Italy, Sicily
Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa
View all photos 
Italy, Sicily
Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa
Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa – Golf at the Foot of Mount Etna
Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa, Curio Collection by Hilton, is a unique destination for golfers looking to discover a different side of Sicily. Here, you can play golf at the foot of impressive Mount Etna, surrounded by vineyards, ancient lava flows and the lush Sicilian countryside. This five-star resort combines a characterful 18-hole golf course with comfortable accommodation, an extensive spa, Sicilian gastronomy and an excellent location for exploring eastern Sicily. An ideal choice for those wishing to combine golf with nature, culture, wine and gastronomy.
Location
Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa is located near Castiglione di Sicilia, on the northern slopes of Mount Etna. The resort enjoys a beautiful green setting between Etna Park, Nebrodi Park and the nature reserve surrounding the Alcantara River. The combination of volcanic landscapes, vineyards and mountains gives this region a truly distinctive character.
Its location makes the resort particularly attractive for golfers who also want to discover more of Sicily during their holiday. A visit to Mount Etna is almost a must, while the spectacular Alcantara Gorge and famous destinations such as Taormina are also within easy reach. The area around Mount Etna is renowned for its excellent wines, which owe much of their distinctive character to the mineral-rich volcanic soil.
The resort offers various opportunities to explore the surrounding area. Excursions to Mount Etna can be arranged, as well as wine tastings, hiking and other activities. This makes Picciolo an attractive destination for both golfers and non-golfing partners.
Rooms and Suites
Picciolo Etna Golf Resort offers 100 rooms and suites, set amid the greenery of the golf course with spectacular Mount Etna as a backdrop. The rooms feature a modern and stylish minimalist-chic design, combining natural materials with contemporary elements.
Rooms are equipped with modern amenities including air conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, minibar and tea and coffee-making facilities. Depending on the room category, accommodation with a terrace and beautiful views over the golf course, vineyards or volcanic landscape is also available.
For guests looking for additional space, the resort offers several larger rooms and suites, including accommodation with a separate living area or arranged over two levels. The peaceful setting and green landscape surrounding the hotel provide the perfect environment in which to relax after a day of golf or sightseeing.
Facilities
Away from the golf course, Picciolo Etna Golf Resort has plenty to offer. One of its main attractions is the Etna Spa & Wellness, a wellness centre covering approximately 940 m². Relaxation takes centre stage in surroundings inspired by nature and the volcanic origins of the region.
The spa features a heated swimming pool with hydromassage, Turkish bath, Finnish sauna, ice bath, various experience showers and a relaxation area. Treatments and massages are also available, while the resort offers fitness facilities. It is the perfect place to relax your muscles after 18 holes of golf.
The resort also features indoor and outdoor swimming pools and offers various opportunities for active pursuits. The surrounding countryside is ideal for hiking and cycling, while excursions to Mount Etna are naturally one of the highlights of any stay.
Sicilian gastronomy also plays an important role. The resort features several restaurants, including La Ghiandaia, serving breakfast and dinner, Il Palmento in the Clubhouse and the more refined Olio & Vino. Local ingredients and the flavours of Sicily and the Etna region are an essential part of the culinary experience.
Golf
For golfers, the undisputed highlight is the Picciolo Golf Course. This historic course was designed in 1989 by Italian golf architect Luigi Rota Caremoli and was the first 18-hole golf course in Sicily.
The 18-hole, par-72 course measures 5,870 metres and extends across approximately 44 hectares of undulating terrain. Its distinctive character is largely defined by its extraordinary surroundings. The holes wind through vineyards, trees and volcanic rock formations, with Mount Etna providing an impressive backdrop throughout the round.
Picciolo is not a golf course where distance from the tee is all that matters. Changes in elevation, relatively narrow fairways, doglegs and strategically positioned hazards require accuracy and good course management. The natural contours of the landscape have been carefully incorporated into the design, making the course appear as though it has always been part of its surroundings.
It is precisely this variety that makes a round at Picciolo so special. One moment you are playing among trees and vineyards, while a few holes later you encounter dark volcanic rocks and spectacular views towards Mount Etna. It is a golf experience quite unlike the more traditional golf destinations around the Mediterranean.
The quality and character of the course have led Picciolo to host several professional golf tournaments over the years, including multiple editions of the Sicilian Ladies Italian Open and an event on the European Senior Tour.
Practice Facilities and Golf Academy
In addition to the 18-hole course, Picciolo Golf Club offers extensive practice facilities. These include a driving range with 16 practice bays, five of which are covered, as well as a putting green and pitching green.
Golfers wishing to improve their game during their stay can visit the Golf Academy for individual lessons and professional coaching. The Clubhouse also features a modern TrackMan Indoor Simulator, allowing both club movement and ball flight to be analysed in detail.
A Pro Shop, changing rooms and rental facilities for golf clubs, golf buggies and electric trolleys are also available. Picciolo therefore provides all the facilities you would expect from a complete golf resort.
Our packages
7 nights & 4 greenfees
from
€2640,- p.p.
5 nights & 3 greenfees
from
€2080,- p.p.
3 nights & 2 greenfees
from
€1180,- p.p.
Our packages
Flight price: These packages are based on a flight price of €400 per person. Depending on your departure date, surcharges or discounts may apply.
Golf: Il Picciolo Golf Club, other courses on request
Good to know
Guarantees
Golf Direct Tours is a member of the professional association of Flemish travel agencies VVR, license number A6261, with financial protection through the Flemish Travel Guarantee Fund. This is extremely important for you, as it ensures that you run no financial risk thanks to this guarantee fund.
Quality control
We assure you that we have personally visited all the locations mentioned in our brochures and on our website to carry out our own quality checks. We regularly travel to inspect hotels and golf courses on key points. We want to ensure that the only thing beyond your control is the weather. Our Quality Control is, therefore, a vital part of our organization.
Cancellation Insurance
When making your reservation, we will ask whether you would like to take out cancellation insurance. We strongly advise doing so immediately. If, for any unforeseen reason, you are unable to travel, the insurance will in many cases cover the travel sum (or a portion of it) minus the premium. The cost is 6.5% of the total travel sum. Our cancellation insurance is provided through Allianz Mondial Assistance. A copy of the policy terms is available upon request.
Golf Bag Transport
Transport of your golf bag is always included in our packages. However, if preferred, it is also possible to rent a golf set at many destinations for the desired period. Please contact us to inquire about the options.
Costs
To keep our trips as attractive as possible, we charge only €35.00 in administration fees per invoice. Change fees apply from six weeks before departure. These vary on a case-by-case basis. We aim to keep these costs as low as possible.
Car Rental
In most packages, a rental car is included in the travel price. A minimum age of 25 years and a credit card are required to rent a car. The car is provided as standard in category BB. You can upgrade to a higher category vehicle for an additional fee. The car rental includes CDW / TP / UM with deductible, but excludes fuel, airport taxes, and possible drop-off charges. A credit card is required as a deposit when collecting the car.
Golf in Sicily – Discover Picciolo Etna Golf Resort with Golf Direct
If you are looking for golf in Sicily combined with spectacular scenery, authentic Italian hospitality and the opportunity to discover one of the island’s most fascinating regions, Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa is an excellent choice. Located on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, this five-star Curio Collection by Hilton resort combines an 18-hole golf course with comfortable accommodation, wellness, Sicilian gastronomy and a unique volcanic landscape.
A golf holiday to Sicily involves more than simply booking a hotel and a few green fees. Flights, golf baggage, accommodation, tee times and transport all need to fit together. Golf Direct has specialised in golf holidays since 2006 and can organise your complete golf trip to Picciolo according to your personal preferences.
Golf in Sicily at the foot of Mount Etna
Sicily is famous for its sunshine, historic towns, Mediterranean cuisine and excellent wines. For golfers, the island offers the additional attraction of playing in extraordinary surroundings. At Picciolo, golf is played between vineyards, trees and volcanic rock formations, with mighty Mount Etna providing a spectacular backdrop.
Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa is located near Castiglione di Sicilia, between Etna Park, Nebrodi Park and the natural area surrounding the Alcantara River. This makes the resort an ideal base for combining golf with excursions.
During your stay, you can visit Mount Etna, discover the spectacular Alcantara Gorge or spend a day in beautiful Taormina. The Etna region is also renowned for its vineyards and distinctive wines produced on mineral-rich volcanic soils. A wine tasting therefore makes an excellent addition to your golf programme.
Golf at Picciolo Etna Golf Resort
The main attraction for golfers is the historic Picciolo Golf Course, designed in 1989 by Italian golf architect Luigi Rota Caremoli. It was the first 18-hole golf course in Sicily and remains one of the island’s most distinctive golf experiences.
The par-72 course measures 5,870 metres and extends over approximately 44 hectares of undulating terrain. The natural landscape plays an important role throughout the round. Fairways wind between vineyards, mature vegetation and volcanic rock, while elevation changes and strategically positioned hazards require thoughtful course management.
Picciolo is not simply about hitting the ball as far as possible. Relatively narrow fairways, doglegs and changes in elevation reward accuracy and strategy. This makes the course interesting for golfers of different levels.
The setting makes golf at Picciolo particularly memorable. Few golf destinations allow you to play 18 holes in such close proximity to an active volcano. The views, volcanic landscape and vineyards create an atmosphere that is completely different from the traditional coastal golf resorts of southern Europe.
Practice facilities and relaxation
Picciolo Golf Club also provides extensive practice facilities, including a driving range with 16 practice bays, a putting green and pitching green. Golfers wishing to improve their game can use the Golf Academy, while the TrackMan Indoor Simulator offers modern technology for detailed analysis of club movement and ball flight.
After your round, the Etna Spa & Wellness provides an ideal place to relax. The approximately 940 m² wellness centre includes a heated pool with hydromassage, Turkish bath, Finnish sauna, ice bath and relaxation areas. The resort also offers indoor and outdoor swimming pools and fitness facilities.
The combination of golf and wellness makes Picciolo particularly suitable for couples where one partner does not play golf or for golfers who want to alternate their rounds with days of relaxation and sightseeing.
Your Picciolo golf holiday with Golf Direct
At Golf Direct, we believe that every successful golf holiday starts with the preferences of the golfer. Would you like to play three, four or five rounds? Do you prefer morning tee times? Would you like to combine golf with excursions to Mount Etna or Taormina? Do you prefer a rental car to explore Sicily independently or comfortable private transfers?
Based on your requirements, Golf Direct can create a personalised travel proposal.
Golf Direct has specialised in golf holidays since 2006 and organises golf trips to carefully selected destinations throughout Europe and further afield. Our experience means that we understand that a golf holiday requires a different approach from a standard holiday.
The hotel and flights are important, but so are suitable tee times, the quality of the golf course, golf baggage and the right balance between golf and leisure. We therefore look at your holiday as one complete journey rather than a collection of separate reservations.
One complete golf package
When you book your golf holiday to Sicily with Golf Direct, we can combine the different elements of your trip into one convenient package. Depending on your preferences, this can include flights, accommodation at Picciolo Etna Golf Resort, golf baggage, green fees, tee times and rental car or transfers.
This saves you from having to make separate reservations and coordinate different suppliers yourself. Golf Direct provides one clear travel proposal based on your requirements.
Picciolo is also an excellent destination for combining golf with a longer tour of Sicily. A stay at the foot of Mount Etna can, for example, be combined with other regions of the island, allowing you to experience both golf and Sicily’s culture, gastronomy and landscapes.
Golf Direct – golf travel specialist since 2006
Since 2006, Golf Direct has been organising golf holidays to destinations including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Morocco, South Africa and Mauritius. Personal service, destination knowledge and tailor-made travel are at the heart of our approach.
Golf Direct has also been recognised several times by the World Golf Awards as Belgium’s Best Outbound Golf Tour Operator. Our aim is to make your golf holiday as comfortable and straightforward as possible, with all important arrangements made before departure.
Book golf in Sicily with Golf Direct
Would you like to experience golf in Sicily in the spectacular surroundings of Mount Etna? Golf Direct will be pleased to prepare a personalised proposal for your stay at Picciolo Etna Golf Resort & Spa, based on your travel dates, preferred room category, number of rounds and individual requirements.
With Golf Direct, you are not simply booking a hotel and green fees. You are choosing a complete golf experience where accommodation, golf and travel arrangements are carefully coordinated.
Picciolo Etna Golf Resort and Golf Direct: a unique combination of golf, Sicily, Mount Etna, gastronomy and personal service.
Golf Direct – travel for golfers, by golfers.
Questions about our internships or group trips?
Send us a message and we will contact you as soon as possible to discuss the possibilities.
Contact us