Sicily walking tours and holidays
From climbing active volcanoes to dramatic limestone gorges, from snow-capped mountains to idyllic coastlines and from flower-filled meadows to light-dappled forests to bejewelled citrus groves, Sicily is a fabulous place for a guided small group walking holiday. The walking is wonderfully varied — and there are routes to suit all levels. The island’s mild climate favours walking in the Spring and the Autumn – at times you would not consider booking a walking holiday in the colder climes of Northern Europe. The scenery is often spectacular and our guests often remark that the sheer variety of it all exceeded all expectations. And of course, the abundance of good food and wine in Sicily means that you are well looked after at the end of the day.
Join us on one of our expert-led tours with a small group of like-minded people and we can guarantee you a fantastic activity holiday. Listed below are a selection of the small group walking tours we run:
Sicily walking tours in the Madonie Mountains
One of the classic Sicily walking routes, our journey takes us on a continuous path from the centre of the island near the town of Enna over the stunning Madonie mountain range to the coast near Cefalù passing through some of Sicily’s wildest and most rugged countryside, and with some of the most spectacular views the island has to offer.
Difficulty: medium Suitable for walkers who are comfortable doing 10km/day on uneven ground. Some of the footpaths are poorly defined, meaning that the going underfoot can be difficult at times.
Sicily walking tours in the Aeolian islands
With two active volcanoes, dramatic volcanic rock formations, whitewashed villages cascading with bougrainvillea and a crystal azure sea, the Aeolian islands offer some of Sicily’s most amazing walking. The seven islands that make up the archipelago each have very different characters making for varied and interesting walking. The islands even have their own distinctive cuisine — featuring lots of fresh fish, and locally-grown capers, olives and tomatoes — and are home to several world-class wineries.
Difficulty: medium/hard Suitable for experienced walkers who are comfortable with some steep climbs. The going underfoot is often rocky and uneven.
Walking holidays in Eastern Sicily
One of our most popular Sicily walking holidays, our Walking in Eastern Sicily tour combines some spectacular scenery with intriguing towns and villages and walking among some of the most beautiful — and little known — mountains in the Mediterranean.
Difficulty: easy/medium This is our easiest walking holiday, suitable for anyone comfortable doing 6km day.
Walking Holidays in Western Sicily
New for 2022! This tour has been especially designed to complement our Eastern Sicily walking holiday and the two are programmed to run back to back. There is a 5% discount for anyone booking both holidays in the same year.
Walking in the Aspromonte
Just across the Straits of Messina, shoe-horned into the toe of Southern Italy, the Aspromonte mountains are some of the wildest and most beautiful in Europe. Thickly forested with beech and pine, the walking is often soft underfoot and in the shade of the forest is cool in the midday sun.
Difficulty: medium-difficult Some steep climbs and longish hikes make this a challenge for more experienced hikers.
Your questions answered
May is usually a lovely month in Sicily – with mild day-time temperatures and cool evenings and the wild flowers in full bloom. October too, can be a good month for walking – often with drier days than the Spring.
The difference is essentially semantic. In Britain we usually refer to these types of holidays as “walking” holidays, but in the States it is more common to refer to the activity as “trekking” or “hiking”. It British English there is no connotation of a “walking holiday” being any more or less difficult than a “trekking holiday”.
The grading is described on each of the pages. If you are unsure, please get in touch with the office before booking.
No, your luggage will be carried for you in our minibus – leaving you free to enjoy the scenery.
Absolutely. We are keen to welcome single travellers on all our walking tours.
And, of course, if you have any further questions, just get in touch and we’ll only be too pleased to help you.
