[Closed] Mt Etna

I was planning going to Etna last week, but flights on Mon and Fri and transfering would have limited my time for walking too much, so will go next year when I can take a full week and hopefully get 4 full days of walking in.

Im sure you can go for a weekend, but it depends what you want to do. I had a load of walks and gorge visits I wanted to do based on the circumetnea railway

That's my fear, that I'll spend the whole weekend rushing around too much to actually enjoy, and savour, the experience.

I had a M-F week free and Ive always wanted to walk on a live volcano. I do a lot of mountain walking. Even if I got to the Alps, Id want to allow 1 day travel & transfer, 3 days sport, and 1 day back. With Etna I wanted an extra day, but I suppose it could have been done.

Got a great map for when I do go! 😀

I'd say so - it really depends on how much you want to do as it's pretty well set up for tourists, so a real walker should be able to get something out of it.

Thanks. All suggestions greatly accepted

Beware of bees.
The lovely Mrs M attempted to climb Etna sometime in the 80s, when lightweight boiler suits for women were fashionable. She wore one. Somehow a large bee crawled into her clothing & stung her on the arse. She was stark naked and slapping at her backside in seconds, to the amusement of other tourists.
Aforesaid arse took a few days to return to normal, unstung size.

😆

Thanks, I'll bear that in mind.

Although mandatory to be with a guide, Stromboli (an island volcano) to the north of Sicily is a brilliant adventure. Once out after a couple of hours on a hydrofoil boat, the guides take you up at night to watch the volcano erupt. one of the best things I've ever seen and can strongly recommend.

Are you flying in to Catania or Palermo? Bus from Catania station to the big car park then a walk to the summit (or another bus) will be a whole day, but yes, do-able with an early start. I'd advise staying in Catania for an easy start. Catania's ok, and if that's where you're flying to/from, you can visit Syracuse or Taormina on day 2 if time allows - the amphitheatre in Taormina has fantastic views dowm the coast. If flights are Palermo, go look at the weirdness that is the Catacombes des Capuchins

Definitely doable in a weekend.

By getting to the top, do you literally mean the top? The tourist 4x4 etc go part way to the summit, but definitely not near it.

I understand the Italians are fairly open to you walking up and doing what you want, however you need to be up there very early.

By midday it is completely cloud covered and visability is next to zero.

GF and i were there for three weeks in December with the van and bikes escaping the cold German winter.

beautiful island.

lots of trails for walking on Etna, some brilliant dedicated bike trails. although most of them were lower down (~2000m) as the top is covered in snow all year round.

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There's also Vesuvius. Unless you want actively erupting.
Fly into Naples, do Pompeii & Herculaneum too

You could go climb Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh 😉

Got to be an active one.

Are you flying in to Catania or Palermo?

I'm not flying into anywhere, yet: It's all planning/hypothetical at this stage.