Etna Half Day from Catania: Groups of Eight, Sapienza at 1,986 m

A small group, capped at eight people, which on a mountain where coaches unload forty at a time is the first thing worth knowing. The drive climbs the slopes of Etna to the Sapienza Refuge at 1,986 metres. Around it are craters to walk and lava fields left by the volcano's most recent activity, still bare. A certified nature guide then takes the group underground, into a real lava cave, with a helmet and a headlamp each. The last stop is a shop selling local produce on the fertile side of the mountain, where the tasting runs to Sicilian honey and olive oil. Hotel pick-up and drop-off are available from the addresses the operator covers, if you select that option. There is also an altitude option using the cable car.