Mount Etna and Aspromonte Mountains: Snow Fun weekend: 31 January 2025 to 2 February 2025

Name: Mount Etna and Aspromonte Mountains: Snow Fun weekend: 31 January 2025 to 2 February 2025
Start: 2025-01-31T03:30:00+01:00
End: 2025-02-02T20:30:00+01:00
Location: Go Sicily Travel by Mario Spiteri

Schedule

Fri Jan 31 2025 at 03:30 am to Sun Feb 02 2025 at 08:30 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Go Sicily Travel by Mario Spiteri | Mosta, MA

Mount Etna and Aspromonte Mountains Snow Fun Weekend by catamaran: 31 January to 2 February 2025
We are pleased to return again with our Snow Fun 3-day weekend breaks following the success we had with this tour in previous years.
It is a known fact that there are many people in Malta who have not seen, let alone touched, the snow.
Our Snow Fun Weekend Break is in fact intended as a reasonably priced option both for those who are yet to experience this white wonder, which one usually associates with more expensive alpine destinations, as also for those who have already had such an experience and who would like to spend a weekend enjoying various snow-based activities, such as sledging, skiing, making and throwing snowballs, building a snowman, trekking on snow, going on a cable car or chair lift and much more.
We will have the opportunity to enjoy two of the most beautiful mountain areas in Southern Italy, namely Mount Etna in Sicily and the Aspromonte Mountains in mainland Italy.
Visiting: Mount Etna, Zafferana Etnea, Gambarie in Aspromonte, Lago di Rumia, Messina, Centro Commerciale Porte di Catania Auchan, Pozzallo
Programme
Friday 31 January 2025
04:30 Meet at Virtu Ferries port terminal for check in and embarkation on Virtu Ferries catamaran mv St John Paul II
06:00 Departure to Pozzallo
08:00 Arrival in Pozzallo and disembarkation from catamaran
08:15 Departure to Pozzallo town, where we will proceed to the promenade.
08:30 Arrival in Pozzallo. Free time for a coffee / Sicilian pastries at a local dolceria (not included in tour price) and to enjoy the views of this splendid seaside area.
09:15 Departure towards Catania
10:15 We arrive in Catania and start on a panoramic drive up the slopes of Mount Etna. We will pass through various interesting mountain villages, leading to the alpine scenery full of vegetation before passing through the volcanic areas of Mount Etna. This is the time of the year when Mount Etna takes on its white wintery coat.
11:15 We arrive at Rifugio Sapienza at an altitude of nearly 2000 metres above sea level. Possibility to hire equipment (not included in tour price) such as sledges, skis and snow shoes so as to be able to practice various snow-based activities whilst on Mount Etna. One can opt to take the cable car (not included in price) from Rifugio Sapienza (2000 metres above sea level) to Montagnola (2500 metres above sea level) and back. The cable car journey will take around 20 minutes each way, during which one will travel around one kilometre and gain around 500 metres of altitude. If the ski slopes are open, one can also take out the skipass in order to enjoy the ski slopes in Montagnola (one blue easy difficulty piste and one red medium difficulty piste). Free time on Mount Etna, during which one can browse the shelves of the many bric-a-brac shops or sip a capucchino, tea or a beer in one of the many mountain chalets in the area. Free time for lunch (not included in tour price) in one of the chalets at either Rifugio Sapienza or Montagnola.
14:30 We meet after lunch so as to visit together the picturesque Crateri Silvestri, which enjoy spectacular 360 degree views.
15:15 Departure from Crateri Silvestri, where we will start our descent along another panoramic slope of Mount Etna, heading towards the mountain village of Zafferana Etnea, which is known as the capital for honey.
15:45 Arrival in the picturesque village of Zafferana Etnea. Here, we will visit a small honey-producing family business, where we will attend a demonstration on beekeeping and honey production. We will have the opportunity to taste various types of honey, including the eucalyptus, chestnut, honeydew and millefiori (thousand flowers) varieties, as also other typical Sicilian products, such as extra virgin olive oil, pates, pestos, sweet garlic, local wine, Limoncello, Pistacchio Liquer, the famous Fire of Etna Liquer and more.
16:15 Departure towards Messina
17:30 Arrival in Messina and embarkation on the ferry to the Italian mainland
18:00 Departure from Messina. During the short ferry trip, one can opt to take in the splendours of the majestic Straits of Messina from the ferry deck or to enjoy a coffee (not included in tour price) from the on-board cafeterias
18:15 Arrival in Villa San Giovanni and departure to Gambarie, located in the beautiful natural setting of the Parco Nazionale dell' Aspromonte.
19:30 Arrival at our hotel, the 3 star Superior Spa Hotel Centrale (www.hotelcentrale.net). Check in and allocation of rooms
20:30 Dinner at our Hotel
Saturday 1 February 2025
07:30 Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Today we will spend the morning enjoying the alpine scenery within the area where our hotel is located. Orientation with the town centre of Gambarie. We will visit the shops from where one can hire or buy snow equipment such as sledges, skiis, snow boots, snow shoes and snow clothing. We will also visit the chairlifts located just 100 metres away from our hotel, from where one can go further up on the Gambarie mountains. One can also opt to visit the bob circuit and enjoy a thrilling ride on this wonderful attraction. Opportunity to enjoy the spa at the hotel (not included in price: prior booking directly with the hotel reception is recommended). Free time in Gambarie, including free time for lunch.
16:00 Departure by private coach to visit the nearby Lake of Rumia, located just three kilometres away from our hotel. Opportunity to relax by the lake, possibly feeding the ducks or going for a walk around this small lake or enjoying a coffee or beer from the lakeside bar.
17:45 Return to our hotel, followed by free time.
20:00 Dinner at our hotel.
Sunday 2 February 2025
0730 Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Free time in Gambarie in order to continue enjoying the various attractions in this wonderful white winter wonderland.
11:30 Check out from the Hotel and departure to Villa San Giovanni.
12:30 Arrival in Villa San Giovanni
13:00 Departure by ferry to Messina
13:15 Arrival in Messina. We will visit the historical centre of Messina, where we will see the main square, the Gothic cathedral and the adjacent world famous astronomical clock, which is the largest of its kind in the world. Free time for lunch in Messina (not included in price)
15:00 Departure to Catania
16:15 Arrival in Catania, where we will visit the Centro Commerciale Porte di Catania Auchan for some shopping therapy. Here one can visit more than 150 shops including Auchan, Bata, Decathlon, Carpisa, Desigual, H&M, MediaWorld, Tezenis and much more
17:30 Departure from Catania
18:30 Arrival in Pozzallo port for check in and embarkation on the catamaran.
19:30 Departure to Malta
21:30 Arrival in Malta
Terms and conditions:
Price :
Adults: €549
Children aged 4 to under 14 years : €449
Children aged up to under 4 years : €100
Price includes:
Catamaran trip Malta-Pozzallo-Malta
All taxes and port charges
All transfers and excursions by private coach which stays with us throughout our stay
Ferry Messina-Villa San Giovanni-Messina
Accomodation for two nights (based on twin, double or triple room sharing) on half board basis at 3* Superior Spa Hotel Centrale (www.hotelcentrale.net), in Gambarie, Province of Reggio Calabria.
City tax on hotel stay
Three Course dinner inclusive of free flowing wine and mineral water at the Hotel on Friday and Saturday evening
Buffet breakfast at the Hotel on Saturday and Sunday morning
Honey tasting and local products tasting session in Zafferana Etnea
Service of experienced Go Sicily Travel tour leader
Insolvency Fund certificate
Other:
Single Room Supplement: €30 per person per night x 2 nights = €60
Mount Etna:
Purchase of plastic sledge: €5 less Go Sicily Travelcard discount €0.50 = €4.50
Hire of skis, snow boots and snow sticks for a day: €20
Cable car return trip:
Adults: €50
Children aged over 5 and under 10 years: €30
Children aged under 5 years: free of charge
Gambarie:
Chairlift return trip: €8
Hire of skiis, snow boots and snow sticks for a day: €25
Payment terms:
Deposit of €100 per person on confirmation
Balance by 15 January 2025 or immediately on booking for bookings made after 15 January 2025
COVID-19 measures:
At www.gosicilytravel.com, we pride ourselves in offering quality experiences which are fully compliant with COVID-19 requirements whilst at the same time ensuring that our guests have an enjoyable experience
COVID vaccination certificates or swab tests are not required to travel to Italy and back to Malta with effect from 25 July 2022. The compilation of Passenger Locator Forms is also not required.
Terms and conditions:
Link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2316066091759498&type=3
For enquiries and bookings please contact us on:
Mobile: 79742459
or
email: [email protected]
or
via Facebook message
or
visit us (by prior appointment on 79742459) at our offices at
Go Sicily Travel, Cube Office Suites, 154, Eucharistic Congress Road, Mosta (road in front of Mosta Dome, around ten doors up from Partit Laburista club on the left hand side in the direction of Valletta)