Italy Volcanoes Trips

Our guide Lara was fabulous. She was so helpful. Lara had so much knowledge about the history of Sicily and the volcano, Mount Etna, that each was great. The walks were a pleasure and the food delicious. I would certainly return to Sicily.

A superb way to see the eastern side of Sicily and all it has to offer. Our guide Lara was truly excellent full of enthusiasm, knowledge and insight. Located in a hotel in Giardini Naxos we could see Mount Etna from our balcony. Staff were welcoming and friendly. Another excellent experience with Explore.

We had a great time. The Leader was very well organised and clear in her instructions and made the trip fun for everyone. I think we were lucky that the group as a whole got on very well, but that was helped by the leader's positive approach.

Great, varied itinerary that packed in so much: walking on Etna and in two different gorges, sightseeing in Taormina, Ortigia, and some of the smaller hill towns, a wonderful brunch in Castiglione, and a fabulous day trip to the Aeolian Islands of Lipari and Vulcano, where we had time to take a dip on the volcanic spa beach. Some of us took a boat trip to Isola Bella and the Blue Grotto on the free day, and I returned to Taormina to visit the Greek theatre and follow up our guide Lara's gelateria recommendation! Lara is hugely knowledgeable about the history, culture, and geology of the area, and was very organised to get us to and from all the sights on schedule. The Hotel Villa Linda was a comfortable and friendly base in the quieter Recanati area of Naxos, with Recanati Beach and a good selection of restaurants, bars, and small shops nearby. The walks are fairly graded on average, with most being very leisurely, and the gorges slightly more challenging in terms of terrain underfoot (poles are helpful). Overall, a fantastic week. I have already booked my next Explore trip...

From the get-go, Explore were great with information and deadlines. I felt in very safe hands as I'd never been to Sicily before and would not know where to start. We were based in Recanati, just at the close of the holiday season - plenty of places to eat and drink but not crowded. From there, our fantastic, highly knowledgeable and very friendly guide Lara took us to some amazing sites, including the slopes of Etna, Taormina and the islands of Lipari and Volcano with great (not strenuous) walks and superb scenery. It was like lots of tasters of the East side of the island. Wonderful.

The range of activities; embracing walking, stunning scenery and fascinating history coupled with our amazing guide Lara providing comprehensive information on the geology, history and culture contributed to a truly memorable experience.