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Day 1

You are picked up upon arrival in Catania and transfered on a taxi or private minibus to our first night's accommodation in Catania, one of Sicily's famous and without doubt among Italy's most beautiful towns.
Depending on your arrival time, you could use the opportunity to stroll through the historic center of town and explore some of its many attractions: ancient Greek and Roman remnants such as the theatres, medieval castles, baroque palaces, churches, museums, lively markets, narrow cobbled streets, nearby beaches...

In the evening, when the group has gathered, we meet for a stroll through the historic centre and conclude the evening with a delicious typical Sicilian dinner in a local restaurant.

Accommodation:  Hotel**** in old town of Catania or Taormina
Meals: D
Day 2

We drive (private minibus) to the port of Milazzo where we get on board on a boat or hydrofoil to reach the volcanic island of Vulcano, where we will stay for the night in a comfortable beach hotel directly on a fine volcanic black sand beach.
Until the late afternoon, the day is free to relax: you could enjoy the fine beach, shop for souvenirs in the village, or explore the warm, bubbling volcanic mud pools and sulfurous steam vents just a few 100m away at the beach. For a magnificent sunset and overlook over the whole archipelago, we climb onto the famous active crater (300m high, ca. 1hr climb) "La Fossa del Vulcano" ("The Mouth of the Volcano"), which last erupted in 1888. After nightfall, we take a delicious dinner with Eolian specialties on the hotel's terrace above the waves on the beach
 
Accommodation: Beach Hotel *** on Vulcano Island
Meals: D
Day 3

The morning on Vulcano is free. For those who want, an optional 2-3hrs round-trip of the island by a small boat can be arranged. This trip allows you to visit an impressive cave beneath inaccessible cliffs,- the "Grotta del Cavallo" ("Cave of the Horse"),- an Eolian answer to Capri's more famous "Blue Cave", the "Grotta Azzurra".
After lunch, a speed boat brings us to Stromboli within less than 2 hours. There, small 3-wheeled "ape" motorvehicles bring us and our luggage to a comfortable hotel on the beach. Part of the afternoon is for you to relax, or explore the unique ambience of Stromboli.
In the late afternoon, equipped with sandwiches for the evening, we prepare for the 3-4 hours climb to the summit craters. At around sunset, we arrive on a natural viewpoint at 918m, located directly above the active craters. From here, one can observe the several active craters' eruptions from very close range,- with a good portion of caution. Many people agree that this is one of the most awe-inspiring spectacles of nature they have seen in their lives,- be warned: this is where you might become addicted to volcanoes… After enjoying the fireworks for some time, we descend on a different route that brings us quickly down a steep sand slope directly to the village of Stromboli, in probably less than an hour.


Note:
In case access to Stromboli's summit is prohibited by authorities, e.g. during times of particularly high levels of activity, the excursion will instead go to a viewpoint above the Sciara del Fuoco at 400m.

Accommodation: Beach Hotel on Stromboli ***
Meals: B, L, D

Day 4-5

Two full days on Stromboli: boat trips around the island and to the Sciara del Fuoco at night. Optional other excursions (e.g. day-trip to Panarea). Optional additional climbs to the active craters of Stromboli.

Accommodation: Beach Hotel on Stromboli ***
Meals: B, L, D

Day 6

After breakfast we take a speed boat to Lipari Island, where we can have an extended stop in order to visit the historic castle, its archeologic museum and the world-famous obsidian deposits. In the afternoon, we continue by ferry or hydrofoil to Milazzo, where a a private minibus brings us directly to Mount Etna, where we will lodge for the next 3 nights in a comfortable hotel high up on its slopes at nearly 2000 m a.s.l., with great mountain views of Catania.

Accommodation: Mountain Hotel *** on Etna at 1900m a.s.l
Meals: B, D
Day 7

After a copious breakfast from the buffet, we prepare for a long day of hiking. First, we take a cable car and/or jeeps to reach quickly about 2700 m elevation and then continue on foot,- if weather and activity permitting, we can climb one or several of the summit craters of Etna.
Back down from the summit craters, we walk back towards our hotel, descending along a variety of interesting volcanic features, such as the still warm craters that had formed in 2001 and 2002-03. Back at our hotel, we restore our energies with a delicious, 3-course dinner and local red wine.

Accommodation: Mountain Hotel *** on Etna at 1900m a.s.l
Meals: B, D
Day 8

This day could be exchanged with the previous day and is again fully dedicated to Etna's upper region and sites of possible volcanic activity (if accessible). Normally, this day will be dedicated to one of Etna's most spectacular features: the Valle del Bove, a giant depression formed by repeated flank collapses of the volcano.
We take the cable-car and/or jeeps that bring us quickly to around 2500m altitude. From here, we descend into the Valle del Bove, along an extremely steep (40+ degrees), but soft sandy slope where we can run or slide down as if skiing (great fun!! and not dangerous), descending about 1000m altitude in less than about 15 minutes!
At the bottom of the giant depression, an almost alien, rarely visited landscape awaits us,- surrounded by magnificient volcanic dikes, steep walls of ancient lava rocks, we are on the vast field of lava from the 1991-1993 eruption. On an unmarked, but easy trail we cross a sector of the Valle del Bove until we reach one of its lowest points of the SW border, where we can easily climb out of the Valle in just about 30 mins. Within just another hour on an easy path downhill, through forest and passing by giant vertical basalt wall (used as training ground for advanced rock climbers), we arrive at one of the very few springs at Etna, and shortly after that at the road. A jeep or a minibus will pick us up and bring us back to the hotel.
Tonight, we could drive to the lively village of Nicolosi, perhaps first for an aperitif in a local bar on the lively piazza, before we have our well-deserved dinner (Sicilian menu or pizza) in a busy garden restaurant.

Accommodation: Mountain Hotel *** on Etna at 1900m a.s.l
Meals: B, D

Day 9

The tour ends today with transfer to Catania. Depending on your departure time, you might have time enough to explore a bit of the lively citiy of Catania itself, which offers more than enough to visit: the famous local market (especially the fish-market is spectacular!), numerous Ancient relics, baroque architecture, or simply enjoy its buzzling charme from one of the plenty street cafes.
If you have more time, we recommend you to extend your stay in Sicily or on the islands - options of things to do here are nearly unlimited, and we are ready to give you advise

Accommodation: None

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