Private half-day tour of Mount Etna

If you're short on time but still want to enjoy an excursion to Europe's highest still active volcano, this private tour of Mount Etna departing from Taormina (or Giardini Naxos) is for you.

Sicily is known for its wonderful coastline, which is why tourists from all over the world flock to Sicilian shores to spend their summer vacations. The hinterland, however, reserves spectacles not to be outdone, and with this private tour of Mount Etna you can discover the most fascinating! 

Climb the highest active volcano in Europe

From Taormina (or Giardini di Naxos) you will go directly to Mount Etna, transported by a private minivan in comfort and meet our guide at the foot of the path you will take in the climb. The tour includes crossing the seven lateral craters that were formed following the 1865 eruption. Etna's special feature is the fact that it is the highest of the still active volcanoes in Europe, and among the most significant eruptions is certainly the one that gave rise to the expanse of the Bottoniera. This is the name reserved for the seven cones created by the 1865 eruption, which are named the Sartorius Mountains (in honor of the scholar Sartorius von Waltershausen), which are arranged in a row one after the other, as if to form a succession of buttons.

Discover the peculiar plant species of Mount Etna 

If there is one thing that makes Mount Etna's ecosystem special, it is the presence of certain plant species that are unique and findable only on the volcano. The perfect example is the rare species of birch that grows on the slopes of the Sartorius Mountains mentioned earlier. Basically, it is already surreal to see birch, a species that usually grows only at high latitudes, such as in Scandinavia. It is even more extraordinary to see this plant species immersed in an environment characterized by the blackness of solidified lava from the volcano's surface. 

Walking in the color contrasts created by these trees with their ice-white trunks and very thin branches with their surroundings will surely leave you breathless!

Enjoy the lunar views from Europe’s most active volcano

During this private half-day excursion to Mount Etna you will feel immersed in a surreal environment, reminiscent of a lunar setting, and everywhere you turn your gaze will seem to be in a place light years away from planet earth.

On the other hand, if you look further afield you will be able to catch a glimpse of the city of Catania, and if you are lucky enough, during a full sunny day you may even get to see the island of Stromboli. Steal as many details as you can with your eyes, take photos to create memories that will last forever, and enjoy to the fullest the hike to one of the most picturesque places of Italy before heading back to Taormina!