What to see
Here are the 10 things to see or do while staying at the rural tourism company Etna Quota Mille. A mix of natural parks, medieval villages, museums, ancient festivals, festivals and scenic routes. In three words: art, nature and culture.
The highest active volcano in Europe: Etna
Etna, one of the natural wonders of the planet. Every day there are excursions and guided tours, from trekking to horseback or donkey ride, from Mountain Bike to Quad, from food and wine tasting to the historical and cultural tour of the medieval villages of Etna.
DISTANCE
10 minutes
VISIT LASTS
Whole day
HOW TO GET
By car
Randazzo: l’antica città medievale
The city of Randazzo has ancient origins. The first human settlements in its territory date back to prehistoric times, while the formation of an urban nucleus with Necropolis is attested to the first period of Greek colonization in Sicily. Also known as the city of a hundred churches, Randazzo still shows three monumental main churches: Saint Maria, Saint Nicolò and Saint Martino, that emerge between the evocative medieval alleys and the typical lava stone houses.
DISTANCE
8 minutes
VISIT LASTS
Half day
HOW TO GET
By car
The Lava Canyon of the Alcantara Gorges
The Alcantara Gorges are visited every year by thousands of tourists from all over the world. In addition to simple walks in the waters of the homonymous river or in the botanical and geological park it is possible to do Mountain Bike and Trekking excursions. You can also practice Body Rafting, the new and exciting free-body activity that, thanks to the special equipment provided by the organization, allows you to visit the inside of the Gorges with a countercurrent path on the way, between rapid flows and cascades on return.
DISTANCE
30 minutes
VISIT LASTS
Half Day
HOW TO GET
By car
The beautiful Taormina overlooking the Ionian Sea
Considered among the most important international tourist destinations, the city of Taormina with its characteristic old town, marked by alleys and panoramic views overlooking the sea, amazes and fascinates the visitor. For its unparalleled beauty it continues to be among the most sought after destinations in the world.
DISTANCE
45 minutes
VISIT LASTS
Half day
HOW TO GET
By car
The Nebrodi Park, the largest protected area in Sicily
The Nebrodi is the green lung of Sicily, a reserve rich in biodiversity and wildlife among which rare species are the golden eagle and the griffin. In addition to the four lakes (Lake Tre Arie, Lake Cartolari, Lake Biviere and Lake Maulazzo), the most famous naturalistic sites of the Park are: the waterfall of Catafurco, the fortresses of Crasto and the springs of Alcantara. Another site to visit is the highland of Argimusco that extends within the nature reserve Bosco di Malabotta, on the North side of Etna, on the border between the Nebrodi and the Peloritani mountains, between the municipalities of Montalbano Elicona, Tripi and Roccella Valdemone. From the highland you can enjoy an enchanting view and you can admire beyond Etna, also the Aeolian Islands, the curious mountains Rocca Salvatesta and Montagna di Vernà, Capo Tindari, Capo Calavà and Capo Milazzo. In the site there are numerous megaliths of quartz sandstone shaped in a curious and evocative form. According to popular tradition the anthropomorphic and zoomorphic forms are due to the intervention of prehistoric populations.
DISTANCE
10 minutes
VISIT LASTS
Whole day
HOW TO GET
By car
The vineyards of Etna DOC
Staying in the rural tourism Etna Quota Mille you cannot miss two activities: the visit of the volcano and the wine tasting of ETNA DOC, the result of volcanic soil and the wise work of Etna farmers. The North-western side of Etna produces the best wines of the territory and around our structure you can admire the characteristic sapling vineyards that extend between the lava flows and the panoramic views of Nebrodi. A visit with tasting in the partner wineries is a must!
DISTANCE
10 minutes
VISIT LASTS
Half day
HOW TO GET
By car
Randazzo and its Medieval Festival
In the enchanting scenery of the historic center of the city of Randazzo, at the end of July, one of the most beautiful medieval festivals in Sicily takes place. The event recalls the stay of the White Queen of Navarre, the last queen of Sicily from 1409 to 1415. The core of the festival are the historical parades composed of people wearing precious reproductions of clothes and weapons of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. In addition to the presence of jesters, fire eaters and acrobats, the event is characterized by the presence of dancers who perform folk dances and courtiers typical of the fourteenth-fifteenth century. For the occasion, taverns offering ancient culinary specialties are set up outdoors.
DISTANCE
10 minutes
VISIT LASTS
Whole day
HOW TO GET
By car
Castiglione di Sicilia, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy
Castiglione di Sicilia is a town of medieval origin included in the list of the most beautiful villages in Italy. It stands on a marly buttress in the heart of the Alcantara valley and overlooks the imposing Etna on one side and the Peloritani mountains on the other. The ancient castle Lauria stands on the rock and is structured on two levels with a military architecture designed to be inviolable from enemy attacks. Today it is the seat of the Enoteca Regionale Siciliana. In the valley countryside is preserved the cuba of Santa Domenica, the most important architecture of the Byzantine period in
Sicily.
DISTANCE
20 minutes
VISIT LASTS
Half day
HOW TO GET
By car
Randazzo and the parade of Vara on August 15
On August 15th in Randazzo is celebrated the feast of “Vara”, an ancient mighty 20-meter high vertical cart that symbolizes the three mysteries of the Madonna (Dormition, Assumption and Coronation). The massive structure with the mechanical cart and the trunk made of wood and iron, to which are attached a large number of young children who, suitably dressed, represent the various religious characters, is pulled by hand by hundreds of fervent by means of two ropes. The “Vara” has ancient origins and dates back to the middle of the XVI century, when the Emperor Charles V was in Randazzo.
DISTANCE
10 minutes
VISIT LASTS
Whole day
HOW TO GET
By car