Etna and Alcantara Gorges Full-Day Tour with Lunch

Dream Island

Are you looking for the perfect mix of volcanic adventure and refreshing moments of relax? The Etna and Alcantara Gorges excursion is the perfect choice for you!

Catania

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Discover the fascinating landscapes of Etna’s northern slope on a guided tour. Enjoy the impressive views of Etna’s foothills, see up close and touch ancient lava flows, admire craters still in activity, and appreciate a typical Sicilian landscape with its crops and rural villages. After a lunch break, take a more relaxing turn with a visit to the refreshing Alcantara Gorges. Start your tour with a pick up from an arranged meeting point in various locations such as: Taormina, Giardini Naxos, Catania, Linguaglossa. Travel by SUV or minivan (up to 8 passengers per vehicle) to the first stop of your tour, an off-road route to the massive 2002 eruption lava front, the largest eruption of recent times that destroyed the Piano Provenzana ski facilities and part of the Ragabo Pine Forest. Passing through the Ragabo Forest, following the Mareneve road, we will reach the starting point of the trek to the Monti Sartorius craters near Rifugio Citelli, continuing our tour on foot. This is a walk of easy difficulty, suitable for everyone, the route is about 3 km long in total, starting from an altitude of 1665m and arriving at an altitude of about 1775m. Hike along a characteristic Etnean path, among white birch trees and "button" side crater (“bottoniera”), the Sartorius Craters, on the northeastern slope of Etna. Reach several vantage points with unique and spectacular views up to Calabria and the Aeolian Islands! After your trek to the Sartorius, you will explore an Etna volcanic cave, the Grotta dei Ladroni (also called Grotta delle Nevi). Equipped with helmets and flashlights, you will venture inside this lava flow tunnel to discover its formation and history. This is an original lava flow tunnel which has been partially excavated by man, as evidenced by the date engraved on a stone at the top of the entrance: 1776. In centuries past, Etna’s inhabitants used this cave to store snow in the winter months, later reselling it in the warmer months. It's time to stop at an Etnean restaurant to rest and enjoy a delicious meal: first course, drink and coffee are included in the price of the tour. After lunch, continue to the Alcantara Valley, passing through Castiglione di Sicilia, one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy”, with features similar to a medieval village, famous today for its wineries that produce excellent Etna DOC wines. End your tour with a visit to the Alcantara Gorges, also known as the Larderia Gorges, located in the “Alcantara River Park”. The Gorges are a fascinating natural lava canyon excavated by the Alcantara river through lava flows of ancient times. Descend inside the Alcantara Gorges via the municipal entrance, the entrance fee is included in the price. You will by free to relax by the beach or take a walk/swim into the refreshing Alcantara River. After relaxing at the Alcantara Gorges we will take you back to the initial meeting point.