Catania: Boat Trip with Aperitif, Prosecco and Snorkeling

About This Experience

This sailing trip covers roughly five hours along the coast north of Catania, aboard one of two boats, the Emmanuel sailing ship or the Piper vessel, assigned depending on the size of your group on the day. A guide narrates the route throughout, with commentary offered in Italian, English, Spanish, French and Czech, making it one of the more accessible options for mixed-language groups travelling together from Catania.

From Blu Marina, the boat sails towards Ognina, where it stops for a short guided tour of around thirty minutes, then continues past the Ulysses Caves and on to Aci Castello, whose Norman castle sits on a cliff above the water. The guide covers the history and legends attached to each stop along the way, drawing on the mythology tied to this stretch of coast, before the boat continues on towards Aci Trezza.

At Aci Trezza, the boat moors for around 100 minutes so guests can go guided snorkelling in the clear water or try a stand-up paddleboard, with safety equipment provided throughout. Afterwards, a seated Sicilian aperitif with prosecco is served on board, a spread reviewers regularly single out as a highlight, before the roughly 45-minute sail back towards Ognina and on to Blu Marina to finish the trip.

The tour needs a minimum of four people to run, and a small skipper welcome fee is charged separately in cash rather than folded into the ticket price. It's built as a half-day outing that mixes coastal sightseeing, a guided swim and snorkel stop, and a seated meal, rather than a long full-day sail, which keeps the pace fairly brisk between stops.

Highlights

• A guided stop at Ognina before continuing up the coast.
• A close pass by the Ulysses Caves and the Norman castle at Aci Castello.
• About 100 minutes at Aci Trezza for guided snorkelling and stand-up paddleboarding.
• A seated Sicilian aperitif with prosecco at Aci Trezza.
• Commentary offered in five languages: Italian, English, Spanish, French and Czech.
• A crossing aboard one of two vessels, the Emmanuel sailing ship or the Piper, depending on group size.

What's Included

• ✓ Round-trip boat journey aboard the Emmanuel or Piper vessel
• ✓ A guide, with commentary offered in five languages
• ✓ Guided snorkelling and stand-up paddleboarding at Aci Trezza
• ✓ A seated Sicilian aperitif with prosecco
• ✓ A group photo
• ✓ Safety equipment on board

Not Included

• Skipper welcome fee (€10 per person, paid in cash on the day)
• Transport to Blu Marina
• Gratuities beyond the skipper welcome fee
• Hotel pickup and drop-off

What to Bring

• Swimwear, for the snorkelling stop at Aci Trezza
• A towel
• Sunscreen

Good to Know & Caveats

• This tour needs a minimum of four people booked to run.
• Groups are split between two boats, the Emmanuel sailing ship or the Piper vessel, depending on numbers.
• A €10 per-person skipper welcome fee is paid in cash on the day, on top of the ticket price.
• Commentary is offered in five languages, so the pace can vary slightly depending on the language groups on board.

Meeting Point

Blu Marina, Via Cardinale Dusmet, 95100 Catania, inside Catania's harbour, a short walk from the city centre.