Mt. Etna And Taormina Village Full Day Tour From Catania

The van ride was long but our driver was very capable of handling extreme weather conditions - which we faced with good enthusiasm and a sense of humor. It would have been great to see the mountain and we didn’t get to this time. I did enjoy the stops for tasting wine, honey, olive oil and olives though.

Enjoyed the trip to the nice town of Taormina and the wine tasting. The trip to Mt Etna was disappointing because the weather was bad. The transportation to the higher elevations was closed so we did a hike with our guide. It starting sleeting/snowing and the wind was brutal, so if you plan to take this tour I would suggest planning for unexpected weather. In hindsight, the hike should probably have been cancelled.

Good tour, worth the hike. Be prepared to hike to the top of the volcano and experience the amazing view

Our guide was wonderful, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. However, the time management left something to be desired. When we booked, I inquired as to the return and was told “no later than 6:30”. We had an 8 Pm dinner res. We did not return to Catania until about 8 pm. Our guide did call our restaurant and arranged for us to show up late, which I appreciated. Our tour included a mount Etna hike. We were given the options to go on an open air jeep tour, or a gondola/funicular ride at the top, both for more euros. DO NOT TAKE THE JEEP TOUR. We had to wait over an hour, were combined with other tours, and given an unfriendly guide who didn’t speak English (all for an additional 60-70 euros or so). It also would have helped if these options were described to us right when we left Catania so we could consider them more fully instead of in a rush. We greatly enjoyed our wine lunch at the winery, but did not have enough time in Taormina to really enjoy it (only about 1 1/2 hours). We also got there too late to visit the one attraction we really wanted to see (the theater). The garden is lovely though. The last parts of the tour felt very rushed/stressful.

My tour to Mt Etna and Taormina by Etna Tribe was simply brilliant. Francisco our guide was the most incredible, kindest person I have ever had the privilege to meet and have as a tour guide. His historical knowledge of Mt Etna, lava caves & Taormina made the day effortless and very interesting. The walk from base at Etna was sprinkled with trails that he knew quite well and each and every area we stopped was incredibly scenic. Taking us through the lava cave was fascinating, again Francisco supported the people who required guidance, assurance and assistance. Taormina is a truly beautiful town and we spent adequate time feasting on its beauty. Without hesitation I recommend this tour with Etna Tribe and if you’re lucky enough to be blessed with Francisco your day will be hugely satisfying. Thank you Etna tribe and especially Francisco for making my dreams come true.

This was one of the best and most interesting tours we’ve taken in over 50 years of traveling. For one thing our guide Simone was outstanding. He is incredibly knowledgeable and has a very good way of making everyone comfortable. The fact that it was a small group tour also made it super nice. Simone gave us a choice of the various ways we could explore Mt. Etna. We all chose to stay with him and hiked up part of Mt. Etna and we’re not disappointed.

Fantastic, educating and very interesting!

Guide was extremely knowledgeable. Explaining things before our arrival while in van. Also hiking tour with her and explained history and vulcanology info! Daria was her name!

Salvo was the best guide you could ever ask for. He was so informative and friendly, it was an absolute pleasure having him As our guide!!!

We did a last minute tour with Etna Tribe to visit Mount Etna and Taormina both on the same day. We booked the day before and had pick up and drop off at our hotel in downtown Catania without any issue. Our guide Carmelo was awesome. He made the hike on Mount Etna fairly easy for us and we had a wine tasting after the hike. In hindsight I had bought some of the pistachio liqueur we tasted and the crema di pistachio but we travelled to Sicily with carry on only, so could not buy and return any liquids to Canada without checking our luggage. The tour to Taormina was a bit rushed, we had 1.5 hours to walk around but managed to see the teatro Greco which we wanted to see and walking around we managed to see most of the key points of interest between the two portos. Glad we were able to see Etna and Taormina as both were important highlights of our two week trip. Carmelo took a photo of our group in the Etna lava cave, I really wish I had a copy of the photo he took. If someone could send it to me it would be greatly appreciated.

We spent a wonderful day with Salvatore. He was so knowledgeable about Mt Etna and Taomina. We highly recommend this tour and our guide. Martha & Tom

Our tour guide - “Lory” - was just wonderful. Her passion for Mount Etna and her city was contagious. She told us interesting stories and gave us a lot of information and facts, both historical and cultural.

Excellent day spent with Lorenzo and our fellow travellers. Lorenzo was punctual, knowledgeable and friendly. He changed the itinerary to maximize the best weather for the Mt. Etna hike. He made the tour very enjoyable. Thank you Lorenzo! I highly recommend this excursion.

Loved the trip .. well organized .. our guide was super prompt .. 8.30 on the dot … she was full of life and super fit , which we found when we climbed mt etna … tourmina was quaint , a little crowded, loved the amplhitheatre .. def worth a visit

This was a wonderful tour of Mt. Etna and Taormina. Simone was a great guide. He was very knowledgeable about the areas. He was great at keeping in touch with us via WhatsApp. He arranged a food tasting that was enjoyable. There were several options offered at Etna -- a hike around the lower part, ATVs, or cable car and bus to a guide who walked us around Etna for about 30 minutes. We also got to tour a lava cave. Taormina was lovely, but crowded. We didn't have much time there, but enough to get a sense of the city. Simone made the van ride interesting, as he had a lot of information to impart about Mt. Etna and Taormina. He also provided recommendations for things to do and restaurants to visit in Catania, which was a nice touch.

Salvo was super kind and very knowledgeable. He picked us up at our hotel with a minibus and after picking up other trip members, he drove us around. During the drives, he explained many interesting facts and stories. Highly recommended!

Amazing excursion with a professional guide! On-time hotel pickup and a smart schedule change to enjoy Taormina and Etna in great weather. Perfect day!

We had a really great day on the Mount Etna and Taormina tour. The van was spacious and comfortable for our group of seven, and the whole day was very well organized, including pickup from the bus station and the return to Catania. Etna itself was beautiful, and we did about an hour of walking/hiking around the volcano, although there were also options to upgrade and do other activities. We then stopped in a small village near Regalna for a wine, honey and cheese tasting, which was very good—we ended up buying a few things from the little shop there as well. Taormina was beautiful too, and we had time to explore it on our own. What really made the tour special, though, was our guide Salvo. He is a geologist by profession, a local, and clearly very knowledgeable about both Etna and the area, so we learned a lot without it ever feeling like a lecture. He was also genuinely funny, kind and easygoing, which made the day even more enjoyable. A really good combination of beautiful places, interesting information, good food and wine, and a relaxed atmosphere. Definitely a tour we would recommend.

We really enjoyed the Etna part. We did opt for the additional charge for the cable car and truck at the top. Well worth it. Very interesting and we got some exercise. Be sure to take a coat- it is cold at the top. If you don't have it there is a rental with really nice coats for 5 euro. They are clean and very nice. Taormina- is lovely but get a ticket online ahead of time for the theater if you are touring. other than that- shop shop shop. Which I am not into.

Our guide Lorenzo was outstanding! Punctual, friendly, knowledgeable, funny, and patient with our group. He made the whole day come alive. It was time and well spent. M. Etna was beautiful, the lunch and tastings were delicious, and Taormina is a quaint and beautiful town. Great day. Thank you Lorenzo!!!

We had a wonderful day with Lorenzo as our guide. He had so much information of not only the sights on our tour but of Catania in general. We stopped at so many interesting places even just to have a quick look. We would highly recommend this tour. Well worth it

Flavio was fantastic. Very friendly and helpful with Etna information and assistance for my aging mother on the tour. I would recommend Flavio as a great guide for this tour.

We had a variety of experiences in our tour - from a gentle stroll in Taormina to some pretty rigorous hiking on Mt. Etna. Giuseppe was honest about the fact that the summit would be cloudy - So we didn't do the gondola ride as we planned. The exploration of the cave was an unexpected and interesting experience, as was the wine tasting. Giuseppe was very knowledgeable about the volcano and had lots of info to share with us as we hiked through some rugged terrain to see some of the many craters.

We explored the volcano more than I expected. It was very interesting. Our guide Enzo was excellent and the pace of the day’s activity was great.

Comprehensive and detailed . All questions answered . Daria is a 5 star, all knowledgeable guide regarding the history, culture and scientific facts about Mt. Etna and Taormina.

Great full day tour Amazing experience trekking on Mt Etna Wonderful knowledgeable Guide

Amazing day from being picked up to being dropped off the guide was so knowledgeable all about the volcano etna and arranged everything when we got to the top to organise various events that we could take part of I chose the hike but they’re also was trike biking And a steady walk?

The tour was fun. Giuseppe was very knowledgeable. The weather changes very fast on Etna. Bring a jacket.

Tour was outstanding. Daria was very knowledgeable , personable, & spoke excellent English. Mt Edna was awesome, the winery we visiting was very cool. Taormina was amazing with views from the high points in the city awesome! She even dropped us off at a hotel in Taormina so we could visit friends. We did not ride back to Catonia with the group . This tour was our best of many having been in Sicily for 7 days.

I recommend this combo 100%. If you don't have enough days to take each day one trip, it is great to combine Mt Etna with Taormina, especially since it is not a big city. Daria is very knowledgeable and she was kind enough to take us to Taormina in the morning so we won't feel the rush hour too much.

Amazing!!! Our tour Ida was extremely warm, knowledgeable and a great driver. The bus was very pleasant, with AC. Would recommend to everyone!

Salvatore picked me up at a convenient location. He also picked up 7 others along the way before our first journey to Mt. Etna. We rode a travel van which was comfortable and he briefed us on what do expect during the 1 hr ride. Due to the mixed group of folks (8 people) he spoke English and Italian. Our first stop was at one of the volcanic caves. I was provided with trekking shoes, a helmet, and a flashlight. The cave was an explanation on how it was developed followed by a quick look around inside. After, we drove towards the base where the hike officially began. This is where the itinerary changed. Salvatore mentioned his hike consisted of a 1 - 1/2 hr trek which was approximately 2000m up the mountain, near the foot of the summit. It did not consist of the hike leading up to the craters (approximately 3000m), so if you are interested in that you would have to pay for a different experience. Everyone in the group, including myself, decided to see the craters. At the ticket booth on base you pay €82 per person to ride a 10 min cable car up to the arrival station, a 5 - 10 min bus ride up to the closet point of the summit, and then a 50 min hike with a guided tour along the summit. It was a spectacular experience and Salvatore was welcoming about it. After the hike, Salvatore drove us to a wine/honey tasting experience which was within the base. We sampled local wine, liquor, pistachio cream, and honey from the local shop. I decided to snack on something from the cafeteria in addition to the tasting. After a 15 - 20 min tasting experience we drove about 30 mins to Taormina village. Salvatore dropped us off at a meeting spot where we were free to walk around the village for 2 hours. Although the village was beautiful, it was not enough to fully enjoy the area. I was proactive and went straight to the greek theater where I saw an amazing view on their rooftop bar, and I worked my way down the village. Finally, we drove back to Catania around 6 pm where I was dropped off at the same location I was picked up. Overall- Although Salvatore is a true local with knowledgeable experience about Catania, Mt. Etna, and Taormina village, I felt like it could’ve been better had he included the prices of the summit hike (€82) into his tour, or adjust his hiking experience by guiding us up to the summit. The cost of his full day excursion was fairly pricey for the commute, cave, tasting, and 2 hr exploration. Despite all of this, I would go on his excursion again but I would pay less.

Alessandro was our tour guide and was very knowledgeable on all things about Mt Etna and approachable. Great communication from him prior to pick up. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and it was great that Mt Etna had stopped erupting from the previous week!

Had a great day with Carmelo who provided a lot of information on the volcano and Sicily in general. You can ask anything. Taormina is not to be missed.

We had luck that our guide was Eduardo! He is great Guy with knowledge about region and Mt.Etna history. We spend together amazing day, especially walking on Etna’s craters. We laugh a lot! Tour worth every penny. We would like to come back again!

We had a wonderful experience with Alessio. We had a short cruise stop and he made sure we got to see the best of the best. First we went to Taormina and he recommended a few stops with amazing view points. After he took us to Mt Etna and he took us to some main points and we experienced a wonderful tasting at the top. He also made a quick stop in Catania by request to get Cannolis and Granita (Gelato on Brioche Bread). Alessio is very knowledgeable about history, science, nature, and culture and very pleasant and accommodating. Highly recommend!

Our guide was fantastic! Walking on Mt Etna was our favorite part of put time in Italy.

Incredible tour of Mt Etna with our guide Itala. She was very knowledgeable of the volcano and it's history. Highly recommended.

First off, our guide Salvo was absolute perfection! He was so welcoming, kept everyone’s safety priority #1, and made sure we all had the absolute best time while giving us awesome flexibility. ​ A few helpful notes for future travelers: ​-Logistics: The meeting point was easy to find, and the tour company sent super helpful text and email updates leading up to it. ​-The Drive: The drive to Mt. Etna takes about an hour and gets very winding. If you're prone to motion sickness, definitely bring medication! I don't get motion sickness all that often and it was rough for me, even. ​-The Hike: We’re mid-30s and fairly fit, but the altitude hit us harder than expected, so we opted to sit out the main Mt. Etna hike (we heard it was pretty tough!). There were easier alternative options available, but we decided to take it easy due to the elevation. ​Even with the bumpy start, the rest of the day was magic. Lunch in a charming small town was a massive highlight with incredible views, amazing local tastings, and a fantastic little spot. Afterward, Taormina was gorgeous! It was a scorching day, so we spent a lot of time relaxing in the shade of the public gardens, but the coastal views, shopping, and sights were unreal. ​ Despite the rough drive, this was a total 10/10 experience! Salvo was super knowledgeable, and we loved having the freedom to take photos and explore at our own pace.

Lorenzo lorenzo, an amazing tour guide. Passionate, knowledgeable, caring and a great person to be around, some great conversations. The trip was perfect a little bit of everything from Etna to the wine tasting to a great lunch and ending in Taormina. Couldn’t fit anything more in the day even if we tried. Highly recommend if you want to see a few things in a single trip or only in Catania for a short while like we were.

You pay for a taxi service essentially. Once you arrive to the mountain climb to Etna is not included but the cost if you want to make to the top is 80 euro. Guide has access to tickets and can fast queue you but thats all. I know it wasnt included but clearly they dont say about it in advance because they know you will want to see the top. Tasting was ridiculous: They take you a tourist bar by the mountain and give you tasting samples so you buy drinks, thats all. Lunch also is there. The lava cave is by the road, its free anyone that wants to go in. Obviously if you dont know about it you might miss. There are few of these. Then a "sicilian style" driving class I feared we would crash. Couple of hours free time in Taormina, one hour would be enough. The guide was very nice, very sicilian. I just think for the amount paid you dont get much.

Pick up went very smoothly. About an hour before a pick up our tour guide/driver sent us a reminder of everything we need to bring. Usefull tip: altho web page allowes you to be picked up at via Etnea drivers cannot go there by car so pick something close like McDonalds 200 m from there. On the begining of out trip our guide Alessandro walked us through todays plan and possible options and throuought the whole way tried to explain us as many things as he could so that we have better experience when we arrive at Etna. As a group we decided to go on Etna volcano first and as we got there and while one part off our group went for a cable car/bus/walk option to the 3000 m, we opted for a trekking through volcanic craters with our tour guide. I would definitly recommand it. Our gudie made sure we are following him, and tried to modify the trekking due to our wishes and possibilities. He was also very patient and helpfull during tons of photos taken and showed us everything he coul think of. After visiting Etna (took us about 3 h due to the crowds) we went for a lunch/wine tasting option. I also recommand it if you are keen on experiencing Etna through specific engridients, products and wine sorts specific to that region. We finished our trip by going in Taormina. The place itself is nice and full of luxury brand stores but was very different contrast to Etna and its green and black plains. Overall I would definitly recommand this trip. We had an amazing time thanks to our guide Alessandro.

This was a fantastic experience with a great guide, Itala. I highly recommend it for anyone coming to Sicily!

Loved this tour and our guide. When you get to the top of Mount Etna you can choose to take the chairlift for an extra expense or if you don’t, the tour guide walked around with us and showed us a crater which we enjoyed. We went in June and the temperature was a significant amount colder and if you take the chairlift it’s even colder at the top. After hiking they had food options at the bottom of the mountain. Then we visited Taromina which was a gorgeous city. If you want to visit the Greek theatre there you can buy a ticket online to skip the line. We lucked out and the line was not too long and the view was definitely worth it.

This was an expensive day but it covered a lot of territory that we.couldnt have covered in a car without local knowledge . It was an exhausting but exhilarating day.

Considerable up & down hill trekking on loose stones. So, a bit strenuous for us (77years old). The tour was very interesting; I learned a lot about Mt. Erna. Florenza was great & very helpful on difficult terrains.

This tour was one of the highlights of our trip to Sicily. Seeing Mount Etna up close was an unforgettable experience, and Taormina was absolutely beautiful with its charming streets and incredible views. The tour guide was great, very friendly and knowledgeable, and made the whole day smooth and enjoyable from start to finish. Everything was well organized, and we had enough time to explore and take photos. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Sicily!

The tour guide was great—friendly and helpful. The hike on Mount Etna was very interesting and offered us some beautiful views. The tasting was good, but nothing out of the ordinary. We skipped the cave tour so we could spend more time in Taormina. Taormina is beautiful but very touristy. The sights are still worth seeing, and there are plenty of places to eat. We recommend restaurants outside of the main street.

Perfect mix of hiking, seeing breathtaking views, and exploring Taormina.