Noto, Taormina & The Aeolian Islands Luxury Tours

Your luxury tour of Sicily continues the following day with a private biking tour to the fishing village of Marzamemi. As you bike through the Sicilian countryside with your personal guide, enjoy the opportunity to admire the beautiful seaside views and agricultural farms that surround you. Marzamemi, which was established by the Moors in the 10th century and was once known as “Marsà al-hamam” or Turtle Dove Bay, is famed for its artisanal fishing and produces a variety of seafood delicacies. Meander through the cobblestone streets that wind out of the main plaza and catch glimpses of the turquoise sea to the east and north.

The next day, continue your exploration of the Baroque Valley with a driving or biking tour of the area’s ancient villages. Start your journey by traversing the rolling hills of the Val di Noto until you arrive at Palazzolo Acreide. Then, continue to Vizzini, a town developed in the Middle Ages and once part of the Roman Empire. There, admire green hills, orange groves and golden wheat fields. Travel from Vizzini to Caltagirone, a UNESCO World Heritage town celebrated for its striking Baroque architecture and thousand-year legacy of ceramic craftsmanship, where you can meander through the charming streets. End your tour of the Val di Noto in Grammichele with a delicious Sicilian coffee at a local café. Head back to your hotel by private transfer to relax at leisure before your recommended dinner.

No tour of Sicily would be complete without visiting Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Standing at over 11,000 ft above sea level, it is the highest volcano in Europe outside the Caucasus region and has been designated a “Decade Volcano” by the United Nations. You will embark on a stunning 3-hour hike on the north side of this UNESCO World Heritage Site to the Silvestri craters. Beginning near the Rifugio Sapienza, where the two extinguished Silvestri craters appear, you’ll ascend to the observatory with a view of 9,000 ft high. Following your hike, visit a nearby vineyard for a delicious lunch and wine tasting tour of some of Italy’s most interesting varieties. You’ll get to sample unique wines produced in Mount Etna’s mineral-rich soil which imparts a distinct character to the local varietals. Etna’s wine producers are experimenting with vineyard sites further and further up the volcano’s slopes, to gauge the effects of the richer, blacker soils and increased altitude. Some might say this is tempting fate, but the cachet of owning high-altitude vineyards is growing, and early results from these vines show promise. Return to your hotel to relax and later explore the city’s highlights with your expert guide, including the Villa Comunale Gardens.

During your stay in Salina, you will have the opportunity to explore its natural scenery and hike to the midpoint or the top of the extinct volcano, Monte Fossa delle Felci, the highest point on Salina Island. Starting in Pizzo Capo, you will witness varying types of vegetation that develop into evergreen forests reminiscent of the Alps with ferns, poplars, chestnut trees and other typical Mediterranean flora. Witness sky-high views of the entire region and notice the color of the water change from a lighter to darker blue as it meets the sky. You’ll also have the chance to embark on a private boating excursion to the nearby island of Panarea where you will have access to secret swimming spots along the way. Visit the volcano of Stromboli Island, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, where you will hike the rugged landscape, ascend the volcano and watch it erupt with all its elemental power at sunset. The volcano is covered in lush, green vegetation and provides some of the best views in the world as the sky blends in with the water at the horizon.

End your private Sicily tour with a morning excursion to a caper farm before boarding a private helicopter to Catania Airport in time for your flight back home.