Mount Etna at a glance
Mount Etna stands on the east coast of Sicily. UNESCO names the summit craters, cinder cones, lava flows, lava caves and the Valle del Bove depression as its key volcanic features, and added Etna to the World Heritage list in 2013. The World Heritage area covers 19,237 hectares. It sits inside a regional nature park of about 59,000 hectares, set up by decree on 17 March 1987.
This guide covers the volcano itself: tours, hiking rules, the cable car, the Silvestri craters, current activity, wine, getting there, the best season and villages to stay in. Neighbouring topics have their own guides: Sicily as a whole, Catania and Taormina. Stromboli is a different volcano, covered by Stromboli. This is not the official Etna website.
How most visitors see Etna
There is no single ticket for the whole volcano. The cable car, guided tours, the Silvestri craters walk and parking are sold separately.
Take the cable car
The Funivia dell'Etna (cable car) climbs from 1,923 m to 2,500 m. It runs daily, weather permitting.
Cable car prices and times →Join a guided tour
Packages add an off-road bus or snow vehicle and a guide. The height you reach depends on the rules on the day.
Tours compared →Hike with a guide
In the restricted summit zone, access depends on the alert phase and on authorised guides. Limits differ by municipality.
Hiking rules →Walk around the Silvestri craters
A loop of about 30 minutes on the south side, close to the Rifugio Sapienza car park.
Silvestri craters →Our picks: Etna tours
A guided summit hike, a sunset trip with a lava cave and a helicopter flight over the craters.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
30-minute helicopter flight over Etna
Welcome drinks, express check-in at a private heliport and free parking. No landing; the base price has no hotel transfer, flights are confirmed from four paying guests, and the limit is about 104 kg per person.
Check availability →
Etna sunset tour with a lava cave
An air-conditioned jeep or van, a multilingual guide, a hike, helmet, torch and local tastings. Hiking boots are available if you ask in advance.
Check availability →
Guided summit hike on Etna, up to 3,400 m
A volcano guide, helmet and insurance. The cable car for the 3,000 m option costs €54 per adult and cable car plus 4x4 for 3,400 m costs €82, paid on site.
Check availability →Mount Etna tours
Summit hikes, cable car packages, sunset trips and wine tastings, with live prices and availability.
South side or north side?
The two main starting points compared.
| South side | North side | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Piazzale Rifugio Sapienza, Nicolosi | Piano Provenzana, Linguaglossa |
| Typical offers | Cable car, Tour 3000, Silvestri craters | Packages with special vehicles towards Pizzi Deneri and Piano delle Concazze |
| Village below | Nicolosi, about 700 m | Linguaglossa, about 550 m |
| Drive from Catania | – | About 1 h 30 via Linguaglossa, depending on traffic |
| Drive from Taormina | – | About 1 h 15, depending on traffic |
| Public transport | AST bus from Catania, daily with exceptions | – |
Each side has its own offers and its own municipal rules, so a ticket for one side does not work on the other. If you have only one day, the south side is the simpler choice without a car.
Explore this guide
Ways up the volcano, with prices, times and rules.
Mount Etna hike
Summit zone rules, guides, group limits and what to wear.
Etna tours compared
Cable car packages, north side trips and wine tastings side by side.
Etna cable car
Prices, opening times and what each ticket includes.
Silvestri craters
A short walk around two old craters near Rifugio Sapienza.
Plan the details
Activity, wine, transport, season and villages.
Is Etna active?
Dated activity reports and what the alerts mean for visitors.
Etna wine tours
Tastings on the volcano and what to ask before you book.
Etna from Catania and Taormina
Bus, car and tours, with the return trip planned.
Best time to visit
Weather, snow and what to wear at different heights.
Where to stay near Etna
Nicolosi, Zafferana Etnea and Linguaglossa compared.
Good to know
Four points that older guides often get wrong.
Two sides, two starting points
The south side starts at Rifugio Sapienza in Nicolosi. The north side starts at Piano Provenzana near Linguaglossa. Offers, prices and rules differ, so check which side your booking uses.
Activity changes
The weekly report of the INGV volcano observatory, published on 13 October 2026 for 5 to 11 October, described variable degassing at the summit craters and low seismicity. The observatory warns that conditions can worsen without notice. Check the latest bulletin before you travel.
Activity page →Rules are set locally
Access to the summit zone is set by municipal ordinances and can change with the alert phase. Ask your guide or operator which limit applies on the day.
Bus from Catania
AST, the regional bus company, runs a daily Catania to Rifugio Sapienza service with a few holiday exceptions. A September 2026 check reports a morning departure from Catania and a return at 16:30. Check the current timetable before you go. Arriving by air? See Catania Airport.
More independent guides to Sicily
Separate guides from the same team, each focused on one place.
Sicily
The whole island: routes, regions and the best time to go.
Catania
The city at the foot of Etna, its markets and baroque centre.
Taormina
The ancient theatre, Isola Bella and the cable car to the beach.
Syracuse and Ortigia
Ortigia, the Neapolis park and boat trips along the coast.
Modica
Baroque churches and the chocolate town of the southeast.
Stromboli
The active volcano island: hikes, boat trips and ferries.
Milazzo
The harbour town for the Aeolian ferries and Capo Milazzo.
Mount Etna: frequently asked questions
Is there one ticket for the whole of Etna?
No. The cable car, guided tours, the Silvestri craters walk and parking are priced separately. In 2026 the cable car ticket to 2,500 m is listed at €54, and Tour 3000, which adds a bus and a guide, at €82 for adults.
Can I climb to the summit craters?
Only within the rules of the day. In the restricted zone, at alert phase ATTENZIONE, you need an authorised guide and groups are capped. Which height you can reach depends on the phase and on the municipality. See the hiking page.
How do I get from Catania to the cable car?
By AST bus to Rifugio Sapienza, which takes about 2 hours each way, by car, or on a tour that starts in town. A September 2026 check reports a €6.60 return fare. Check the current timetable before you go. The getting there page has the details.
Is Etna active at the moment?
The INGV volcano observatory publishes weekly reports. The report of 13 October 2026 describes variable degassing and no significant ground deformation, but it also warns that activity can rise quickly. The activity page explains how to read the bulletins.
Is Etna the same as Stromboli?
No. Stromboli is a separate volcano on an island in the Aeolian group, with its own guide in this network.
Is visitetna.org the official Etna site?
No. This is an independent travel guide with no link to the Etna Park authority, INGV, the cable car operator, any guides' association or any tour operator.