Upon arrival at the Catania airport, we’ll transfer to Caltanissetta with a private vehicle.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels
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Join us on an 11-day hike from Caltanissetta to Noto and ditch the tourist trails for something truly epic. Start in Caltanissetta’s unhurried streets, then head into Sicily’s rugged interior, a landscape where time slows down and local legends live on. Finally, reach Noto, a baroque town so beautiful even the buildings seem to be showing off. In the meantime, we’ll be eating amazing Sicilian dishes, drinking wine, and unwinding at family-run hotels, converted farms, and charming B&Bs. This isn’t your typical hiking trip, it’s a full-on immersion into Sicily’s heart and soul!
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We will walk out of Caltanissetta city center down to the Salso river, which we will either cross via a 17th-century bridge or ford it, depending on the weather. We will then climb up to Pietraperzia, which used to be one of the most powerful and culturally dynamic cities of Sicily’s inland, with amazing views of Enna and the surrounding mountains.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 14 km / 8.7 miles
Elevation: +400 m / +1,312 ft, -500 m / -1,640 ft
Duration: 6 hours spent outdoors
Accommodation: 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels
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On day 3, we’ll transfer to Piazza Armerina and have a guided tour of the city center and the Roman Villa del Casale with its astounding mosaics.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 5 km / 3.1 miles
Elevation: +100 m / +328 ft, -100 m / -328 ft
Duration: 3 hours spent outdoors
Accommodation: 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels
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On day 4, we’ll walk on mixed terrains out of Piazza Armerina, across its rich and beautiful countryside with amazing views of Mount Etna (if we are lucky). Then, we’ll cross the valley of the river del Tempio, with its memories of Templar knights. After that, we’ll finish our walk by climbing up to San Michele di Ganzaria.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 15.5 km / 9.6 miles
Elevation: +350 m / +1,148 ft, -500 m / -1,640 ft
Duration: 7 hours spent outdoors
Accommodation: 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels
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We will walk across a beautiful and open countryside where the ruins of many abandoned masserie and rural houses show the memories of a time when the inland was very different. Then, we will climb to Caltagirone, the city of pottery, and we will walk across the city center. Later on, we’ll drive to the city of Occhiolà, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1693, and we will spend the night at Grammichele, the perfectly octagonal city built after the earthquake. We start crossing the Val di Noto region.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 11 km / 6.8 miles
Elevation: +300 m / +984 ft, -300 m / -984 ft
Duration: 5 hours spent outdoors
Accommodation: 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels
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On day 6, we’ll walk on mixed terrains, leaving Grammichele and crossing beautiful and open fields, rich in volcanic sand, with beautiful views of the majestic Etna mountain. We will learn more about the system of the “regie trazzere”, the medieval road network connecting Sicily’s cities. Later on, we will climb up to Licodia Eubea, entering the Ibleian Mountains area.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 14 km / 8.7 miles
Elevation: +400 m / +1,312 ft, -300 m / -984 ft
Duration: 6 hours spent outdoors
Accommodation: 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels
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Today we’ll walk along a scenic ridge track. We will then cross some fields and reach a ford to cross the Vizzini river. After that, we’ll reach Monterosso Almo, a picturesque 18th century village nested on the top of a flat hill, after crossing the wooded protected area of the Canalazzo Wood.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 18 km / 11.1 miles
Elevation: +800 m / +2,625 ft ,-800 m / -2,625 ft
Duration: 8 hours spent outdoors
Accommodation: 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels
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We will walk from Monterosso Almo to Giarratana on mixed terrains across the countryside. Then, after we walk across cultivated fields and follow the tracks of an abandoned railway, we’ll climb up to the Greek site of Palazzolo Acreide, with the smallest theater in the world and the UNESCO baroque heritage of the city center.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 19.5 km / 12.1 miles
Elevation: +700 m / +2,297 ft, -650 m / -2,132 ft
Duration: 10 hours spent outdoors
Accommodation: Luxury resort / hotel within a vineyard property
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We will walk from the baroque city of Palazzolo Acreide across a beautiful countryside, where the main features are the “muretti a secco” (dry stone walls). The landscape changes dramatically once again, and it leads us smoothly downhill to the ford of the river Manghisi, before starting a smooth climb up to the site of Noto Antica, the splendid Medieval city destroyed by the earthquake in 1693. We will then drive to Noto city center, with its baroque UNESCO heritage monuments.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 23.3 km / 14.4 miles
Elevation: +300 m / +984 ft, -500 m / -1,640 ft
Duration: 10.5 hours spent outdoors
Accommodation: 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels
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After breakfast, we have a day off to enjoy the city and do whatever we want to do. Eat, drink, walk, sightsee, mingle with the locals, drink too many cups of coffee—the choice is ours alone.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels
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Our trip comes to an end! On our last day, we transfer to the airport in Catania. If you’d wish to extend your stay, please contact us so we can make further arrangements.
Meals: Breakfast
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Please note that there can be last minute changes due to unforeseen circumstances such as extreme weather, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, pandemics, and events of similar nature.
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What you get on this adventure:
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- An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area and a support person, from Day 1 to Day 9
- 11-day Sicily hiking tour (8 days of hiking), either from Palermo to Caltanissetta or from Caltanissetta to Noto
- Almost all meals, as listed in the itinerary
- Accommodation for 10 nights in 3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs or charming family-run hotels, depending on what’s available
- Luggage transfer
- People transfer when required by the tour schedule and/or because of clients’ needs during the walks
- Round-trip airport transfers for the Caltanissetta to Noto tour (Day 1 and Day 11)
- Transfer to the airport on Day 11 for the Palermo to Caltanissetta tour
- Basic health insurance (does not include repatriation)
What’s not included:
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- Flights to Italy
- Transfer from the airport to Palermo on Day 1 of the Palermo to Caltanissetta tour
- Meals not included in the itinerary
- Entry tickets/parking
- Guide gratuities — optional
- Extra drinks
- City taxes (where applicable; payable on site upon check-out)
- Additional nights (extended stay)
- Adequate insurance that covers repatriation costs — mandatory
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This Sicily hiking trip can be completed by any generally fit hikers with previous experience with multi-day hikes, who are prepared to walk between 8-10 hours per day. The most important thing to take into account is the significant number of days that you will spend trekking. It will greatly help your enjoyment of the trek to arrive fit at the start, used to walks of similar distance and height gain to those that you are about to face.
We will mostly walk on easy terrains, graveled roads, and sometimes asphalt, but the distances and elevation gain and loss can be challenging. You can find day-by-day distances and elevation changes in the itinerary. Remember that you will be carrying only a small backpack while your luggage will be transferred. If anything happens and you need to rest and skip some sections of the walk, your guides will be there to help.
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Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
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- Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 25-40L bag)
- Hiking poles — optional
- Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
- Comfortable hiking clothes
- Spare clothes for layering
- Waterproof rain jacket
- Sunhat
- Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Sunglasses
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
- Sturdy walking shoes or boots
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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We will provide accommodation at the most characteristic and comfortable hotels in the area, within a 30-minute drive from the end of the walk. The accommodation level will be inevitably varied (3-star hotels, converted farms, agrotourism B&Bs, and charming family-run hotels), depending on what is available in the area.
Double or single rooms with en-suite baths will be available every night. Details will be available during the booking process on the final program.
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Group sizes and pricing
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- For this hiking trip in Sicily, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 10:1.
- It takes a minimum of 6 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 10 participants.
Hiking in Sicily can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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The starting point of your Sicily hiking trip from Palermo to Caltanissetta is Palermo. To get there, most people fly into Falcone-Borsellino Airport (PMO / LICJ). From there, you can take a shuttle service, public transport, or rent a car to reach Palermo.
The starting point of your Sicily hiking trip from Caltanissetta to Noto is Caltanissetta. To get there, most people fly into Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (IATA: CTA, ICAO: LICC). Once at the Catania Airport, a private transfer vehicle will take you to Caltanissetta.
Once you’re there, you will meet your guide at a predetermined time in a predetermined location. Your guide will send you detailed instructions before the trip starts.
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We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
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