The Alcantara Gorges

Sicily offers travellers countless opportunities to relax, but it also offers many more to enjoy nature.
Because in addition to the famous and much-lauded beaches, the island boasts extraordinary natural sites, such as the Alcantara Gorges.

Where are they and how to get there? They are about half an hour's drive from Taormina, and can be reached by taking the SS 185 Sella Mandrazzi road in the direction of Francavilla di Sicilia.
Let's venture out to discover them!

The Alcantara Gorge, history of a Sicilian canyon
Behind the Alcantara Gorge lies a geological history in which lava stone and water have come together to create a very special landscape.
It all began thousands of years ago when several volcanic eruptions created lava flows that reached the sea and formed Capo Schisò (where Giardini-Naxos is located today).
But the Alcantara river managed to make its way through the basalt and, in the territory of Motta Camastra, shaped a canyon with strikingly shaped walls up to 30 metres high.
This unmissable place can be visited in many ways, some of them truly original.

River trekking and body rafting in the Alcantara Gorge
Once you have reached the Alcantara Gorges, you can proceed to visit them on your own by entering through the municipal entrance or, if you wish to be guided, through the Botanical and Geological Park.
If you choose this second option, you can take part in various routes and activities, including river trekking and body rafting.
These are two fun activities, suitable for both adults and children, which allow you to discover the gorges along the river with expert guides, equipped with special dungarees or, in the case of body rafting, a wetsuit, life jacket and protective helmet.
These are two ways to immerse oneself in the landscape and experience this ancient history of lava stone and river water up close.

At the end of the visit, you can reach the little beach of the gorges, a pleasant place to stop for a relaxing break and to think back on the adventure you have just experienced in this Sicily of a thousand surprises!