Etna Sunset Tour (starting from Catania)

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Sicily, Italy

5 to 6 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Half or full day trekking on Etna with private guide

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Overview

Admire the beauty of Mount Etna at sunset, the coolest and least crowded hour, on this small-group sunset excursion from Catania. Admire views of the countryside on the scenic drive, discover historical and recent lava flows, and venture into a lava cave (helmets and torches provided), then finish with a hike around the Silvestri Craters to watch the sunset from above .

A sunset excursion on Etna to avoid the heat and the crowds
Learn about the history and geography of the volcano from your guide
Stop to take photos of the view over the Valle del Bove
Taste the gourmet specialties produced on Etna

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Vehicle transfers with air conditioning and driver Guide's language available in ENG - FRA - ITA-SPA
Vehicle transfers with air conditioning and driver Helmets and torches for exploring the lava cave
departure in winter h 12:00 (from November to April)

Dinner

Snacks and Drinks

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

pickups from Taormina are only available for groups of at least 4 people, however, the service has an extra charge.

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.1:50 pm

Itinerary

Piazza Stesicoro (Pass By)

Lungomare di Ognina (Pass By)

Colata Lavica 1992

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Oro d'Etna

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Valle Del Bove

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Mount Etna

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Craters Silvestri of Mount Etna

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Catania (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Timothy_H

Our Sunset Tour could not be run due to weather conditions, but they rebooked us on a mid-morning tour the next day. Our guide was Monica and she was excellent. You could really tell that she has a love for the mountain and the area as a whole and with that love comes a lot of knowledge and experience. The mountain itself was beautiful. We dressed for very cold (mid December), but it didn't feel that bad, especially when the sun was out. Driving down from the craters in dense fog was otherworldly, and we were glad our guide knew the roads well. The lava tube cave was interesting—Monica had been gradually feeding us information throughout the tour about the geological forces at work, and it was cool to see visible evidence of what we had been taught. The duration of the cave segment was shorter than we had anticipated, but appropriately so. We were given the choice of going deeper in, but we declined. Due to thick cloud cover, we opted to skip the scenic overlook. We had read that if you do one thing when you go to Catania, you should go see Mount Etna, and I would agree with that claim. It is a unique experience and well worth the time. Monica was also a great match for us, so we were very happy with our choice of tours..

Reviews

4.9

based on 294 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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If you do one thing in Catania...

Timothy_H, Jan 2026

Absolutely worth it. Don't leave Sicily without taking this tour

Michael_S, Oct 2025

Worth every cent. Our guide was very knowledgable about the mountain's history, lore, geography and the science related to the volcano. The tour featured multiple stops including a stop at a "lava tunnel" in addition to a scenic viewpoint and the volcano's peak. The tour group size was ideal for the curious traveler with lots of questions.

Very pleasant and educacional trip to Etna

Carina_E, Sep 2025

We had a wonderful afternoon with our guide Sebastian, who provided us with a lot of information about the Etna région and the volcano and who went to incredibile lenghts to try to get us to have a view to the top, despite the cloudy weather. Very professional and very pleasant, Sebastian also gave us some useful tips and information about Sicily. The stop to try local produce was also very nice!!

Eruptions

Julia_Z, Aug 2025

Very good tour! Our guide was kind and friendly. Not too much hiking, good for all levels. Got to see active eruptions!

Great family experience

Emma_S, Aug 2025

Great activity to do with family. We chose this tour as it didn't involve too much walking for our children. Our guide Alessandro was very knowledgeable and friendly. Would recommend

Wonderful experience. ...

Salvatore_T, Mar 2025

Wonderful experience. Tour was very well organized and our guide was exceptional. Seeing Etna was the highlight of our trip. Very much recommended.

Our family trip to see Etna

terrence_m, Jan 2025

The communication about the upcoming excursion was fantastic and our guide Santi was at the meeting point on time and was super friendly and professional. We don't speak Italian and Santi's English was great so there were no communication problems and he could tell us all about the region. The stops at the older lava flow was very informative and the stop at the lava tube was very cool. The climb up to the lookout point was very manageable and Santi helped guide my older daughter who recently had ACL surgery with a couple of the trickier icy spots which I really appreciated. The entire family agreed it was the highlight of our vacation. Sunset turned out pretty well considering it was January, and I might come back again some summer to go to the summit crater. If so I will definitely book through this group.

Must see Mt Etna!

Bobbie_P, Nov 2024

Giovanni did a fab job - extremely knowledgeable and accommodating, even in windy conditions! Made sure everyone was comfortable.

excellent tour

Margaret_M, Oct 2024

Well planned tour whic delivered as advertised. Guide Giuseppe was knowledgeable and engaging, handling a muxed Englis/italian speaking group with skill.

An Unexpected Adventure

Shakira_G, Sep 2024

Prepare to go up lots of windy roads and prepare to walk. But the views are incredible between the pillow like clouds and endless volcano range. Even entering the cave was really cool and less scary than I thought. If you like nature at all, or just want amazing IG pics, this is worth it.

The tour is well arranged...

wennywang01, Sep 2024

The tour is well arranged and tour guide Diego is friendly and helpful. It’s a easy walk around crater.

Excellent tour of Etna and the surrounding area!

Richard_F, Jun 2024

Excellent tour from start to finish! Communication began well in advance with offer for hotel pick up or convenient center city pick up. Giuseppe was a fabulous guide! The sunset tour was excellent as it was much cooler than doing the tour mid day and the stops were all largely empty by the time you arrived leading to great photo opportunities.

Amazing views!

Lisa_C, May 2024

Fantastic experience! Breathtaking views while experiencing the depths and heights of Mt Etna! The winds were incredible at 2000 m high! Guiseppe was a fun and knowledgeable tour guide! Highly recommend this tour!

Fantastic sites seen on a well organised trip.

HELEN_T, Apr 2024

This trip was fantastic, well organised, very interesting and the guide Claudia was brilliant and great fun, her English was very good also. Some amazing sites including Etna blowing smoke rings, amazing. The cave tour was really exciting and even saw a bat asleep. Fantastic trip and definitely worth it.

Brilliant trip

Audrey_C, Feb 2024

We had a brilliant trip to see Mount Etna, when we booked it initially Ludovico contacted us to confirm our details and was very helpful in arranging a suitable place to pick us up as we were travelling into Catania by bus, the tour guide Monica picked us up and we started our journey with some facts about Catania, before heading up towards Mt Etna, she had a great knowledge and was so enthusiastic about everything to do with the volcano, you could tell it was not just her job but her passion, we stopped off at a lovely business that made and sold honey, olives and olive oil. She then brought us to see a cave created by an eruption and we finished off with a walk about a crater, which was spectacular. She even gave us wine and cookies to eat while we admired the beautiful surroundings. It was a brilliant day and was great value for money, I would highly recommend it.

Great experience

Gemma_F, Oct 2023

Overall experience very good. There was some bits of misty cloud around Etna which took away a view at times but we still got to see everything & it added to the atmosphere. Tasting experience was quite quick and only a couple of oils/wines although much bigger range of honeys & option to buy various sized pots afterwards. The lava cave was just at the side of a road so is not an official tourist site. Helmets and torches were provided and glad to have seen it but be aware there's no easy access created by stairs or anything- you have to climb up & down a short section of rough rock. Only 4 participants on our trip so went in guide's car rather than a larger vehicle. As female travellers and the first to be collected would have appreciated being told to expect a car and told guides name and either uniform they would wear or some ID they would bring. Shoes with a good tread & ankle support are a must. The last part of the walk was a very steep climb on sandy/gravel track so you need good grip and it's also steep & easy to skid coming back down. A lightweight hiking pole was made available for each person but may want to bring your own, especially if you'd normally use one on each side. The guide we had was a late replacement but very knowledgeable, explaining clearly and happy to answer questions. Overall really enjoyed the trip and would recommend but would say you have to have reasonable fitness and mobility to get the most out of this tour.

Etna Sunset Tour

Sandra_Y, Oct 2023

Monica was so kind, understanding, helpful and encouraging to all of us. Our ages ranged from early 20's - 88! The side hikes, lava tube and crater rim walk were a bit challenging for some and she made sure to attend to each of us making us feel safe and comfortable. This tour was the highlight of our trip to Sicily! The sunset was nothing short of spectacular - and it was an unforgettable experience!

Our guide and the female...

Gail_M, Sep 2023

Our guide and the female guide were both very knowledgeable. Really enjoyed the lava caves and walking on the top.

Impressive

Magdalena_v, Sep 2023

We had a very nice and good guide and also driver. She explains a lot about the Etna and her historie. I like this experience very much. It was beautiful.

Magical tour of Etna

claire_i, Aug 2023

We had the most amazing experience with our guide Santi who was so knowledgeable & passionate about Mount Etna & Sicily. We travelled 4 hours across Sicily for this trip & it was worth every magical moment. Would 100% recommend

An amazing experience!

Carol_N, Jun 2023

From the moment we were picked up, near our accommodation, to the minute we were dropped off, Santi, our guide, enthusiastically shared his knowledge with us. My friend and I were the only people booked on the sunset trip that day, but our trip still went ahead. We learned so much about the history of Mount Etna, lava flows, and the villages we passed through. We stopped at a farm to taste some local products, then on to the Valle de Bove to see lava flows before continuing to Etna. Standing in a crater was particularly awesome, as was visiting a lava cave! Helmets are provided for entering the caves. Take a jacket as it’s cold and windy at 2,000 metres! Santi was polite, very helpful, and even took photos of us with his own phone, which were later sent to us. He is a perfect, knowledgeable, guide. Thank you, Santi, for an unforgettable experience!

Fun, interesting with touch of gastronomic delight

Paula_C, Jun 2023

Thank you for a wonderful experience. Santi was knowledgeable, friendly and took great care of everyone. Fun tour, interesting and yummy treats from local Etna farmer on the way. My granddaughter will remember this always. Thank you again!

Wonderful day

Zaineb_H, May 2023

The tour was brilliant - our guide Santi was very friendly and went the extra mile to teach us about Sicily's amazing volcanic history. He took us to various spots including several craters on Mt. Etna, a lava cave, an abandoned house hit by erruption and even a honey farm museum.

Recommend this experience

Leandra_R, May 2023

Amazing experience! I enjoyed this tour and we had a great tour guide. Took us to a few spots to view and explore. Enjoyed going in the lava cave.

Trip to Etna

Ana_B, Jul 2022

We have a great time with Luigi. He was an exelent tour guide. Thank you for everything👍❤. We won't forget that trip.

Fabulous - thank you Ludovico and Diego!

Catherine_O, Jul 2022

An absolutely fabulous trip with a really informative and helpful guide in Diego. Really went out of their way to be helpful to us. Loved it all and what a stunning landscape it is around Etna. Would highly recommend

remarkable

Dorothy_G, Aug 2021

The focal points where we stopped to learn a bit more history and see and touch the landscape, the soil. The sunset view fo our last point was also amazing.

A new adventure

Klaas_H, Jun 2021

The energy of the tour was amazing and a real addition to the experience. The tour itself was something I have never experienced either and I am really glad I treated myself to this adventure!

enjoyed the trip immensely

YEHUDA_D, Aug 2019

We selected this 5 hours Etna Sunset tour. It was exactly as as descirbed in the tour description, and our expert driver and guide, Ludovico, made it a delightful experience. the only drawback" is that we erroneousely expected to reach a higher altitude, but the view from 2000m elevation, and Ludovico's stories "compensated" for this. It certainly gave us a reason to come back and explore Etna in more depth, in which we plan to use additional means of transportation available to reach a higher elevation.