Sicily · CYCLOPS COAST AND ACITREZZA TOURS
The good cyclops coast and acitrezza tours go early in a Sicilian summer and the great ones go earlier. Below: the 15 to book first, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend four hours aboard a small sailing boat from Catania, swimming and snorkeling near Lachea Island, trying SUP, and tasting Sicilian cheese, pistachio treats, vegetables, bread, and sparkling wine. Guides such as Sofia and Gioele add local stories about volcanoes, myths, and Aci Trezza.
“it was just a fantastic experience The Captain was amazing ....congratulations”
Sail from Catania with a skipper and guide toward Aci Trezza, passing Aci Castello and ancient lava rocks. You get time to swim, snorkel, or try the SUP, followed by Prosecco, cheese, cold cuts, dried tomatoes, bread, and local spreads. Boats hold up to 10 people, with guides speaking English and Italian.
“This was awesome, perfect weather and a nice swim. We were very fortunate to see dolphins along the way. The aperitif was very good 👍 Props to the staff who was very nice 👌 If you are in Catane you have to Book here !”
Ride an open-top bus from Catania through the Baroque center and along the Riviera dei Ciclopi to Acicastello and Acitrezza. Use multilingual audio in six languages, hop off for castles, cafés, gelato, and sea views, then return on an hourly bus.
“The bus driver (long blck hair und sleeves tattoo) hat always pointed to the buildings as we were driving. That war very helpful. We were allowed to go out for 10 Minutes in every stop to take Fotos or wait an hour for the next bus. Empfehlungswet!!!!”
Start at Catania’s Tourist Service office and ride the coast to Acicastello and Acitrezza. Your 24-hour ticket allows hop-on, hop-off stops, with multilingual audio commentary, earphones, and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Buses leave about every 60 minutes from 10:00.
“Ho trovato un giorno non affollato. Il tempo nn era dei migliori x autobus aperto ma a gennaio bene così. Audioguide Da rivedere Strade... ma nn dipende da chi offre il servizio Guida disponibile e gentile”
Spend about eight hours sailing from Catania along Sicily’s volcanic coast. Your crew may include Andrea, Anna, Alfredo, Giovanni, Carlos, or Gloria. See Acicastello and the Cyclopean Islands, swim with provided gear, explore Acitrezza, and enjoy fish, fruit, water, and DOC white wine aboard a small boat.
“Wonderfull tour with Nice and kind people. Good service. Good food. Funny to be allowed to sail yourself. Good stories during the sailing.”
From Aci Castello, Andrea and the Etna and Sea Excursions crew take you by 13-meter boat along the Cyclops Islands and La Timpa Nature Reserve. Snorkel above lava pillars, caves, canyons, and faults while a marine biologist explains the coast. Equipment, drinks, water, and snacks are included.
“Friendly experienced guides, great snorkling with loads of fish, recommend 100%”
Set sail from Catania’s port with a crew of up to 10 people. Cruise past Aci Trezza, Aci Castello, Mount Etna, and Ognina, with lunch, drinks, sailing instruction, and time for swimming. Bring a towel, swimsuit, sunglasses, and sunblock.
“A wonderful crew, beautiful day, delicious meal, and gorgeous water. The captain and first mate made us feel so comfortable and were very accommodating.”
Set out from Catania with a small group of up to 10 people for a four-hour coastal cruise past Aci Castello, Ulisse’s Caves, and Aci Trezza’s faraglioni. Swim from the boat, use the snorkeling gear or SUP, and enjoy Sicilian wine, beer, and local snacks with hosts such as Bruna, Sofia, or Emmanuele.
“Great half day sail with David and his daughter Stella. The seas were calm and unfortunately so we’re the winds. No actual sailing on the day. But that didn’t stop the trip from being an excellent adventure. David was very knowledgeable about the sites seen and happy to change it up a little. The mezze board of local cheese and meats was lovely. Apparently the Sicilian wine was good (I didn’t have it) and the Sicilian beer was excellent (that I had). We got to swim at the normal stops along our journey but also out to sea. It was a bit rocky where we were meant to anchor close…”
Set sail from Catania’s Club Nautico for a six-hour private outing along Sicily’s volcanic coast. Your crew handles the sailing while you swim at Ulysses’ Caves, see Aci Castello and the Cyclops Islands, and enjoy a Sicilian lunch, snacks, water, and prosecco. Snorkel equipment should be confirmed before booking.
“This was a really great experience. You stop for a couple of swims, have an apperitivo and a light lunch on board, and can enjoy cood prosecco while sailing near Catania coast. Sailing boat was good and clean. Crew were very nice guys, didn’t hestitate to share a lot of cool stories about Sicily, Etna and sailing in general.”
Ride a 1-hour-20-minute panoramic bus from central Catania along the coast toward Acicastello and Acitrezza. You get seven stops, English audio, and transport for $21.60. It is a handy first look at the area, though street noise may make the commentary hard to hear.
“The bus tour was okay but we could not hear anything about the different sites because the audio did not have English. There was English audio playing in the bus but the city and traffic noise drowned most of that out. We probably heard about 20% of what was said. We tried every channel available but the audio was definitely messed up.”
Join skipper Alessandro and an assistant for a 4 to 5-hour shared sail from Catania to the Cyclops Riviera. Expect views of Acicastello, the caves of Ulysses, and Acitrezza, plus snorkeling gear and a Sicilian aperitivo with cheese, salami, olives, fruit, bread, and local white wine.
“Sicily Sailing Experience with Alessandro was a wonderful. The skipper welcomed us on the boat with a smile and took us on a 4 hour sail. We enjoyed the sun and sea while enjoying fresh fruit, wine, meat, cheese, bread and olives.”
Spend 7 to 8 hours with a private guide and driver exploring Catania, its fish market, Benedictine monastery, Ursino Castle, and Amenano River cave before reaching Acitrezza on the Cyclops Coast. Ask if Alex or Elena is available, and enjoy flexible stops, bottled water, and air-conditioned transport.
“This was an absolutely amazing experience! Our Guide and Driver Alex was the main reason why we enjoyed so much, he was Amazing! Alex walked us around giving us the wonderful history of the city and was very knowledgeable. Then when it came time to “hit the road” he made sure to show us the Points of Interest and would pull over for pictures and answered all of our questions. I most definitely recommend this tour and if possible request Alex (Alessandro?) for your Guide, you won’t be disappointed!”
Set out from Aci Trezza at 6:30pm with an Italian, English, or Spanish-speaking guide, possibly including Andrea, to search for dolphins, turtles, tuna, and other sea life. The two-hour cruise reaches about 5 km offshore and includes binoculars, wildlife cards, and a possible swim stop.
“We were lucky enough to see some beautiful dolphins. ✨🐬”
Spend three hours sailing from Catania with an Italian or English-speaking skipper. See sulfur chimneys, lava pillows, the Cyclops Islands, and Ulysses Caves, with time for swimming, snorkeling, basic sailing, music, and a prosecco aperitif.
Join Arturo and Captain Giovanni for a small-group sunset boat trip from Aci Trezza past Lachea Island, the Cyclops stacks, Aci Castello, and Ulysses’ caves, with time to swim. Then ride to Acireale for wine, regional food, dessert, and dinner in a Sicilian family home.
“Very warm welcome, good explanations, and the dinner with the family was 5 stars, recommended!”
Pick a coast, a volcano or a kitchen.
