Mount Etna & Taormina Day Trip: Silvestri Craters Tour

The Silvestri Craters sit at high elevation, close enough to walk around but far enough that most visitors never reach them.

A six to eight hour day trip from Catania or Messina (or from Giardini Naxos/Taormina) combining Mount Etna's Silvestri Craters with a walking tour of Taormina's Corso Umberto I. Private transportation, bottled water, WiFi and an English-speaking guide are included. You can add an optional summit crater excursion at checkout. Pickup is available from multiple starting points, and the vehicle is air-conditioned with specialized infant seats if needed.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Etna and Taormina

• Visit Silvestri Craters
• Optional summit crater excursion
• Visit Taormina for shopping

The experience

The day splits between two very different stops. You start at the Silvestri Craters on Mount Etna's lower slopes, where you can walk around the volcanic formations and browse the small shops and cafés clustered there. An optional paid excursion to the summit craters is available if you want to go higher, but the base itinerary keeps you at the Silvestri level. From there, the drive takes you down to Taormina, where you walk Corso Umberto I: the pedestrian spine of the old town, lined with shops, galleries and restaurants. The route itself is the attraction here. There's no museum entry or timed ticket involved.

Transportation is the backbone of this tour. You travel in a private vehicle (either a sedan or minivan depending on which option you book) with an English-speaking driver, air conditioning, bottled water and onboard WiFi. The vehicle picks you up from your hotel or one of the designated starting points (Catania, Messina, or Giardini Naxos/Taormina), so you don't arrange your own way to the mountain. The whole experience runs six to eight hours, which gives you real time at each stop rather than a rushed loop.

Families with infants can bring a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available. Service animals are welcome. The itinerary suits all fitness levels, though the Silvestri Craters walk is at altitude and involves some uneven ground, so comfortable shoes matter.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned sedan or minivan.
• bottled water.
• onboard WiFi.
• an English-speaking driver.
• hotel pickup from Catania, Messina, or Giardini Naxos/Taormina.

Options for this experience

4 options

Sedan from Giardini Naxos/TaorminaUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed timeLuxury Mercedes sedan, includes pickup

Minivan from Giardini Naxos/TaorminaUp to 7 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed timeLuxury Mercedes minivan, includes pickup

Sedan service departing from Catania or MessinaUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed timeLuxury Mercedes sedan, includes pickup

Minivan service departing from Catania or MessinaUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed timeLuxury Mercedes minivan, includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Transfer Sicily Tours (Private Tours)

Is this one for you?Book from Catania or Messina if those cities are your base. Choose the Giardini Naxos/Taormina pickup if you're already staying in that area and want to skip the longer drive to the mountain. The private vehicle means you travel at your own pace without waiting for other groups, and the six to eight hour window gives you real time to explore both stops instead of rushing through either one.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

5 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What is Corso Umberto I and what do I do there?

Corso Umberto I is Taormina's main pedestrian street, running through the heart of the old town. You walk it during the tour, browsing shops, galleries and cafés. There are no museum entries or guided stops along the way. It's the street itself that is the draw.

Which pickup location should I choose?

You can book pickup from Catania or Messina (in a sedan or minivan), or from Giardini Naxos/Taormina (also in a sedan or minivan). Choose the one closest to your hotel or accommodation.

Is lunch included in the day trip?

No. Lunch is not included, but you'll have time to eat at one of the cafés or restaurants along Corso Umberto I or near the Silvestri Craters.