Itinerary Expand allMilazzo to Catania Fly to Catania and transfer to Milazzo.Fly to Catania and transfer to Milazzo (1.5 hrs), the gateway to the Aeolian Islands located in the northern tip of Sicily's mainland. We strongly recommend joining the group transfer at Catania airport and travelling to the start point with the group, as public transport connections from Catania to Milazzo are limited. Day 1 Start Milazzo.We start in the harbour town of Milazzo, the gateway to the Aeolian Islands located in the northern tip of Sicily's mainland. We strongly recommend joining the group transfer at Catania airport and travelling to the start point with the group, as public transport connections from Catania to Milazzo are limited. Day 2 Boat to Vulcano and walk at Vulcanello to explore the Valley of the Monsters; free afternoon for bathing in Vulcano's hot springs and mud baths.Today we travel by boat across the cobalt waters to Vulcano (1hr), one of the seven Aeolian Islands, famous for its long stretches of black beaches and bubbling thermal springs. Our first walk takes us to the area of Vulcanello, on a narrow peninsula of the island. We visit the Valley of the Monsters, so-called because of the many unique and eerie volcanic rock formations that were created during Vulcano's eruptions. In the afternoon, there will be some free time for bathing in Vulcano's hot springs and mud baths. Hydrofoil back to Lipari and overnight in Lipari.*Please note, if the ban on visiting Vulcano's crater rim is lifted prior to or during your visit, the group will be given the option to do this instead of the Valley of the Monsters walk. Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Walk along Lipari's rugged southern coast; free time to explore Lipari historic town and the archaeological museum; wine and produce tasting.This morning we will walk along the rugged southern coast of Lipari. Our 4-hour hike take us down to the southernmost point of the island, where we can enjoy a wonderful view of the crater of Vulcano. In the afternoon there is some free time to discover the historic part of the town, including the castle and the archaeological museum. We conclude the day with a well deserved Sicilian wine and produce tasting. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 4 Private boat to Panarea; free time to wander the picturesque streets or enjoy a swim, then head to Stromboli for a sunset walk.In the early afternoon, we will board our private boat to Panarea, the oldest and most charming of the Aeolian Islands. We will have some free time to walk through tiny alleys decorated with brightly colourful bougainvillea, or enjoy a swim at the idyllic cove of Cala Junco. After a short stop at Panarea's largest islet, Basiluzzo, we board for Stromboli. At sunset, we take a walk on the western side of the island to discover the 'Sciara del Fuoco' (Streams of Fire) and approach the famous Stromboli eruptions with an ascent up to 400 metres accompanied by a volcanologist guide, who will bring the history and geology of the area to life. Overnight in Stromboli. Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 Free morning and afternoon. An evening boat trip to admire Stromboli's explosions from the sea.Free morning and afternoon to visit the lovely village of San Vincenzo, or relax on Stromboli's black beaches. In the evening, we will take a boat trip to admire Stromboli's dramatic explosions from the sea. Overnight in Stromboli. Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Travel to Etna’s southern slope; stop in charming Taormina en route then visit the Silvestri Craters.Leaving Stromboli in the early morning, we take a boat ride to Milazzo (approx 2 hrs 30 mins journey) and transfer by vehicle to the charming hilltop town of Taormina (approx. 2 hrs). Get to know the town in your own time, perhaps enjoying a mulberry gelato or paying an optional visit to Teatro Greco, a spectacular horseshoe-shaped Greek theatre with vast and impressive views. Afterwards, we will continue to our accommodation at 1900m above sea level, from where we can enjoy great views over the sea and the east coast of Sicily. Our lodge is located very close to the most recent lava flow and on arrival, we will enjoy a short hike around Silvestri Craters, which date back to the eruption of 1892. Overnight at Rifugio Sapienza. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 7 Take the cable car up Etna then hike to 3000m, accompanied by a volcanologist guide; transfer and overnight in Catania.Today, we take the cable car up Etna to 2500 metres then begin our trek with a volcanologist guide, eventually reaching an altitude of 3000 metres*, where we will be rewarded for our efforts with awe-inspiring views of the volcano's craters and beyond. This excursion takes approx. 5 hours. In the afternoon, we will be transferred to Catania by a private minibus; overnight in Catania.*Please note is is currently prohibited to reach Etna's summit at 3350 metres due to ongoing volcanic activity. Fly to London.The trip ends in the morning of day 8 in Catania. Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 End Catania.The trip ends in the morning of day 8 in Catania. Meals included: Breakfast
Treasures of Sicily 59 reviews Discover Baroque towns and Greek ruins framed by unforgettable scenery Culture Activity level: Leisurely / Moderate Ages: 16+ 9 Days from $2,399 USD Guided (Incl. Taxes) View More Details
Cycling in Sicily 31 reviews Ride through the UNESCO Val di Noto and Montalbano's filming locations Cycling Activity level: Moderate Ages: 16+ 8 Days from $2,479 USD Guided (Incl. Taxes) View More Details
ItalyNo visa required for British passport holders. Please note in Italy it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times.For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers
7 nights in hotels, apartments and guesthouses We spend 7 nights in hotels, apartments and guesthouses which have been chosen for their warm hospitality and their typical Sicilian character.All hotels have Wi-Fi and en suite facilities although please be aware that a small number of rooms at the hotels in Catania may have private toilet facilities located outside of the bedroom.List of hotels normally used:1 night at Hotel Eolian, Milazzo2 nights at Residence Baia Portinenti or Oltremare Residence, Lipari2 nights at Hotel Miramare or Hotel La Sciara, Stromboli1 night at Rifugio Sapienza, Etna South1 night at B&B Gattopardo House, CataniaTo receive the up-to-date list of hotels for your departure please contact our Exodus Customer Operations team.
June 24, 2022 Expert Leader - Abdullah Marashdeh Abdullah is one of our most experienced and best loved tour leaders and was on the shortlist for the Exodus Best Lead
May 31, 2022 What are the Best Places to Visit in Croatia?Flanked by terracotta-roofed houses and intensely blue waters that glimmer beneath the gaze of imposing mountains, Cr
May 17, 2022 First travellers explore Italy’s "Wild Heart" on our Rewilding the Apennines tripLast month, our first small group departure travelled to the quaint mountain town of Pescasseroli on our brand-new
April 22, 2022 5 Walking Trips to Kickstart Your Summer of AdventureFrom the glistening waters of the Mediterranean to the soaring peaks of Spain’s Picos de Europa, these summer walking
Reviewed May 2022 Mark SmithSicilian Volcanoes 2022 Beautiful islands and luckily we had some good volcanic activity, especially on Etna which made up for not being able to climb to the top of any of the volcanoes Vulcano, Stromboli or Etna, however I do feel the itinerary could be improved.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Using the cable car to get closer to the eruption on Etna, hearing the booms of the explosions, seeing the ash cloud being blasted into the air and feeling the ash raining down on me as the cloud drifted overhead.What did you think of your group leader? Alessandro was great, a geologist, so his knowledge was superb, and he know some great restaurants for our evening meals too. He also arranged some private boat transfers between the islands where possible rather than use the hydrofoils which really made the transfers special. Much more enjoyable lying on the roof in the sun than sitting inside the stuffy hydrofoil with face masks on. Exodus should consider this as becoming a permanent feature of the trip.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Know what you want to get out of this holiday and go for it, but be prepared for nature to dictate what you may or may not get to do.Is there anything else you would like to add? First off, the hotels used throughout were great, particularly the Hotel Miramare on Stromboli with rooms that looked out over the sea, didn’t want to leave. The Gattopardo House hotel in Catania was also good and very central on a quiet side street, which leads me on to address the itinerary issue (as I see it) and ask the question ‘why were we in Catania in the first place?’. It was as if the itinerary designer just gave up on the last day, we were literally ‘killing time’ the whole day until 7pm when we were taken to the airport. This trip is called ‘Sicilian Volcanoes’, if I wanted a tour to see the towns or history of Sicily then I would have done a different trip. Obviously I knew the itinerary when I booked, but having now experienced it I can suggest a better use of the last day. The day before we had spent the morning on Etna and left at 2:30pm for Catania, not a lot of time on Etna, so why did we leave? Surely a better approach would be to spend the whole day there and a second night, we could then spend almost the whole of the last day also on Etna, transferring directly from there to the airport in the late afternoon. As it was the only thing the group thought to do on the last day was use the red hop-on-off bus to visit a couple of small towns on the coast, we literally spent two hours at each place killing time in cafes – a completely wasted opportunity to explore Etna and experience the eruptions. Regarding the time we did have on Etna, because it was erupting there were no guided trips to the very top, fair enough, so the plan was for Alessandro to take us on a guided walk from the hotel, but we realised this was taking us away from the activity, so five of us decided to abandon the walk and take the cable car up towards the erupting craters nearer the top. We spent a wonderful time watching and listening to the dramatic eruptions and getting rained on by the ash. If only we’d been there the whole day and the next day we could have done it twice and spent so much more time admiring the activity. We were also left a little disappointed by the guided walk on Stromboli, unable to get to the top we trekked across the lower slopes ending up very low down to watch the eruptions. The frustrating thing here was that we could have been higher, we know because three of us went back the following day after breakfast during our free day, we spent some wonderful hours watching the eruptions, hearing the explosions, and watching the rocks tumble down the slopes to the sea. I’m mentioning all this because there must be something wrong with the trip itinerary if the two best days (in terms of volcano experiences) were where we decided to do things ourselves, hopefully Exodus will read my review and consider my suggestions to help make this trip more volcano-centric. I'd love to do this trip again at some point, but only if more time is dedicated to actual volcano watching.
Reviewed July 2019 Marilyn PatersonSicilian Volcanoes Excellent guide and great sites, especially Stromboli. Watching volcanic activity after dark along with a fabulous sunset.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? As above.What did you think of your group leader? Extremely knowledgeable. Great guide.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure you are physically capable. Lots of climbing.Is there anything else you would like to add? Very unacceptable accommodation in Catania. Small room, brichk wall ,cement steps to bathroom. Air conditioner not functioning. Accommodation in Stromboli: we were put on an upper level and could not sleep because of the noise
Reviewed June 2019 Mala Shah-CoulonExhilarating trip Will be an unforgettable trip for me..watching. the live volcanoes was out of this world...while I knew it was a volcanoes trip rightly or wrongly I didn't expect that we'd see live volcanoes (thought it would be a big bonus if we did)..and of course the Gods had it all planned for us as Etna erupted too while we were there!.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing up Stromboli Seeing eruption on Etna- what timing and luck.What did you think of your group leader? Alessandro was an excellent leader with good local knowledge that helped vary the itinerary sometimes eg taking a private boat rather than hydro foilDo you have any advice for potential travellers? While marked moderate in its level of challenge the walks up strombolli and Etna are relatively challenging. Some hill walking and gluts exercise wouldn't go amiss.Is there anything else you would like to add? Hotel in Catania is a dive and spoilt the end of what was an amazing trip. For the sake of 20 or 30 euro I think exodus coudl put us up somewhere a little better to end trip on a high. It wasn't just tired but had fundamental issues eg sewage smells in 1 room, blocked shower drainage in several. Trip notes should say that on arrival its a 2.5 hour drive to Milazzo. Many on our group didn't expect or realise this. You end up arriving at hotel past midnight...again this could be reviewed eg rescheduling to earlier flight or reconsidering order.
Reviewed May 2019 Rod EllisAeolian Adventures A wonderful journey through north east Sicily and four Aeolian islands, mired only by some poor weather conditions at key stages of the trip. Our group of 15 got on well throughout and were unfazed by the challenges set by the weather.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? So many good points. Walking around the crater on Vulacano followed by an afternoon swim and a sppedboat ride to Lipari. Setting off early one morning to take a ferry ride from Stromboli to Panarea and walking to an ancient neolithic settlement above a deserted beach. Trekking through deep snow to within touching distance of the top of Etna, only to be thwarted by strong winds which prevented an assault to the summit.What did you think of your group leader? Genny spoke good English and communicated well with our relatively small group. A vey engaging guide.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? There are two days scheduled on Stromboli. There is no organised activity on the second day before the late aftenoon 'summit challenge'. I took the opportunity to get an early morning return ferry ride to Panarea to see an ancient neolithic settlement along the coast, 30-40 minutes from the landing point(turn left when you arrive at the harbour and keep walking). Return ferry trip cost EUR20.80 but the site is free to enter and explore and has a couple of detailed explanation notes in Italian and English. Well worth seeing, but it's not on the Exodus itinerary.Is there anything else you would like to add? The weather was the key factor. The trip should have had three highlights (summits of Vulcano, Stromboli and Etna) but parts two and three were blighted by poor weather conditions. There was no 'fire and brimstone' or sunset at the top of Stromboli...just a shroud of mist. Very disappointing. Etna's summit challenge was curtailed by strong winds, making it unsafe for all but the most experienced walkers (plus heavy snow underfoot made for very slippery and wet conditions. But overall a very enjoyable and memorable experience.
Reviewed May 2019 Caroline TuttyAmazing Stromboli A great trip with some interesting hikes and lots of volcano information topped by the fantastic hike to Stromboli summit. After the quite tough trek we were rewarded with an amazing display from the old crater looking down onto the current active craters. Unfortunately we could not go to the summit of Etna due to bad weather and the lower level trek seemed a disappointment after Stromboli. Quite a lot of time to rest and sample local life between walks. Hotels were good apart from Catania which was poor and would have been better to be based in Lipari town as nothing was open on a Monday night in May in Cantena.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Stromboli summit was a truly wonderful experienceWhat did you think of your group leader? Marco was brilliant, very caring and looking out for all members of the group, knowledgable about volcanos and the local area and a good sense of humourDo you have any advice for potential travellers? Take warm clothes for the summit
Reviewed May 2019 Phik PagePerfect blend of nature and history Unreal trip. First ever trekking holiday I have been on and it was perfect. Literally can’t say a bad word about this trip. From the amazing scenery, challenging walks, watching active volcanos do its thing to the culture and history of Sicily itself, couldn’t have asked for a better trip. The group were inspirational, Benoit our guide, knowledgeable and passionate about showing us all the highlights possible and making sure we were having a great time. Perfect intro into trekking and hiking.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Summiting Stromboli. We got to the top and unfortunately cousin cover prevented us from seeing the lava eruptions. After 45 minutes of trying out luck just as we were leaving the cloud suddenly went and we got to see the full show! It was amazing to watch.What did you think of your group leader? Benoit was amazing. Knew his stuff, showed us all the best bits every day and was very passionate about the country and his job.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Things will always go wrong on these trips like buses not turning up on time, getting up early after going to bed late. Well worth those small sacrifices.
Reviewed November 2018 Chris PopeAmazing Expierence Great trip, good variety while sticking to the Volcano theme, great food. As a new walker I had some concerns about the walking but the pace was well measured and the support and preparation guide excellent.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Stromboli summit watching the eruptions was what the rest of the trip seemed to build up to and it didn't disappoint. Coming down from Stromboli was great fun. Vulcano fumaroles is a good runner up!What did you think of your group leader? Genny is a fantastic leader, cheerful and friendly, she set a good walking pace for the terrain that ensured all the group were able to get to the objectives at the right time, such as sunset. She picked out some great food stops, Angelina's on Lipari will live in my memory for a long time.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you prepare for the trip you will have a great experience, take layers especially wind proof for the summit sitting! You cant pay for much/anything? with a card so take cash. Don't underestimate the boat rides - take, or buy locally, travel sickness pills if you aren't sure of your "sea legs".Is there anything else you would like to add? As I am new to walking holiday I used the Exodus fitness & training guide to prepare which was very useful.
Reviewed November 2018 Kate SkowronskaUnforgettable fireworks Greatly structured trip, with a lot of varied trips and sights. Genny, our guide, was amazing - superb customer service!What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Stromboli summitWhat did you think of your group leader? Genny was superb guideDo you have any advice for potential travellers? Pack layers and good camera
Reviewed October 2018 Jane NelsonMy etna Excellent brake saw lots great experianceWhat was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Going up Stromboli and mt etnaWhat did you think of your group leader? Our group leader was excellent he was very good at explaining the volcanos
Reviewed October 2018 james wishartsicilian volcanoes I personally had problems with travel. As a group we were stranded on the island Lipari for 3 days instead of 1 day due weather preventing ferries to operate. On the last day we climbed Mt. Etna. This proved to be a challenge mainly due the sulphur clouds. I was unwell the next and it took a week to feel better. I know others in the party were susequently ill. My friend , who I travelled with , when he returned home was admitted to hospital suffering from pneumonia. After a week he has left hospital still recovering. The guide on the holiday was helpful to me with my travel problems. He is a nice man , easy to get on with. Given the problems we were having , he could have been more proactive and communicated more clearly what the siuation was.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The part of the trip that stood out most was Mt. Etna. This was positive and negative. The landscape was very bleak and interasting. The sulphur clouds and subsequent ill health were not good.What did you think of your group leader? See above.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be aware of the conditions on Mt. Etna.Is there anything else you would like to add? Unfortunately not one of my better trips.
Walking the Amalfi Coast 387 reviews Discover the highlights of Italy's Amalfi coast on foot. Walking & Trekking Activity level: Leisurely / Moderate Ages: 16+ 8 Days from $1,949 USD Guided (Incl. Taxes) View More Details
Walking on the Greek Islands 56 reviews Discover three idyllic Greek islands Walking & Trekking Activity level: Leisurely Ages: 16+ 8 Days from $2,249 USD Guided (Incl. Taxes) View More Details
Walking in Sardinia 49 reviews Walk one of the wildest Italian islands in the Mediterranean Walking & Trekking Activity level: Moderate Ages: 16+ 8 Days from $2,179 USD $1,999 USD Guided (Incl. Taxes) View More Details