Gratis gids 10 verborgen natuurplekken in Europa. Meld je aan voor onze nieuwsbrief en ontvang inspirerende reistips en routes voor je volgende groene reis.
Sicily’s Most Beautiful Natural Landscapes: Stunning Hiking Areas
Sicily’s natural landscape is so diverse and full of surprises; here are a few notable Nature reserves and highlights. They’re perfect for exploring—mostly—on foot.
This enchanting island in the Mediterranean is known for its rich history of conquest, breathtaking landscapes, and warm hospitality. Read more here about some of Sicily’s most beautiful nature reserves that, in my opinion, you definitely shouldn’t miss.
Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve in Sicily: Breathtaking Nature
The stunning Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve is located on the island’s northwest coast. Once there, you’ll be surrounded by an impressive mix of azure-blue coves, rugged cliffs, and lush Mediterranean vegetation. The scent of wildflowers and the sound of babbling brooks accompany you as you make your way through this natural paradise.
The park features a fascinating 7-kilometer-long coastline and is accessible only on foot. It takes about 2 hours to walk from one entrance to the other via the easiest route. You pay a small entrance fee at the gate. The most beautiful cove in Lo Zingaro Nature Park is undoubtedly Cala Tonnarella dell’Uzzo (north entrance on the San Vito Lo Capo side).
You’ll reach the bay after 700 meters. Explore this beautiful corner of Sicily’s natural landscape wearing sturdy hiking shoes. You can even spend the night in a cabin within the nature reserve. For more information, visit the Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve website.
Hike on the Mystical Mount Etna
A literal and figurative highlight of Sicily’s natural beauty is undoubtedly the ascent of the majestic Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano. As you climb, you can feel the power of nature. The view from the summit is breathtaking—a panorama of smoking craters and a landscape shaped by the volcano’s powerful eruptions.
Tip: If you want to climb the volcano with a guide, I recommend Guide Sicilia.
Sicily offers an abundance of breathtaking hiking trails and natural highlights.
A few more highlights for your hiking adventure on this enchanting island
Scala dei Turchi, marble stairs
On the southern coast of Sicily, you’ll find the impressive Scala dei Turchi, a white marble limestone cliff formation that overlooks the azure-blue Mediterranean Sea in terraced steps. A walk along this natural wonder not only offers incredible views but also the chance to enjoy the refreshing sea breeze.
You can get there by descending the stairs at “Lido Scala dei Turchi” or by walking along the beach past Lido Majata. You’re no longer allowed to walk across it, due to the danger of falling rocks and to preserve the beautiful natural surroundings. But you can still get a great view of the Scala dei Turchi from the beach.
Orientata Cavagrande del Cassibile Nature Reserve: deep gorges and crystal-clear lakes
Located in southeastern Sicily near Syracuse, this nature reserve features deep gorges, crystal-clear lakes, and lush vegetation. The trail that winds through the Cavagrande del Cassibile offers a spectacular hike, rewarding hikers with breathtaking views of the gorges and the surrounding natural landscape.
The nature park is accessible only via the SP 4 Avola-Manghesi road toward Cavagrande del Cassibile. It takes about 40 minutes to walk to the beautiful “Laghetti di Avola” lakes.
Pantalica Nature Reserve in Sicily with rock tombs
This UNESCO World Heritage Site—located in the province of Syracuse—is home to thousands of Bronze Age rock-cut tombs. The Pantalica Nature Reserve offers various hiking trails along the Anapo River and through gorges, offering a fascinating blend of history and nature. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2005.
You can reach the park from Ferla or from Sortino.
The Nebrodi Mountains in Sicily: Pure Nature
For lovers of unspoiled nature, a hike through the Nebrodi Mountains is a must. With vast forests, clear streams, and picturesque villages, this mountainous region offers an oasis of tranquility and stunning panoramic views. The mountains are located in northeastern Sicily. There you’ll find several lakes, waterfalls—la cascata del catafurco (!)—and villages such as the imperial Mistretta, the Norman Troina, and the medieval Randazzo. Many hiking and mountain biking trails start from this area.
Fascinating nature and history in the Cava d’Ispica Gorge in Sicily
The Cava d’Ispica, a deep gorge in southeastern Sicily, is home to ancient cave dwellings, churches, and necropolises. In the province of Ragusa, near the coast, you’ll find this gorge, which stretches about 13 km and features spectacular Christian catacombs, prehistoric necropolises, churches, castles, and houses.
Carved into the rocks until the year 1693, when, following a terrible earthquake, a large portion of the population left the area. A walk through this unique setting takes you on a journey through history, while you are surrounded by the serene beauty of nature.
Click here to book a stay at a beautiful country hotel near Ragusa.
Monte Cofano Nature Reserve: Hiking Along the Cliffs
This coastal reserve on the northwestern tip of Sicily offers panoramic views of the Gulf of Bonagia and the Tyrrhenian Sea. The hiking trails along the cliffs and across rolling hills reveal the unspoiled beauty of this area, culminating in the imposing Monte Cofano itself. There are beautiful hiking trails, beaches, caves, and opportunities for horseback riding. There is a very beautiful, easy hiking trail along the coast from Baia Cornino to Tono, which takes about 3 hours to complete.
In addition to Sicily’s fascinating culture and history, its natural beauty is truly breathtaking. Whether you’re strolling through ancient ruins, enjoying unspoiled nature, or soaking up the warmth of small villages, Sicily offers an unforgettable journey full of diversity and beauty. Every path reveals a new facet of this enchanting island, inviting you to continue exploring nature and letting yourself be surprised by Sicily’s treasures.
The Valle dei Templi, the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Akragas, near Agrigento, is an archaeological site featuring a wealth of ancient Greek temples. The archaeological park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. You can easily spend 3 to 4 hours walking around here if you want to see everything, whether or not you’re accompanied by a guide. You can buy a ticket online or at the entrance; a ticket for the archaeological museum and the “Giardino della Kolymbethra” is sold separately. This beautiful garden, with more than 300 plant species, showcases some of Sicily’s most stunning natural beauty. The giardino is part of the Valley of the Temples and is irrigated using ancient Arab technologies. With a guide, you can also visit several tunnels and underground caves here.
TIP: The park is completely exposed to the sun and can get quite hot—especially during the summer months. We recommend visiting the park early in the morning or in the evening to avoid the crowds (and the heat). There are ample parking options for the Valle dei Templi (paid).
With a passion for travel and photography and over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, I love to share my special nature travel tips. Travel is wonderful and important, you meet new people and cultures and it opens your view of the world.
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Peloponnese Hiking Tour
A really beautiful six-day hike from Bologna to Florence. Communication with NatureTravelLab and the local agent was excellent. The information packet was waiting for us at the hotel in Bologna, and the app with the route worked great. Luggage transport was well organized every day, and our bags were waiting for us each time we arrived at our new room! We covered more than 1,400 meters of elevation gain, but unfortunately didn’t always get the views we’d hoped for due to cloud cover and some drizzle. Most days had great hiking weather. It was wonderful to walk into Florence on foot and stay there an extra day.
We experienced the Walk of the Gods as a great adventure. Our start in Bologna didn’t go quite as planned because our app wasn’t working yet and we couldn’t find a single sign for Via degli Dei in the square. Fortunately, we were quickly able to join two young hikers from Florence who were also doing the hike. After a wonderful night’s stay at the beautiful Rio Verde agritourism farm, Day 2 went much better with the help of the hiking app. Along the way, we enjoyed stunning views, met some great fellow hikers, and sampled delicious local dishes. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t always on our side, and we had a day of heavy rain, which made the trail very slippery and required us to be careful. It’s a real treat when, on the last day, you can already see Florence in the distance and walk into this beautiful city a few hours later. Thank you so much for your quick and friendly responses to all our questions.
We enjoyed the trip. We also made some changes to our itinerary, and the email correspondence went very smoothly. We started in Mantera; the next day, our first and only hike was a really beautiful one. The taxi picked us up right on time. Unfortunately, the second day’s route was almost the same when we cycled to Ostuni. The bikes were well-maintained, including panniers and helmets (these were simply included). You could even bring your own water bottle!!! We found the route very scenic and varied. There were charming little villages where we could stop for lunch or coffee. The app worked great. All the hotels ranged from good to excellent, though we didn’t think the hotel in Leuca was worthy of 4 stars. We followed your advice for the two nights we stayed there. We found Leuca a bit underwhelming for a two-day stay. We would have preferred to stay in Gallipoli or Lecce for two days. We took this trip in April and were very lucky with the weather. It’s still a quiet time of year, but we didn’t mind that. We definitely recommend it!!!
Thanks to a great tip from Nature Travel Lab, we had a wonderful week in Italy. Fattoria di Maiano, just outside Florence, was a beautiful and peaceful place. And the suggested road trips were a great guide for exploring the region. We’ll definitely check here for tips for our next vacation, too. Highly recommended!
We spent a divine week in Italy: we walked the Path of the Gods, from Bologna to Florence—about 135 km spread over 6 days of hiking. Challenging distances and climbs, amazing views, nature, and a warm welcome every time we arrived at the agriturismo or albergo/hotel. All of this was perfectly organized by the Italian company Slow Active Tours, entirely in line with Nature Travel Lab’s itinerary proposal: upon arrival in Bologna, an information packet was waiting for us, complete with a hiking map, a booklet, and passports for the stamps. And the hiking app was very practical for along the way! Our luggage was transported every day and was always waiting for us when we arrived at the next location. Communication was smooth and clear. In short, highly recommended, well worth it, and well-organized.
In September, I walked the Cammino Materano. Communicating with Madelon about the booking was a pleasure. To be honest, I was quite nervous because it was my first time doing a multi-day hike—alone and in a region I wasn’t familiar with—but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hike to Matera was beautiful, and I was able to complete it without any trouble thanks to the clear on-site signage and the routing and advice provided by the GPS app. The rest of the organization was top-notch as well. My luggage always arrived on time at the right destination, and the hotels and B&Bs were of high quality. In addition, the organizers were easy to reach via WhatsApp if I had any questions. Highly recommended!
Slovenia was absolutely amazing. A beautiful country, friendly people, lovely hiking trails, and truly top-notch hotels. The staff at the local organization were also very easy to reach and helpful. The hiking was manageable. As Dutch people, we’re not used to high altitudes, of course, so it was pretty tough at times. But it was also a lot of fun.
We had a wonderful trip. Everything was well organized. Due to an unfortunate fall, I ended up traveling with my luggage for a day, but that was handled well, too. We really liked all the accommodations. Only the Hotel Hebe in St. Piero a Sieve was a little less impressive, but it was still okay.
Looks fantastic! I'm definitely going to book a trip with this company... they're committed to sustainability and personalized advice. Definitely worth it.
Madelon and her team are true experts. Thanks to their years of experience and passion for travel, they manage to surprise us time and time again.
Beautiful hikes, the most picturesque spots—it’s a real treat.
I highly recommend them!
Nature Travel Lab provided us with very helpful and honest assistance!
If you’re looking for travel itineraries, the most beautiful hikes, and destinations, you can find it all here. You’ll find endless inspiration for your next trip. Beautiful cities are interspersed with nature. You’ll find everything you need to know about practical matters. Plus, there are plenty of tips for sustainable travel. That way, you’ll get the most out of your trip.
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Get inspired
Are you looking for the most beautiful hiking and biking routes? Or do you want information about traveling by train or advice for the most beautiful road trips through nature. Get inspired for your next trip in green; ideas for planning your own trip or opting for an organized trip.
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