Mount Etna excursions

What is Mount Etna?

Mount Etna is the active volcano of eastern Sicily, between Catania and the Ionian coast. It is Europe's highest active volcano and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013. Eruptions continually reshape its landscape: on an excursion you may encounter extinct craters, old lava flows, lava caves and woods growing on the volcano's slopes.

Dream Island experiences follow different routes on the north and south sides. You can choose a guided walk, a trek or a tour combining Etna with other stops. The actual route and access to higher elevations depend on the weather, volcanic activity and current regulations.

Which Mount Etna excursion should you choose?

• For a first visit and a full day: Etna and the Alcantara Gorges combines volcanic landscapes with a visit to the gorges.
• If you have less time: the half-day Etna trek starts in Linguaglossa; the sunset tour offers a different experience and also has meeting points in Taormina.
• If you want to go higher: compare the Etna 3000 m excursion, meeting at Piano Provenzana, with the south-side summit craters trek. Elevations and access may change.

Travelling with children or without a car? Before choosing, check the tour page for difficulty, any minimum age, what the price includes and whether a transfer from your departure point is available.

Mount Etna tours departing from Catania

A Catania pick-up point is available for some excursions, including Etna and the Alcantara Gorges and Etna and Wine Tour. The listed meeting point is Chiosco della Stazione (Chiosco International Bar), Piazza Papa Giovanni XXIII, in the Catania Centrale station area. Open the meeting point on the map.

How to get there by metro: take the Catania metro and get off at Giovanni XXIII. From the exit, find the kiosk in the square and check its precise position on the map. If you arrive by train at Catania Centrale, the meeting point is in the square outside. Check the FCE metro timetable against the time in your booking confirmation.

Mount Etna tours departing from Taormina

For some excursions, such as Etna and Alcantara, Etna and Wine Tour and Etna at sunset, you can choose a meeting point in the Taormina area. Three points are listed in the booking information:

• Taormina centre · Post Office

  At Piazza Sant’Antonio Abate 1. From the town centre, follow the address on the meeting-point map.

• Mazzarò · Il Principe

  At the corner of Il Principe restaurant in Piazza della Funivia, near the lower cable-car station. From central Taormina you can take the cable car to Mazzarò when it is running; check the meeting point on the map.

• Taormina-Giardini railway station

  The meeting point is at the railway station, Via Nazionale 43: convenient if you arrive by train. From central Taormina, check local bus connections or take a taxi; open the location on the map.