Destinations near Mount Etna in Sicily, the highest volcano in Italy, including Catania at the foot of the volcano, on the coast to the south, and Taormina on the coastline to the east. Inland, one can discover the beautiful gorges of the Alcantara valley.
The second most populous city in Sicily after Palermo, Catania has faced terrible earthquakes and volcanic eruptions over the centuries, undergoing numerous urban transformations and seeing several cultures pass through its lands. Located between Etna and the Ionian Sea, the volcano still influences its urban planning, where black lava stone is often found in the […]
A charming tourist destination Located in a magnificent setting, between sea and mountain, on a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea from 200 metres above, and dominated by the majestic Etna volcano, Taormina is undoubtedly the most famous Sicilian seaside resort.Thanks to its beauty and its heritage, Taormina was mentioned by Goethe in his Italian Journey […]
The Nebrodi Mountains (Monti Nebrodi in Italian) are a mountain range, part of the Sicilian Apennines, stretching east to west in the north of the island, comprising the largest protected natural area in Sicily.The natural landscape of the Nebrodi differs on each of its slopes, but overall its vegetation is very rich and the abundance […]
Montalbano Elicona is a beautiful medieval village perched at over 900 metres above sea level, between the Nebrodi mountains and the Peloritani mountains in north-eastern Sicily, and close to an ancient forest. A medieval village and natural treasures Its name may derive from the Latin mons albus (“white mount”) in reference to the sometimes snow-capped […]
Novara di Sicilia is a picturesque village in Sicily, listed among the “most beautiful villages in Italy”, thanks to its medieval historic centre, and its location in the heart of a wooded region of the Peloritani Mountains, at 650 metres above sea level. It is built on the side of the mountain Rocca Salvatesta, from […]
Together with Forza d’Agrò, a remarkable stop north of Taormina, known in particular for having served as the setting for several scenes of Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather, is the medieval village of Savoca. It is listed among the “most beautiful villages in Italy”, and a few kilometres away lies an Arab-Norman abbey full of charm, […]
The beautiful Alcantara Gorges are located in the valley of the Alcantara River, a natural area of great geological and ecological richness. This site is at the heart of the Parco Fluviale dell’Alcantara, a regional nature reserve covering approximately 573 km², encompassing the neighboring municipalities. The valley is crossed by the 53 km long Alcantara […]
North of Catania, a stretch of coastline known as the “Cyclops Riviera” extends between Aci Castello and Acireale, with several fishing villages and a striking volcanic-rock shoreline.
Naxos, today the locality of Giardini-Naxos on the Ionian coast of Sicily, is the site of one of the oldest Greek colonies in Sicily. Founded in the 8th century BC, it was gradually ruined, moved inland towards Taormina, but retains archaeological remains and a local museum. Giardini-Naxos is above all a seaside resort, with developed […]
Mount Etna (overview) In the environs of Catania, the Etna park offers a spectacular discovery of the highest active volcano in Europe, with its lunar landscapes and the surrounding unspoiled nature.One of the “gateways” to the park is Nicolosi, a village at the foot of Etna near Catania. → See the section dedicated to Mount […]
