The 9 best outdoor activities to do in Sicily

Are you dreaming of madness and grandiose landscapes? So here is a selection of the best outdoor activities to do in Sicily.

Sicily's name alone invites you to travel and makes you dream, no without reason. Because its exceptional setting is a great playground for all outdoor activities to do in Sicily. You will find a raw and wild nature, preserved landscapes and especially volcanoes! Indeed, Etna , Stromboli and the Vulcano will offer you the ideal setting to make the full of strong sensations.

Surrounded by the Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian seas, lined with black or white sand beaches, full of steep mountains and volcanoes... Sicily is composed of only grandiose landscapes. For a few days or for a few weeks, let yourself board and follow the guide! Here are the best outdoor activities to do in Sicily.

1. Hiking

It is landscapes that cannot be missed by walking, to better understand them, to better live them. This is the case of Sicily and above all, the Etna’s sides! This is why hiking is really the outdoor activity to do in a must-see Sicily.

Indeed, Sicily offers a wide range of possibilities for day or longer walks, self-reliance or shelters. You can walk on old lava castings, admire the sun set at the top of the Etna... And even, why not, attend an eruption! The Etna is indeed one of the most active volcanoes in the world!

2. Guided walk with donkey back

If you are looking for an outdoor activity to do in Sicily with your family, then the donkey back hike is your solution. Indeed, contact with animals completely changes the perception of the landscape. You will then rediscover the most beautiful volcano in Europe at a new pace, from a new angle... By letting yourself be rocked by your donkey, you can listen to your guide telling you about Sicily legends or talking about the surrounding nature.

And this is an outdoor activity to be done in Sicily accessible to children and the elderly! So you can share this moment out of time between grandchildren and grandparents without problems. Sweet shared memories guaranteed!

3. Boat trip

But the Sicily is not just the Etna, the mountain and their steep slopes. Because the island is also turned towards the blue waters of the Tyrrhenian and Mediterranean Seas. Thus, about 30 kilometers from its coasts, is the archipelago of Eolian Islands . One of the best outdoor activities to do in Sicily is to go on a day trip to discover them. In addition, they are registered at Unesco.

From Taormina , you will visit the islands of Panarea, but also and above all, of Stromboli. You will then have the opportunity to see his crater “Sciara del Fuoco” spitting his fire jets in the sky. By landing on each island, you can discover the alleys on foot and even swim on the famous sandy beaches of Stromboli's black lava! An outdoor activity to do in very atypical Sicily in sum...

4. Canyoning

When it’s hot, it can be interesting to find an outdoor activity in Sicily to refresh. You will then have the opportunity to practice canyoning (also called body rafting) in some places in Sicily. On the island, one of the best spots is in the Alcantara Gorges. Indeed, over 48 kilometers, this river dug the lava layers from the eruptions of the Etna. The gorges can then reach twenty-five meters deep by place and be wide from two to four meters.

You will evolve in an amazing landscape, made of unusual and surprising shapes, almost enchanting. Hiking in the water, cascade jump, natural slides, swimming... During the few kilometers of this outdoor activity to be done in Sicily, you will be transported elsewhere but above all, you will be at the expense because... The water is at 10 °C!

5. Sea Kayak

Sea kayaking is an outdoor activity to be done in Sicily, whose practice has been popular in recent years. It’s a kayak specially designed for sea trips, most often along the coasts. If you are looking for a sport that will bring you a feeling of calm and freedom, don’t hesitate to try the adventure.

In Sicily, there are many spots to practice sea kayaking. You can discover volcanic caves, tour the Eolian Islands and many more. Enjoy different landscapes created by volcanoes while respecting the environment. Because sea kayaking is an outdoor activity to be done in Sicily fairly ecolole, as one moves to the strength of the arms.

6. Paragliding biplace

The biplace paragliding is an outdoor activity to do in Sicily for lovers and lovers of intense sensations. You will fly like a bird over many characteristic Sicily locations. Thus, a few hundred meters below your feet, you can see the bay of Castelluzo, the Eolian Islands, Taormina, Mount Tauro and the coasts of Sicily.

Surrounded by the air and the wind, you will then feel a feeling of power and freedom difficult to describe. You will overflight magnificent and magical landscapes. The biplace paragliding is therefore an outdoor activity to do in Sicily if you want to take your eyes and go back with memories full of your head.

7. ATV

Let's get back to the ground and get away from the sea. The next outdoor activity in Sicily is the ATV. Indeed, it looks like the landscape was designed for that! For Sicily is a land carved by the numerous and regular volcanic eruptions. So there are steep mountains, lava castings, lava valleys, forests, some maquis and garrigue... In short, the ideal playground for adrenaline cyclists!

You can devalue the slopes at all speeds and take the time to admire the landscape in the climbs. And the practice of the bike will allow you to insert yourself into the landscape otherwise. In short, if you are a mountain, forest, large spaces and strong sensations, the mountain bike is the outdoor activity to do in Sicily made for you!

8. Underwater diving

Scuba diving is truly one of the best outdoor activities to do in Sicily! Indeed, the archipelago has fascinating and preserved submarine funds. Underwater caves, coral of all colors, secret beaches... Discover the Bay of Mermaids, the Blue Cave and the Natural Reserve of Isola Bella.

Diving in apnea or with bottles, it will be up to you to choose to discover the seabed and their extraordinary biodiversity. And if you have never done so, be afraid. Because this outdoor activity to be done in Sicily is framed for everything to be safe. So you can practice it with children or adolescents.

9. Spéléologie

Speleology is an outdoor activity to do in original Sicily... But it is reserved for those who do not suffer from claustrophobia. In fact, equipped with baudriers and frontal lamps, you will run lava tubes cooled over several hundred meters. Guided by an expert, you will then have the impression of melting in the insides of the earth.

Speleology on the Etna’s sides can be very impressive! Do you imagine finding yourself in the place where once a lava flows? Get down in spikes? You sneak into narrow galleries? Frissons and adrenaline guaranteed!