Our Mount Etna adventure didn’t start smoothly after police stopped us from driving up the mountain without snow chains. Thanks to some friendly Italians we made it to the summit, hiking through snow, volcanic ash and even Sahara Desert sand to reach 3,000 metres on Europe’s most active volcano.

A quiet morning in Giardini Naxos turns into an unexpected adventure when Levi and Emmett discover a dirt bike race on the beach while Maddie and Kia spend the afternoon baking together.

Rain kept us close to the apartment in Sicily, giving us time to tackle one of the hardest parts of long-term travel, planning what comes next. Between schoolwork, emails, and rock painting at the beach, the day turned into hours of maps, ideas, and trying to piece together the next stage of our journey.

A slow Sicilian morning, a strong 5km run, and an afternoon exploring Alcantara Gorge before winding through mountain roads to the famous Godfather town of Savoca.

Day 104 of our worldschooling adventure takes us to Isola Bella in Sicily. Crystal clear water, rocky beaches, driftwood play, island exploring and a relaxing family afternoon on the Ionian Sea.

Our first full day in Sicily was spent exploring the rocky beaches of Giardini Naxos, driving the winding roads up to Castelmola above Taormina and discovering just how good Italian gelato really is.

A 4am start, a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Vienna, airport chaos, and a flight south to Sicily. Day 102 marked the end of our time in Austria and the beginning of a new chapter beneath the snow-covered peak of Mount Etna in Giardini Naxos.