Private Mount Etna and Wine Tasting

After meeting your professionally trained guide, you will set out for the one-hour drive to the base of Mount Etna. You will then follow a scenic road that winds its way around the slopes of the mountain passing through the town of Giarre and the villages of Santa Venerina and Zafferana. Mount Etna Cratere Silvestri is at an elevation of more than 6,500 feet above sea level. Although it is not the top of the mountain, it offers splendid views of the slopes which are covered with volcanic cones, craters and the remnants of lava flows from the most recent eruptions. Smoke is often seen rising from Trifoglietto I and II and Mongibello at the summit, (over 10,000 feet above sea level,) a reminder of the activity within.

The barren slopes at the top of the mountain lead down to forests of beech, birch, larch, and Corsican pine, as well as vineyards, which flourish in the lava-rich soil. After you visit the volcano, you will visit one of these vineyards for a cellar tour with the wine farm expert. Then sample some of the wines, accompanied by Sicilian delicacies such as cheese, olives, and bread. Then rejoin your transportation for the approximately 90-minute drive back to Messina.