Do you like to work out even when you’re on holiday? If sport is a big part of your everyday routine at home, the chances are you’ll want to maintain fitness levels while you’re away. The good news is that it’s easy to do that in Sicily where there are plenty of options for anyone who loves an active or outdoors lifestyle. Rocky ravines and spectacular seascapes are obvious backdrops for adventure and water sports and there are also national parks, marine nature reserves and, of course, the thrill of Mount Etna.

But the action doesn’t stop there. Find out where’s best for poolside yoga and gym workouts, which villas have tennis courts and where you can explore the Sicilian countryside by bike.

Villas with gyms

Does your day only really get going once you’ve been to the gym? If so, get ready for the ultimate workout at Villa Taormina where you can limber up alongside the stunning 16m pool. Challenge yourself to a pre-cappuccino workout in the shade of a poolside loggia where the compact mini-gym is the ultimate treat for gym bunnies everywhere. Then it’s a quick dunk under the shower before nipping down to the beach below for an early morning dip. The 5-bedroom super-luxury villa is set across several levels, with spectacular sea views and an enviable location close to the cable car up to the centre of Taormina.

Villa Taormina
Villa Taormina

Or check in to the super-stylish Villa Dionisio on Sicily’s north east coast, where you can pound the treadmill or work out with weights in the villa’s private gym. Once you’ve earnt your relaxation time, soak up the sun by the dazzling infinity pool looking out over the dramatic Sanctuary of Tindari.

Villa Dionisio
Villa Dionisio

Tennis anyone?

Beat the heat of the sun and start your day at Villa Rebecca with an early morning game of tennis. If tennis isn’t your thing, there’s also table tennis, a pool and bikes to explore the area.

Pedal power

Bikes are also provided at Casa Maoma, a 3-bedroom family villa set amongst the vineyards in Menfi.  Fritter away sun-soaked days on the gorgeous white sands at Porto Palo di Menfi and at the Foce del Belice nature reserve.  When you’ve summoned up enough energy, make tracks for the fishing port of Sciacca along the 20km cycle path which links it with Porto Palo and Menfi.

Casa Maoma
Casa Maoma

How about some yoga?

Gather together some yoga-loving friends or families for a chill-out week with daily yoga. You can book a yoga week, with classes run by professional teachers, at a selection of villas to suit the size of your party. Top spot for a family yoga break is Villa Dioscuri where the kids can retreat to the shady pool corner gazebo while adults enjoy yoga by the large pool solarium. The stunning 6-bedroom villa, near Tindari northern Sicily, also has an american pool table, outdoor Jacuzzi and striking indoor and outdoor living spaces.

yoga at villa dioscuri
Yoga-Class at Villa Dioscuri

Walk amongst nature

Staying in the Nebrodi mountains may not give you access to a gym or tennis court, but it will certainly leave you feeling closer to nature. Wake up each morning at Villa Olmo to the sound of cowbells from grazing cattle and the magnificent rural landscapes of the Madonie and Nebrodi mountains. Visit in spring or autumn for some invigorating hiking and breath-taking views.

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Villa Olmo