Catania: Full-Day Boat Trip to the Cyclops Nature Reserve with Lunch

About This Experience

This full-day trip runs from around 10am to 5pm aboard a sailboat authorised to moor inside the Isola dei Ciclopi Marine Protected Area, one of the more sheltered and picturesque stretches of coast east of Catania. A professional skipper is on board throughout, with commentary in Italian and English covering the coastline, the reserve itself and the fishing village of Aci Trezza nearby.

The boat sails along the volcanic coast, stopping below the Norman castle at Aci Castello for a swim before continuing to Aci Trezza, where it moors inside the marine reserve for part of the day. Snorkelling equipment, a stand-up paddleboard or, depending on availability, a large floating mattress are carried on board for the swim stops, giving guests several ways to spend time in the water.

Lunch is a Sicilian appetiser with local products followed by a seafood-based dish cooked on board using the catch available that day, served with wine, beer or soft drinks depending on availability. Guests can also choose to go ashore in Aci Trezza to walk the promenade or rent a pedal boat, adding a land-based break to the day at sea.

The operator calls the day before to confirm the exact meeting point and time, so keep your phone reachable in the run-up to the trip. A separate agency fee is paid in cash directly to the skipper, and the outing isn't recommended for pregnant women or people with mobility impairments, back problems, or a tendency towards seasickness, given the length of the day.

Highlights

• Authorised mooring inside the Isola dei Ciclopi Marine Protected Area.
• A swim stop below the Norman castle at Aci Castello.
• A seafood-based lunch cooked on board, alongside a Sicilian appetiser.
• Time ashore in Aci Trezza to walk the promenade or rent a pedal boat.
• Snorkelling equipment and a paddleboard or floating mattress on board.
• A full day at sea, running from around 10am to 5pm.

What's Included

• ✓ Professional skipper for the full-day excursion
• ✓ Authorised access to the Isola dei Ciclopi Marine Protected Area
• ✓ Appetiser with local products
• ✓ Seafood-based lunch cooked on board
• ✓ Wine, beer or soft drinks, depending on availability
• ✓ Snorkelling equipment

Not Included

• Towels
• Agency fee (€15 per person, paid directly to the skipper in cash)
• Seasickness tablets or other medication
• Pedal boat rental in Aci Trezza (available to rent locally)

What to Bring

• Passport or ID card (a copy is accepted)
• Comfortable shoes
• Comfortable clothes
• Beachwear
• Cash, for the agency fee and any extras

Good to Know & Caveats

• The operator calls the day before to confirm the exact meeting point and time.
• A €15 per-person agency fee is paid directly to the skipper in cash, on top of the ticket price.
• The day runs long, roughly 10am to 5pm, so pace yourself in the sun.
• Lunch depends on the day's catch, so the seafood dish served can vary.
• Going ashore in Aci Trezza or renting a pedal boat is optional, not part of every trip.

Meeting Point

CAFFE DEL PORTO, Banchina Centrale, Via Cardinale Dusmet, 95121 Catania, inside Catania's harbour.