From Taormina: Full-Day Etna, Wine & Alcantara Canyons Tour
About This Experience
The Taormina-side equivalent of the big Catania day: a small-group full day that walks the extinct craters, goes underground into a lava cave, stops at a winery for lunch and an Etna tasting, and finishes at the Alcantara canyons.
The crater section is around two hours on foot at roughly 2,000 metres, circling the rims of extinct cones and crossing lava-covered ground through old woodland. Equipment is included — boots, jacket, walking pole, and snowshoes instead in winter — which matters more than it sounds, because the surface is loose ash and clinker.
The winery stop is a typical Sicilian lunch with local products and a tasting of Etna wines. The last stop is a panoramic viewpoint over the Alcantara canyons, cut by the river through a lava flow thousands of years ago.
At 8.5 hours this is the longest option leaving Taormina, and the trade-off is real: you see far more of the mountain than a tasting tour does, but the wine is one course of a lunch rather than the point of the day.
Highlights
- Two-hour guided walk around extinct craters at about 2,000 metres
- A lava cave on the volcano's underground side
- Sicilian lunch at a winery with an Etna wine tasting
- Panoramic stop over the Alcantara canyons
- Small group, hotel pick-up from Taormina, all equipment included
What's Included
- ✓ Guide
- ✓ Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- ✓ Insurance
- ✓ Entrance fees
- ✓ Hiking boots, jacket and walking pole (snowshoes in winter)
- ✓ Lunch
- ✓ Etna wine tasting
Not Included
- Gratuities
What to Bring
- Comfortable clothes you do not mind getting dusty
- A warm layer for the crater walk
Good to Know & Caveats
- Tours in French or Spanish can be arranged, but only with adequate notice at booking.
- Boots, jacket and pole are provided; in winter they are swapped for snowshoes.
- 8.5 hours is a long day — the half-day tasting tours from Taormina are the alternative if you mainly want the wine.
- The Alcantara stop is from a panoramic viewpoint on this itinerary, not a walk down into the gorge.
Not Suitable For
- People with mobility impairments
Meeting Point
Hotel pick-up in Taormina and the surrounding coast.
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.9/5 by 504 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
The activity was really unbelievably great!! Our guide, Daniele, was very, very nice and also adapted to our age group, which was so great for us. We saw a lot of interesting things and are very satisfied with the tour. Lunch was also very tasty, and we were extremely spoiled :) We would definitely book another tour and recommend it to others!!
— Anastasia, August
We enjoyed the excursion from the first minute to the last. The fantastic, friendly and knowledgeable live guide Toni told us everything about Mount Etna and the Alcantara Gorge. He also shared a lot of interesting facts about the island and its history. The lunch and food tasting were very well organized. Thanks to the live guide Toni for the amazing day.
— Leon, August
Diego was amazing and very informative. it's Nice to have a guide with an education in the subjects. such a Nice guy
— oliver, August
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as the Catania Etna and Alcantara day?
It is the same shape of day — craters, cave, winery lunch, Alcantara — run from Taormina instead of Catania, and it visits the Alcantara canyons from a viewpoint rather than wading in. Pick whichever matches where you are sleeping.
How hard is the crater walk?
About two hours on loose volcanic ground at around 2,000 metres, with gentle ascent rather than climbing. Boots and a pole are provided. It is not suitable if you have mobility impairments.
Is the wine tasting a proper tasting?
It is a tasting of Etna wines alongside a typical Sicilian lunch at a local winery, rather than a sommelier-led flight through a cellar. If the tasting itself is the reason you are going, book a dedicated winery tour.
What happens in winter?
The tour runs, with snowshoes replacing hiking boots. The upper mountain holds snow well into spring and the itinerary adapts to conditions on the day.
Do I need to bring hiking boots?
No. Boots, a jacket and a walking pole are all included in the price. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a warm layer for the altitude.
How long is the drive from Taormina?
Roughly an hour each way up to the walking area, with the winery and Alcantara stops on the return. The full day runs about 8.5 hours door to door.
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