With this half day tour, accompanied by a private driver from Catania, you will be able to climb the highest active volcano in Europe. Etna will show you its grandeur in all its glory - from the nature, to the history, to the awe inspiring views, this excursion will leave you speechless.
This tour will be a great opportunity for you to visit Etna at your own pace, with the comfort of a private driver who will pick you up directly at your hotel in Catania.
Pick up in Catania
After meeting your driver at the port or your hotel in Catania, you will be escorted to the Etna Nature Park for this half day private tour. Dropped off at the Sapienza Refuge on the south side of the slopes, you can begin to appreciate the sounds, colors, and scents of this volcano. From here you can choose to visit the craters of the volcano, the Silvestri Craters, or climb to the top to appreciate the beautiful panoramic views. It is a unique experience to climb the highest active volcano in Europe and one of the most evocative places on the island.
The Volcano
Etna is located on the eastern coast of Sicily and is the largest active volcano in Europe with a height of 3326 meters, an area of around 1190 km squared, and a circumference of about 140 km! This volcano is so large that it was known to the ancient Greeks who were convinced it was the home of the Vulcan, then God of Fire. They believed that when Etna erupted, Vulcan was forging weapons for Mars, the God of War. However, the whole volcano is not the arid, desert like landscape you might expect. On the lower slopes, vineyards and orchards stretch out all the way to Catania. This merges into woodland with many varities of trees and an abundance of nature. Above this, the more typical overlapping lava flows with volcanic ash dominate the landscape before transitioning into snow at the peak.
Excursions you could do...
If you wish to stay amongst the trees and nature of the lower slopes, you can explore the woodland full of apples, chestnuts, and walnuts. However, if you wish to explore the more typical volcanic environment of the upper slopes, you have a couple of options. You can take a cable car up to 2500 meters from the Sapienza Refuge to Montagnola (not included) where you can stop to admire the views, take a stroll, or enjoy a drink at the bar. Alternatively, you can continue on up the mountain to 2920 meters. To do this you can take the UNI MOG, a small 4X4 car with an authorized driver (not included), that will take you up to 2800 meters. From there you can ascend the final 120 meters and take in the unparalleled panorama.
At the end of the tour, your driver will bring you at the drop off point you specified in Catania.
Other Tours of Etna
If you are an adventure enthusiast and want to discover the beauty and nature of Mount Etna, do not miss the Excursion on the Mount Etna by Mountain Bike from Catania, Syracuse or Taormina or the Private day tour of Mount Etna and Taormina from Catania.
