- We booked a private excursion with Vincenzo with a pickup from the cruise port. There we 6 of us with a wide range of ages (3, 7, 36, 39, 63 and 65). He picked us up just outside of the gate and we drove most of the way up the mountain and stopped at a small bakery. He introduced us to a local sweet treat "granite" which is like a fruit icee. (He also reminded us this would be the last bathroom break for a while, which was helpful to know.) Then we did a tour of craters on the side of Mt. Etna from an eruption in 1865. This was family friendly, the last portion of the hike was a little more steep, so grandma stayed back in the shade, but the rest of us made it up and down without too much difficulty. After this we went down the other side of the mountain to the small town of Milo where we had fresh "arancinis" which were amazing and wine and beer and relaxed for a bit in the town plaza. It was a great excursion and Vincenzo was amazing. He knew so much about the area and flora/history of Mt. Etna, a very interesting excursion for us. I would highly recommend!

Hiking on Mt Etna - We had a wonderful day with Vincenzo exploring Mt Etna. He picked us up at our hotel and immediately started explaining the sights along the route, adding details about the influence of the volcano on the towns, the people and the geography. We were on the north side of the volcano to ensure we had the most memorable experience. We stopped along the way at a lava tunnel and went down inside the ‘cave’. Vincenzo explained how these tunnels are formed. Absolutely incredible experience, including stalactites. From there we continued up the mountain to a parking area. This is July and it is not crowded at all. The weather is cooler up there and very comfortable. Vincenzo led us on a hike up through the lava flows to the site of the most recent major eruptions. He pointed out many beautiful sites and trees/plants. His passion for the volcano is incredible and he passes on his extensive knowledge of every aspect of the volcano science, myth and local culture importance. He lives in a town close to the volcano so that he can observe and learn more each day. Highly recommend this best part of our Sicily trip.