Mount Etna private tour from Taormina: Volcano, winery & lunch

Etna's slopes grow wine the way they grow nothing else on earth.

A private Mount Etna tour from Taormina takes you by car through mountain villages to Rifugio Sapienza at 2,000 meters, where you visit the Silvestri Craters and walk the volcanic terrain. Your guide then drives you to a family-run winery on Etna's slope for a tour of the cellars, a sommelier's explanation of the wine-making process, and a traditional lunch with four glasses of red and white Etna wines. Pickup from your Taormina accommodation, port or train station is included. The tour runs 5 to 8 hours depending on optional activities.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private tour of Etna and winery visit

• Pick up at accommodation in Taormina area
• Drive through authentic mountain villages
• Stop in Zafferana Etnea, visit honey store and taste local products
• Ascend to Rifugio Sapienza at 2000 mt
• Visit Silvestri Craters and souvenir shops
• Optional cable car and jeep ascent to 3000 mt
• Drive to Etna winery
• Tour winery estate and cellars with sommelier
• Enjoy traditional lunch with local wines

The experience

Your private guide picks you up at your accommodation, port or train station in Taormina, Giardini Naxos, Letojanni or nearby areas, and you drive by air-conditioned car through the foothills toward Europe's highest active volcano. The route passes through small authentic mountain villages built of lava stone, with views across Sicilian countryside planted in oranges, lemons, olives and almond trees. Your first stop is Zafferana Etnea, a village on Etna's slope famous for honey, where you visit a local producer and taste honey, olive oil, olives, wines and liquors grown and made on the fertile volcanic terrain.

You continue ascending to Rifugio Sapienza station at 2,000 meters, where you visit the Silvestri Craters and take in the panoramas of the volcano. You can browse souvenir shops selling gifts of lava or refresh yourself at a bar. An optional cable car and jeep ascent with an authorized Alpine guide reaches 3,000 meters (charged separately). If your tour starts in Messina, you visit the Sartorius Craters instead. After Etna, your guide drives you to one of the best wineries on the slope, where a sommelier walks you through the cellars and explains the wine-making process and the family's history. You have a traditional lunch of locally produced cheeses, salami, prosciutto, fresh bread, olives, home-made olive oil and a pasta dish, paired with four glasses of Sicilian Etna red and white wines.

Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes and bring layers (a warm jacket and windbreaker or rain jacket), because weather changes as you climb. Bottled water is provided. A minimum of two people per booking is required, and you must be at least 18 to drink wine. The tour is private to your party only. No other guests join you.

What’s included

• Private pickup and drop-off from your Taormina-area accommodation, port or train station.
• private guide and driver for your party only.
• visit to Zafferana Etnea honey producer with tastings.
• ascent to Rifugio Sapienza and visit to the Silvestri Craters.
• tour of a family-run Etna winery with sommelier-led cellar tour and wine-making explanation.
• traditional lunch with locally produced cheeses, salami, prosciutto, fresh bread, olives, home-made olive oil and pasta.
• four glasses of Sicilian Etna red and white wines.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Before you book

Lasts 5h–8h, runs every day, 4 start times, from € 325 per person, with a live guide in English and Italian, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Child (4 to 13 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on site€ 4

Prices and times updated 22 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Prestelli Sicily Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this private tour if your group wants to explore Etna's craters and stop for a winery lunch at your own pace, with a guide who drives and decides the route rather than you navigating between stops.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 13 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Silvestri Craters stop like on the Mount Etna tour?

The Silvestri Craters are extinct volcanic craters you visit at Rifugio Sapienza station at 2,000 meters on Mount Etna's slope. You walk among them and take in panoramic views of the volcano and surrounding landscape. Souvenir shops and a bar are nearby if you want to rest or browse.

How much wine do I taste at the winery on this Taormina tour?

A professional sommelier pours you four glasses of Sicilian Etna red and white wines during lunch at the winery. The sommelier also explains the wine-making process and the history of the family-run estate while you eat.

What food is included in the lunch at the Etna winery?

Lunch at the winery includes locally produced cheeses, salami, prosciutto, fresh bread, olives, home-made olive oil and a traditional pasta dish, all paired with the four glasses of wine.

Can I go higher on Mount Etna than 2,000 meters on this tour?

Yes, an optional cable car and jeep ascent with an authorized Alpine guide reaches 3,000 meters, but this costs extra (78 euros per person) and is not included in the tour price.

Where does the guide pick me up for this Mount Etna tour?

Your guide picks you up at your hotel or accommodation in Taormina, Giardini Naxos, Letojanni or nearby areas, or at the port or train station if you arrive by ship or rail.

How long does this private Mount Etna and winery tour take?

The tour runs 5 to 8 hours depending on how long you spend at each stop and whether you choose the optional cable car ascent to 3,000 meters.