Mount Etna, Taormina

Mount Etna, Taormina

Smouldering away in the distance 50 kms from Taormina, Mount Etna stands majestically in Catania.

Smouldering away in the distance 50 kms from Taormina, Mount Etna stands majestically in Catania. The 3340 metre high active stratovolcano is the tallest active volcano in Europe. Over 500,000 years of volcanic eruptions have led to the formation of unique undulating landscapes with features such as summit craters, cinder cones, lava flows, lava caves and the Valle del Bove depression. With over 2700 years of documented volcanic activity, Mount Etna is one of the best-studied and monitored volcanoes in the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its scientific and cultural significance.

Explore Mount Etna and the stark landscapes of the Parco dell’Etna on a day tour from Taormina. It is a 1 hour drive away to the base at Rifugio Sapienza at 1910 metres above sea level on the southern slope of Etna. Explore the area to see the Silvestri Craters that were formed in 1893, and the lava eruption sites of 1983-'85 and 2001-'03. From Nicolosi Nord, take the Funivia dell’Etna Cableway to Terminal Funivia at an altitude of 2500 metres. From here you can get incredible views of the summit (with Voragine, Bocca Nuovo, Cratere di Nord Est and Cratere di Sud Est), Monte Escriva, Montagnola, Valle del Bove and lava flows from recent eruptions. The authorized crater area at 2920 metres is accessible via 4x4 jeeps or ~2 hour long hikes from the terminal. On your way up to the site of the erstwhile Torre del Filosofo and the craters of Monte Barbagallo, you can see Cisternazza and Belvedere (2750 metres).

You can also approach Etna from the north-east, which has a base at Rifugio Citelli at 1741 metres. Hike up for views of Serra delle Concazze, Monte Simone, Alcantara Valley, Valle del Bove, and Pizzi Deneri.

Another option is to take the Ferrovia Circumetnea Railway, which has a 110 km long track all around the foothills of Etna, where the fertile lava soil is conducive for vineyards and orchards. The tour from Catania goes around to Giarre – Risposto, with intermediate stops at Cibali, Nesima, Misterbianco, Piano Tavola, Valcorrente, Giaconia, Paterno, Licodia, Biancavilla, Adrano, Passo Zingaro, Bronte, Maletto, Gurrida, Randazzo, Calderara, Moio, Cerro, Linguaglossa, Terremorte, Piedimonte, Venera, Mascali Nunziata, and Cutula. The complete trip takes 3.5 hours, with a change at Randazzo which is the highest point on the circuit.

The weather on Etna is fickle, so dress up in layers.