Page 228 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

226  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

months, from late December
until March. Thanks to a cable-
car and four ski lifts, you can
ski up to 3,000 m (9,850 ft)
above sea level on the runs
around Rifugio Sapienza and
the old Montagnola crater.
On the northern flank of
the mountain, reconstruction
of both facilities and runs
continues in the wake of
destructive 2002 eruptions
that all but wiped out the
Tourists enjoying horse riding on a Sicilian beach small-scale resort of Piano
Provenzana (see p176).
Horse Riding
Perfect for all age groups,
This popular activity is the thrill of tobogganing is
gathering an increasingly loyal another good, fun activity.
following, especially among Mount Etna is nºt only for
local inhabitants. Sicily’s downhill-skiing enthusiasts,
rugged, mountainous interior though their numbers continue
is perfectly suited to horse to grow with each year. There
riding, featuring numerous is also a beaten track near the
routes that are easily accessible Grande Albergo, just below
from village centres. Rifugio Sapienza, which is ideal
One particularly interesting for cross-country skiing.
multi-day itinerary is the The volcano also attracts
one that stretches for 70 km lovers of alpine techniques,
(43.5 miles) and runs east to telemarking and even the
west along the central ridge of increasingly popular pursuit
the Nebrodi mountain range Making the most of the brief skiing season of snowshoeing; real off-the-
(see p190), following age-old on Mount Etna beaten-track activities.
droving routes. This region is The wonderfully wild
home to 5,000 native horses, Skiing Nebrodi range (see p190) also
a pretty, dark variety known If the weather is good, the gets a decent snow cover and
as San Fratellino. Believed to panorama from the slopes of offers many opportunities for
descend from an ancient breed Mount Etna (see pp174–7) is exploration with cross-country
known to the Greeks and simply awe-inspiring, with the skis and snowshoes. Piano
Romans, the horses are left sea at Taormina mirroring the Battaglia (see p98), in the
to graze freely. sunlight and the volcano’s Madonie mountains, attracts
Many agriturismo farms and fumes rising lazily above you. weekenders from Palermo for its
some of the larger holiday However, do not expect to lovely, if limited, pistes and lifts.
villages have riding schools find state-of-the-art skiing Finally, thrill-seekers will
that cater to varying levels of facilities here. There is no enjoy the uniquely Sicilian
ability. Tucked away in the artificial snow (the perennial sport of travelling down the
divine Anapo Valley (see p161) drought in Sicily precludes black volcanoes of the Aeolian
near a wild gorge, Pantalica anything of the kind), and the Islands (see pp192–5) on a
Ranch arranges horse riding heat of the volcano tends to snowboard. But be warned,
trips. Centro Ippico Amico del melt the snow in a hurry, so the the dry lava surface is much
Cavallo is an equestrian centre skiing season is limited to a few harder than snow.
based in Misterbianco, close to
Catania, which offers one-day
trips as well as longer treks
on horseback. There are also
many establishments dotted
around the slopes of Mount
Etna offering various horse
riding excursions.
For further information
on the most important
horse riding centres in Sicily,
contact the Associazione
Nazionale Turismo Equestre
(ANTE) in Rome. Snowboarding on a lava field on Vulcano, one of the Aeolian Islands

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