Near the Residence it is possible to profit by a riding-school which allows to visit the mouth of the Alcantara River and the whole neighbouring shore.
The docility of the horses and the experienced skill of the tour guides permit, even to unpractised people, to enjoy, in total safety, a really exclusive day.

The Residence benefits of an exclusive place, near the seaside but at only forty minutes from the volcano Etna, in the middle of the great lines of communication, and it offers the guests the opportunity to visit localities not far from there, rich in attractions and offers of every kinds.
First of all Taormina (at only 5 km from Giardini Naxos), well-known tourist area, magically stretched towards the Ionian Sea from a terrace which rests on some steep vertical rocky walls and which interrupts the sheer relieves falling perpendicularly to the sea and shaping the promontories of Taormina, Sant’Andrea, Castelluccio and the Isola Bella.
Don’t miss the boat excursions to the sea caves of Capo S. Andrea, which are organized just by the boatmen of the Isola Bella, now a nature reserve.
A little higher than Taormina (only 7 km far from Giardini Naxos), you can reach in few minutes Castelmola, a little medieval town on a strong calcareous cliff, with the ruins of a cinquecento castle in the highest spot of the built-up area.

Only 13 km far from Giardini Naxos you can find one of the most interesting sites in all Sicily: the Gole dell’Alcantara (Gorges of the Alcantara River), characterized by its imposing walls of basaltic pillars and by the perpetual waters of the Alcantara River flowing between them.

It is impossible to give up the excursions on the Mount Etna (43 km from Giardini Naxos) in spring, when the yellow broom blooms against the black background of the lava, but also in winter when the “giant” is covered with snow, to practise ski. It is advisable to rely on the safety of the guided visits, as regards the volcano: experienced guides escort you to the crater, by special off-road vehicles to feel unique sensations among the ancient lava flows and to admire an extraordinary beautiful landscape.

In Sant’Alfio territory, a strong naturalistic appeal is exerted by the Castagno dei Cento Cavalli (one-hundred-horse chestnut tree). It is said that Queen Jane d’Anjou and her retinue made up of one hundred knights found shelter under its leafy branches, which were described and painted by a large number of travellers in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. According to the scientists’ opinion, it is about 2,000 years old and, for that reason, it is considered one of the oldest trees in the world. But the natural wonders present in the municipal territory of Sant’Alfio are not only those ones: this attractive resort offers the visitors the mild features of its hazel groves, rural dwellings, woods which push on as far as the highest altitudes of the volcano.

Randazzo (36 km far from Giardini Naxos) is an ancient medieval centre, of a great cultural interest, which is utterly built with lava stones; it overlooks the Alcantara River from an archaic lava bed, on the North side of the Mount Etna.

Of as much interest, Acireale (37 km far from Giardini Naxos) is characterized by the eighteenth-century baroque and it is particularly renowned for its carnival, dating back to XVIII century, which is considered the most beautiful in Sicily.

Acicastello is very appealing, too. It is a sea village south of Acireale, in front of which there are the picturesque faraglioni (stacks) or isole dei Ciclopi (Cyclops islands – nature reserve) and Lachea, both of them are made of imposing columnar basalts, which were produced by ancient underwater eruptions.
A legend tells that Polyphemus threw those basalt rocks at Ulysses on the run.

The town of Catania lies on the low slopes of the Mount Etna, 45 km far from Giardini Naxos; in the South it is swathed by a wonderful sandy beach («la Plaja») and in the North by dark lava reefs. It is the town of St. Agata, Vincenzo Bellini and the «liotru», the ancient lava elephant which, inside the «Duomo» square fountain, supports an Egyptian obelisk and which, according to an Arabian geographer, should exorcise the volcanic dangers. The city is also rich in remarkable monuments and metropolitan environments.

In Messina (45 km far from Giardini Naxos), when the huge Strasbourg clock at «Duomo» square strikes noon, you can admire the spectacular performance of some symbolic automatons (1933). It is very complex: in the first scene there are the personifications of the days of the week; in the second setting you can see four figures signifying the ages of man which are released each quarter of an hour and -finally- Death with its sickle appears; in the third sight the scenes of a crib, Epiphany, Resurrection and Pentecost follow each other according to the ecclesiastical calendar. At noon o’clock a golden lion roars: once it was the badge of the town; the hours are struck by Dina and Clarenza, the heroines who saved the town from a night attack, during the Sicilian Vespers, by giving promptly the alarm; Our Lady of the Letter hands over a blessing letter to the ambassadors of Messina.

Isole Eolie. The natural environment of these islands is exceptional and it represents a remarkable attraction for tourists; it is characterised by a crystal-clear sea, a large number of archaeologic sites, and volcanic phenomena. The “Isole Eolie” (Aeolian Islands) are very easy to reach by means of hydrofoils and ferry-boats leaving from Messina and Milazzo.

Syracuse (110 km from Giardini-Naxos) overlooks a natural gulf which widens among white calcareous rocks, made of deposits where you can easily see some sea fossils. Those rocks were deeply carved by the waves, which dug some caves with steep walls. It is particularly interesting to visit one of those caves in which opens out the “Orecchio di Dionisio” (Dionisio’s Ear), an artificial dug-out area which gets narrower at the top almost at pointed arch, attributed to Caravaggio, which confirmed the legend that Dionisio used it as a prison which allowed him to listen -from the top- to what the prisoners said; as a matter of fact, the cave has peculiar characteristics of acoustic amplification. You must not miss to visit, in addition to the modern town, the island of Ortigia, where the Greeks firstly settled: today it is a picturesque place, with lots of very narrow streets and important monuments.

Caltagirone (116 km from Giardini-Naxos). Its historical centre keeps the baroque features of the eighteenth century, when it was rebuilt after the earthquake in 1693. Precious ceramic ware, glazed in green, light blue and yellow; and realistic earthenware figures reproducing scenes of life and costumes of the island.

Santo Stefano di Camastra (176 km from Giardini-Naxos). It is particularly remarkable the century-old traditional activity of the master-ceramists, who are well known for their production of majolica tiles which have been used to decorate churches, aristocratic and humble houses. The clay activity gives a lively atmosphere to the small town, showing to visitors, above all on the main road, an uninterrupted sequence of very coloured shops, full of masks, plates, pots and earthenware figures.

Piazza Armerina (144 km from Giardini-Naxos) is a small town laying on three hills just at the heart of central Sicily. The main archaeological appeal is exerted by the famous mosaic floors of “Villa del Casale”, which are among the largest and most beautiful ones of the Roman Age.

A very large number of pilgrims, each year, go to the “Santuario della Madonna Nera” (Our Black Lady’s Shrine) at Tindari (68 km from Giardini-Naxos). Those who arrive at the square in front of the façade of that temple are attracted by a long balcony falling sheer to the sea, to which nobody can avoid to get near. From that long balcony you can admire one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world. It is the picturesque lagoon of Marinello, at the foot of the rocky ridge of Tindari, with its marvellous little lakes and very popular beach.
A legend tells that a lady makes a vow to Our Lady of Tindari for her daughter’s recovery. But when she arrives at Tindari she is deceived because of the black face of the Virgin and she says: «The sight of a Negro slave did not really worth the discomfort of the long journey». Just at that moment, the child, whom she has left just a moment, falls down in the space below. The lady, desperate, goes back to the Virgin and says: «If you are the miraculous Virgin who saved my daughter, please, save her for the second time!» But the miracle has already occurred: the sea has receded and there, on the soft beach, unhurt and smiling, there is the child; someone takes her to her moved mother. To testify to the miracle, never more, since then, the sea took back the place where it happened; and it is very strange that one of those little lakes -some years ago (1982)- after a heavy sea, took the form of a woman so well detailed that those who have the privilege to admire this phenomenon are astonished. The outline, especially of the face, has persuaded people to the point that they recognize in it the Virgin of the overlooking shrine.

Also the itineraries in search of the Sicilian customs and traditions are as much interesting.
The whole area is well known for the sweets; among the specialities, you can find: “pasta reale” (marzipan); almond, hazel-nut, pistachio, chocolate small cakes; nougat; ice-creams and granitas (crushed-ice drinks); “ossi di morto” (“dead person’s bones”) and “cassata siciliana” (Sicilian cake containing cottage cheese, chocolate chips and candied fruit).
Throughout the year, lots of village festivals and fairs allow you to experience typical aromas and dishes of the rich local cuisine.