Cyclops Coast from Catania: sailing, snorkelling or an aperitif cruise?
Updated October 18, 2026 · 5 min read
For most visitors the four-hour sail tour with a swim stop and a Sicilian aperitif is the best choice: it is the most reviewed boat trip from Catania, costs €49.50 and sails the Cyclops coast from Catania to Aci Trezza. The near-identical snorkelling cruise is a fair alternative, the sunset sail is for the light, and the short two-hour cruise is the cheapest way to see the rocks.
The coast you are paying to see
The Cyclops Riviera runs north from Catania towards Aci Castello and Aci Trezza. Off Aci Trezza, a short way from the shore, a group of black basalt rocks rises from the sea: Isola Lachea and the Faraglioni, the biggest of them tall enough to stand out from far away. They are protected as a marine reserve, the Isole Ciclopi. In the Odyssey, the blinded Cyclops Polyphemus throws boulders at Ulysses’ ship, and the locals say these are the boulders. That story is why every boat trip here carries the name.
From the water you see the lava coast and the rocks together, and Etna above the coast. That view is the product, and all the trips below sell variations on it.
The boat trips compared
| Boat trip | Length | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sail tour of the Cyclops coast with Sicilian aperitif | 4 hours | €49.50 per person | 4.7 stars, 1,024 reviews |
| Cyclops coast cruise with appetizer and snorkelling | 4 hours | €49.68 per person | 4.7 stars, 974 reviews |
| Sunset sailing tour with aperitif | 3.5 hours | €53 per person | 4.7 stars, 190 reviews |
| Cyclops Riviera cruise | 2 hours | €42.50 per person | 4.5 stars, 63 reviews |
Sail or cruise?
The first two are priced within 18 cents of each other and have almost the same rating and number of reviews, so the title is the main difference. The first is a sail tour: the description has you sail from Catania to Aci Trezza with a guide, stop to swim or snorkel, and relax with bubbly and local delicacies. The second is a cruise, with a stop to snorkel along the lava coast and a traditional Sicilian appetizer aboard.
Both give you a swim or snorkel stop and a bite to eat, in about four hours. If you like the idea of wind and canvas, take the first. If you do not care how the boat moves and want the snorkelling at the centre, either works. Read the booking page of each for the details the short description leaves out: the type of boat, the number of guests and whether the drinks are included.
The cheap short cruise
The Cyclops Riviera cruise is the lowest price among the boat trips here and the shortest: it leaves from the harbour of Catania, sails north along the Cyclops Riviera and goes as far as Acitrezza. Its booking page lists a swim stop and an aperitif on board with a glass of Prosecco and fruit, and it leaves from the Ognina pier in Catania. It has a lower rating (4.5) and far fewer reviews (63) than the main two, and it is half the length, so treat it as a short outing rather than a half-day one.
Sunset, or private
The sunset sail is filed under Aci Trezza in the listing, but its page gives the meeting point as the Caffè del Porto in Via Cardinale Dusmet, in the port of Catania. The sea is the same, and the light is the reason to go. It includes drinks and snacks, per its description, and has fewer reviews (190), but its rating matches the leaders.
A few other listings charge per group instead of per person. One 3-hour guided sunset sail with aperitif and prosecco is priced at €680 for up to 10 people, and a 6-hour coastline sail with aperitif and lunch at €890 for up to 10. They are private or shared options, and a small group can make them worth it: €680 across ten people is €68 each, but the same trip with four people costs €170 each. Both have fewer than 100 reviews, so read their pages carefully before you commit.
Things to check before you book
Swimming and snorkelling: the rocks are a protected marine area, and the operator decides where you may stop. Ask what equipment is supplied and whether you need your own mask.
Children: minimum ages are set by each operator and appear on the booking page. They are not in the short descriptions, so do not assume.
Seasickness: a sailing boat moves more than a ferry. If you are prone to it, ask a pharmacist or doctor before the trip rather than relying on advice from a travel site.
Departure point: all four leave from Catania. The sail tour, the snorkelling cruise and the sunset sail meet at the port (the sunset sail at the Caffè del Porto in Via Cardinale Dusmet), the short cruise at the Ognina pier. Check the meeting point on the booking page before you go.
Cancellations: boat trips depend on the sea. Look for the weather policy and what you get back if the trip is cancelled.
All the boat options sit together in the Cyclops coast boat tours category, and if you are combining the coast with a day on the volcano, the Etna tour comparison will help you plan it.
