Hiking Lovers Sicily

"The Land of Beauty!"

Hiking Lovers Sicily is a 16 night holiday experience with a mixture of hiking in Natural Reserves Parks, Volcanos, Islands and visiting the Baroque Towns, villages, and towns. Malta is an additional 3 night tour which will complete this outstanding experience.

Prices will be out in 2024 for Fall of 2025, it will be back to back with Trails of Amalfi.

Sicily is a beautiful land full of diversity, history, and delicious food and wine. Hiking enthusiasts will love the opportunity to explore the many trails of the island. With its stunning beaches and charming villages. In addition, you will experience the best of Malta with a 3 night stop over and enjoy hiking in the beautiful countryside and explore the unique culture of Malta. It wouldn't be the same if you don't discover the beauty the Aeolian Islands with a 3 night stay.

DAY 1: Sunday, October 6, 2025: Welcome to Sicily

Arrival Airport Palermo transfer to Castellammare Del Golfo (Upon arrival your transfer will be waiting with a sign Hiking Sicily-40 minute drive)

Hotel: Marina di Petrolo Hotel & SPA | Castellammare del Golfo ****(3 nights)

DAY 2: Monday, October 7, 2025: Zingaro Reserve Trail

Departure: 9:00 Arrival: 18:00

Morning Hike:

Walking along the coastal path, from Scopello to San Vito Lo Capo, 7 KM of wonders of great variety will unfold before us. Our eye will wander among the many enchanting blue bays –Cala Tonnarella dell’Uzzo, Cala dell’Uzzo, Cala Marinella, Cala Berretta, Cala della Disa, Cala del Varo, Cala Capreria – where the delicate colors of the smooth white pebbles alternate to the harshness of the rock. The itineraries are many and all rich of surprises. A real paradise for nature and sea lovers. Born in 1980 as a natural reserve, the site features several well-maintained paths, six beaches and diverse flora and fauna. You will live an adventure through the guided naturalistic paths and explore the Mediterranean landscape.

Duration: 2 hours approx. 7KM. Easy to Moderate, dirt path, uneven, rocks.

Afternoon on your own in the Medival Town of Erice

Erice is a wonderful and mysterious medieval town at the extreme north-west corner of Sicily, on the top of “Monte San Giuliano”, made famous in ancient times as the birthplace of Venus. The town overlooks the city of Trapani and the low western coast towards the Egadi Islands, where sea salt is made, offering the most breath taking views. Actually on a clear day you can see the African coast. Walking through the cobble - stoned streets of the town, smelling a variety of aromas emanating from the numerous pastry shop for which Erice is famous. You will see the Norman Castle and the Duomo. A special stop at the Maria Grammatico’s famous pastry shop to see the variety of sweets she lovingly creates, here you will taste almond sweets, genovesi and nougat to match with Marsala wine

DAY 3: Tuesday, October 8, 2025: Leisure Day!

Today, you have the option to either explore Castallammare Del Goflo on your own or go for a hike on your own.

A beautiful excursion (Sentiero Belvedere ) that starts from the hotel and leaves the town to take the Madonna della Scala path and arrive at the Sanctuary. It's a challenging hike approx. 5 hours , it's a loop back to the hotel. 15 KM Elevation 706M

Day 04: Wednesday, October 9, 2025: Countryside Hike

Departure: 9:00am Arrival: 18:00

Check out of Hotel - Bags will remain on the bus

After breakfast we drive from Castellammare Del Golfo to Magna Francigena. The Magna Via Francigena, the Great Frankish Road, is an ancient road with historical roots. In the past, this road was the “highway” to connect Palermo to Agrigento and vice-versa. In between the heart of Sicily, a territory shaped by numerous civilizations where natural landscapes are a treasure to discover and contemplate.

We will hike along the second stage of Magna Via Francigena, from Santa Cristina Gela to Santuario di Tagliavia, close to Corleone. Length: 13 km Easy to Moderate- Paved and dirt path, inclines and declines involved

Characteristics of the road: typical ancient Sicilian road called “trazzere”, a brief part in the farmland and a brief part of a pathway crossing a natural reserve.

Hotel: Abbazia Santa Anastasia (3 night stay)

Day 5: Friday, October 10, 2025:

Parco Delle Madanie

Departure 09:00 Arrival 13:00

The Madonie mountains: a rare beauty, kept intact over time

itineraries of history and nature steeped in emotions

The Madonie mountains represent one of the most interesting areas of Sicily. It is a short mountain ridge in the Tyrrhenian area of the island, which reaches the sea. This territory is a treasure to be discovered, where natural paths and picturesque villages intertwine to weave a story of local history and traditions. Immersing yourself in the magic of the Madonie is a totalizing experience: the suspended charm of history and poetic suggestions of nature will be waiting for you at every glimpse of the landscape. From sites of historical and cultural interest to nature trails, the Madonie mountains offer all year round itineraries full of emotions aimed at discovering the most authentic Sicily.

DAY 6: Saturday, October 11,2025:

Leisure Day -Cefalu & CastelBuono

Departure 10am- Return 5PM

Today you will visit a seaside village and the town of Castelbuono.

Cefalù is a gorgeous town located on the northern coast of Sicily, and one of the major tourist attractions in the region.

Built on a promontory dominated by a sheer cliff, Cefalù has grown around the Norman Cathedral wanted by Ruggero II, still keeping its ancient print. The Cathedral, began in 1131, is one of the most interesting medieval monuments of the island and boasts outstanding mosaics and a wonderful cloister. An impressive mosaic of Christ Pantocrator stands out above the altar, twinned with the Palatine Chapel in Palermo and the Cathedral of Monreale.

A large part of the town is pedestrian; just stroll through the medieval narrow streets, and admire the picturesque houses on the sea and the long beach of fine sand; than, in the afternoon, take a bath in the amazingly blue water of its sea: an experience really worth remembering!

A small medieval village nestled in the Madonie Park with a delightful historic centre that captivates from the first moment. Strolling through its streets is like entering a fairy tale: it seems as if you are watching ladies and knights parading with rustling brocade robes and complicated hairstyles. The fairytale becomes reality at the beginning of the summer, when the historical processions materialise, parading among tapestries of fresh flowers in the Infiorata di Castelbuono.

As in any self-respecting fairy tale, the town is built around the imposing Ventimiglia Castle, near a Byzantine farmhouse called Ypsigro. Built by the powerful Count Francesco I Ventimiglia in 1317 on a pre-existing 12th-century watchtower, it housed the court of one of the most influential families in Sicilian history, who were even more powerful than the viceroys! These influential counts, who rebelled against the Sicilian rulers, also had their own Palatine Chapel, which is still to this day a precious treasure trove, decorated with enchanting stucco work on a pure gold leaf background by the brothers Giuseppe and Giacomo Serpotta (1684–87). Behind the altar is the skull of Saint Anne, the town's patron saint, inside a fine silver bust reliquary from 1521.

Today, the Ventimiglia Castle houses the Castelbuono Civic Museum with its Archaeology, Town Planning, Sacred Art and Modern and Contemporary Art sections, with a rich programme of exhibitions and cultural activities that make it a lively centre for research, meetings and experimentation.

Day 07: Sunday, October 12, 2025

Transfer to Milazzo-Ferry to Lipari-Aeolian Island

Departure: 9:00

After breakfast you will be transferred to Milazzo Ferry Terminal to Lipari, you will drop off your bags with the concierge of the hotel and you will hop on another ferry off to Vulcano (10 minutes ferry)

Vulcano is an island of wilderness: the clear waters of the sea, hot springs, mud and the well-known fumaroles that spew sulfur dioxide and black sand and can be considered a magic cure-all for health and beauty. During the navigation to the island don’t miss stops in sequence at the black beaches of Gelso, the Horse Cave and the Pools of Venus.

Meet your trekking guide and follow him on a well-marked sandy path that climbs to the most “dangerous” crater of the archipelago. An incredible lunar landscape of smoking holes, sulfur and volcanic “bombs” awaits you, here is easy to understand why the powerful beauty of this island impressed so many writers and poets.

Difficulty: Easy- 2/5 Difference in level: 391 meters

Day 08: Monday, October 13,2025: Isola di Salina

Ferry: TBA

Though Salina’s rocky beaches nod to its volcanic composition, today the island is as tranquil as can be. Think olive farms, think caper bushes, think storybook trees heavy with plump figs and citrus fruits. Salina is a place for your taste buds to swoon over nature’s sweetest and saltiest bounties. Cap each meal with a sip of the islands signature Malvasia dessert wine. When your belly needs a break, explore Salina’s stone lanes, pebble beaches, and the twin volcanos, dormant for 13,000 years.

Day 09: Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Lipari -Panarea-Stromboli

Excursion to Panarea and Stromboli by night from Lipari.

Departure from the port of Lipari Marina Corta at 12:00 for the island of Panarea. Stop for about two hours in Panarea for free visit of the island. Restart of the tour by sea to visit the micro archipelago in front of the island, composed of the islets of Lisca Bianca, Lisca Nera, Basiluzzo and Spinazzola. We will then reach Stromboli, where it will stop for about 2 hours.

At sunset we will go under the Sciara del Fuoco to be able to watch the volcano eruptions from the sea. Return to Lipari Marina Corta scheduled for about 10.30 pm.

​Day 10: Wednesday, October 15, 2025:

Ferry -Lipari-Milazzo-Villa Neri Mt. Etna

Ferry Time: TBA

Enjoy a nice breakfast, take a last walk around Lipari and early afternoon, you will be hop on the ferry from Lipari to Milazzo Ferry Terminal, the bus transfer will be waiting at the Port to bring you to a location you will enjoy the Luxury of Silence!

Villa Neri Resort & Spa - Neri Etna (3 nights)

Day 11: Thursday, October 16, 2025: Mt. Etna

Departure: 9:00 Arrival: 17:00

Discovering Mount Etna is one of the greatest adventure tours in Sicily, not only for the volcanic phenomena but also for the different kinds of vegetation visible all along the uphill track. ​

Etna has more than 400 craters, split all over the Catania county. Join your expert alpine/naturalistic guide and begin the hiking from Piano Provenzana.​

Under his expertise guidance, you will be hiking for 4/5 hours up to the craters of 2002 and the whole path is a mix of pine forest and volcanic soil.

Day 12: Friday, October 17, 2025:

Taormina Leisure Day

Departure 9AM to 6PM

Taormina is an unmissable stop, the journey of the nineteenth-century European aristocracy. Even today, the city is a popular destination for international tourism, with many tourists arriving each year from all over the world to discover its beauty.

DAY 13: Saturday,18 October,2025

Noon Transfer to Ortygia

Enjoy a healthy breakfast, enjoy the last moment of silence!

After check out you will be transferred to Ortygia for 3 nights. Leisure day & night.

DAY 14: Sunday, 19 October, 2025:

Trail around Vendicari & Marazmemi Fishing Village

Departure 9am Arrival 5pm

If you love long walks, you will appreciate this place. It is not exactly trekking as the slopes are not relevant, but each path covers about 3 km of the reserve, all bordered by rocky beaches spaced out with some beautiful coves, including Calamosche, awarded with the title “most beautiful beach of Italy” in 2005 by the Blue Guide of Legambiente. An half-way trip between trekking and a jump back in time, inside the ancient excavations of the Greek city right next to the beach of Eloro, passing through the promontory of the Cittadella with its view on the Trigona and the Etruscan catacombs along the coast along through via Elorina… ​ After this beautiful 13 K trail we will stop and have lunch in the fishing town of Marzamemi (lunch not included)

DAY 15- Monday, 20 October, 2025:

Cava D'Ispica Hike & Noto-A Baroque Town

Departure 09:00 arrival 17:00

After Breakfast we will depart for an amazing excursion to discover the Cava d’Ispica, a natural Grand Canyon in the province of Ragusa, full of archaeological wonders. It is not only a guided tour in contact with nature, but also an adventurous hiking excursion, an exciting journey through history! With our authorised guide, you will walk through the uncontaminated natural paths of the canyon to discover the grottoes, along with the many prehistoric dwellings, and enter the Sicilian Castle carved in stone, situated in the rocky paths of the quarry of Ispica. It is not a well-known territory and yet, it is full of surprises to discover safely with the help of an expert who has a deep knowledge of the area. At the end of the excursion, you will have a tasting of local Sicilian products in order to conclude, in the best way possible, this extraordinary experience that your hearts will cherish forever. After this excursion, you will stop at another Baroque Masterpiece , NOTO!

Noto, is the town's beauty that it has been awarded status as Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by Unesco. A powerful earthquake completely destroyed the town in 1693, leading to Noto being rebuilt in sumptuous Baroque style. According to your expert guide suggestions, stroll through the city: grandiose flights of steps lead worshippers and tourists alike up to the ornately carved entrance doors of the churches, the roads open out in to sweeping piazzas lined by palaces built in a stone of soft pink and golden yellow hues. A tour of Noto might start from the main square where to visit Palazzo Ducezio, Palazzo Vescovile, Palazzo Lanolina, the Church of San Domenico and, of course, the town's magnificent Cathedral to name but a few of the many buildings worth visiting in Noto. Here, you will meet Corrado Assenza, the master of all Sicilian pastry chefs, who will delight you with his amazing and unique pastry creations (gelato, jams, creams).

Included: Lunch

Day 16: Tuesday, 21 October, 2025:

Visit Baroque Town of Ragusa & Modica- Malta

The city has distinct areas, the lower and older town of Ragusa Ibla, and the higher Ragusa Superiore (Upper Town). The two halves are separated by the Valle dei Ponti, a deep ravine crossed by four bridges. In 1693, was devastated by an earthquake, and afterwards, rebuilt in the Baroque style. Stepping from the orderly grid of streets and avenues into the old town's tangle of nooks and lanes is like being in two different cities. Ragusa Ibla hosts a wide array of Baroque architecture, including several stunning palaces and churches like the Cathedral of San Giorgio and the Church of San Giuseppe. You will pass in front of the Hyblean Gardens, the gorgeous Palazzo Arezzo di Trifletti and in the elegant and historic setting of this noble palace.

After your leisure day in Ragusa and Modica, we will hop on the bus and have supper as a group in Pozzallo at Al Porto Armenia Ristorante After supper, time to be determined, we will take our transfer to the Port of Pozzallo to Valletta, Malta

Included: Ferry, Breakfast, Dinner

Welcome to Malta

Malta has been fought over for thousands of years, has temples that pre-date the pyramids at Giza and Stonehenge, has some of the clearest waters in the world, and boasts a capital city that is a baroque masterpiece.​ Like Croatia of 20 years ago, Malta has just now become a newly discovered travel destination for the cultural enthusiast and not as a second thought. The Maltese Islands, although small in size, offers travelers a rare opportunity to experience well preserved history and exciting culture.​

Hotel: Hotel 1926 **** (3 night stay)

DAY 17: Wednesday, 22 October, 2025: Walking Tour-Valetta

Valletta was built by the Knights of St. John after the Great Siege of Malta by the Ottomans in 1565. It is the fortified city that was said to be "Built by gentlemen for gentlemen". It boasts over 320 monuments in a .2 square mile radius, is a Baroque capital and is being recognized as the European Capital of Culture in 2018. ​ You'll love what's in store within its main gates - a great mix of history and present-day lively culture.

DAY 18: 23 Thursday, October, 2025 Countryside Hike (3Hrs)-Medium

Join your guide for a lovely countryside hike. It's truly unbelievable that just 20 minutes outside the hustle and bustle of central-east portion of the island, you find true serenity.​

Mdina-The Silent City

You will feel the power as you enter the Old Capital City of Mdina and fall in love with it inasmuch as the families who continue to live here.​ It's Malta's only medieval city with a range of architecture that includes Norman and Arabic features. If you're a Game of Thrones fan, you will recognize the main gates immediately.

DAY 19- Friday, 24 October, 2025 :

THE END - Departure from Valletta Airport (MLA)

Your Tour Organizer:

Having been in the tourism industry for 27 years, I've had the opportunity to explore many places, I have a soft spot for Sicily, my parents' origin. I want to share this amazing place and show others why it is so special. My mission is to create unique and unforgettable experiences that allow travelers to explore the world in a meaningful way. I strive to provide travelers with authentic and immersive experiences that will be remembered for a lifetime.

You need to be physically active however, note trails are uneven, there will be inclines, I would not consider it difficult. You do need to be well trained, and in good physical shape as the holiday is active.

Please note, these pictures were taken in October 2021, mostly. Some are pictures on Social Media.

If you are interested in this tour please email me at antonella@discoverinstyle.ca