Mount Etna and Alcantara Gorges Tour

Departure from Taormina and Giardini Naxos

This Mount Etna and Alcantara Gorges tour departs daily at 08:30 from Taormina and Giardini Naxos. Your certified English-speaking guide collects you directly at your accommodation. The drive north takes approximately one hour, passing through Linguaglossa and the traditional villages on Etna's northeastern slope, where vineyards give way to lava fields at progressively higher altitude.

Coffee Break at 1,500 m — Etna North

Approximately 45 minutes from Taormina, the tour makes its first stop on Etna's northern slope at 1,500 metres altitude, within the Etna Park boundary. Here the guide outlines the day's route across the Piano Provenzana volcanic area. Trekking boots and walking poles are distributed before departure on foot. Outside temperatures at this altitude are typically 8–12°C cooler than coastal Taormina, regardless of season.

Hiking the Sartorius Craters

The hike covers 4 kilometres across the lava desert and birch forest of Etna's northern slope, reaching the Sartorius craters at approximately 1,800 metres. These lateral craters, formed during the 1865 eruption, sit within the UNESCO World Heritage site designated in 2013 recognising Mount Etna as one of the world's most active and scientifically significant volcanoes. Two hours of structured walking with unobstructed views over the Ionian Sea and the Alcantara Valley below.

Mount Etna Lava Cave Exploration

quipped with helmet and torch, you enter one of Mount Etna's volcanic tunnels on the northern slope. These caves carry a remarkable human history: from 1776, local communities collected snow from the volcano's upper slopes, compacted it inside the lava tunnels to accelerate freezing, then transported the ice blocks down to supply the markets of Catania. Your guide traces this forgotten trade as you walk through the volcanic rock. Accessible to all fitness levels, minimum age 4 years.

Lunch on Etna's Northern Slope

A one-hour lunch break at a mountain chalet immersed in the pine forest of Etna's northern slope at 1,500 metres. Two menu options: €10 includes sandwich, drink and dessert; €15 includes bruschetta, pasta, drink and coffee. Vegetarian and gluten-free options available on request.

Alcantara Gorges — Motta Camastra

A 45-minute transfer through Castiglione di Sicilia and the Alcantara Valley brings you to the Alcantara River Park at Motta Camastra. The name Alcantara derives from the Arabic Al Qantarah, meaning bridge — a trace of the Arab presence in Sicily between the 9th and 11th centuries. The gorge extends for approximately 6 kilometres, carved by the Alcantara River through an ancient lava flow of volcanic origin. You descend via the municipal entrance to walk among basalt columns reaching up to 25 metres in height. Alcantara Gorges entrance fee included. From May to October the river is accessible for swimming in water temperatures between 10°C and 12°C.