Soft Adventure in Sicily
Soft Adventure in Sicily: Climbing Mount Etna the Easy Way
View from my hotel room on the first morning. After taking this picture I met with everyone else in hotel lobby to depart for Mount Etna.
As I walked the perimeter of one of Mount Etna’s craters, nature loomed large and I felt small.
Etna is Europe’s largest active volcano. It’s 3,350 meters or 11,000 feet above sea level and has been erupting longer than any other volcano in written history. Yet, it is safe to visit, climb, and explore when following the rules with care.
I visited Mount Etna in Sicily as part of my tour with Just You, a tour company that specializes exclusively in solo travel. You can read other accounts of my trip in Solo Traveler on a Solos-Only Tour and Ancient Sites in Sicily on a Resort Holiday.
Our Etna visit was on Day 1 of our tour of Sicily. We rose early in the morning and climbed on the bus for the drive to the mountain. The big question was whether there would be blue sky or the mountain would be in the clouds and, therefore, offer much less of an experience.
We were lucky. En route we could see Etna rising in the distance. The top was in sunlight.
After buying our tickets, we took the gondola to a mid-station. It is possible to climb all the way up but you need to be pretty strong and capable of handling the ever-thinning air. At the top of the gondola you are 2,590 meters above sea level.
Climbing Mount Etna the Easy Way
Arriving at the mountain with our guide, Ertan, we made our way to the gondola. Having his experience with us made navigating the busy entrance easier and faster than it would have been on our own. The first phase of going up Mount Etna is taking the gondola over the desolate and sometimes steaming ground.
The gondola is like any cable car. The cars ride the cables to cabins at each end where people get on and off. The cars slow as they enter the cabins and make a 180º turn to go back in the opposite direction. They slow sufficiently that it is easy to hop on while a car is in motion.
At the gondola station midway to the top is a snack bar. If you haven’t brought water with you, it’s a good idea to buy a bottle here. It was my first day in Sicily and I was jet lagged. Add to that the elevation and I felt the need for water and bit of sugar to keep me going.
This shot was taken on the gondola. It was our first morning together on the trip and you can see that as a group we were already gelling and having fun.
After the gondola you have the choice of hiking to the top or taking the four-wheel drive buses. We took the buses which was a good thing for I wouldn’t have made the hike given the thin air.
Once at the top we met our local guide who walked us around one of the craters sharing the science and history of the volcano. There is a little climbing at the top but not enough to be a problem.
After the gondola ride you have the option of climbing to the top. It’s not a choice I would have taken given the elevation and jet lag. We took the four-wheel drive buses.
After getting off the buses at the top, we met our local guide who walked us around the crater explaining the activity and history of the volcano.
We walked around the crater.
You can’t see it but there is steam rising from that hole. If you feel the ground you can feel Etna’s heat.
The scale of Mount Etna can’t be overstated.
Here are the buses waiting to take us back down the mountain.
We had lunch at the bottom of the mountain. You can see that at the base it’s quite commercial.
What to Bring with You to Mount Etna
Regardless of how hot it is at your hotel or resort, which is likely at sea level, Mount Etna will not be as warm. When planning your trip to Etna, bring:
- A sweater for warmth.
- A waterproof jacket in case the top is in the clouds.
- Hat and gloves. If it’s cold at the base you’ll need them at the top.
- Water.
- Snacks.
- Sunscreen.
- Proper walking shoes.
If you find that you have not planned your clothing well, there are warm clothes available to rent at the top gondola station.
Thank you to Just You for sponsoring this trip. Solo Traveler maintains full editorial control over all content on this site.
