Etna and Taormina in a Day: 2.5 Hours on the Volcano, 1.5 in Town

Nine hours, with the time split published in advance, which is what makes this one comparable against the other Etna and Taormina days. Pick-up is from your accommodation in Catania, and the drive to the highest active volcano in Europe takes just under an hour. The Etna section runs about 2.5 hours across hardened lava and historic craters, with the guide explaining how past eruptions shaped what grows there now. A lava cave takes another 30 minutes. Then an hour at a producer on the volcanic slopes, tasting olive oils, jams and honey. Taormina gets 1.5 hours of free time: the cobbled streets, the view from the Greek Theatre, lunch if you want it, a table outside if you would rather sit. The return brings you back to your hotel in Catania. One condition on the pick-up. It is free within 3 kilometres of downtown Catania. If your accommodation sits outside that radius, the operator contacts you to agree another meeting point.