Etna by 4x4 on Paved Roads, with a Tasting at the Valle del Bove

One thing the operator states, and it is worth reading first: the route stays on paved roads. Vehicles are not permitted on the volcano's unpaved tracks, so the off-road part of the name refers to the vehicle rather than to the surface. The 4x4 leaves from the centre of Catania and climbs through the foothills, with the guide covering the ecology of the park, which is a World Heritage Site, and the written record of Etna, which goes back more than 2,700 years. The day mixes driving with short walks: old woodland, caves left inside set lava, and extinct craters. The fertility of this ground, and what people grow in it, is part of the commentary. At the Valle del Bove there is a stop at a local shop for a tasting of Sicilian specialities. Five and a half hours in total. There is a six-hour version that includes lunch: a starter, a main course and a cannoli, with soft drinks, water, wine, coffee and a liqueur.