Have you ever dreamed of launching from Mount Etna and landing gently on a beautiful beach like a bird? Or have you ever dreamed of retracing the exploits of the Italian paragliding champion Marco Bussetta in his childhood home? The Etnean star, who became national paragliding champion in 2020, was born and raised at the foot of Mount Etna in Paternò. He continues to teach paragliding in the area. Flying over the beautiful landscape of Sicily is not an ordinary experience! So even if you are not an expert in the field, after a short technical and safety briefing, why not take the opportunity to explore the island from above!

Since take-off is always from an inclined slope, the plains and low coastline do not offer ideal conditions for take-off; however, Sicily, being a predominantly mountainous and hilly region, offers countless flying sites and offers for paragliding.

What to go paragliding in Sicily?

- From Taormina, one of Sicily's most characteristic towns, you can descend by tandem paraglider to the beautiful beach of Letojanni. The most popular sites here are Gallodoro and Castelmola (Monte Veneretta), which take off from 500 and 800 metres above sea level, respectively. Two-seater paragliding on Monte Venere also offers a beautiful landscape to launch, with take-offs from a fairly high altitude, around 800 metres.

- Near Messina, an unmissable paragliding experience is at Capo Cavalà: from Capo Calavà, at an altitude of 470 metres, in Gioiosa Marea, this tandem flight will land you on one of the most beautiful beaches on the Saracen Coast.

- Also, why not take off from Rocca del Corvo? At an altitude of 600 metres, on the slopes of Mount Etna, in the province of Catania, and land in the birthplace of the 2020 Italian paragliding champion Marco Bussetta, namely Paternò? In Catania, we also recommend taking off from Fiumefreddo (at 300 metres above sea level) to land on the beautiful Catania coastline.

- In western Sicily, we highly recommend flying over the Punta Bianca Nature Reserve in the province of Agrigento. Taking off from Giallonardo (14-40 metres above sea level), we usually aim to reach the neighbouring town of Siculiana. However, if the south-westerly wind permits, the paragliding route gives you the chance to cover a distance of 20 km and land at Eraclea Minoa, home to the Foce Del Fiume Platani Oriented Nature Reserve.

- In the northern part of the island, the Piana degli Albanesi near Palermo is a place steeped in history where you can fly from an altitude of 740 metres to San Giuseppe Jato (463 metres above sea level). Inland from Palermo, we recommend flights from Castelbuono, the birthplace of the vice world paragliding champion Giuliano Minutella.

- In the same province, Cefalù is a fantastic place to fly from a height of 250 metres above sea level. You can admire the architecture of this beautiful and ancient Norman town. Just 10 km from Cefalù, you will witness an incredible view of one of Sicily's most beautiful coastlines. This can be enjoyed from Pollina, located within Madonie Park. It is known for its enchanting variety of flora and fauna, with a take-off from Castelbuono at 300 metres above sea level. The latter town is the home of the 2021 world vice paragliding champion Giuliano Minutella.

- In the adjacent province of Trapani, the beautiful town of San Vito Lo Capo offers both the possibility of taking off from Mount Cofano, which is 290 metres above sea level. You will enjoy the view of the bay of Castelluzzo and that of starting from Mount Sauci, with take-off at 630 metres above sea level and a fascinating view over the Zingaro Nature Reserve.

- The province of Syracuse in Palazzolo Acreide is considered the ideal conditions for take-off. The best time to take off is dueing late afternoon with several take-off points available like the panoramic Palazzolo Acreide (670 metres), Contrada Spano and Monte Lauro Sud-Est. At the end of the experience, you will receive a certificate of baptism of flight.

Paragliding in Sicily is truly fascinating, wherever you want to practice it. With 20-30 minute flights over the many Natural Reserves, inland full of forests and spectacular mountains, and coasts with a beautiful crystalline sea are incredible 'walks'. All these experiences you can take with you forever because paragliding activities offer photo and video services, which will capture the most exciting moments of the flight.

In addition, the favourable weather conditions and mild climate in Sicily make tandem flying possible in any season. So what are you waiting for? At low prices, with fantastic flight sites, in safety, with the right guide by your side, you can enjoy an experience out of the ordinary in Sicily. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to do it alongside a world champion like Marco Busetta.