Sicily, Nature and Parks

Land of sun and sea, history and culture, spa and volcanoes, citrus and grapes, enchanting landscape: this and more is Sicily.

In an extremely varied landscape, alternating forests and volcanoes, lakes and saltpans still active, rivers and dry canyons.

There are some many nature wonders that is impossible to cover in one holiday we like to suggest some that are usually close to your chosen accommodation and that are unique to a holiday in Sicily.

Parks, nature reserves

Zingaro Natural Reserve

This is a real paradise of nature for the great variety of natural environments characterizing its 1,600 hectares. The coast opens towards the sea with high and indented calcareous walls interrupted by inlets, rocky ravines, and caves.

The altitude of its peaks goes from the 610 m above sea level of Pizzo Passo del Lupo to the 913 of Mt. Speziale.

From the sea level to the highest peaks, you can meet different kinds of ecosystems, all extremely significant.

Natural Marine Reserve of the Egadi Islands

The ecological conditions and natural beauty make the seabed of the Natural Marine Reserve of the Egadi islands a paradise for divers, where they can immerse themselves from numerous point and with different levels of difficulty.

Natural reserve of Stromboli e Strombolicchio

Stromboli is a young volcano, born about 40,000 years ago. It is formed by a volcanic cone with three terminal vents which are always active.

The main crater opens under the top of the western slope, immediately under the highest peak, and within it, the magma is continuously reboiling.

The eruptive activity consists of emission of ashes and vapors and intermittent and intense explosions leading to a violent elimination of ashes, red hot stones, and pieces of reboiling lava.

Natural Reserve of Vulcano

The morphology of this island is complex and tormented and can be understood by a clever interpretation of the landscape.

The first volcanic feature can be detected at a distance for the acrid sulfurous emanations from the pools of thermal mud.

Immediately after, the Big Crater (also called "Fossa di Vulcano"), which is not very high (391 m above sea level), offers a "strong" view, even if at first it seems to be in front of a sleeping volcano

Trapani Salt Pans Natural Reserve

The salt pans are a very important place for thousands of migrating birds during the spring and autumn, so the area is of particular ornithological interest.

There are in fact 208 species surveyed so far, many wintering (flamingos, spatulas, white herons, egrets, marsh hawks, limicolous and more than 5,000 Anatidae) and other breeding (avocets, knights of Italy, Fraticelli, Fratini, Calandrella.

The Trapani salt pans offer an extraordinary landscape, a place to know and preserve. A true heritage.

The thirty miles of coast between Trapani and Marsala, are one of the most important and extensive wetlands of Sicily, with a climate constantly windy and sunny, a terrain made of very low depths, land and lagoon areas: conditions for the production of salt.

Volcano Etna
  
The Etna volcano is the highest in Europe, is located in north-eastern Sicily, and is active from immemorial times.

With its huge top overlooking the Ionian Sea to the east, to north is bounded by the river Alcantara, the so-called "Alcantara Gorges were formed by the great volcanic eruptions that canalized in the riverbed a fluid magma which sank in the most clayey places, forming the current basaltic colonnades.

The apotheosis of these spectacular natural sculptures can be found in the quarters Larderia in the Town of Motta Camastra.

Vendicari Natural Reserve

This reserve was set up in 1984, but in fact enjoyable since 1989, is a narrow coastal waterlogged that extends for 574 hectares and whose main purpose is the protection of wild migratory and vegetation psammofila (sand-loving) and the Mediterranean.

The presence of vast marshes of high salinity contribute to the creation of a very unique ecosystem, which is a reference point for migratory birds that stop here in their thousands. 

Guides provided by
"© Regione Sicilia - Assessorato al Turismo ed ai Beni Culturali"

Sicily, a 1000 kilometers of coastline
 

Readers of Conde Nast Traveller voted Sicily as their favourite island holiday destination, beating “rivals” such as The Maldives and Barbados!

Sicily holidays are a great opportunity to enjoy a sunny Mediterranean island with lots of culture, scenic views and gourmet dining.

But Sicily has always been regarded firstly as a seaside holiday destination for its famous  beaches and beautiful coastline
  
From Mondello, San Vito lo Capo and Cefalu on the western coast to the sandy beach of Siracusa and the vulcanic Aeolian islands, Sicily has a number of amazing spots among the most stunning in the Mediterranean.

1000 km of coast 

L'Addaura: reefs, cliffs and breathtaking sea ... in Palermo

L'Addaura is one of Palermo most scenic coastline. Located south-west of the beautiful sandy bay of Mondello, the Addaura is less hospitable than the beach of Mondello but offers its guests a breathtaking backdrop to say the least: a spectacular cliff overlooking the clear sea, surrounded by a nature reserve of pine forest.

At about 70m above sea level, there are some caves of considerable archaeological interest, where graffiti with human figures were discovered together with hunting tools and other paleolithic remains, now exposed at the Archaeological Museum of Palermo.

Spiaggia del Gelso: Vulcano island

Beautiful sandy beach situated on the south coast, Spiaggia del Gelso is one of the most picturesque beaches on the island of Vulcano, the pearl of Aeolian archipelago.

The beach, a mixture of sand and gravel, has a very dark black color, because of volcanic origin that characterizes much of the island.

The crystal blue waters of the sea provide an amazing atmosphere strongly reccomended to those who love peace and quiet.

Cala Rossa in Favignana: a real paradise!

Certainly regarded as one of the main beaches of Favignana, if not the most beautiful, Cala Rossa is named after the mythological and bloody battle of the Punic wars.

Its crystal clear waters and the flat rocks attract many beach worshipers. However, this cove is really only suited to those who can tackle a long walk downhill.

Stromboli: the beach of Ficogrande

Ficogrande is a beautiful beach on the island of Stromboli. The beach of Ficogrande, like most of the beaches of the island, is composed of black volcanic sand.

Ficogrande is the obvious choice for families and young swimmers, but given the limited size of Stromboli, the number of people on the beach never exceed limit beyond which it becomes unlivable.

San Vito Lo Capo

San Vito lo Capo is one of the most famous beach of Sicily, perhaps among the most popular among the seaside resort of the island.

The beach of San Vito lo Capo is about 3km long and is characterised by fine sand with bright and warm colours.

The beach slopes down to the sea in a very gentle and gradual way creating an exotic atmosphere more typical of the Carabbean.
 

Sicily World Heritage

Below we have listed the monuments and sites that can be visited during your holiday in Sicily.

All our holidays are custom-made and we will be delighted to include all your request.

Sicilian World Heritage 

Agrigento and the Valley of the Temples

Agrigento is a superb witness the splendor of one of the most important Greek colonies of the West.

The ancient city extends over a large area known as the Valley of the Temples for the number of religious buildings displaying the richness and cultural development of the colony until the fourth century AD

 
Piazza Armerina - Villa Romana del Casale

With an area of over 3500 square meters, the Villa was the hunting residence of Maximilian Herculean, colleague of Diocletian in the management of the Roman Empire.

It is extraordinary representation of Roman life through its mosaic floors, famous throughout the world.
   
The importance of the Villa is due to the impeccable condition of the mosaics, considered also the largest and most fascinating ever made in Roman times.

Aeolian Islands

The Aeolian Islands provide an outstanding record of volcanic island-building and destruction, and ongoing volcanic phenomena.

Studied since at least the 18th century, the islands have provided the science of vulcanology with examples of two types of eruption (Vulcanian and Strombolian) and thus have featured prominently in the education of geologists for more than 200 years. The site continues to enrich the field of vulcanology.

The Baroque Towns of the Noto Valley
   
The Val di Noto is the territory of eastern Sicily, which geographically corresponds to the southernmost tip of the island, found between the province of Ragusa, Syracuse and the provinces of Catania and Caltanissetta.

Of all the towns in the Val di Noto, the towns of Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa and Scicli have been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to the Sicilian Baroque architecture that characterises them.

Pantalica
  
Pantalica is the naturalistic and archaeological area of the province of Syracuse.  In 2005 she was honored along with the historic center of Syracuse with the title of World Heritage by UNESCO.

The site consists of two separate elements, containing outstanding vestiges dating back to Greek and Roman times: The Necropolis of Pantalica contains over 5,000 tombs cut into the rock near open stone quarries, most of them dating from the 13th to 7th centuries BC. Vestiges of the Byzantine era also remain in the area, notably the foundations of the Anaktoron (Prince’s Palace).

The other part of the property, Ancient Syracuse, includes the nucleus of the city’s foundation as Ortygia by Greeks from Corinth in the 8th century BC. The site of the city, which Cicero described as ‘the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of all’, retains vestiges such as the Temple of Athena (5th century BC, later transformed to serve as a cathedral), a Greek theatre, a Roman amphitheatre, a fort and more.

Many remains bear witness to the troubled history of Sicily, from the Byzantines to the Bourbons, interspersed with the Arabo-Muslims, the Normans, Frederick II of the Hohenstaufen dynasty (1197–1250), the Aragons and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Historic Syracuse offers a unique testimony to the development of Mediterranean civilization over three millennia.

Sicily Events

A great way to discover Sicily is to make your way to one of the numerous festivals.

In an island with such a complex and convoluted history as Sicily’s, it is perhaps no surprise to learn that the variety and number of cultural events and local festivals is huge.

Whatever the season and no matter where you are, there will always be something going on.

We have higlighted some of the most popular but the calendar is really full and we will be delighted to include one of these festivals in your holiday.

Sicily Highlights

Carnival of Sciacca - February

The Carnival of Sciacca is among the most famous events that are staged during carnival in Italy

The origins of the Carnival of Sciacca goes back perhaps to Roman times, when the Saturnalia were celebrated; or rather, more likely, to 1616 when the viceroy Osuna stated that on the last day of celebration everyone had to wear a mask.

A succession of floats take the streets of the historic center, preceded by dance groups who perform in dances and songs, which then repeat the showing made in the street on the big stage set up for the occasion.

The contribution made by the Institute of Art at Sciacca to the Carnival - in poems, music, dance, models, pictures, movements and choreography - has enabled the festival to successfully compete nationally and globally with many other similar events.

Taormina Arte – June/July/August

A Festival dedicated to music, from symphonies to rock, dance and theater to perform in the beautiful setting of the Ancient Greek Theater.

Taormina Film Festival – June

The oldest film festival in Italy with world-famous guests, film directors, script-writers and composers from all over the world.

Market Exhibition of historic Sicilian cheeses and the Ricotta Festival - Poggioreale   - May

The festival has as its objective the promotion and enhancement of excellence traditional Sicilian cheese, too often unknown to most consumers, now accustomed to the taste and anonymous standardized industrial production.

Artisans and artists from all over Sicily also participate to the event to showcase products of their own manufacture: paintings, pottery, terracotta, leather products and leather, wrought iron manufactures, etc..

Cous Cous Fest - San Vito Lo Capo - September

Lazy days in San Vito Lo Capo when the Cous Cous Fest is in town. Late mornings then down to San Vito beach for a highly skilful track stand to be executed stretched out on the fine, white sands.

After the embrace of the sea and the caress of the sun, a stroll down the main street to see the Expo Village is just what is needed.

Tasting sessions begin in the afternoon - a chance to visit the various couscous houses and try new flavours and unusual aromas. Just a little before nightfall, you might like to follow the international couscous competition on the giant screen in the square.

Evening brings the Cous Cous Live Show - sounds and songs from around the world in the town square in front of the Sanctuary. A long San Vito night begins in eager anticipation of a new couscous day.

Bronte's Pistachio Festival  - October

each start of Autumn, Bronte is transformed into the showcase for its natural pistachio green, known all over the world for its taste, goodness and unique characteristics.

It's a big party, where the rich program reserves big surprises, accompanied by folklore, shows, sporting and cultural events.
 

Play Golf in Sicily!

Enjoy the climate, culture and the best of Italian cuisine in the heart of the mediterranean.

We can arrange your hotel and golf in Sicily, but also excursions and activities like wine tasting, cooking course, Etna excursion, trekking and diving.

We'd be delighted to 'tailor make' your ideal Sicilian Golf holiday.
 

Villa Airoldi Golf Club

Villa Airoldi Golf Club covers an area of 140,000 square meters in a eighteenth century park with fountains, monuments and trees of historic interest in the heart of Palermo.

Nine holes, Putting Green, Pitching Green, Chipping Green, Bunker test instructor, pool, clubhouse and many other services, makes the Villa Airoldi Golf Club an ideal place for an easy game of golf.

The Picciolo Golf Club

The Picciolo Golf Club is the oldest golf course in Sicily. It was designed, in the 1989, by Luigi Rota Caremoli.

The beautiful 18 holes are laid out among oaks, hazels and vineyards with the smoking Mount Etna as a backdrop.

Only 25 km from Taormina the real challenge for golfers will be to concentrate on the game and keep away from the scenery

Le Madonie Golf Club

The 18 holes of the Madonie Golf Club wind among the mountains of Madonie Park and the bay of Cefalu, on a plain embellished with olive trees, orange, lemon, almond and carob trees.

The course, designed by the renowned architect Luigi Rota Caremoli, develops for 6004 meters with a par 72 and 5 artificial lakes prefectly integrated into seductive landscape.