Etna at Sunset from MontataGrande: Passito Aperitif and Gear to Borrow

An afternoon run in a comfortable minivan or a 4x4, timed so the last stop coincides with the sunset. The route covers at least four things: lava flows both ancient and recent, the Valle del Bove, a volcanic cave entered with lamps and a caving helmet, and a walk along the rim of side craters at around 2,000 metres. The Valle del Bove is an immense amphitheatre left by the collapse of Etna's older eruptive centres, and the geological history of the mountain is readable in its walls. Departures from Taormina may not include it, and go to Piano Provenzana instead, the ski station the 2002 eruption destroyed. The sunset comes with a sweet aperitif: biscuits and raisin wine, taken while the colours change. The meeting point at MontataGrande in Trecastagni has free, safe parking, bathrooms, coffee, and boots and jackets to rent, which solves the problem of turning up on a volcano in the wrong shoes. Nothing extra is charged for meeting there. A shuttle from Catania or elsewhere can be arranged at additional cost. One honest note from the operator: in high season French and Spanish can be overbooked. English is always guaranteed.