Mt Etna and Taormina Day Trip from Cefalu
Palermo, Italy
Rating: 
Trip Type: Day Trips
Duration: 13 hours
Visit Europe’s tallest active volcano, Mt Etna, and the charming Sicilian resort town of Taormina on this day trip from Cefalu. Enjoy a scenic drive up the UNESCO World Heritage-listed volcano and take an optional cable car and jeep ride to the summit's smoking craters. Then spend the afternoon exploring Taormina, Sicily’s most popular summer destination known for its unspoiled natural beauty and incredible ancient Greek theater overlooking the Gulf of Naxos.
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Visit Europe’s tallest active volcano, Mt Etna, and the charming Sicilian resort town of Taormina on this day trip from Cefalu. Enjoy a scenic drive up the UNESCO World Heritage-listed volcano and take an optional cable car and jeep ride to the summit's smoking craters. Then spend the afternoon exploring Taormina, Sicily’s most popular summer destination known for its unspoiled natural beauty and incredible ancient Greek theater overlooking the Gulf of Naxos.After pickup from select Cefalu hotels or a nearby location by coach, relax on the scenic journey inland toward towering Mt Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site that dominates the Sicilian landscape
During your ascent, admire Mt Etna’s varied landscapes including citrus orchards, olive groves, vineyards, fruit trees and aromatic plants growing all over the slopes. Soon you’ll be met with a strange lunar landscape created by the lava — a far cry from the garden-like terrain below.
Hop out at the base station at 6,562 feet (2,000 meters) with your guide, and enjoy time to walk around, take in the views and visit the Silvestri Craters, two small extinct craters.
Eager to reach the summit? Ride a cable car to a height of 8,202 feet (2,500 meters), or continue traveling the remaining distance by 4x4 jeep, stopping at an astounding 9,843 feet (3,000 meters) — both are at your own expense. Follow your guide around the craters at Mt Etna’s summit, peering into hornitos (small openings that release lava), and learning about volcanic activity in Sicily. At the end of your walk, return to the base station to meet the rest of your group.
After free time for lunch in town (own expense), head to nearby Taormina, inarguably one of Sicily’s most beautiful cities. Perched on the side of a mountain, this charming town has been Sicily’s most popular summer destination since the 1800s.
Enjoy free time to walk along the main drag, Corso Umberto, lined with high-end designer shops, or saunter along the ancient cobblestone streets surrounding Taormina Old Town.
If you wish, visit the Ancient Theatre of Taormina, the city’s most remarkable ancient monument and one of the most revered ruins in Sicily. Learn about the history of this preserved site, built by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, and soak up panoramic views over the Bay of Naxos and Mt Etna.
Meet back with your guide at the prearranged time and take the coastal road back to Cefalu, stopping for a photo of the Strait of Messina. Your tour concludes with a drop-off back at the original start point.
During your ascent, admire Mt Etna’s varied landscapes including citrus orchards, olive groves, vineyards, fruit trees and aromatic plants growing all over the slopes. Soon you’ll be met with a strange lunar landscape created by the lava — a far cry from the garden-like terrain below.
Hop out at the base station at 6,562 feet (2,000 meters) with your guide, and enjoy time to walk around, take in the views and visit the Silvestri Craters, two small extinct craters.
Eager to reach the summit? Ride a cable car to a height of 8,202 feet (2,500 meters), or continue traveling the remaining distance by 4x4 jeep, stopping at an astounding 9,843 feet (3,000 meters) — both are at your own expense. Follow your guide around the craters at Mt Etna’s summit, peering into hornitos (small openings that release lava), and learning about volcanic activity in Sicily. At the end of your walk, return to the base station to meet the rest of your group.
After free time for lunch in town (own expense), head to nearby Taormina, inarguably one of Sicily’s most beautiful cities. Perched on the side of a mountain, this charming town has been Sicily’s most popular summer destination since the 1800s.
Enjoy free time to walk along the main drag, Corso Umberto, lined with high-end designer shops, or saunter along the ancient cobblestone streets surrounding Taormina Old Town.
If you wish, visit the Ancient Theatre of Taormina, the city’s most remarkable ancient monument and one of the most revered ruins in Sicily. Learn about the history of this preserved site, built by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, and soak up panoramic views over the Bay of Naxos and Mt Etna.
Meet back with your guide at the prearranged time and take the coastal road back to Cefalu, stopping for a photo of the Strait of Messina. Your tour concludes with a drop-off back at the original start point.
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