Visiting Mount Etna makes a great day trip while in Sicily (Kat Nickola)
Visiting Mount Etna is a must-do experience while stationed in Sicily and makes for a fun day trip.
You can drive up the mountain as far as the Funivia dell’Etna (Etna cable car). There are plenty of paid parking in lots near this tourist zone; payment is in cash at a small building near the cable car entry. There is also a tourist shopping center, a selection of restaurants, and guide services if you’d like to take a unique excursion or tour. A few hotels also offer comfortable overnight stays on the volcano.
Hiking near the Etna cable car offers a way to explore this volcanic landscape. (Kat Nickola)
Easily walkable from the Funivia dell’Etna are some interesting, short hikes. A moderately easy walk takes you around the rim of the Silvestri Craters that formed in 1892. A second, steeper hike traverses some of the large craters and volcanic landscape created during a 2001 eruption above La Capannina.
Dogs are permitted on the Mount Etna cable car. Be sure to bring dog boots for walking around on the sharp stone. (Kat Nickola)
To get higher on the volcano, book cable car tickets ahead of time on www.funiviaetna.com. The standard Tour 2.500 m includes the cable car to the upper station. At this spot there is a small souvenir shop and bar. You can explore the area on foot, but it is not permitted to hike higher without a guide. To get higher without hiking, book the Tour 3.000 m which includes cable car tickets, plus a ride on a 4x4 bus (or snow cat in winter) to the Pian del Lago area where there is a short informational tour. There is also some free time to explore and take photos of Etna’s smoking summit which is still 400 meters above you.
Dogs are permitted up Mount Etna on the cable car and 4x4 tour. They must be leashed and muzzled. In addition, bring dog boots since the volcanic rocks are extremely sharp.
The Pian del Lago is at 3,000 meters above sea level and offers a great view of Etna’s smoking summit, though the smoke can get quite thick depending on which way the wind blows it. (Kat Nickola)
