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Latest update: 5 April 2025
The water of the Alcantara river is freezing cold, and I mean FREEZING cold. But that doesn’t stop me from wading further into the gorge, because shuffling along the lava walls is a unique experience. Well, maybe not as unique as I’d like to think, since quite a few people know about this gorgeous gorge in western Sicily.
Gole dell’Alcantara: come early!
The Gole dell’Alcantara (the Alcantara gorge) gets its name from the Alcantara river (in Arabic, al qantara means ‘bridge’). The gorge is about a 30-minute drive from Taormina. So if you’re staying in Taormina, you can get there nice and early, which I recommend.
Coming from Enna, I have to drive much longer and don’t arrive at the Alcantara gorge until around 11 AM. By then, it’s already super crowded. Those beautiful, serene photos of the lava walls and flowing water? I can forget about it.
This is the Google Maps location.
How to visit the Alcantara Gorge?
Officially, parking at Gole Alcantara is free, but a crafty guy directs you to a spot and expects a donation. I have a 50-cent coin in my pocket, which seems more than enough for this “help.”
At the entrance, you can buy a ticket. If there’s a long line, you can quickly buy one online on this (slightly confusing) website. You can do all kinds of activities, like a bike tour, canyoning, or rafting – it’s better to reserve those kinds of activities in advance. But if you just want to visit the gorge, buying a ticket on the spot is totally fine.
You then have two options: basic and walking. With basic, you can only visit the museum and descend to the gorge; with walking, you can also enter the botanical garden (Parco Botanico e Geologico Gole Alcantara) and walk along the cliff. I chose the latter ticket, but I think you might as well save those extra €4 ($4.35) for a gelato. I’ll show you some photos in a bit.
Skip the cliff walk
You can enter the botanical garden and walk along the cliff with the walking option. Officially, this route takes 45 minutes (0.75 miles/1.2 kilometers), but in reality, I’m done in half the time. It’s just not that interesting. Occasionally, there’s a nice view of the gorge and the river, but the garden isn’t much to write home about. The route is pretty flat, but sometimes you must climb a small section to get a good view of the gorge.
Divine water in the Alcantara Gorge
According to legend, the god Vulcan (the god of fire and volcanoes) made the river water warm so the goddess Venus could bathe comfortably there. When their love came to an end, Vulcan was so angry that he made the water ice cold. The water at the spot where Venus used to bathe now helps men regain their masculinity and women their virginity. Believable story, right?
On to the highlight: the Alcantara Gorge
Time to enter the gorge. You reach it either via a long staircase or via an elevator. I was planning to go down using the stairs and up with the elevator, but apparently that’s not allowed with my ticket. So lazy me takes the elevator.
Hot lava, ice-cold water
My best friend and I leave our shoes on the shore, only to be shocked by how cold the water is. I knew it would be, but those first steps into the water feel like an ice bath. But we push through, and get used to it.
The gorge’s walls are solidified lava, as the gorge was formed by an eruption of Mount Etna. The lava ended up in the valley and solidified. Later, an earthquake split the lava, creating a gorge. Pretty cool, right?
The Alcantara river is not exactly a gently babbling brook. In some places, it is, but often, the ice-cold water sloshes through the gorge with considerable force. When the snow melts in spring, the Alcantara carries the meltwater, and the river becomes truly wild. The bottom is covered with stones of various sizes, creating small whirlpools, rapids, and waterfalls. The further you enter the gorge, the more challenging it becomes, and the more people turn back.
And the more interesting it gets, of course, because this creates some space to really take in the high walls and the rugged water. I understand why this is such a poorly kept secret.
Practical tip!
Despite the cold, it’s recommended to explore the Alcantara Gorge in swimwear and WITH water shoes – they don’t cost much at Amazon for example and are really helpful. At the entrance to the gorge, it might seem like a good idea (at least it did to me) to enter in your regular clothes, but after a while, the water comes up to your waist. And if, like me, you always want to go just a bit further, swimwear is much more practical.
Chilling on the Alcantara shore
After a while, I don’t feel the cold in the water anymore, but when I get out, I notice how numb I actually am. Along the river bank, I find a spot to dry off. Some people decide to make their visit to the Alcantara gorge a sort of “beach day”. But honestly, it’s not very comfortable lying on the stones. Just sit for a bit to dry off and then move on!
Facilities at the Alcantara gorge
The Gole Alcantara is fully geared toward tourists. So there’s a huge parking lot, a souvenir shop, toilets, and a takeout restaurant. If nothing there appeals to you, you can also find some restaurants across the road. Or drive on to your next destination and eat there.
More Sicily travel inspiration
Useful links for your Sicily trip
- Accommodation. Always handy is Booking.com. Rather stay in a hostel? Try HostelWorld.
- Activities. Book the best tours and activities at GetYourGuide, Klook and Viator. Book “free” walking tours at Freetour or GuruWalk , and for bike tours, Baja Bikes.
- Attractions and museums. For 5% off museums and attractions, use discount code KIMOPREIS22 at Tiqets.
- Car rental. Compare prices and insurance coverage at DiscoverCars and Rentalcars.com.
- Flights. Compare all your options! Definitely Skyscanner, and Kiwi.
- Guide books. I love the practical guides by Lonely Planet, for sale at Bol.com and Amazon.
- Package deals. Rather go on a catered trip? Start your search at Expedia or CheapOair.
- SIM card. Beware of unexpectedly high phone and internet costs. Buy a local SIM card when you arrive, or arrange one online via Airalo.
- Yoga retreat. Or join a yoga retreat in Sicily.
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