Volcano Trails of the Aeolian Islands & Sicily

While the length of our hikes is not exceptionally long, there are steep ascents and descents. Much of our hiking is on volcanic terrain that can be rough with patches of soft ash, sharp rock, and ridges and pockets of lava flows that can make footing tricky. Mount Etna is at about 11,000 feet and can be the most challenging. The possibility of reaching the summit (and the summits of some of the other volcanoes) is very dependent on weather and volcanic activity. We do our best to provide you with these opportunities, but ask that you have a flexible attitude in case of inclement weather or volcanic conditions. Please keep in mind our trip offers ample equally fascinating alternative activities in case any hikes are not possible!

We strongly urge you to train for your trip, as your enjoyment will be highly dependent on your level of fitness. The best training for a hike is to hike, especially over hills or rough terrain. Next best are running, swimming, bicycling, or other cardiovascular exercise. Stair climbing machines are excellent preparation for hiking uphill. Your feet should also be well prepared—make sure your hiking boots are sturdy, comfortable, and thoroughly broken-in. Altitude sickness is generally not a problem on this trip, as we don’t spend extended periods of time at elevation.

The weather in Sicily and the Aeolian Islands in late spring and early fall is usually very pleasant, with temperatures in the 70s°F and 80s°F during the day, and in the 60s°F at night. Cool breezes, strong winds, and showers can occur at any time, and it can get very cold on Mt. Etna. Island weather is more unpredictable and it can be windy. Heat waves are possible at any time of year, so we recommend researching the expected temperatures in the days and weeks leading up to your trip.

We spend most of our nights in small, picturesque inns, full of Italian charm and ambiance. All hotels are chosen for their history and central location. Since they are often in historic buildings, the rooms are not always of uniform or international size. Our leaders do their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. Single rooms can be requested but are not always available, due to the limited space in the hotels. If you prefer a single room, please make your request as early as possible.

Most lunches are at local restaurants, with a few served picnic-style during our hikes. Dinners are at restaurants in town. We have an opportunity to sample a variety of Italian specialties, including fresh fish, pasta, and couscous. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but many restaurants in Sicily don’t open until 7:30pm, so the evening meal will be at 7:30pm at the earliest.

For most of the trip, our van will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need for the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or remain at the hotel if we are not transferring that day). All our ferry rides will be on hydrofoils that have seats inside a closed cabin. While the hydrofoils offer smoother rides than most regular ferries, we suggest bringing “seabands” (elastic bands with accupressure beads) or a motion sickness medication.