Alcantara River Gorge
Did you know Sicily has its own Grand Canyon? The Alcantara River Gorge is a beautiful natural park just a short drive (6 km) from our farm!
Open all year, at the Alcantara River Gorge you can enjoy swimming, hiking, picnicking, and bicycling on your own, or you can sign up for guided body rafting tours. At the top, there are gelato and food stands, as well as souvenir shops. From there you can follow the trail all the way down to the river's edge or ride the elevator down. The Alcantara River Gorge nature park is also sometimes the venue for dramatic live theater performances like Dante's Inferno.
Taormina
Taormina is a short drive (10 km) from our farm. You can stroll all day along the main street, Corso Umberto, and explore all the side streets too for hundreds of shops ranging from inexpensive to high-end as well as cafes and restaurants galore. You will find locally made art, jewelry, antiques, ceramics, clothing, etc. There are also churches, museums, botanical gardens, and piazzas, often with live entertainment, overlooking the Ionian sea. The 2017 G-7 Summit of world leaders was held in Taormina.
Taormina has everything from stores like Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Parisi and Fendi, to open markets with locally grown produce, seafood and flowers.
The town of Taormina is closed to vehicles, reserved for pedestrians only, so the easiest way to get to this hilltop village is to ride the cable car from Mazzaro`. It’s fun and we can show you how.
Public Gardens of Taormina - Once owned by Lady Florence Trevelyan, a Scottish Noblewoman (and mistress of the heir of the throne of England Edward VII) is now a free public botanical garden. A quiet place to take a break from shopping, with lovely views of the Bay of Naxos and Isle Bella.
Romance is everywhere in Taormina!
Fabulous restaurants abound in Taormina, offering the catch of the day seafood.
The Greek Theater
Taormina is also home to the Greek Theater . Built in 700 BC, a modern stage surrounded by remnants of this ancient theater serves as a venue for shows to this day. You can spend hours wandering the grounds or attend one of the many operas, concerts, film festivals or plays that take place there throughout the year.
A modern stage being erected within the ancient theater in preparation for an evening performance.
Beaches of Giardini Naxos, Sicily
Giardini Naxos (3 km away) is home to a variety of private and public beaches, lidos, seaside restaurants, cafes and shops
Public beaches are free and less crowded. We can provide you with a beach kit containing 2 chairs, 2 towels, an umbrella, ice chest and ice. Along the waterfront is a walking path where locals and tourists alike enjoy their evening passagiata (after dinner stroll).
Private beaches have concessions that, for a fee, will serve food and beverages and provide you with a spot on the sand with 2 chairs and an umbrella. These beaches tend to be more crowded, with the reserved spots very close to one another.
Isola Bella - A small island between Mazzaro` and Giardini Naxos is a nature reserve where you can swim and snorkel.
The public beaches of nearby Riposto are wide and flat.
There's plenty of swimming, boating, fishing, paddle-boarding and snorkeling opportunities on the beaches of Giardini Naxos. Rentals and private boat tours are available.
A string of seaside cafes and restaurants for every taste and budget.
Mount Etna
The peak of Mount Etna can be seen from our property (and your bedroom windows). We are a safe distance from this active volcano, with a ridge between us to deflect any potential lava flows. There are many guided excursions to Mount Etna available, where you can enjoy all kinds of activities in a beautiful setting, including wine-tasting, donkey trekking, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking and skiing. Click on the photos below for links to some examples, or Click here for everything you need to know about hiking on this volcano.
Donkey Trekking on Mt. Etna
Tour one of the many wineries on the slopes of Mt. Etna
Rent a mountain or road bike, or take a guided bike tour on Mt. Etna or elsewhere
Hike the volcano by yourself or with a guide
Visit Savoca
In this tiny quaint village (16 km from here) you can visit the real Bar Vitelli. This famous bar is where part of The Godfather movie was filmed in 1972. In the movie, Al Pacino met his future wife here and asked her father for her hand in marriage. The church where the famous couple married is also located in Savoca. You can take “ The Godfather Tour ” to see more places where this popular film was made. The road to Savoca is very narrow, steep and windy, so beware.
Boating and Diving
Explore the beautiful bays, islands, and sea caves off the coast of Sicily with a half-day or full-day private or group tour at Pizzichella . There’s scuba diving, para-sailing, jet skies, paddleboards and snorkeling too!
Local Events
If you happen to be in Sicily during Liberation Day (April 25) or Independence Day (June 2) you may get to witness an air show.
Immerse yourself in the small town country life of Sicily off the beaten tourist path. You will never meet friendlier people! You will find mom & pop restaurants, baroque churches, festivals and open street markets where great deals can be found on food and merchandise.
In late October the Gourmet Taormina event celebrates food and beverage with wine, beer and food from many local restaurants to taste and Master chefs give cooking lessons in English.
The carnival in Acireale (37 km away) which is similar to Mardi Gras in the US, takes place every February, with a parade boasting the most exquisite floats in " Sicily's Best Carnival ." In 2022 it has been postponed until April 21 to May 1.
The street market in the small town of Francavilla di Sicilia (14 km away), held every Friday.
Street Markets
Nearby towns offer an assortment of open indoor / outdoor markets where you can find great deals on all kinds of merchandise and food.
Taormina Open Market: Monday through Saturdays 8: 00-1: 00, Fresh local fruit, meat, fish, cheese and flowers.
The street market in the Recanati district of Giardini Naxos (4 km away), held every Saturday.
Festivals
Depending on the time of year you visit Sicily, you may be able to experience “real-life Sicily” by partaking in a number of local festivals and annual events.
In the nearby village of Gaggi (2 km away) the St Rita Festival is held in late May. You can join the entire town as they gather in the piazza, follow the procession of their patron saint around the village, amidst ringing church bells, fireworks and street vendors selling roasted nuts.
In the tiny hilltop village of Motta Camastra (10 km away) is a Walnut Festival in October. Enjoy live music , locally-made crafts, and a variety of walnut-flavored food, breads, deserts and liqueurs.
In the nearby village of Calatabiano (8 km away), La Calata di San Filippo takes place in late May. Teams of men race down a steep, windy road carrying the statue of St Philip from a hilltop church down to the center of town.
Trappitello (3 km away) is the venue for one of the most popular living nativity scenes from 26 Dec to 8 Jan. It features 150 villagers re-enacting life in Old Bethlehem, including a donkey-powered olive oil press, and people crafting tools, clothes, art, wine, pasta, bread, furniture, etc., as it was done back in the day. A truly amazing (and free) annual event. For video click here.
Every November there are wine harvest festivals (vendemmia) all around Sicily, with music, food, entertainment, barrel races, etc., and of course, lots of wine.
Local Attractions
The Turrisi Bar in Castelmola (20 km away) established in 1947 has become famous for its almond wine and collection of penises. Symbolizing fertility, the penis is represented everywhere. . . light fixtures and menus are shaped like penises and statues of naked men with unrealistic body parts are on display. A fun place to go for those with a healthy sense of humor.
Castello Di Calatabiano - You can ride a tram up to an ancient castle overlooking the nearby town of Calatabiano
Private Godfather Tour - Most of the scenes in the famous movie The Godfather were filmed within 34 km of our farm! You can arrange for a private tour that will pick up you and your friends at our villa and take you to see the famous Bar Vitelli where Michael Corleone asked Apollonia’s father for her hand in marriage and the ancient church (Santa Lucia) where the wedding was held. You will walk down the streets of Savoca and Forza d’Agro where many other scenes took place. Click here for more information.
The Messina Clock Tower
Built in 1933, it is the most mechanically complex perpetual calendar and astronomical clock in the world. At noon each day, there is an impressive show featuring figures representing important events that pop out with a melody of 8 bells chiming.
Bicycle and Car Races
The annual Giro di Sicilia (Tour of Sicily) bicycle race dates back to 1907, second in age only to the Tour de France. The final and most challenging stage of this multi-stage race will go from Giardini Naxos to Mt Etna April 3-6, 2021.
In October 2020, the bike race went right past our house!
Annual uphill climb car races from Giarre to Milo, in July. Click photo above for video.
The Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy) is a 3-week long Ground Tour Cycling Stage Race held every year since 1909, takes place every May.
Christmas Rally of Taormina, December.