We took things slow, ate really good food, and drank a lot of great local wine on our honeymoon in Taormina. While there are so many things to do in Taormina Italy itself, you should definitely have a few mini adventures along the way too. One Taormina must-do is a Sicily day trip to Mount Etna.

Skye Gilkeson

An old lava flow in Lower Etna set against new growth and the volcano. Image © Skye Gilkeson

An Epic Sicily Day Trip to Mount Etna

Mount Etna sits on the east coast of Sicily, outside of Catania.

She’s also got a bit of a temper as Europe’s most active volcano, with eruptions almost every year.

Catania airport was closed due to an eruption the week before we flew into Sicily, so it was with excitement and a little trepidation that we went to go and see Etna up close.

Wherever you move around the town of Taormina, Etna is always watching.

The scale of the mountain is most obvious when you’re laying on a daybed at the beach.

The volcano towers at more than 3,000 metres (11,000 ft) above sea level, in the distance.

There’s often a plume of black smoke hanging over the craters. Mysterious and moody Etna really adds to the magic and beauty of Sicily.

After our guides insisted we needed a huge 4WD for the rugged drive up the mountain, we had a giggle as we passed a tiny old blue Fiat burning down the black dirt road at twice our speed, as we wound our way up the mountain.

But once the driver turned off into the pine forests, it all made sense.

Peaceful pine forest in Etna, Sicily. Image © Skye Gilkeson

The Etna Pine Forests

Contents

The incredible smell is what hits you first when taking the off-road route up to Etna.

Stunning pines line each side of the road, the air smells damp and apart from the occasional picnic party, you really have the place to explore, privately.

As you can expect, there aren’t too many locals that want to live this close to an active volcano, so you’re really just out in nature.

We stopped at a viewpoint of sorts, with a clear corridor offering a stunning vantage point back down towards Catania, while at your feet, you walk on the ashy volcanic soil and remnants of old lava.

Tourists shrink in the distance when hiking the lava flows, in Lower Etna, Sicily. Image © Skye Gilkeson

Lava Flows in Lower Etna

Back in the car and we travel through the eery lower Etna.

The plane has in many parts been decimated by eruptions of the past, with mountains of leftover blackened rock covering much of the landscape.

There are a handful of shops and a restaurant that serves the tourists in summer hiking the area. In winter, the peak is covered by snow so Etna becomes a ski resort too.

Capella del Sacro Cuore, Etna, Sicily. Image © Skye Gilkeson

Cappella del Sacro Cuore

Winding our way back down the mountain we come across the little church that could.

As you can see, the tiny chapel, Cappella del Sacro Cuore (Chapel of the Sacred Heart), withstood an eruption during the 1970s.

It engulfed everything in the village around it.

The lava still sits at its front door. Believers offer the explanation that it was protected; a divine miracle. Further down and we come across a road that has been cut in two by another eruption.

You really get a sense of the scale of a lava flow when you’re standing on one. It’s incredibly intimidating.

The lava flow that’s cut a road in two in Etna, Sicily. Image © Skye Gilkeson

Posing with The Hubby on an old lava flow that cut off the road in the shadow of Mount Etna. Image © Skye Gilkeson

Wine Tasting at Gambino Wines

While the prospect of having an active volcano right at your doorstep could be a bit disconcerting for most, the volcanic conditions are perfect for grape growing.

Despite the risks, the altitude, and the steep terrain growers proudly produce some of the best wine in Etna.

We stopped by Gambino Winery for a tasting and some lunch. Gambino Wines is family owned and run.

Not surprising in Sicily really. I have to say, it was one of the best and most thorough tastings I have ever experienced.

The winery sits on the eastern side of Etna with panoramic views back down to Taormina.

The combination of the mineral-rich volcanic soil and its high position, perched at 800 metres above sea level makes growing conditions perfect for their dry red wine made from nerello mascalese, and dry whites from Carricante.

As the vines are old and demanding and the soil shifts, it’s hard going for growers in Sicily, but there’s a distinct passion for it here.

The whole family seems to exude that passion at Gambino.

Different members of the family came to check on us throughout our time there, telling us their favourite wines.

We were also offered a personal tour of the barrel room by one of the owner’s sons, which I find is rare, even at boutique wineries these days.

Our tasting came with plates of delicious locally sourced meats, cheeses, vegetables, bread, coffee and soft pistachio biscuits.

There were instructions on which food to eat in partnership with each drop.

I have to admit, we did get slightly carried away with the wine and conversation and veered off the strict scheduled order, but both the food and wine were incredible.

Local Sicilian fare with our wine tasting at Gambin