New adventure experiences

Description

As spectacular as Sicily’s coastline is, there’s so much more to the island than great beaches and translucent blue seas! Venture inland and you’ll find a world of adventure experiences amidst rugged mountains, scenic hilltop villages and glorious nature trails. Head into the craggy mountains for breath-taking views of dazzling blue seas and the opportunity to spot birds of prey and other animals and discover natural wonders ranging from the smoking spectacle of Mount Etna to hillsides carpeted with wildflowers, awe-inspiring gorges and emerald green rivers.

If you prefer to explore independently, consider renting a mountain bike to help you on your way up the more challenging slopes. But if you’re looking at introducing a frisson of adventure into your holiday, we can help you choose from a range of exciting jeep tours, by day or night. Alternatively why not take things the slow Sicilian way? Join an excursion to explore Sicily’s nature reserves on horseback and just sit back and enjoy the view.

Mountain bike adventure in the Madonie

Embark on a unique adventure through dramatic scenery in the Nebrodi and Madonie national parks and across some of Sicily’s wildest and least discovered mountain tracks. Ascend hillsides covered in beech and oak trees and enjoy magnificent views to Mount Etna and the Aeolian Islands before your gradual descent through ancient olive and citrus groves towards the sea. Your journey will be on an electric off road bike that will ease the challenge and speed up the strenuous mountain climbs. Options include a specialist guide and a traditional rustic lunch.

2.5 hours bike rental - €50pp
Half day, including farmhouse lunch €85pp
With specialist guide from €70pp.

Night-time bandit tour

Set off late afternoon from Cefalù on an off-road jeep tour across mountain trails and into Sicily’s bandit country. First stop is Finale di Pollina, a charming hillside village perched 1000m above sea level, to watch the sunset over the Aeolian Islands while you sip an aperitivo, and visit the Greek Theatre. Then on to Castelbuono with time for a wander round town and a traditional dinner in a local trattoria where all ingredients are locally sourced. The excursion continues into the night along dirt tracks that crisscross the ravine that spans the Pollina river, along the craggy Gole di Tiberio and finally across valleys that were once home to ancient farmhouses and olive groves to reach the Ponte dei Briganti (Bridge of Bandits).

€100pp including aperitivo, dinner and drinks.

Wild Safari Jeep Adventure

A thrilling off road jeep excursion along the dirt tracks and trails that traverse the off-the-beaten-track expanse of land between Sicily’s two great national parks, the Madonie and Nebrodi mountains. The journey will take you through wild remote valleys where you can learn about the local flora and fauna and catch glimpses of eagles and wild animals. On the clearest days, you’ll get magnificent views of Mount Etna. We’ll break our journey in a rustic trattoria in the heart of the wooded slopes for a lunch featuring local culinary treats. Our return will take us down through the woods until we reach the coast when we’ll take the panoramic road that hugs the coastline around Cefalù.

€90pp
Duration: 5/6 hours.

Jeep trail to Petralia Soprana and the peaks of the Madonie

Departing from Cefalù, we’ll set off on ancient trails into the Madonie mountains, stopping first at Geraci to visit Ventimiglia Castle. Next stop is Petralia Soprana, one of Italy’s most beautiful villages and the highest in the Madonie. From here you’ll get sweeping views across broad valleys and vast expanses of water, and glimpses of Enna, the peak of Mount Etna and the mountains that surround Palermo. We’ll pause here, either for a delicious picnic or lunch at a traditional farm, before a walking tour through the tiny lanes and alleyways of the medieval village, past churches and aristocratic palazzi, and on the ‘Sentiero Geologico Urbano’. This is an interesting urban route, combining geology, history and art, and is the first of its kind in Europe.
Our journey continues another 1500m to Piano Battaglia, set between Pizzo Carbonara and Monte Mufara in the heart of the Madonie, passing the astronomic observatory and town of Castelbuono.

€150pp, inclusive of lunch and drinks.
Depart 0900hrs, return around 1730hrs.

Sunset jeep excursion with barbecue

Depart Cefalù at around 1700 hrs for a relaxing excursion by jeep. We’ll head for the Nebrodi national park, travelling across rural tracks and crossing the Bosco di Tardara where we’ll pause at a panoramic point to watch the sunset. The excursion continues through the wooded landscape to a woodland chalet where we’ll feast on barbecued local meat and fish. There will just be enough time to drink in the view and chill before a thrilling night-time descent through the woods, with possible glimpses of wild animals, back to Cefalù.

€75pp
Duration: 5 hours.

Valle di Halaesa Tour

This is an opportunity to experience extraordinary art and nature on a jeep excursion through the remarkable Valle di Halaesa. The area is home to the Fiumara d’Arte, Europe’s largest contemporary open-air sculpture park. We’ll travel along ancient trails that link the medieval village of Castel di Lucio with Tusa, passing through remote villages and stunning flora and fauna, until we reach Tusa where we’ll enjoy traditional local food in a trattoria or mountain restaurant. Our day ends with a visit to the archaeological site of Arconidea.

€90pp
Duration: 5-6 hours.

Horse-riding excursions

Explore the magnificent Madonie national park on horseback! Follow paths that wind their way through the spectacular wooded slopes and enjoy the stillness and quiet of one of the most beautiful parts of Sicily. In springtime, you’ll find slopes carpeted in beech trees, holm and cork oak and hillsides covered in dazzling wildflowers. For the less experienced, we recommend a 2-hour excursion while keen riders may prefer to venture out for a half or full day. For those taking a longer excursion, a picnic of traditional local treats is provided. All excursions are accompanied by a guide.

2 hours - €60pp
Half-day - €100pp (includes picnic).
Full day - €130pp (includes picnic).