Mount Etna Hikes Weekend Adventure

On the same latitude as part of the North African coast and tempered by sea breezes, Sicily is the largest of the Mediterranean Islands. Mount Etna, at 3,357m tall the highest point on Sicily, dominates the island. Visible from almost every corner, the active volcano, the highest in Europe, is ever-present on this exciting hiking weekend break.

You'll spend your short break in Castiglione di Sicilia, a small Sicilian town nestled in a valley between Etna and the Alcantara Park. It's a picturesque place with small houses and historical buildings perched upon a hill on the north side of Etna. As a centre it offers some of the finest walking to be had. Start to discover the region with a memorable hike around the base of Monte Nero, a dormant crater that will give you a sense of the region's explosive past.

Next up is a glorious but challenging hike along the Monte Pizzo Ridge. The higher you reach, the more spectacular the views across the island are, looking out across dried lava flows and dune landscapes, to vineyards and villages, the ocean beyond and even to the Italian mainland across the straights of Messina.