Etna up close - take the 4x4 optional extra - I was looking for an Etna tour with pick up options near my hotel and at a reasonable time, and found Sicily Excursions. My initial plan was just to visit Etna by any means (public transport isn’t really an option from Giardini Naxos) so the basic tour seemed ideal, offering 2 hours free at Piano Provenza, from where I was going to do some easy trekking on the local trails. However, as Christy our great guide pointed out, the likelihood of getting the opportunity to get much closer to the summit, and on such a perfectly clear day, was not to be missed. So I paid an additional €69 on the spot to do the add-on tour with the vulcanologist guide in the off road buses. It was definitely the right decisions! We visited a number of different craters on the way towards the summit. Our guide provided excellent information and a local’s view as he lived just down the slops in Lingualossa, so had first hand experience of the eruptions. I now know much more about volcanoes and as a result am much less scared of them (though still pretty scared 😊 ). The best bit was when we got to Pizzi Deneri 2900m) where we could clearly see the summit craters, including the one that had erupted earlier that month – we could clearly see the new lava flow from that eruption. The views from up there are other worldly and I was so pleased to be able to say I was there. There was plenty of time to take photos and whilst there, I took some pyroclastic rocks – surely the cheapest Sicilian souvenir ever! (There are plenty to go round.) Back with our tour group we went to a mountain hut for a meal (extra cost). I found the food mediocre there, but there did not seem to be alternatives. You are sitting in the coach for a lot of this trip. Staying in Giardini Naxos meant that I was one of the last pickups in the morning and first drops offs late afternoon. Even so it was over 1 ½ hours each way to Etna. However, throughout the outward and return journeys Christy provided informative commentary and the routes took us through some attractive landscapes. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. I would definitely recommend it for the convenience of local pick-ups, the quality of the tour guides and drivers, and the convenience of getting to experience Etna up close.

Nice experience - Very nice excursion. The guide Christy is great and super nice. Really a beautiful person. Driver Sebastien too. On Mount Etna very welcoming team and very friendly and very professional guide

Passionate guide and spectacular view - We could see the lava flow from 2002 which is impressive, we did not climb with the buses higher because we had a baby, think about taking jackets it is cool up there.The views are spectacular and while the others go on the different routes you are free to walk on the different trails too, our guide Christie is exceptional, he has very great knowledge of the Sicilian geology, he explains everything with passion. We loved the fact that we had already done Etna South by jeep but we preferred Etna with Christie

Mt Etna tour - Fantastic tour of Mt Etna with our amazing tour guide Lorenzo who was entertaining and incredibly knowledgeable. Highly recommend with stunning views of Sicily!!!

Sicily: beautiful and hospitable. - My review can only be excellent. The professionalism of the guide, the driver, the convenience of the meeting point both outward and back. Not least the ease of booking directly from the site. On the natural beauty of Etna I had no doubt. The comfort of the gran turismo coach, the detailed description of our guide, the feeling of being pampered, made Etna even more beautiful. What more can I add?! RECOMMENDED!

It's like a different planet. - Etna was so amazing, like a different planet. Mix of desolate black rock and plant life was unexpected. Make sure to pack long sleeves even in summer time.

Etna a superb discovery. - The guide Christy was really great and he gave us a lot of information. The same is true for Dominico during the ascent of the 2850 m Mount Etna Wonderful excursion. Rich in discoveries Really to advise!

Volcanic 🌋! Magic! - To begin with, we were greeted by Christi (the guide) and Sebastiane (the driver). During the journey, the guide tells us the history of Sicily, Etna... in French and English. It is very interesting. We climb to 1800 meters. Then for those who want to climb to 3000 meters, a 4x4 awaits us. With this time a new guide and new driver! And there the experience becomes incredible, we take full eyes! On the way back, we come back with our 2 sidekicks who take us to a restaurant that makes the best pasta I have ever eaten! Do and do again! A wonderful day! PS: cover up, it's cold up there + rain and hail for us! But it made the experience even more incredible!

Must see - Very good excursion . Good value.. informative guide by Vincenzo on mount Etna . Extra for lunch but also good value for money . Highly recommend

Perfect guide - The guide Christy is excellent, he told us a lot of interesting facts about Etna, the trip was great!××××××××××××÷÷÷÷÷