Catania - Mount Etna

[Dajo5601]

Advice please !. We're off on the QV in early October and one of our ports of call is Catania, where I see on the Cunard web site that there are excursions to Mount Etna but a rider is included that "The tour does not visit the summit of Mount Etna". I understand that tourists cannot visit the actual summit, but my question is this.

 

We often hire a driver and car to take us on certain trips, does anybody think that by hiring our own car and driver for the trip, we would be able to get further up Mount Etna that we would by coach ?.

 

I really don't know anything of the geography or terrain involved so forgive me if I'm asking a dumb question, would just like any advice that is on offer.

 

Thanks for any advice.

[zider]

Mount Etna is a Active Volcano & no vehicles or people are allowed to go to the Summit so a Hire car will not get you any further than a Coach than will.

[Cruachan]

Advice please !. We're off on the QV in early October and one of our ports of call is Catania, where I see on the Cunard web site that there are excursions to Mount Etna but a rider is included that "The tour does not visit the summit of Mount Etna". I understand that tourists cannot visit the actual summit, but my question is this.

 

We often hire a driver and car to take us on certain trips, does anybody think that by hiring our own car and driver for the trip, we would be able to get further up Mount Etna that we would by coach ?.

 

I really don't know anything of the geography or terrain involved so forgive me if I'm asking a dumb question, would just like any advice that is on offer.

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

The coach will take you to Rifugio Sapienza at 1,923m. this is basically a large car park surrounded by souvenir shops, restaurants, cafes etc. Beyond that there is a cable car that will get you up to about 2,500m. After that you are on your own but I understand it is possible to walk (about 4 hours round trip) to the "authorised crater area" at 2,920m. I think there may be some 4x4 tours that will take you up to near the summit without using the cable car but I can't confirm that for certain.

 

Personally I have only been as far as Rifugio Sapienza which is a bit like a shopping centre plonked down on the side of a really large coal mine spoil heap. But the views are nice.

 

J

[sogne]

Advice please !. We're off on the QV in early October and one of our ports of call is Catania, where I see on the Cunard web site that there are excursions to Mount Etna but a rider is included that "The tour does not visit the summit of Mount Etna". I understand that tourists cannot visit the actual summit, but my question is this.

 

We often hire a driver and car to take us on certain trips, does anybody think that by hiring our own car and driver for the trip, we would be able to get further up Mount Etna that we would by coach ?.

 

I really don't know anything of the geography or terrain involved so forgive me if I'm asking a dumb question, would just like any advice that is on offer.

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

did this excursion last year from Messina, there are large subsidiary cones that you can walk up close to the car park, steep paths, you will probably not have time to get to the summit by whatever means before the excursion return time, the summit path from the cable car is steep with much loose ash

[canoncruiser]

Mt Etna has been very active recently-so don't plan on close-ups!:eek: When we sailed by on QE a year or so ago at night the fireworks were quite vivid. Your visit will be determined by the local authorities AND the willingness of your private driver to be monetarily persuaded to risk life and vehicle.:D

[Mysticalmother]

Depending on how active the volcano is at the time the trips in 4x4's take you up higher than the coaches but still not to the very top. My husband did one of these trips - admittedly a few years ago now and said it was fantastic. This was however a ship organised excursion but there are private firms that do them - just google Mount etna by 4 x 4 and several come up.

 

Have a great time! Mount Etna is well worth seeing close up.