The ideal starting point for this tour is the Greek Theatre of Taormina.
Enjoy a pleasant tour after admiring the stunning landscape of Sicily. You will need to spend half the day walking through these narrow streets. Take your motorbike, car or bicycle along the Gorges by the river Alcantara.
Don’t let the name fool you. These are beautiful narrow, icy gorges that can be enjoyed by anyone. Depending on when you visit them, a refreshing swim might be an unexpected delight. The gorges can be visited easily and are safe for children of all ages. It is a pleasant experience to walk through the gorges, imagining scenes from Excalibur in the south.
The Alcantara’s cold waters descend directly from Mount ETNa. However, if you don’t want to swim against the tide again, you can take your car/motorcycle/bike to the largest active volcano in Europe.
Two routes lead to the “summitcraters”, Mount Etna North Linguaglossa or Mount Etna South Nicolosi. As you ascend by cable car or offroad jeep to the summit’s 3,000m, both towns will be more mountainous. Even if you are arriving in mid-August, you won’t soon forget this amazing experience. Bring your jackets and coats.
We now head down from the summit of the volcano to the sea. We park and cross a bridge before entering the island Ortigia. This is the heart of Siracusa.
We will only be able to see the sea from this point, but we will still be captivated by the architecture, squares, churches and monuments of Archimedes. It is actually there, and it is amazing! The sea will be more familiar to us if we sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee at one of the bars overlooking it.
Let’s continue the tour towards Val di Noto, following the Vendicari Nature Reserve. Spend a day bird-watching or enjoying the clear ocean in a hut.
Noto are all within easy reach. It’ll take you very little time to get there, and it will be well worth the effort to be enchanted once more by a city that was destroyed by an earthquake in the middle of 1600’s.
How can you walk by this area and not be sucked in by the chocolate smell? Modica chocolate is made from an old recipe that was developed by the Aztecs. You might be wondering what the Aztecs are doing with Sicily. Think about the Spanish conquistadors who occupied South America. It will show that the Aztecs ruled this island for several centuries. After all the chocolate you have tried in the numerous chocolate shops around the city, you can redeem yourself by visiting the beautiful and lavish cathedral.
Another must-see attraction is Ibla. Ibla is the historical centre of Ragusa. Take a walk and explore the alleyways, churches, the “Circolo di conversazione”, palace, and beautiful garden.
We continue on our journey to the middle of Sicily and stop to admire the staircase at Caltagirone. The town’s artistic symbol is the symphony made up of multicolored tiles. Be aware that you won’t be able to leave the town without a souvenir.
Our latest goals are:
Piazza armerina – Villa Romana del Casale It’s not every day you can visit a Roman villa owned by a VIP from the time of the Caesars. He was a lover of art, luxury and good living. It was a complete immersion in the ambience of a well-maintained Roman patrician villa.
You’ll also find the archeological site of Morgantina, which is still within the same area. The famous statue of its goddess occupies an entire room in the museum, which displays the history of the site from the Bronze Age through the Roman-Republican Age.
