As we often say, Mount Etna is a continent, a world in itself that can offer dozens of incredible experiences. It is not just a volcano but a real mountain, made up of different climate zones that are more or less humanized. In this scenario, of course, there is no shortage of possibilities to fully experience a vacation. And if you find yourself on Etna in the summer, or if you live at its foot, here are five interesting ways to spend the hottest season on the volcano.
Farmhouses: among vineyards and orchards
Whether you are a foreigner or a local, plan a few days in a farmhouse. Just one day or a week, there is no shortage of possibilities. The Etna foothill villages, surrounded by lush vineyards and orchards, offer numerous farmhouse solutions that allow you to relax in nature while fully experiencing mountain life. You will find educational farms between Zafferana and Milo, ancient farmhouses with palmenti (cellars for the pressing of grapes ) in the area of Castiglione or Randazzo, agricultural villages on the western side, historic mansions immersed in the greenery to the south. Just search for “Etna farmhouses” on the search engines to have a very wide range of choices available, throughout the territory of the volcano.
In search of ancient traditions
If you like ancient Sicilian traditions and the atmosphere of small villages, spend the summer wandering around the festivals and celebrations that dot the Etna villages. Here ( https://www.go-etna.com/blog/mt-etnas-summer-festivals/) we had mentioned the most interesting of the season.
You should definitely aim for the Fireworks Festival in Aci Bonaccorsi, the Madonna festival in Zafferana and the medieval festivals in Randazzo. These events usually take place in August, but in July you can also enjoy more recent and social festivals such as the Milo Jazz Festival or the St Venera procession in Santa Venerina. In Pedara, instead, an interesting Sicilian granita festival takes place.
On an excursion (easy)
There are dozens of excursions to take on Etna. You can choose the easiest ones, if you don’t want to tire yourself out in the heat, or if you prefer to go back and forth between the volcano and the beaches on the coast. The easy excursions you could take in this season are: the Ilice di Carrinu trail, the Sartorius trail, the Ragabo pine forest trail (up to the rangers barracks), Piano dei Grilli (near Bronte) or Schiena dell’Asino to look out over the Valle del Bove.
On an excursion (difficult)
If the heat doesn’t scare you and you want to spend your Etna summer discovering fascinating places, marching at a good pace on any terrain, challenge the fatigue with excursions such as: Timparossa trail (from Piano Provenzana, to the north), Galvarina trail (to the south), excursion to Pizzi Deneri (north flank), excursions in Valle del Bove, trekking to the Summit Craters starting from the Montagnola cable car base. For the bravest, excursions to Grotta del Gelo, through deserts of lava rock, are the most sought-after summer challenges.
When you embark on excursions, whether easy or difficult, always get a competent and valid guide to climb with.
At the top of the volcano
The Sicilian summer can be very fierce and the heat can reach truly suffocating temperatures. In these cases, the best idea is to aim for the top of Etna. When it’s not boiling with eruptions’ fire, in fact, this is one of the coolest places in Sicily, in this season. You could book directly at Rifugio Sapienza – which also works as a hotel – and then go up in comfort, via the Etna Cableway and the shuttles that will take you effortlessly to the foot of the four giant craters at the top of the volcano. Or you could camp in the Citelli or Brunek refuge area and then go up, with a guide, towards the craters from the north side. (PHOTOS BY G.MUSUMECI)