Experience the best

horseback vacations ever

We are committed to offering an emotional horseback vacation experience on Etna, combining our energy and Sicilian hospitality.

Look our all inclusive Sicily Tours

+39 320 423 0813

theislandofwonders@gmail.com

ancient sicily paths...

The Wild Sicily

Tour of 3 days in the stunning natural reserves of Sicily.

The Majestic Etna

Tour along the sicilian giant of 3 or 6 days.

Description

Arrive

Arrived to Catania Airport (Fontanarossa), you will welcomed by our shuttle will bring you to the accommodation to prepare yourself for an amazing equestrian trip (the transfers from and to airport are optional and not included ).

*This is the link of our first accommodation: Poggio del Tiglio

1st Day

Here is the first day of your horseback riding vacation on Mount Etna. After breakfast we leave around 8:30am. The tour begin along old roads and woodland paths until reach the top of "Monte Ilice", an old extinct crater formed during a primordial eruption of Etna. Here we will ride on the edge of the crater with amaizing sights on the Mediterranean sea. After it we take again the main track towards south to reach “Piano del Vescovo”. Here we will stop to enjoy a pic-nic before rise up to 1400m hight. In the afternoon we will visit the “Grotta Cassone”, a lava cave 300 meters long. Caving will be made with helmets and torches walking inside the deep of the volcano. Go out from the lava tube our climbing go on, rising for 500m surrounded by an amazing lava field. The last step of the day is the visit at the "Monti Silvestri", some huge lateral craters located an altitude of 1900m. After enjoying a stunning panoramic view, we ride towards our first accommodation to have dinner and rest.

*This is the link of second accommodation: Villa Dorata

Arrive

The first accommodation is optional and not included in the cost. You can choose to reach us one day before or the same day the tour start. This is the link of first and optional accommodation: Al Vecchio Torchio*

1st Day

The wild Sicily horse riding tour begin from the Alcantara valley riding through countrysides and hills. We will ride until the border of Nebrodi park in the beautiful woods of Malbotta, one of the last natural forests of Italy. Along a very suggestive path we wade some streams surrounded by ancient oaks called "Wises of the forest". We get lunch in the middle of the woods and then we go towards the plateau of Argimusco, where we will discover some misterious preistorical megaliths called "The Mirror of the stars". In the late afternoon we will go at north until reach the little town of Montalbano Elicona, another little town declared one of the most beautiful villages of Italy. Here we will get a delicious dinner with typical products and will go to rest in hotel.

For logistical reasons the second accommodation of Wild Sicily tour, will be comunicated some weeks before the start of the tour, in each case the accommodation will be in Montalbano Elicona.

3st Day

The third day we still ride along Altomontana track going towards north. The enviroment around you will change at every step and we will ride among splendid woods, lava fields, caves. Along the path we will visit another lava tube called "Grotta delle Palombe", a vertical cave about 200m deep. In the afternoon we go to "Solicchiata" one of the many towns located at the feet of Etna, very famous for wineries and vineyards grow up until 1000m of altitude. In "Solicchiata" we find our accomodation to have dinner and a quite relax, waiting for the forth day of your Sicily horse tour.

*This is the link of fourth accommodation: Al Vecchio Torchio

This is the end of horseback riding tour of 3 days, To know the excat program and see all accommodations of it, download the sheet here >>

3st Day

In the third and last day of our horse riding holidays we go down in altitude passing by two little towns: "Santa Domenica Vittoria" and "Mojo Alcantara". We ride in the border of three protected areas: Nebrodi, Alcantara and Etna park. Near the town of "Mojo Alcantara" we will visit a very interesting little volcano, it's a very ancient crater formed many years ago, probably the eruptions of this volcanic cone has formed the famous Alcantara gorges. After lunch we go thorugh country paths crossing some of the best vineyards of Etna, where product the Etna wine DOC. After we will reach the suggestive little gorges of Alcantara. The last part of the trail bring us to visit a little chapel of Byzantine period where finish our wild Sicily horse tour.

This is the end of Wild Sicily tour of 3 days, you can choose:

To leave the same day of the end of tour or remain for the night and leave the next day, this accommodation is not included in the cost (This is the link of our last optional accommodation: Al Vecchio Torchio*);
Use our shuttle to reach the airport (not included in the cost);
Continue your travel in Sicily according with your plans.

4st Day

In the fourth day of our Sicily horse riding tour, we go a little far from Etna, but keeping it always in our look. The program of the day is the visit at the ancient "Cuba Bizantina", a small chapel dating back VII/IX sec. A.D. Riding near the Alcantara river we arrive at the gorges, little and suggestive canyons digged by the water, the trail go on following the banks up to the "Gurne", beautiful lakes formed along the flow of the river. In the summer season you can make a swim, but only if you tolerate a very cold water. In the late afternoon we will reach the village of Castiglione, one of the summer residences of Federico II. Some years ago, this town was declaired one of the most beutiful village in Italy, and this is the place of our accommodation. We will pass the night in the same places where the Bourbons principles spent their holidays.

*This is the link of fifth accommodation: Al Vecchio Torchio

5st Day

This is the fifth day of our horseback riding vacation and after breakfast we leave the agritourism to return in the Etna Park. We will ride through narrow paths with lovely scents and beautiful landscapes to discover the green side of volcano. In the morning the trail go back to mount Etna and after lunch we will reach two lava caves: “Grotta delle Femmine”, and the most spectacular and biggest lava tube of Etna: “Grotta dei Lamponi” (Raspberry Cave). This volcanic canal has different sections connected together, it has a lenght of 800m around and a height difference of 75m. This is one of the place visited by Unesco commission before proclamation of Etna as a World Heritage site. After caving we go towards “Timparossa” passing by a big volcanic cone called “Monte Nero” (approximately 2049m a.s.l.). The last part of the daily trail go down until to Piano Provenzana, famous Etna ski station, and passing through a beautiful woodland and small paths we reach our accommodation to have dinner and pass the night.

*This is the link of sixth accommodation: Clan dei Ragazzi

...impressive lava flow

beautiful river...

2st Day

In the second day the ride go toward “Altomontana” track, the best horseback riding trail in Sicily, that circumnavigate all Etna an altitude of 1900 meters. Along this track it will be possible discover the many different enviroments of Etna, and look by a privileged point of view the incredible biodiversity of the volcano. We will cross old lava fields, beech woods, lava flows, volcanic caves with many stunning panoramic views on the Etna towns. During the third day we ride for a part of Altomontana track until to reach Maletto, famous for its delicious strawberries. Then we will find our accommodation in Bronte, the capital of the pistachio, to have a delicious dinner and a full and comfortable rest.

*This is the link of third accommodation: Fucina del Vulcano

...huge craters

6st Day

In the last day of mount Etna horseback riding tour, we will see the Sartorius craters, very spectacular lined craters with superb sea view. After crossed a birches and pine woods we get to the older tree of Sicily called "Ilice di Carrino, it's an holm oak (Quercus ilex), probably the oldest tree of Etna, with an estimated age over 700 years. It's located at 937m of altitude and grows up volcanic soil surrounded by hazel trees. Our journey is close to the end and we riding to reach the nice Etna town "Zafferana", city of honey. After a pleasure walk along the street of the town, to admire the church and the central square, we continue to go down until the end of our equestrian tour. We arrive to the last accommodation in the late afternoon, here we have dinner and pass the last night of the tour. In the next day you will be free to choose for:

Use our shuttle to reach the airport (not included in the cost);
Continue your travel in Sicily according with your plans.

*This is the link of seventh and last accommodation: Poggio del Tiglio

2st Day

After a continental rich breakfast, we leave the hotel to face the second day of our wonderful equestrian holiday. We will visit the nice castle of Montalbano, in ancient times it was summer residence of Federico II D'Aragona. Riding through hazelnuts trees we will enter into the Nebrodi park, along the path we meet some circular preistorical buildings made of stone called "Tholos". We will ride on the crest of Nebrodi until to reach the Floresta town, the higher village of Sicily located at 1275m of altitude. Crossing woods and clearings it will be possible meet some beautiful wild horses with dark coat called "San Fratellani". We arrive at our accommodation in the afternoon, it's an hotel in the middle of the park at 1400m of altitude, an ancient cottage where we have dinner and rest.

This is the link of third accommodation: Hotel Nebrodi*

amazing landscapes...

Gallery

Reviews

Go Up

*It possible there are some change in the accommodations due by different reasons like: volcanic activities, over booking or other reasons. In each case we be careful to maintain the quality level offered.

what our guest say...

Horse riding at Etnea Sicily was such a wonderful experience for us as a family and our friends. Alessandro and Manuela are super sweet and know how to make you feel like a horse master - although this was my third time on a horse. Its a must do!!

- Anna

My daughter and I did the Cefalu to Etna ride with Alessandro. It was fantastic. The accommodation, the horses, the experience the country the people!! Alex was very knowledgable about Sicilian history. He speaks many languages fluently and is a great equestrian.

- Lindsey

Good weather, nice horse who did like galopping on Sicilian paths like me. I really enjoyed.
I recommend everyone who want to ride a horse in sicily to send an e-mail and make an appointment. It is worth it. The Etna and surroundings are lovely!

- Aafke

Go Up

what is included in the package?