I Played Golf On An Active Volcano. Here's How You Can Too...

Have you ever thought about playing golf in the foothills of one of the world's most active volcanoes? Well, neither had I until I was invited to explore eastern Sicily and the newly renovated Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa. Sicily isn’t famed for its golf, but luckily, this charming golf course and boutique hotel offer a unique experience that mixes golf and a series of quintessential Sicilian experiences that golfers and non-golfing friends and family can enjoy in equal measure.

The Setting

Mount Etna is the most active volcano in Europe. Sitting 11,000ft above sea level, I arrived in early June, a day after what the British press had described as a ‘major eruption sending tourists fleeing.’ Luckily, the locals, who are far more attuned to Etna’s comings and goings, weren’t too concerned about one of the volcano’s several yearly eruptions, and we headed up to the hotel as planned.

From Catania airport on the southeast of the island, Picciolo is an hour's ride up the curvy coastal and mountain roads. Secluded around 2000ft above sea level, the boutique hotel is a perfect place to base your stay to enjoy some characterful golf as well as everything eastern Sicily has to offer golfers and non-golfers alike.

The hotel

While Sicily’s charm at Etna’s majesty will be most tourists’ initial pull to the island, it will be Picciolo Etna Golf Resort and Spa that makes the trip all the more memorable. The resort's hotel and golf facilities have benefited from an £18 million renovation over the last five years, covering the clubhouse, the hotel, the golf course and a new collection of private villas dotted around the site.

My newly renovated room was, as one might expect, immaculate, with a charming private veranda overlooking a local vineyard and Mount Etna herself. Whether it was an espresso in the morning or an Aperol Spritz in the evening, there was a real sense of privacy and tranquillity at Picciolo that you don't often get visiting larger golf and spa resorts.

The hotel has recently become a part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, a selection of independent, upscale hotels that have been selected for their character, charm and unique experiences. In total, 100 rooms (including suites, deluxe rooms and rooms in the clubhouse) make up the complex, which also benefits from two outdoor pools and a recently renovated spa. Next year, on-site villas will be added to further the options.

The luxury spa boasts a heated pool with hydromassage, a Finnish sauna and a Turkish bath, six private treatment cabins and much, much more for those who would rather put their feet up than walk the golf course. As one would rightfully expect at a Sicilian hotel, the food is plentiful, fresh and beautifully curated. Lunches on the clubhouse patio consisted of meat platters, fresh pasta and more wine than I normally like to enjoy at 2 pm on a weekday afternoon. Dinners were sublime. Our final night’s feast at La Ghiandaia restaurant featured a stunning tasting menu featuring some local dishes and the freshest ingredients.

The golf

The golf course is as tight as it is charming. Precision and patience are key around the 5,600-metre 18-holer, but that is easy to come by as you walk the well-conditioned fairways and greens with a more than regular glimpse of Mount Etna’s peak. With the volcano chuffing away above you and fairways occasionally separated by solidified lava fields, it can be hard to focus on the golf at hand and it was certainly one of the most inspiring venues I've ever played golf.

Such a tight course means the driver is very rarely needed. Even on the course's five par 5s, position off the tee significantly outweighs any distance gained with the big stick. I was using one of the many decent-quality rental sets and found the chunky 3-iron in the set was more than enough to take me around the course.

Highlights include the 10th hole, a 200-yard par 3 with a smoking Mount Etna as your direct backdrop. The 9th and 18th holes stand out as two brilliant ends to either half of the course, with big dog leg tee shots that snake down the hill back towards the clubhouse.

Though quirky in its design, I couldn't fault its condition. The greens ran true and were quick enough to keep you honest, while the fairways were equally well presented. Entering this course with the right mindset will be key to getting the most from it. This isn't your classic resort course or bomber's paradise. Enjoy it as a test of your iron play and short game with some of the best views in Sicily, rather than somewhere to play a longest drive contest.

All abilities will be welcome here. For the better golfer, it's a tough test of your iron play and short game, while less experienced golfers will appreciate the variety of tee options and the lack of length you sometimes get at larger resort courses.

The island

Off the course, my trip was heightened and enlightened by the wealth of off-course activities that truly make Sicily a golf adventure like no other. The nearby towns of Savoca and Taormina are well worth a visit, with at least a day or two's adventuring to be had down on the coast, roughly 30km from the hotel reception. The former is famed for its role in the first Godfather movie, while the latter was the setting for season two of HBO's The White Lotus. Fans of the film or TV series will have a superb time roaming the streets, but these cute towns are absolutely worth a visit in their own right, with picturesque side streets and excellent restaurants and bars to experience, as well as some of the best views on the island.

During my stay, I also had the chance to tour a local vineyard, of which, as you might imagine, there are plenty to choose from in the rich soils of Sicily. A guided hike up the foothills of Etna is also something I would highly recommend during your time. A history and geography lesson all rolled into one, it gave me a far deeper understanding of the events that have shaped the island and an all-new appreciation of the power and majesty of Etna.

This certainly isn’t a likely destination for the lads' golf trip - Spain and Portugal still have you covered there. However, my time in Sicily opened my eyes to a very different kind of golf holiday, one that golfers and non-golfers alike can enjoy in equal measure. With such a wealth of activities off the golf course and a charming, premium boutique hotel to base yourself from, groups of all kinds can expect to enjoy everything eastern Sicily has to offer, with some of Sicily's best golf sprinkled on top.