Acireale

Tours

Choose this private or shared tour with small groups to discover the wonderful colors of Mount Etna with its landscape and taste some local products. Pick up in Piazza Stesicoro n.33 Catania or Acireale/Giarre (Specify where your hotel is located in Catania,Acireale or Giarre,indicating it by Email/WhatsApp after booking) with car or 8 seats plus driver minivan. (1 hour of transport to Etna with audio guide on board in your language) Enjoy the round trip transfers from and to Catania or Acireale/Giarre, crossing Etna villages and driving up to 2000 meters a.s.l. Admire the fabulous scenery of the contrasting colors of the volcano between its wild nature and its lava flows that destroyed homes and many hectares of land. Stop for a beautiful panoramic photo of the so called " Giant of Fire". Taste the traditional products of the Mountain and its "gold": the honey. Possibility to take the cable car to get to the top of the active craters ( ticket not included). Dicover the ancient dead craters and enjoy the exiting experience walking on a moon landscape during your free time (2,5 hours max.) At the end of the experience driving back to Catania or at your accomodation in Acireale/Giarre (only for departures from Acireale or Giarre) and drop off at Piazza Stesicoro in Catania or Acireale/Giarre ( 1 hour of transport to Catania )

Travel aboard a comfortable 13-meter boat to discover nearly 20 kilometers of volcanic coastline between the La Timpa Nature Reserve and the Marine Protected Area of the Isola dei Ciclopi on this tour from Aci Castello. Sip drinks and light snacks along the way. Board the motorboat in Aci Castello and ply the water with ease in the company of a marine biologist and underwater environmental guide. Glide on the splendid lava seabed of the Isola dei Ciclopi (Aci Castello), a protected marine area. Discover underwater basalt pillars, lava ropes, pillows of lava and life, and colorful marine plants that will provide the backdrop for an unforgettable snorkeling excursion. Explore ancient lava flows, stretches of white sand, underwater canyons and volcanic faults. Have a good chance of encountering groupers, breams, octopuses and sea sponges. Return to the starting point at the end of the tour.

1.Lachea Island - Aci Trezza The Lachea island, not large in size, is the largest of the outcrops that make up the Cyclops archipelago, just a little further off the coast of Aci Trezza, in Sicily. It is part of the nature reserve integral Lachea Island and Cyclops stacks, the protected area established by the Sicilian Region in 1998. The island, like the others of the archipelago, is of subvolcanic origin, formed for the intrusion of magma into the pre-existing rocks of the seabed. 2. The Faraglioni Consider that their origin is associated with the wrath of the Cyclops Polyphemus who, blinded by Ulysses, would have thrown the rocks into the sea at him the Greek hero to prevent him from escaping. A story that has certainly fueled legend about the Cyclops Islands, told also in the ninth book of the Odyssey. Fantasy aside, these are wonderful works of nature, carved over thousands of years by wind and rain, which fall within a protected marine area, composed of the Lachea Island 3. Norman Castle - Aci Castello The castle of Aci is located in Aci Castello in the province of Catania. The fortification of uncertain origin was the fulcrum of the development of territory of the Aci in the Middle Ages. During the Sicilian Vespers, it was subjected to the lordship of Ruggero di Lauria, therefore in the period Aragonese it belonged to Giovanni di Sicilia and finally to the Alagona being besieged several times. It is currently home to a museum civic. The basaltic promontory where the castle stands is constituted from underwater lava flows (pillows) that have an age radiometric about 500,000 years from the present. 4. Caves of Ulysses - Catania A bath in the history of supposedly legendary events occurred between the 13th and 12th centuries BC. 5. House of the Prince - Aci Catello It was February 1749 when Prince Don Luigi Riggio Don Stefano's successor has a palace built in Acitrezza majestic for his residence. The palace was built facing the sea, close to the beach, imposing, grandiose, with eleven windows in row on the facade and on the sea side, equipped with an embankment bastioned against the cannons of the Turkish ships, which they infested often the seas of eastern Sicily. DURATION 2 HOURS: Adults €60.00 DURATION 2 HOURS: Children up to 12 years €29.00 MAX 8 PEOPLE – MIN 2 PEOPLE DEPARTURE: May - June - July - August - September START ONLY TIME: 6.30pm EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK - ON RESERVATION Departure from the centenary port of Aci Trezza with 5 stops with a stop for swimming. INCLUDED IN THE PRICE: 1. Skipper and guide in Italian and English 2. Civil liability insurance 3. Evening aperitif with local wines and street food from centuries-old Sicilian culture with a view of Etna at sunset.

This is the perfect way to discover the Sicilian culinary culture by full immerse in local food market, local farmer and cooking together with Sicilian chef. If the weather is allowed we will enjoy the meal by swimming pool at host's villa with panoramic sea view accompany with great Sicilian wine. About chef Riccardo, who is born and raised in Sicily, used to work in Michelin starred restaurants and be on TV , advertisement ,cooking show. He used to be private chef service for celebrities and football players. He also lived in China and Singapore for over 12 years. While he worked overseas he always dedicated himself for promoting the Italian gastronomy and be proud of be a Sicilian chef . In this gastronomy trip you will learn how to cook the authentic Sicily cuisine from scratch. Meawhile we stop by the local cantine to choice the wine to pair with our meal or visit the local farmers to get the fresh made cheese. The menu will change according to the season but always content 3 courses and fine Sicilian wine. The total event lasts about 4 hours .If you have any special requests on dietary please let us know in advance.

Setting off from our base, on Mt Etna’s foothills, located in Acireale, after a briefing about driving the buggies, we’ll go through Pedara and then Nicolosi, led by one of our support vehicles. At a short distance from the town, we ‘ll drive along an off-road track which passes by an old lava rock quarry, where our buggies will show off all their off-road handling skills. After the thrilling off-road driving experience, we’ll go along a scenic road which leads to Rifugio Sapienza. Along the way we’ll stop to take photos at the most scenic spots along route, then we’ll have a coffee break at the Corsaro bar/restaurant, to then have a walk around the top of the Silvestri Craters. Then back in the Sideby Side and we’ll take the road down to a lava cave which will be visited wearing helmets and carrying torches. The next part of the route stops at a spot for viewing at its best the immense Valle del Bove from Mt Zoccolaro. Then we’ll head for Zafferana Etnea, Trecastagni and then Acireale.

1.Island of Lachea Aci Trezza The island Lachea, not large, is the largest of the outcrops that make up the archipelago of the Cyclops, just off Aci Trezza, in Sicily. It is part of the Integral Natural Reserve Isola Lachea and Faraglioni dei Ciclopi, the protected area established by the Sicilian Region in 1998. The island, like the others of the archipelago, is of subvolcanic origin, formed by the intrusion of magma in the pre-existing rocks of the seabed. In 1869 a prehistoric diorite axe was found, while in 1919 two cave tombs were identified, carved into the rock by the hand of man. Of the late Roman period are the objects found inside one of the two large circular holes (about one meter deep) on the island: pots, amphorae, loom weights, bone needles, fragments of a bone comb and a small lamp. The naturalistic museum houses a rich collection of fauna and flora. 2. The Faraglioni It is thought that their origin is associated with the wrath of the cyclops Polyphemus who, blinded by Ulysses, would have thrown the rocks into the sea against the Greek hero to prevent him from fleeing. A story that has certainly fueled legend about the Cyclops Islands, also told in the ninth book of the Odyssey. Fantasy aside, these are wonderful works of nature, sculpted for thousands of years by wind and rain, which fall within a protected marine area, composed of Lachea Island, stacks and four other rocks arranged in an arch. Their origin – in addition to the legend of Polyphemus – can be traced back to the first of the four phases of the evolution of the volcano Etna, an intense volcanic activity that began about half a million years ago.  3. Norman Castle Aci Castello The castle of Aci is located in Aci Castello in the province of Catania. The fortification of uncertain origin, was the fulcrum of the development of the territory of the Aci in the Middle Ages. During the Sicilian Vespers, it was subjected to the lordship of Roger of Lauria, then in the Aragonese era it was of John of Sicily and finally of the Alagona being besieged several times. It is currently home to a civic museum. The basaltic promontory where the castle stands, consists of underwater lava flows (pillow) that have a radiometric age of about 500,000 years from the present. The basaltic cliff is surrounded by a lava flow of prehistoric times that in the historiography of the nineteenth century had been wrongly attributed to the eruption of 1169 Historically a first castle was built in the seventh century (according to others in the sixth century) by the Byzantines on a pre-existing fortification of the Roman period perhaps of 38 and called Castrum Jacis and aimed at defending the population from raids. 4. Ulysses' Caves in Ognina with swimming guide 5. Dinner in sicilian family's house in Acireale 6. Return to Aci Trezza

We will walk through villages overlooking the sea, rich in plants and colours, on the other side there will be the volcano Etna towering over us with its magnificence. Together with Adriana we will discover the beauty of Acireale, a splendid Baroque town a few kilometres from Catania, Taormina, Mount Etna, and Syracuse. From here we will walk along a path to a small fishing village, where in a restaurant overlooking the sea we will eat fish caught on the spot.We will choose together what is best to do

GIUSY FAMILY'S HOUSE MENU APPETIZERS Mussels au gratin Sicilian style (Messinese mussels, breadcrumbs, parmigiano reggiano, fresh cherry tomatoes, Sicilian white wine, oregano and fresh parsley) FIRST DISH Pasta with fresh anchovies and Pachino cherry tomatoes (Fusilli, fresh anchovies, Pachino cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, sultanas, Sicilian white wine, fresh parsley) SECOND DISH Octopus land and sea (Fresh octopus, Messinese mussels, potatoes, Sicilian black olives, fresh parsley) SIDE Sicilian caponata from Catania (Black aubergines, red peppers, white onions, carrots, celery, Sicilian potatoes, pine nuts, sultanas, Sicilian green olives with stones, vinegar, sugar) DESSERT Sicilian cannoli from Catania (Sheep's ricotta, Sicilian orange peel, candied fruit, Noto pistachios, Sicilian candied fruit, sugar) DRINKS Organic white wine, small winery in Sambuca (Agrigento) in summer Organic red wine, small winery in Sambuca (Agrigento) in winter Coffee in an Italian style cup Waterfall

Explore the Etna volcano and everything around it with your private English-speaking driver. Etna is the largest volcano in Europe and is always active! We will travel along the south-east side to reach an altitude of 2000 metres, admiring various lava flows, vegetation and enchanting landscapes. We will visit the Silvestri Craters at an altitude of 1936 meters contemplating the 2001 eruption. The Tour will continue with a visit to Taormina, passing through Giardini Naxos, an ancient fishing village located south of Taormina. We will travel along the coast enjoying an exemplary panorama of the Ionian Sea and the beaches, with some short stops to take photos. Visit to Taormina, picturesque city and pearl of the Ionian Sea, Greek Theatre, the second most important historical theater in Sicily, walk along Corso Umberto, visit to the Cathedral. Finally, once you reach the top of Castelmola, you will be able to enjoy an enchanting view and admire the remains of a 12th century Norman castle. Finally, a short walk along the picturesque medieval streets that will lead us to the Duomo, surrounded by artisan shops and bars where it will be possible to taste the famous "Almond wine" produced since the early years of the twentieth century.

Discover the most scenic spots of the Cyclops Riviera on a dinghy boat tour from Acitrezza or Catania. Explore the volcanic nature, charming fishing villages, and the timeless atmosphere of Verga’s Malavoglia. Depart from the picturesque port of Acitrezza or Catania to explore the stunning eastern coast of Sicily by boat. Cruise past some of the island’s most exclusive and breathtaking locations, including the Timpa of Acireale, the seaside village of Santa Maria la Scala, and the Cyclops Riviera – home to the Lachea Island, the famous sea stacks, and the Norman castle of Aci Castello. Continue toward the fishing villages of Ognina and San Giovanni Li Cuti. Stop in crystal-clear coves where you can enjoy snorkeling, swimming, and diving. A traditional Sicilian aperitif will also be served on board – the perfect way to relax with a sea view. You can choose between the half day tour or the full day tour and also the type of dinghy. The boat is exclusively for your group, with the flexibility to customize the departure point, itinerary, and swim stops according to your preferences. Max 10 people: Nuova Jolly, 7.5 meters, 300 hp Evinrude engine. Max 12 people: Stilmar 34, 10 meters, 450 hp.