Letojanni Things to Do
Beaches
The sparkling azure sea is just a few steps across Letojanni’s stony but attractive beach which seems to go on forever. There are all kinds of water sports, and, as well as free areas, there is a lido where bathers can use sun loungers, showers, shades and other facilities. Mazzaro beach, below Taormina, Isola Bella nature reserve and the long, sandy beaches at Giardini-Naxos are all within easy reach.
Activities
From paragliding to horse riding, there’s plenty to do. Mountain biking on Etna’s slopes is as much of a challenge as the rider wants it to be. Letojanni has its own tennis club. Golfers will find courses with incredible views. There’s independent or skippered sailing. Walking and hiking, whether through the woodlands or the alien volcanic landscape, is particularly pleasant in spring and autumn. And in winter, Etna offers excellent downhill and cross-country skiing.
Diving
There is a scuba centre at nearby Isola Bella, the island which, with its Blue Grotto, is perhaps even more beautiful underwater.
Mount Etna
Etna unique geology and flora and fauna is protected as a regional park. Climbing the volcano is an experience that will never be forgotten (guided tours are recommended). The fertile slopes, with their olive groves, orchards and vineyards, give way to craters, smoking fissures and lava fields, and on a clear day the view from the summit includes the whole of Sicily, the Aeolian Isles and across to the mainland.
Taormina
Letojanni’s neighbour has medieval churches and palaces, Roman remains, a Greek theatre, which hosts film, theatre and live music, spectacular views, a cable-car down to the beach and an enduring charm that has attracted artists, writers and Hollywood royalty.
Castelmola
Perched high above Taormina, this is one of the most beautiful villages in all of Italy. Stop for lunch and enjoy the stunning panoramic views over the Bay of Giardini Naxos.
Palermo
The island’s vibrant, sometimes chaotic, yet beautiful capital, advertises itself as the world’s most conquered city, and has the architecture, culture and history to prove it.
Food & Drink
A holiday in Letojanni means lots of choices of restaurants for all budgets. Local cuisine mixes Italian staples with Arab, Spanish and French influences. Seafood is excellent and the fruit and vegetables are extra large and flavoursome thanks to the long, sunny days. Sicily has more vineyards than any other Italian region. Of those closest to Letojanni, Etna’s wines - reds, white and rosatos - are amongst the best in Italy, while to the north, the Faro area around Messina produces fine ruby reds.
Siracusa
Syracusae once rivalled Athens as the principle Greek city and is a must-see for the Temple of Apollo, the famous Greek theatre and some of the world’s best preserved Greek and Roman remains.
The Alcantara Gorge
This incredible volcanic gorge has sheer, black basalt walls, beautiful rapids and waterfalls. Visitors can hire waders to walk through the river, which always seems cold, but during the summer the brave take swimwear and enjoy the chance to cool off.
Aeolian Islands
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these seven islands off Sicily’s north-east coast, with their smouldering volcanoes, thermal pools and excellent beaches, are a magical destination.
