We will be in Taormina for several days the first week of October. What is the best way to experience Mt. Etna? We have a car and a day trip is what we had in mind. Are there days of the week not to go, like the weekend? Lonely planet has a driving tour on the west side of Mt. Etna that looks interesting. I understand that to go to the crater you need a guide or to hike on your own. O.k. your thoughts and feedback on how to best experience Mt. Etna.
Thanks.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
When we were in Taormina a few years ago we had a rental car but opted for a tour to Etna rather than drive ourselves. We arranged the tour through our hotel and walked to the nearby pick-up point on the appointed day.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
We drove to Mt. Etna last June. You can drive as far as the funivia (cable car) that takes you close to the rim and then take a 4-wheel drive tour, or you can catch a tour at the funivia base where you park your car. One of my friends decided the cable-car was not for her, so we didn't go all the way to the rim (the funivia and the tour at the top are weather-permitting, anyway). I don't know if you can hike on your own, but at the car park there are plenty of guided tour options, equipment rental shops, and of cours souvenir stands. One of the women we met who owns a shop has had a family-run guided tour business for years.