The property is easily reachable from Catania Highway exits (1.5 km) and Acireale’s (9 km). Located nearby supermarkets, tobacco shops, pharmacy, bar, bakery and deli.

Its strategic location offers the possibility of reaching many naturalistic attractions and so much more by car. These are our suggestions.

The Volcano

Called by the Sicilians Mungibeddu o ‘a Muntagna, Etna is located 20 km from the B&B Etna Europa, on the eastern side of Sicily. Second to the Alps, it is the highest Italian peak, despite its dimensions constantly varying over time as it is a volcano. At present, its height is 3340 m, with a diameter of 45 km.

Since 2013, Mount Etna has been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. With its inclusion, the Sicilian region has six Unesco sites out of the 48 total in Italy.

Thanks to its massive presence, once you reach the central crater, Etna will offer you the opportunity to enjoy a breathtaking view made of a lunar scenario from which you can observe the beautiful coast.

For trekking lovers we suggest taking advantage of the many organized excursions that allow you to visit the craters, the Valle del Bove starting from Rifugio Sapienza, or taking  advantage of local expert guides who will be happy to show you hidden paths to discover suggestive woods and caves.

The Timpa and Capomulini Reserve

The Timpa Reserve, covering 265 hectares, is a green and bushy strip at the lowest altitude of the eastern side of Etna belonging to the ancient Aci Wood (Bosco di Aci). These areas have allowed the conservation of a rich forest fauna and represent an important shelter for many animal species.

The protected area falls entirely within the territory of the municipality of Acireale, in Catania district , exactly between Maria SS delle Grazie and Santa Maria Ammalati, and has been divided into two distinct areas with different intended uses:

Zone A includes the narrow coastal strip between the Gazzena area and the town of Santa Maria la Scala, part of the Timpa Falconiera and Timpa Belfrontizio.

The pre-reserve area B includes the flat area of ​​Gazzena and the land below the Timpe Falconiera and Belfrontizio.

The Timpa area represents one of the most important examples of the Etnean coastal landscape. The terraces made of lava stone along the steepest slopes, the small paths, the irrigation canals (saie), the dry stone walls, preserve the memory of this territory and will certainly be a place where you can savor the pleasure of a day dedicated to the discovery of natural places.

From here it will be easy to interrupt your walk to have a hot meal in the sunny village of Capomulini, a delightful town, famous for its restaurants, which offer good fish at low cost, to be consumed on characteristic stilt houses overlooking the sea.

Acitrezza and Acicastello

Characteristic fishing villages that recall the stories written by Giovanni Verga about the Malavoglias. In Acitrezza it is still possible to discover the traces of the Malavoglia family between the “medlar house” (la casa del nespolo) and the port in front of the Faraglioni, where it is common to admire an intense activity of fishermen like described in Verga’s book.

Not far from here you can reach the top of the Norman Castle in  Acicastello, where you can get lost in the maze of lanes and streets that will make you discover characteristic places and enjoy a good Granita admiring the view of Lachea Island and Cyclops Islands Marine Reserve.

Catania’s wonders

Just walk through the streets of the city center to discover the teeming Catania, a place rich in flavors, perfumes and Sicilian character.

Starting from Piazza del Duomo, you can take pictures of the Elephant Fountain and the Cathedral with a majestic Baroque façade where the famous feast of Sant’Agata( the saint patron of the city) takes place , from here along the inner streets you will find the characteristic fish market.

Behind the local market you can reach the Ursino Castle, the Roman Amphitheater, the Benedictine Monastery and the city park of Villa Bellini.

Taormina

Located on the north side of the east coast, Taormina is immediately reachable from the B&B Etna Europa in just 30 minutes by highway. Taormina is perfect for a long day of walks and tourism being famous for the Greek-Roman Ancient Theater and its international events and festivals. The city center has a big variety of high-brand shops and boutiques but at the same time gives you exciting moments of sobriety, with glimpses of bougainvillea and coastal views of Isola Bella. Near the theater, the cliffs descending to the sea bring us to equipped beaches that will guarantee you the best solution to spend moments of extreme pleasure.

Vendicari and Cassibile

During your trips out of town we suggest you take a detour and visit the Cassibile and Pantalica Nature Reserves, the suggestive Hyblean mountains, and the countless seaside resorts, archaeological sites, various farmhouses, wineries and recreational-sporting activities that you will find along the street.

Syracuse and Ortigia

Syracuse, a fascinating and evocative place that Cicero defined “the most beautiful city of Magna Graecia”, preserve intact the signs of its history as a cultural capital starting from the Greek age up to the Renaissance and Baroque period. Unesco World Heritage Site since 2005, the city stands in a suggestive natural harbor, limited by the island of Ortigia and behind the Epipolis upland. Going around Syracuse and observing the ancient attractions of the city is really surprising, here you can visit the “Paolo Orsi” regional archaeological museum, the largest in Sicily.

Ortigia emerges a few hundred meters from the mainland. The island is permanently connected to the city of Syracuse by two bridges that can be traveled by car, but it is important to note that many of the town’s streets are within a large ZTL area, so we suggest visiting walking. Among the many architectural beauties to visit there is certainly the Maniace Castle, which rises on the extreme side of the island, from here you can walk along the Alfeo seafront until you reach the Aretusa Fountain, a freshwater mirror that recalls a famous Greek myth , where papyrus plants grow. Here grows one of the only two existing papyrus in Italy.

EXCURSIONS

Underwater and Diving with Erika, PADI Instructor – Jonio Pro-Dive Catania

At the Jonio Pro-Dive Catania diving center, you will have the opportunity to practice various water sports such as snorkeling, guided dives, Discover Scuba-Diving , boat tours or longer courses for experts and beginners that I can customize for you.

As a diving instructor, I will be happy to give you a unique experience discovering suggestive places, where you can admire lava formations and caves, hidden places rich in flora and fauna.