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Alcantara Gorges – Alcantara Gorge loop from Motta Camastra

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Hiking trails & Routes

Alcantara Gorges – Alcantara Gorge loop from Motta Camastra

Moderate

3.4

(11)

hikers

Alcantara Gorges – Alcantara Gorge loop from Motta Camastra

02:11

8.01km

120m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Last updated: June 24, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Parco dell'Alcantara

Waypoints

Start point

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186 m

Path to the Alcantara Gorge

Highlight • Trail

The small loop between points 2 and 5 is subject to a fee (€2 in April 2026 + €1/h parking) and descends to the river at the end of the gorge; for a view above the gorge, there is a supplement of €6.
Try to avoid the Strada statalle di sella Mandrazi road as it is a busy main road without a sidewalk and of no interest. If you can, park at Fondaco Motta to start the walk.
The path at point 7 is chaotic and degraded; it allows you to stop by the river but the view of the gorge is quite limited.

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3.58 km

Gole Alcantara — Municipal Entrance

Highlight • Gorge

The entrance to the Alcantara Gorge via the "communal access" (stairs, €1.50) is tucked away in the middle between two parts of the commercial park (elevator, >€10). The associated parking lot is a hundred meters to the south on the opposite side of the street. Down in the grandiose gorge you meet again seamlessly from both approaches. Definitely take swimwear and water shoes if you want to go further into the gorge.

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3.59 km

Alcantara Gorges

Highlight • Gorge

In contact with the river water lava masses are cooled very quickly and solidified into prominent, densely supported columns. Over time, the Alcantara has eaten its way through the lava crucible and created this small impressive canyon.
Unfortunately, the area is now intensively managed by tourists and the upstream "adventure park" is a horror. A few meters further up the road, however, is the "Ingresso communale" of the municipality. There you can go for a small fee and go down the hummock in the canyon. However, the shore is shared with all the others, who usually choose the more comfortable way with the lift.
Most of the time the water level is low and you can wade in the water a little way into the gorge. There are no other ways.

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3.81 km

Alcantara Gorges

Highlight • Gorge

The river was once displaced by a lava flow of Etna, but has recaptured its riverbed over millions of years. Up to 20 m deep and 4-5 m wide with beautiful 5- and 6-cornered basalt columns.

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3.91 km

Alcantara Gorge

Highlight • Gorge

"Hike" is definitely an exaggeration. It is a walking path and at the same time worth seeing. Look for the Communal Entrance if you do not want to take guided tours etc. When buying the entrance ticket, make sure that you buy at least the orange route (6€). The €2 entrance ticket only allows you to access the beach via the stairs. If you are too lazy to walk or have difficulty walking, you can buy a ticket for the elevator to the river. But then you have to take the elevator and are not allowed to use the stairs, even though the price for the elevator is many times higher.

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7.73 km

Trail to Gole dell'Alcantara (Free Access)

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

On the opposite side of the Botanical and Geological Park there is a hiking trail where you don't have to pay anything to get into the gorge (other side it would be 1.50 euros for the stairs or 6 euros for the elevator). In addition, this trail is much more fun because of the closeness to nature and the solitude :)

You just have to look where you park. We stood where the sandy path begins, just after the bridge. 2 cars will fit in there. After that we only saw 1 or 2 more gaps where you could stand. The rest are driveways to growing areas. I don't recommend going all the way to the trail, because at some point the path becomes very rugged and there are no turning opportunities.

The trail itself is probably an old hiking trail that is no longer maintained (says Google). Nevertheless, you can (still) go down the path very well and easily to the gorge. He hasn't grown as much as expected. I still recommend long pants and proper hiking shoes. Details can be found on the photos.

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8.01 km

End point

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

4.30 km

2.00 km

1.15 km

534 m

Surfaces

4.16 km

1.17 km

914 m

647 m

597 m

496 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Saturday 11 July

32°C

23°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 11.0 km/h

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Comments

June 4, 2025,Alcantara-Schlucht von Motta Camastra

I took the elevator out of the gorge for five euros. As I understood it, I could have continued hiking through the water in the gorge. But since it was already a bit late, I preferred the quicker option. Unfortunately, this meant I had to walk about a kilometer along the road to my car. My parking space was free, …

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Alcantara Gorges – Alcantara Gorge loop from Motta Camastra

Path to the Alcantara Gorge

Gole Alcantara — Municipal Entrance

Alcantara Gorges

Alcantara Gorges

Alcantara Gorge

Trail to Gole dell'Alcantara (Free Access)

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