Experiencing Mount Etna: A Weekend That Changed How I See Sicily

Why experiencing Sicily from above changes everything.

We had the most memorable weekend.

I’m excited to sit down to write this, because something about it changed the way I see Sicily… and I didn’t expect that.

We spent the weekend on Etna - Santi and I, along with Priscilla, and our photographer.

We were there doing site visits for our upcoming Elite journeys.

And I realize that’s something people don’t always see.

Site visits are characterized by long days. We move around a lot, walk through spaces, sit down with multiple people, ask questions. Our job is to pay attention to the small things.

How something feels when you arrive. How the timing works. Who you meet. What actually makes a moment special and what doesn’t.

It’s how we decide what’s worth including in our journeys and what’s not.

When we brought Priscilla on as tour director, there was never a question. We trusted her completely to shape something exceptional - to really capture Sicily in a way that feels true, but also elevated.

So when she mentioned adding a helicopter experience, I remember thinking, oh, that’s cool. It sounded like something special. But I didn’t fully understand it yet.

This weekend was our first time in a helicopter. Both Santi and I. And I can honestly say… it changed something for me.

I’ve seen Etna so many times over the years. From the road, from different towns, always there in the background.

It’s impressive.

But from above… it’s a whole other story.

You’re not just looking at a volcano anymore. You’re seeing how everything fits together.

The mountain, the land around it, the sea in the distance.

After this helicopter experience I now understand this island so much better.

Something just clicked.

The idea behind our ELITE JOURNEYS finally makes complete sense.

It’s not about adding something for the wow factor.

It’s about perspective.

Seeing Sicily from different angles - by land, by sea, and now from the air. The islands, the volcanoes, the coastline… each one shows you something different.

And when you experience it that way, you don’t just see Sicily. You start to understand it.

The rest of the weekend felt like that too.

We drove up onto Etna, stopping in small towns along the slopes. We spent time at wineries built into volcanic rock, tasting wines that come directly from this land. As someone who hasn’t really had an appreciation for wine, I’m finally beginning to understand the allure. Especially as Etna is home to some of Italy’s most celebrated wines.

And at one point, we stopped for gelato and met Giovanna Musumeci who is a world-renowned gelato and granita master. We spoke a while about her process, her ingredients, why she does things the way she does.

We tried these flavors - pistachio, raspberry and chocolate. It was literally the best granita we’ve ever had. Santi can confirm (and that says alot coming from a Sicilian!).

It was a busy weekend. We even stayed a night in Taormina which is always a treat!

From the raw beauty of Etna to elegant Taormina. Sicily is all about contrasts and that’s what makes our journeys special.

Ten years here and Sicily never stops amazing me. Never would I have ever thought that the experience of Sicily from above would give me an entirely new perspective on a place I thought I already knew.

This was truly a life-changing experience. And that’s what I wanted to share with you.

Not just what we did…but what it made me see.

We want to share this perspective of Sicily with you. That is the whole intention around our Elite Journeys. If this is the kind of Sicily you’ve been wanting to experience we’d love to welcome you to Sicily.

And to think this weekend was the moment it all really came together for me.

From beautiful Sicily,

Dara

Founder, Gems of Sicily

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