Catania is the city of the sea and of Mt. Etna, of sweet yet restless nature. With its wonders to be explored far, wide and high, the Sicilian city is every year a popular destination for sportsmen and tourists who love outdoor activities.
If you too love trekking, windsurfing, skydiving, climbing and you like to venture out to discover the beauties that nature preserves, here you are in the right place. Discover with us the sports you can practice in Catania, when and where.
Zafferana Etnea in Catania is one of the most popular Sicilian mountains where you can practice free climbing and enjoy the contact of nature. Climbing walls are a wonderful challenge to face and win. Also on Etna you can venture aboard off-road vehicles, quads, jeeps and motocross that will take you to discover the most fascinating active volcano in Italy.
Another way to discover the wonders that Etna holds is to go trekking, indulge in long walks through the paths and lava caves that “a muntagna” – as the people of Catania call it – reserve for enchanted eyes. At an altitude of 1,910 meters you can sit in the Sapienza Refuge and taste the typical dishes of the Sicilian tradition.
To learn more, we recommend that you read the post What to eat in Catania: 10 marvels you must try!.
If you love water sports, you can snorkel and you can dive to discover the underwater beauties of Catania. In the waters of Catania you can admire the characteristic volcanic rocks, enchanting expanses of posidonia, colorful fish, octopuses and sea urchins. In addition, you can practice body rafting along the Alcantara river and its characteristic Gorges and you can venture out with kayaks and canoes and enjoy the adrenaline that flows fast in your veins.
If you love to be guided by the wind that blows through your hair and takes your thoughts away, in Catania you can also practice windsurfing, a sport that combines the thrill of the board with the apparent calm of sailing. And why not try the thrill of free fall? In Catania there are also many professional paratroopers who can guide you in this truly unique experience: dive into the air and fly free over the city.
If you love paragliding or hang gliding or if you want to feel as strong and bold as an eagle for a day, Etna is the right place for you to jump in and go.
Did you know that the starting point of the Giro d’Italia is located on the slopes of Etna? Sicily is also a land loved by all kinds of cyclists, even professional: with its gradients and variety of landscapes, it truly offers a unique adventure to cycling enthusiasts. A suggestion for your Catania stop? Depart from the sea and, on your bike, reach the slopes of Etna: it will be a paradise.
Are you wondering when it is possible to practice these sports? Do you think they are the exclusive privilege of the summer and spring seasons? You would be mistaken. In Catania you can do it all year round: you choose the most suitable period for your holidays in the beautiful Sicilian city.
Catania is a popular destination for sportsmen and amateurs, but not only. If you don’t know how to practice one or more of these sports and would like to learn, there are many instructors and associations that organize short courses and/or private lessons. You just have to try: the rest will be beautiful!
Do you want to experience an unforgettable sports holiday in Catania?
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