Etna at dawn Private Guided Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Monti Sartorius, the eruptive "buttonhole" originating during the eruption of 1865. The secondary cones still appear completely bare, with the exception of a few and sparse specimens of birch and larch pine, whose bearing is shaped by the strong prevailing winds from the north-west. Going around the base of the cones from the west side, it will be possible to observe the field of eruptive fractures associated with the craters of 1865, and reaching the base of the first cone, numerous "volcanic bombs" of considerable size will be visible.

   2 h

2. The trekking tour continues in the direction of Piano delle Donne to admire an important testimony of the life and past of the Etna volcano: the Grotta dei Ladroni or Grotta della Neve. The Grotta dei Ladroni located at 1540 meters is a perfect example of a lava flow tunnel (lava tube). Legend has it that in the second half of the 18th century the cave was used as a refuge by a band of brigands who raged in the area. Easy to reach and visit, the lava cave is located near an Etna birch forest, in an area characterized by a prehistoric lava flow, within the municipality of Sant'Alfio (Catania). With its large rooms, the small staircase carved into the rock, the two different entrances and the three wells dug by man, Grotta dei Ladroni is one of the most particular caves on Etna. To visit it, all you need is a torch and a protective helmet, which will be provided to you free of charge.

   30 min

3. Finally we will move to the southern slope of the Etna volcano to see the lowest front of the 1992 lava flow which arrived 1 km from Zafferana Etnea, we will do a short trek and see the testimonies of the sacred procession which according to the faithful stopped the lava flow.

   30 min

4. Descending towards the valley, the tour will stop at the village of Zafferana Etnea. Here you will be accompanied inside a certified farm that will welcome you and offer you a tasting of typical products: delicious honeys and fine wines produced with grapes grown in the vineyards of the Etna area. The remaining time on the tour will be spent commuting between attractions and having free time.

   30 minAdmission included

5. We will enter inside a volcanic cave with helmets and torches, the cave is famous for collecting snow and, for the discovery of a famous painting by the French painter Houel

   20 minAdmission included

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 1 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Catania

• Its from-price is 36% below the median of the 29 city tours we list in Catania.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 19 of 29.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Catania

Catania, on Sicily's east coast, is a black lava-stone city beneath Mount Etna, with a noisy fish market, Baroque squares and a long seafront.

Catania lies at the foot of Mount Etna, the active volcano whose lava reached the city in 1669, and an earthquake in 1693 flattened it. Rebuilt in the eighteenth century in the Baroque style, it uses black lava stone for walls and paving, set against white limestone. The Piazza del Duomo has an elephant of lava stone carrying an obelisk, the cathedral of Sant'Agata, and a fountain.

Top-ranked sights in Catania: Piazza Duomo, Via Crociferi (Via dei Crociferi) , Gambino Winery (Vini Gambino).

See all 357 experiences in Catania