Walking In Sicily

This week-long walking holiday with Explore Worldwide begins in Giardini Naxos, a seaside resort with a view of Mount Etna. On the second day, walkers tackle a route up Etna’s lava-strewn slopes, including a coffee break at a wooden chalet and a look at recent lava flows and crater fissures.

Midweek takes in the Aeolian island of Lipari for a minibus tour around the largest of the volcanic archipelago’s islands, then returns to Taormina for a gentle walk following old mule tracks and a well-earned traditional granita brunch. Day six visits the limestone gorge of Pantalica, with over 4,000 ancient burial chambers carved into its cliffs, finishing with free time on the island of Ortygia in Syracuse.

The final full day explores mountain towns on Etna’s northern side, including a walk along an abandoned railway and a farewell lunch in Castiglione. Nearby Francavilla di Sicilia offers a short circular walk and panoramic views of the Alcantara Gorge, a rare volcanic canyon with basalt walls. The tour ends back in Giardini Naxos.