So Many Great Ways To Enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily

We Found So Many Different Ways To Enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily

On our 5 week visit to Sicily, we found many ways to enjoy Mount Etna (also called “Mongibello”).  We stayed for almost 2 weeks in different spots with Mount Etna on the horizon and got amazing daily views.  When we stayed on the North side of Mount Etna, we drove the twisty road for our first closer view.  Later when we stayed in Giardini Naxos, we headed up on the South side for a fun cable car ride up.  And then hiked even higher on Mount Etna.  

As we approached the date for our visit to Sicily, we checked on the eruption status of Mount Etna.  Recent eruptions created ash clouds that impacted flights to and from the island.  But Mount Etna was relatively calm before our arrival.  

For 2 weeks we watched the top of Mount Etna and saw steam rising and spurting ever higher.  But we did not get the explosion of fire we saw when we visited the Stromboli volcano.  After we were home, Mount Etna got much more active and the images online of the flames and flowing lava were stunning.  So before you just follow all the ways we enjoyed Mount Etna, check on local conditions to see what is open and available.  But we sure left Sicily with some amazing memories of this stunning volcano.

A Little About Mount Etna

We visited volcanic islands around the world.  Most of volcanic sites were dormant and we explored the stunning lava fields left behind.  On our stays in Naples, we loved having a view all day and night of the infamous Mount Vesuvius.  And one day we even hiked to the summit of Mount Vesuvius.  So when we visited Sicily, we could not pass on exploring Mount Etna.

Mount Etna is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  This volcano is the highest in Europe and the most active stratovolcano in the world.  It stands about 3,327 metres (10,900 feet) tall but grew taller with each eruption.  The earliest recorded eruptions date back to about 570,000 years ago.  But Mount Etna continues to rumble daily.

As a stratovolcano, Mount Etna sloped gently at the base and rose with relatively steep sides.  It was more cone-shaped than flatter shield volcanoes. It was formed from viscous, sticky lava that did not flow easily. The ever increasing cone was made from layers of hardened lava, mud and ash.  

Mount Etna had an impressive array of volcanic features such as summit craters, cinder cones, lava flows and the Valle de Bove depressions.  As such, it was a popular site to explore and study.  We were excited when we found many ways to enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily.

Views Of Etna Everywhere We Went

We got our first view of Mount Etna over the bay as we drove north through Catania on the way to our stay on the North side of Mount Etna.  We saw Mount Etna in the distance on our stay in Giardini Naxos.  And when we stayed in Catania, we had a clear view of the volcano from the top floor terrace.

As we drove around Mount Etna for our stay on the North slope, we stopped several times and admired the close view we got of Mount Etna.  When we reached our resort, we were delighted with the stunning views we got all day over the vineyards.

The Mount Etna summit poked high about the clouds surrounding it.  We often saw large plumes of smoke billowing from the top.  But unlike when we visited the Stromboli volcano on our stay in Panarea in the Aeolian Islands, we saw no red fire and flowing lava on Mount Etna.  Our early views sure made us excited with the many ways to enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily.

Head To Piana Provenzani For Etna North

During our stay on the North side of Mount Etna, we headed out one day for the North side of Mount Etna.  The GPS route to the Piano Provenzani showed a twisty route to the upper level.  We passed vineyards at the bottom of the slopes.  We slowed as we got closer to the parking area when we saw cows wandering across the road. 

As we approached Piano Provenzani we started to see solidified lava flows from previous eruptions.  We were always surprised at how greenery took root in this volcanic soil.

We found a large parking lot.  At this point we were at an altitude of about 1,810 m (5,900 ft).  In one area there were a number of shops and a spot for coffee and a snack.  We could not resist showing how much we loved the views of Mount Etna.

There were several different hiking excursions available from this point to go closer to the top of the volcano.  Several trails started right from the parking lot.  We saw vehicles to get to trailheads as high as 2,900 m (9,500 ft) and then hiking paths went even higher.

It was great to get closer to the summit on this first visit to Etna North.  We found lots of different ways to enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily.  

Heading Up To Etna South

From our accommodations on the North side of Mount Etna we moved to the shore for a stay in Giardini Naxos.  We planned to explore Etna South from this location.  If the weather was not favourable, we knew we could also wait and tour the South side on our final stay in Catania.  But the weather held and one morning we headed hight to Refugio Sapienza.   

There were several different twisty paths up to Etna South.  We went up one way through several small villages and came down on another route.  As we drove, the volcano quickly came into sharper focus.

We parked at the very busy base camp when we arrived.  There were a large number of restaurants, shops and excursion companies.  And a fun small train to move around too.

Refugio Sapienza was at an elevation of 1,920 m (~5,900 ft).  But with a beautiful sunny day, we headed even higher.  We bought tickets for the cable car (“Funivia”) that went up to an elevation of 2,500 meters (8,200 ft).  We had a fun cable car ride up the North slope of Mount Etna.

Once we got off the cable car, we had two options.  We could stay at this level or hike from here.  But we chose to take a 4×4 jeep even higher to an elevation of about 2,900 m (9,500 ft).  We wanted to add to the many ways to enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily.  

Going Even Higher Up Mount Etna

It was a wild twisty ride through the lava field on our jeep.  When we reached the next base stop, we looked down at the path we drove.

From here we still hiked higher.  In single file we followed the narrow path on the side of the lava.  When it got busier in the day, it was hard to juggle groups going up and down.  But it was sure worth the climb to a higher altitude.  We got amazing views down over volcanic crater and to the surrounding countryside.  And looking up, we saw the summit of Mount Etna as it belched out steam.

On the way back down we stopped several times to check out the different views.  We were so glad heading high at Etna South was such a stunning one of the ways to enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily.

Winter Fun Too

Taking in the panoramic views and heading high on the slopes of Mount Etna were great activities in good weather.  But Mount Etna was also used all year round.

The Nicolosi ski resorts in Piazzale Rifugio Sapienza (South Etna) and Piano Provenzana-Linguaglossa (North Etna) were equipped with appropriate ski lifts, red and blue ski slopes, ski schools and equipment rental centres. 

Nordic skiing was also offered on Mount Etna.  There were trails by the Mount Etna Park and Forest Authority in Piano Vetore (Nicolosi), Piano Provenzana (Linguaglossa) and the loop in the Maletto area.

We saw snowploughs on the side of the road waiting for winter when we visited Etna North.  So we knew roads were kept accessible in the winter.  We were sure that snowy conditions were another of the fun ways to enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily.

We Loved All The Ways To Enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily

We certainly found so many different ways to enjoy Mount Etna in Sicily.  We loved that this high volcano was visible from so many areas around Sicily.  

A trip up to Etna North gave us our first close up view of Mount Etna.  And on our visit to Etna South, we travelled even higher for a stunning close up look at Mount Etna.  Hiking, skiing and just sightseeing were great ways to enjoy this UNESCO site.  We could not miss a visit to Mount Etna on our travels around Sicily.

Remember to check on conditions at Mount Etna before planning your visit. It remains an active volcano today!

Did you find different ways to enjoy Mount Etna?  Did you have a favourite one to recommend?

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