Mount Etna, the Beast of Sicily, rises majestically from the sea, a fiery sentinel guarding the island. It is a mountain of contradictions, both beautiful and dangerous, a place of wonder and awe. Have you considered visiting Mount Etna?
Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe, and its eruptions have been recorded for centuries. Its lava flows have destroyed villages and farmland, but they have also created new land and fertilized the soil.
The slopes of Mount Etna are covered in a lush green forest, and its summit is capped with snow. The mountain is home to a variety of unique flora and fauna, including plants and animals that have adapted to the harsh conditions. Etna is also a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world to marvel at its beauty and power, to hike and to drink wine.
But Etna is not a tame beast. It is a living, breathing force of nature, and its eruptions are unpredictable. In the past, Etna has erupted with such force that it has been seen from as far away as North Africa.
Finally, Mount Etna is a reminder of the fragility of our existence. It is a reminder that we are all at the mercy of nature’s power. It is a force of nature that we can only marvel at.
Depending on what you want to do, I suggest visiting Mount Etna as a day trip from Catania or Taormina.
Here’s my Google Map of the best things to do in and around Mount Etna. Hit the “Follow” or “Save” button to save for later.
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- What to Take With You
- What to See and Do Around Mount Etna
- Getting to Mount Etna
- Getting Around Mount Etna
- Where to Stay in Etna
- Where to Eat and Drink in Etna
If this is your first stop in Sicily, read my 10 tips for planning a trip to Sicily.
What to Take With You
It gets windy and cold at the top so be prepared with comfortable walking shoes, a warm and wind resistant jacket, something to keep your head and hands warm, and sunglasses. If you didn’t pack for cold weather, don’t worry because you can rent some gear from Rifugio Sapienza, next to the lower cable car station.
What to See and Do Around Mount Etna
Ride the Mount Etna cable car
- The Mount Etna cable car takes you up Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe. It is an amazing experience to see the volcano up close, and to feel the power of nature.
Explore Mount Etna’s lower slopes on foot
- The Silvestri Craters formed after an eruption in 1892. From the Rifugio Sapienza car park, it’s a 5 minute walk to the lower Crateri Silvestri. You can then continue walking up an easy path to the upper Silvestri Crater.
Summit the volcano with a guide
- Keep in mind that it is forbidden to trek above 2450m without a professional guide. Catch the cable car from Rifugio Sapienza up to Monte Montagnola at 2500m. Transfer to a 4WD Jeep and continue to Torre del Filosofo at 2920m. From here you can hire a guide at a small wooden hut to take you the rest of the way (arrive by 2pm).
Enjoy the volcano by train
- Starting from Catania Borgo station, catch Ferrovia Circumetnea. Then, hop off at Adrano to see a fortress, some Greek ruins, beautiful churches, and fancy palaces. Or stop in Bronte for a taste of pistachio grown in the volcanic soil – keep reading for some specific restaurants to try. You could also visit medieval Randazzo to see Santa Maria in the Latin Quarter, San Nicola in the Greek Quarter, and San Martino in the Lombard Quarter. I suppose you could also visit all of these places by car if you have no sense.
Explore lava tunnels
- These have been used as burial places, shelters, and ice storage spaces over the years. Grotta dei Lamponi (Raspberry Cave) is 700m long. Grotta del Gelo (Ice Cave) is considered Europe’s most southern glacier. On the other hand, Grotta delle Nevi (Snow Cave) was used to make and store ice.
Visit some wineries
- They expect you to make a reservation at least a day ahead of time, though some may be able to accommodate drop-in guests. Keep reading for some suggested wineries.
Take a tour
- Many tours depart from Catania or Taormina. Here are some options for visiting Mount Etna by tour:
From Catania:
- Tour Etna & Wine Tasting: Catania hotel pickup, walk around Silvestri Craters and old lava flows, visit a winery for lunch and a wine tasting, from €135 per person. We did this and it was fantastic.
- From Catania Etna at Sunset half day tour: Catania hotel pickup, walk around a crater and old lava flows, taste local honey and wine, and see the sunset, from €58 per person
- Etna Morning Tour with Lunch Included: Catania hotel pickup, visit a lava flow cave and the Silvestri Craters, enjoy a typical Sicilian lunch, from €69 per person
- Mt. Etna nature and flavors half day Tour from Catania: Catania hotel pickup, walk around Silvestri Craters and old lava flows, taste local honey and wine, and optional ride up the cable car, from €61 per person
- Catania: Etna Morning Jeep Tour: Catania hotel pickup, walk around a crater and old lava flows, taste local honey and wine, and jeep tour on the upper and lower slopes, from €60 per person
- Mt. Etna and Taormina village full day tour from Catania: Catania hotel pickup, walk around Silvestri Craters and old lava flows, taste local honey and wine, and optional ride up the cable car and jeep tour, visit Taormina and explore on your own, from €91 per person
- Private Tour: Mt Etna and Taormina from Catania: Private tour, Catania hotel pickup, visit old lava flows and the Silvestri Craters, visit to Taormina including the Greek Roman Theater and shopping on Corso Umberto, from €427.50 per group
From Taormina:
- Mount Etna Day Trip from Taormina: Taormina hotel pickup, visit the Silvestri Craters, optional cable car ride, optional trekking up to 3000 meters, from €42 per person
- Etna Countryside Food and Wine Lovers Tour (Small Group: Taormina hotel pickup, visit a family-run winery, a picturesque farmhouse with delicious food, and a pastry bar, from €149 per person
- And so many more: Consider where you will be staying and if you’re more interested in wine tasting, hiking, a jeep tour, visiting Taormina – and find the perfect tour for you.
Getting to Mount Etna
You’ll likely be visiting Mount Etna either from Catania or from Taormina. Here’s everything you need to know about getting to and around Catania, and everything you need to know about getting to and around Taormina.
How to Get to Mount Etna From Catania:
- Metro + Train: Take the metro from Catania’s Giovanni XXIII station (across from the central train station) or from Piazza Stesicoro station (in Catania’s historic center) towards Nesima Station. Get off at Catania Borgo station where you can transfer to the Ferrovia Circumetnea train.
- Bus: Catch AST bus #607 at 8:15am across from Catania’s central train station to arrive at Rifugio Sapienza at 10:15am. The return bus leaves Rifugio Sapienza at 4:30pm arriving back in Catania at 6:30pm. Round trip tickets cost €6.60 as of September 2023 and can be bought from the kiosk at the bus station.
- Self-drive: Drive about 1 hour to Rifugio Sapienza from Catania. Parking in spaces with white lines is free. Spaces with blue lines require you to pay when you park.
- Taxi: Get a taxi to drive you to Rifugio Sapienza or elsewhere around Etna. The drive time each way from Catania is about one hour. Expect to pay about €40 per hour including time they spend waiting for you, or at least €65 for a one way transfer.
- Join a tour. See the suggestions above.
How to Get to Mount Etna From Taormina:
- Bus: Catch an SAT bus to Rifugio Sapienza. The bus picks you up at your accommodation in Taorminia at 8:30am and returns at approximately 4pm Monday to Friday and costs €42 round trip. Book online.
- Train + Metro + Train: Catch a train from Taormina-Giardini station to Catania Centrale (check trenitalia.com or their app for schedules and to buy tickets), then follow the Metro + Train directions from Catania above.
- Train + Bus: Catch a train from Taormina-Giardini station to Catania Centrale (check trenitalia.com or their app for schedules and to buy tickets), then follow the Bus directions from Catania above.
- Self-drive: Drive about 1 hour to Rifugio Sapienza from Taormina. Parking in spaces with white lines is free. Spaces with blue lines require you to pay when you park.
- Taxi: Get a taxi to drive you to Rifugio Sapienza or elsewhere around Etna. The drive time each way from Taormina is about one hour. Expect to pay about €40 per hour including time they spend waiting for you, or at least €65 for a one way transfer.
- Join a tour. See the suggestions above or for a super basic tour, check out SAT Excursions.
Getting Around Mount Etna
Trains that circle the base Mt Etna are run by the private Ferrovia Circumetnea.
The Mount Etna cable car takes you from Rifugio Sapienza up to Monte Montagnola at 2500m. Transfer to a 4WD Jeep and continue to Torre del Filosofo at 2920m. From here you can hire a guide at a small wooden hut to take you the rest of the way (arrive by 2pm).
Hike. So long as you stay below 2450m you can explore on your own. Above that, you’ll need professional guide.
If you want more control or the ability to get to different areas on the mountain, you’ll want to rent your own car or hire a taxi in Catania or Taormina – expect to pay about €40 per hour including time they spend waiting for you.
Where to Stay in Etna
If you are simply planning a day trip to Etna, you can stay in Catania or Taormina. If you want to stretch out your time more, you may want to stay in Rifugio Sapienza or somewhere along the Ferrovia Circumetnea line.
Find a hotel that’s in your price range, with the amenities you want, in a convenient location. Here are a few options of where to stay when visiting Mount Etna:
- Airone Wellness Hotel is an affordable option with free breakfast and great nature views.
- Rifugio Sapienza is an affordable option beside the base of the Etna Cable Car.
Where to Eat and Drink in Etna
For Pistachios
The town of Bronte is famous for its volcanic soil grown pistachios. If you stop in Bronte when visiting Mount Etna, try:
- Pasticceria Gangi: Get pistachio ice cream or a pistachio arancino.
- Bar Conti Gallenti: Try some pastries and buy a jar of pistachio pesto to take with you.
- L’Angolo dei Sapori: For pistachio pastries and pistachio granita.
- Protesteria: Get a full meal featuring pistachios in every course.
- Pepe Rosa: Try the pistachio bruschetta.
For Wine
On the other hand, if you’re interested in trying some wines made from local volcanic grapes, here are a few wineries to try when visiting Mount Etna. They expect you to make a reservation at least a day ahead of time, though some may be able to accommodate drop-in guests. I’d recommend joining a tour if you want to enjoy wine tastings as Mount Etna roads are definitely not designed for drunk driving.
- Gambino Vini is an Etna winery that offers a wine tasting with food pairings that is definitely enough to be a meal for €39 per person. Reserve ahead although they will fit you in if they have space if you just show up. They’ll give you an overview of their production, their wines, and the views are amazing.
- Fattorie Romeo del Castello is a farm run by a mother-daughter team. Their hazelnut and olive groves were buried under the lava flow from a volcanic eruption in 1981, but the vineyard and 18th century buildings were spared. The property also boasts a thousand-year-old olive tree.
- Azienda Agricola Filippo Grasso is a small family-run vineyard and olive grove. They have chosen to cultivate only indigenous grapes, and aim to “deliver the Etna volcano experience in each sip”.
- Planeta Sciaranuova has five vineyards across Sicily known for great hospitality, wine tastings, and food pairings.
- Cantine Palmento Costanzo – Vini Etna Doc is a winery located on an old lava flow from 1879.
- Tenuta di Fessina is an abandoned village turned winery with overnight accomodations. We didn’t make it here this time, but it will definitely be on my itinerary next time I visit Mount Etna.
- Donnafugata Cantina Randazzo offers wines, vineyards, barrel stores, and views of Mount Etna.
Here’s my full Sicily food guide.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this Mount Etna travel guide. If you’re looking for more, here are all of my posts about Italy.
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