Side Trips

The looming menace of Mount Etna attracts those who did not explore the volcano from its northern tier. In addition to Etna, the town of Acireale, like Catania, is adorned with baroque treasures -- but here you can enjoy the sights without the traffic and the people.

Mount Etna

Few who visit Catania can resist the temptation to explore Europe's most active volcano, Mount Etna, northwest of the city. At 3,292m (10,801 ft.), it is the highest volcano in Europe and one of the largest in the world. Taormina is the base for exploring it from the north. From the south, Catania is ideal for flirting with this still-active volcano.

For a good view of this ferocious mountain, take one of the trains that circumnavigate the base of the volcano. Trains are boarded at Via Caronda 352/A (tel. 095-541250), in Catania off Viale Leonardo da Vinci. A tour from Catania, lasting 3 1/3 hours, costs 6€ ($7.20).

A bus leaves from the Stazione Centrale in Catania at 8:15am daily, bound for Rifugio Sapienza . The bus returns to Catania in theory at 4pm -- but always check schedules locally, as they vary. The round-trip costs 7€ ($8.40).

You can also drive one of the many southern approaches to Etna from Catania. The quickest and most convenient route is to head northwest of Catania by following the road signs to Tangenziale Ovest. Drive along this road until you see the exit to Gravina. At Gravina, continue northwest along the road directing you to Mascalucia. Once there, you will see signs pointing to Nicolosi. At Nicolosi, follow a small road to the north for the final lap to Rifugio Sapienza.

In either Rifugio Sapienza, a little village on the southern slope of Mount Etna, or the little town of Nicolosi, you can book guided Jeep tours of Mount Etna for a cost of 45€ ($54). The trip lasts 2 to 3 hours and takes you as close as you can get to the top without walking. In Nicolosi, tickets can be purchased at Funivia dell'Etna (tel. 095-911158), Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 5:30 to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm. Nicolosi is connected with Rifugio Sapienza by frequent shuttle-bus service. You can also purchase tickets in Rifugio Sapienza at Contrada Cantoniera (tel. 095-915321), open daily from 9am to 4pm.

More private tours can also be organized at Rifugio Sapienza. For information on these, call the tourist office in Nicolosi at Via Garibaldi 63 (tel. 095-911505).

From Rifugio Sapienza, it's possible to hike up to the Torre del Filosofo (Philosopher's Tower), at 2,920m (9,580 ft.). The trip there and back takes about 5 hours. At the tower, you'll have a panoramic sweep of Etna, its peaks and craters hissing with steam. This is a difficult hike and not for the faint of heart. The climb is along ashy, pebbly terrain, and once you reach the tower, you have another risky 2-hour hike to the craters. The craters can erupt unexpectedly (as they did in the early 1990s, killing 11).

Tours should only be taken with a guide who knows current conditions. If Etna shows signs of erupting or even "belching," guided tours are suspended. On the return from Torre del Filosofo to Rifugio Sapienza, you'll pass Valle de Bove, the original crater of Etna.