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Sicily and the Aeolian islands

Sicily is a sun-drenched, palm-fringed island and derives its rich culture from the impressive parade of Mediterranean powers that have ruled its shores for the last two millennia.

The glorious monuments are of many epochs, from Greek temples to cathedrals adorned with Arabic-Norman facades. From Cefalu we have a magnificent panorama of the turquoise sea and a lovely stretch of sandy beach before moving into the interior of the Madonie Mountains. This region reveals Sicily’s deeply rustic culture - tiny mountain villages, farms, shepherds and freshly-made cheeses.

We discover Sicily on walks through the splendid Riserva dello Zingaro, pristine coastal land backed by steep mountains. It was Sicily’s first nature reserve and is a real oasis of biodiversity. During our walk we find the most isolated and enchanting beaches and enjoy the natural beauty of this protected ecosystem.

The Aeolian Islands lead a precarious existence in the buffeted waters off the northern Sicilian coast. They offer excellent walking with some marvellous vantage points over the other islands. They are named after Aeolus, the Greek god who kept the winds he controlled shut tight in one of the islands’ many caves.

The 2,600 year-old heart of Siracusa, Ortygia, is set on an island. We walk the narrow streets, explore Doric temples and the fabulous Greek, Roman and Christian ruins. The majestic volcano, Mount Etna, dominates a large part of eastern Sicily and is the highest active volcano in Europe.

Our walk takes us above 2000m and together with a local guide we discover this fascinating mountain. Pantalica Gorge is Sicily’s greatest necropolis. Along the path through the gorge we discover some of the 5,000 Neolithic tombs hewn into the canyon walls.

On our way to Palermo we stop in Piazza Armerina. Here we visit the vast and sprawling complex of the Villa Romana, once a Roman hunting lodge dating back to 286 and 305 AD. The mosaics are virtually intact and the most breathtaking ones are those of the Roman-African period.

Our Hotels & Cuisine

On this marvellous island we stay in “the best of both worlds” – the dramatic mountain scenery of the Madonie Mountains in Petralia Sottana and the charming coastal villages like San Vito Lo Capo, the ancient part of Siracusa and the island of Lipari.

Here we have chosen a variety of beautiful hotels, full of ambience and history. The excellent local cuisine has already a taste of Africa.

Mountainous areas produce lamb, goats and characteristic Sicilian cheeses. From the plains and coast, and the rich volcanic soils around Mount Etna, come superb vegetables and sub-tropical fruit. There is also a great variety of fish and very drinkable local red and white wine.

Tour combination

Departure dates have been arranged to allow both the "Dolce Vita" and "Follow the Gourmet Trail" walks to be combined.