Description
This Cyclops Riviera boat tour sets off from the pier at Acitrezza on the Polifemo, a small family-run boat that has worked here since 2015. For 90 minutes it follows the Ionian shore beneath Mount Etna, and soon Lachea Island appears: the biggest of the Cyclops Islands, now a nature reserve.
Below the Faraglioni, the dark lava stacks that Polyphemus hurled at Ulysses in the legend, the skipper switches the engine off. Seen from sea level they are basalt columns, and the skipper explains how lava from Etna met the water and set into prisms. The island also has a lizard that lives nowhere else.
Next the boat heads south to Aci Castello, with its dark Norman castle perched on lava rock, a sight you never get from the shore, then to the Cannizzaro cliffs. If the sea is calm enough, it drifts into the Caves of Ulysses, again without the engine.
- A swim stop in the Isole Ciclopi marine reserve, masks and snorkels on board
- Life jackets for everyone
- Skipper commentary in Italian and English
The outing depends on sea conditions: the departure time is confirmed the day before, and if the sea is unsuitable you can reschedule or get a refund. Bring sunscreen, a hat and a towel.