Sicily is one of the major tourist destinations in Europe and tourists from all over the world visit the island each year to see its beauty. One of the main attractions in Sicily is the tallest volcano in Europe. Mount Etna stands at 3,320 meters (10,900 ft) tall and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
Despite being active, people can hike Mount Etna year-round. For those who are not into hiking, Mount Etna can be seen from Taormina, Messina, and Catania. You can see its majestic beauty looming over these towns, especially when the weather is sunny.
In this article, we will talk about some of the places in Taormina where you can view Mount Etna. If you want to climb Etna, we will also discuss how you can get to Mount Etna from Taormina, so make sure to read until the end!
About Mount Etna
Mount Etna is one of Sicily’s most popular tourist destinations and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. if you plan on visiting Sicily, you might want to squeeze in a trip to the east coast to visit Mount Etna. It is the highest active volcano in Europe standing at 3,320 meters (10,900 ft.) above sea level.
Mount Etna is located on Sicily’s east coast between the cities of Catania and Messina. It has an eruptive history and being one of the most active volcanoes in the world, it had many eruptions over the years. You can see traces of Mount Etna eruption from over 300,000 years ago and it can be seen in some of the lowermost flanks of the volcano [1].
If you want to see the beauty of Mount Etna, you can book a day tour from either Catania, Messina, or Taormina. Mount Etna tours are great as most tour companies already include transportation and hiking gear in their tour packages. You can definitely visit Mount Etna independently but you wouldn’t be able to hike until the summit. You can also experience Etna at an altitude of 2,500 meters by riding the cable car. This option is perfect if you don’t want to spend the day hiking the trails of Etna.
Currently, hiking the summit craters in 2023 is also restricted even if you have a guide because of an increase in volcanic activity.
Can You See Mt Etna From Taormina
Taormina is located on the east coast of Sicily and it is a municipality of Messina. It is also one of the most popular destinations on the island of Sicily because of its sandy beaches, shopping, and dining experiences.
The commune of Taormina overlooks the Ionian Sea and it offers beautiful scenery, rich culture, and heritage. One of the things Taormina is known for is its stunning view of Mount Etna, especially when the weather is sunny.
You can enjoy the view of Mount Etna from several places in Taormina such as Taormina’s public garden or from Taormina Piazza IX April. The piazza is located in the center of Corso Umberto which is Taormina’s city center.
The distance from Taormina to Mount Etna is about 34.5 miles (55.6 km) and if you plan to visit Mount Etna and look inside a lava cave, it is definitely doable, even as a day trip!
How To Get To Mount Etna From Taormina
You can reach Mount Etna by car. It is located on the southern side of Mount Etna and it is where most of the common trips on Mount Etna start.
You can also book a private transfer from Taormina to Mount Etna if you are opposed to driving and don’t want to rent a car. The travel time from Taormina to Mount Etna only takes about an hour and 20 minutes by car. Taking public transportation to Mount Etna is also possible but you will have to go to Catania first. This is because there are no direct buses from Taormina going to Mount Etna. To get to Mount Etna from Taormina, you can take the bus or train going to Catania.
How To Get To Mount Etna From Catania
The bus that goes directly to Mount Etna only departs from Catania and the AST bus departs at Catania Central Station Square once daily. If you want to catch the bus, you have to be early as it leaves at 8:15 AM and goes back to Catania at 4:30 PM.
If you are going to come from Taormina, you have to also leave early. The bus and train from Taormina to Catania take about 1 hour. You can leave Taormina before 6:30 AM and arrive at Catania at around 7:30 AM to catch the AST bus to Mount Etna. Make sure to also purchase your bus tickets in advance as the bus is on a first come first served basis.
The AST bus to Mount Etna will take about 2 hours and going back to Catania will only take about an hour and a half. The bus will stop by Nicolosi for 30 minutes only on the way to Rifugio Sapienza. In this time frame, you can have a stretch or buy some food for the rest of your travel. Keep in mind that the bus from Catania to Etna only goes to Etna South and if you want to visit Etna North, the only way to get there is by car.
Conclusion
Taormina is one of the places where you can get stunning views of Mount Etna. It looms over the charming town and there are places where you can see the volcano clearly. Mount Etna stands at 3,320 meters (10,900 ft) tall so it is no surprise that it can be viewed from Taormina.
If you want to see the volcano up close, we also discussed how to get to Mount Etna from Taormina. If you have any other questions, let us know!
