Etna and Alcantara Gorges Excursion

Passing through the Ragabo Forest, following the Mareneve road, we will reach the starting point of the trek to the Monti Sartorius craters near Rifugio Citelli, where our hike will continue on foot. This is a walk of easy difficulty, suitable for everyone, the route is about 3km long in total, starting from an altitude of 1665m and arriving at an altitude of about 1775m.

We will walk along a characteristic Etnean path, among birch trees and button crater sides (“bottoniera”), the Sartorius Craters, on the northeastern slope of Etna. We will reach several vantage points with unique and spectacular views.

After our trek to the Sartorius we will go to explore an Etna volcanic cave, the Grotta dei Ladroni (also called Grotta delle Nevi). Equipped with helmets and flashlights, we will go inside this lava flow tunnel to discover its formation and history.

This is a tunnel of lava origin, located at Piano delle Donne at 1540 m a.s.l. Part of the cave has been excavated by man, as evidenced by the date engraved on a rock at the top of the entrance: 1776. In addition to making steps and widening what was a lava flow tunnel, a number of holes were drilled in the vault to allow for the introduction and accumulation of snow. In centuries past, Etna’s inhabitants used this cave to store snow in the winter months, later reselling it in the warmer months.

We will then stop at an Etnean restaurant to rest and have lunch: first course, drink and coffee are included in the price of the excursion.

After lunch the tour will continue to the Alcantara Valley, passing through Castiglione di Sicilia: it is one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy”, with features similar to a medieval village, famous today for its wineries that produce an excellent Etna DOC.

Our Etna and Alcantara Gorges excursion will come to an end with a visit to the Alcantara Gorges, also known as the Larderia Gorges. They are located in the “Alcantara River Park”, at the point where the Peloritani mountain range ends in the municipalities of Castiglione di Sicilia and Motta Camastra (one of the places where some scenes of the famous film The Godfather were filmed). We will descend inside the Alcantara Gorges via the municipal entrance, the entrance fee is included in the price.