Page 226 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

224  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

SPECIALIST HOLIDAYS AND
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

For most visitors to Sicily, sporting activities In the winter, the snowy slopes of the
tend to be water-based: swimming, fishing, imposing volcano provide good conditions
windsurfing and diving in the crystal-clear for downhill as well as cross-country
waters off the extensive coast and the skiing. Horse riding, including organized
many islands that dot the Tyrrhenian and programmes of long-distance trekking, is
Mediterranean seas. Sailing enthusiasts have also becoming increasingly popular in
a vast choice of enticing routes on a variety Sicily. Visitors can embark on many of these
of charter craft. There are plenty of other activities under their own steam, though an
outdoor activities to enjoy too, such as ever-growing number of local and overseas
hiking along old pathways in the Madonie agencies offer a good choice of all-inclusive
and Nebrodi mountains or on Mount Etna. outdoor and sporting holidays.

Windsurfing
tourism facilities in the many
port towns along the coast. This energetic sport can be
Yachts of varying sizes and practised at most Sicilian
degrees of comfort are seaside resorts thanks to
available for charter at ports conditions that guarantee
all around the island through constant winds. Virtually every
companies such as Onda beach in Sicily offers rental
Eoliana. Many nautical centres facilities. Mondello beach
hold sailing courses for the (see p76), just outside Palermo,
uninitiated, including Centro is well-served by Albaria
Vela in Lampedusa, though Windsurfing Club. However,
qualified multilingual crews expert windsurfers claim that
can always be requested to the best places for the sport
transport passengers who are the Aeolian Islands and the
desire a thoroughly relaxing Capo Passero area (see p152)
Sailing has become an increasingly popular sailing experience. Syracuse in the south where the Ionian
activity in Sicily Sailing Team offers a number and Mediterranean seas
of trips around Sicily’s islands merge. This same area is also
Sailing and EtnaSail can arrange an favoured by kitesurfers. The
The coastline and inlets of Sicily unusual trip in a traditional popular beach location of
and the region’s wonderful Turkish-style caicco boat. Pozzallo has rental facilities,
islands are a paradise for sailing The Velalinks website and expert instruction for
aficionados, and the sport is (www.velalinks.it) is helpful in different abilities is also
especially popular along the locating charter companies available. The Kitesicilia
island’s northern coast. True and instructors. There are also website (www.kitesicilia.it)
to their name – derived from several UK-based companies offers suggestions on the
the Greek god of wind – the that organize all-inclusive island’s hot spots and a list
Aeolian Islands (see pp192–5) sailing holidays. of local contacts.
guarantee a constant stiff
breeze, as does the distant
Pelagie archipelago (see
pp128–9) off the south-
western coast.
In 2005, the international
races held in the waters off the
coast of Trapani as part of the
prestigious America’s Cup
trials represented a landmark
event for Sicily. This, along
with the coming and going of
yachts from all over Europe, has
had a very positive influence
of late, triggering a series of
improvements in nautical Windsurfers can often be spotted in the waters around Sicily

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