Activities in Sicily
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FEATURED
Palermo City Hop-on Hop-off Tour
1 day (Departs Palermo, Italy)
by Viator
With a Hop-on Hop-off tour of Palermo, you will enjoy an exciting visit to the city. Starting from the terminal outside the Politeama Theatre, overlooking the s…Not LP reviewed
from USD$25.05 - All activities
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Centro Ippico Amico del Cavallo
This well-run stable is 8km west of Catania. Horse trails include a seven-hour trek through Etna farmland, a two-day trek along the Simeto river and a five-day trek around the summit. For other stables pick up the booklet Itinerari a Cavallo from the tourist office in Catania.
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Acquaterra
Excellent guided tours around the northern side of the volcano, where you see a different volcanic landscape.
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La Sirenetta Diving Club
La Sirenetta Diving Club offers diving courses and accompanied dives.
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Funivia dell'Etna
Funivia dell'Etna runs a cable car from Rifugio Sapienza (1923m) up the mountain to 2500m. (The ticket office accepts credit cards and cash.) Once out of the cable car you can attempt the long walk (3½ to four hours return) up the winding track to the authorised crater area (2920m). If you plan on doing this, make sure you leave yourself enough time to get up and down before the last cable car.
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Isola Bella
To the right of the beach, Lido Mazzarò, past the Sant'Andrea hotel and round the cape is the miniscule Isola Bella set in a stunning cove. You can walk here in a few minutes but it is more fun to rent a small boat from Mazzarò to paddle round Capo Sant'Andrea. Isola Bella was bought by Florence Trevelyan for a mere 5000 lire. It is her house that you can see on the island. Now it is run as a nature reserve by the World Wildlife Fund and the craggy base is a wonderful snorkelling spot.
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Laghetto di Fanghi
Mud-bath enthusiasts should head for the Laghetto di Fanghi, a large mud pit of thick, smelly, sulphurous gloop that has long been considered an excellent treatment for arthritis, rheumatism and skin disorders. Don’t wear your designer swimsuit (you’ll never get the smell out), and be sure to leave your gold chains behind (they will tarnish). Afterwards you can hop into the water at the adjacent beach where acquacalda (hot springs) create a natural jacuzzi effect.
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Capo Milazzo
If you have a car, take a drive along the Strada Panoramica around Cape Milazzo; the rugged coastline is beautifully unspoilt. Alternatively you can arrange a boat trip (ask at the tourist office) around the rocky cape to Baia del Tonno on the western side of the isthmus. Right at the end of the isthmus is the lighthouse, from where you can make a short walk down to the Santuario Rupestre di San Antonio da Padova (signposted from the car park), situated beside the crystal-clear waters.
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Amphibia
Contact Amphibia to hire scuba gear for diving in the islands around Panarea. Crossing the narrow channel from the islet of Bottaro (actually nothing more than a protruding rock) to Lisca Bianca, you will notice there is a small white beach on Lisca Bianca's southern side. Proceed left past the beach and continue around the sharp point of the island. Here, at a depth of perhaps 40m or 50m, you will find the wreck of an old English ship that sank in the 19th century.
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Totem Trekking
To undertake the climb up the volcano you will need proper walking shoes and clothing for cold wet weather, a change of T-shirt, a torch and a good supply of water and some food. Worry not if you haven't got any of those and still want to climb. Totem Trekking hires out all the necessary equipment (which is well maintained), and thanks to the limited climbing numbers, there's plenty to go around.
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Ente Fauna Siciliana
Landlubbers should consider an excursion with Ente Fauna Siciliana. Itineraries include short hikes along the coastline (€5 per person) and archaeological and botanical itineraries. A calendario attività (activities calendar) with booking numbers and departure points can be downloaded from the website. Most of the tours are in Italian only.
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Vulcania Tour bus
The Vulcania Tour bus transports passengers up and down the steep curves of Gelso (20 minutes). If you are going to either of Gelso's beaches, ask the driver to let you off at the dirt track. Buses from Gelso leave at 11:00, 12:10 and 17:00, picking up passengers from the pier. Boat tours of the island also call in here and are happy to take passengers on a tour.
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CST
Runs coach excursions to destinations including Mt Etna (around €27), Piazza Armerina (includes the Villa Romana di Casale and Caltagirone, around €50), Palermo (includes Monreale, around €45) and Panarea and Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands (€75). Prices exclude admission to museums and archaeological sites.
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Michele Gallo
An excellent English-speaking guide, Michele Gallo can organise individual and group itineraries according to travellers' interests. Itineraries can also be arranged to areas of interest around Agrigento and include literary tours, such as tracing the life and work of Luigi Pirandello, Agrigento's most famous writer.
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Gruppo Trekking Vulcano
Though it's not really necessary since the climb up the volcano is not very tough, you can hire a guide. Contact Gruppo Trekking Vulcano. They organise daily hikes up the volcano as well as other treks, including an ascent of Stromboli (and snorkelling outings. It has a stand by the restaurant Da Maurizio.
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Katuma Scuola Sub
Katuma Scuola Sub is a recommended dive outfit, offering a range of itineraries, including a deep-sea archaeological tour that explores wrecks and amphora in their original sites. The cost of dives range from around €38 for a single dive to around €340 for a full open-water course.
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Valle di Monastero
If you can't face steaming caves, boiling mud baths and baking volcanic mountains, plunge into the cool green of the Valle di Monastero, or the Valle di Ghirlanda, southeast of Monte Gibele, both carpeted by vines that are harvested in September. This is the perfect place for hiking or riding.
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Tortuga
Tortuga is a recommended dive outfit, offering a range of itineraries, including a deep-sea archaeological tour that explores wrecks and amphora in their original sites. The cost of dives range from around €38 for a single dive to around €340 for a full open-water course..
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Sailing Team
One of the best activities is taking a boat trip on one of the gorgeous rigs rented out by Sailing Team. The whole day costs €350 (for up to 12 people), departing at 10am and returning at 6pm, enabling you to explore the coastline and snorkel to your heart’s content.
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City Sightseeing Palermo
The pan-European-bus-tour company takes you around central Palermo (Linea A) or out to Giardini Inglese and Castello della Zisa (Linea B). Commentary in eight languages, you can hop on and off the buses, and the tickets are valid for 24 hours. Both tours start at Teatro Politeama.
reviewed
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Palermo City Hop-on Hop-off Tour
1 day (Departs Palermo, Italy)
by Viator
With a Hop-on Hop-off tour of Palermo, you will enjoy an exciting visit to the city. Starting from the terminal outside the Politeama Theatre, overlooking the s…Not LP reviewed
from USD$25.05 Advertisement
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E
Hammam
Palermo’s Hammam is a luxurious marble-lined Moorish bathhouse where you can indulge in a vigorous scrub-down, a steamy sauna and many different types of massages and therapies. There’s a one-off charge (€10) for slippers and a hand glove.
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Magmatrek
Magmatrek has experienced, multilingual vulcanological guides that lead regular treks (maximum group size 20) up to the crater every afternoon (per person €28). It can also put together tailor-made treks for individual groups.
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Castelmola
Panorama fanatics should head 5km up the hill to Castelmola, literally the high point of the area, with a ruined castle and sweeping views of, well, everything. Interbus makes an (almost) hourly run from Taormina (€1.30)
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Profondo Blu
Profondo Blu is one of several dive centres on the island. It offers a young, enthusiastic vibe, a wide range of courses and pleasant two- and four-person apartments (€60 to €90 and €120 to €190 respectively).
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AGAI
Down the steps from Piazzale San Vincenzo is AGAI, the volcano's own information office. Guides take groups of up to 20 people to the crater. Contact the office to make a booking a day before you want to climb.
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