the 2002-2003 eruption. In front, the summits, and then around you, the extinct craters of 1879. In the distance, the spectacular view of Monti Peloritani and the Alcantara valley. The lunch will be a picnic in the forest. Back at your hotel you will enjoy a visit of the vineyard, the antique winery and an exquisite dinner paired with wine from the estate.

Question 11

Day 11 - End of the journey | Transfer to Catania Airport

Answer

In the morning you will be transferred to Catania airport. If your flight departs in the afternoon, a guided visit of Catania is possible.

Feel overwhelmed by the exceptional biodiversity of Sicilian unspoiled nature

Discover the enchanting Baroque and enjoy the remote centre of the island

Be fascinated feeling the intense force of active volcanoes

NATURE

Wild nature

and Volcanoes

PRIVATE ITINERARY

FROM 2 GUESTS

WHEN TO GO

APR-OCT

LENGTH

11 days/10 nights

PRICE PER PERSON

WHAT

ACTIVITIES

WHERE

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY