Mount Etna
3,403 m
Italy
Also known as Етна, Etna, +8Also known as
Етна · Etna · Der Schlund · Αίτνα · The Chasm · Monte Etna · ეტნა · La Voragine · Этна · Muncibbeddu
- Elevation
- 3,403 m
- Prominence
- 3,403 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 2
NoticeReported 17 Aug 2026
Following the eruption that began at the Voragine on 6 August 2026, the regional civil protection kept the alert at 'alarm' and the entire summit zone (roughly above 2,500 m, and the upper Valle del Bove down to about 1,700 m) was closed, with checkpoints on Etna Sud and Etna Nord. No reopening notice was found by early October 2026; check the current ordinance before going.
etnalife.itRegulationReported 10 Sep 2025
September 2025 ordinances (Nicolosi no. 13, Linguaglossa no. 61, Castiglione di Sicilia no. 17) set the rules for the summit zone: guided groups of at most 10 per guide, 300 (south) or 400 (north) people a day, 15 minutes between groups, a minimum distance of 300–500 m from the Southeast Crater, helmets compulsory, and unguided walking only on marked paths from dawn to sunset at alert level F0. Later 2026 ordinances by individual municipalities may have changed these limits.
guidevulcanologicheetna.it
Routes
2Sources differ: F (Camptocamp (winter/ski ascent))
The classic ascent from Etna Sud: from Rifugio Sapienza (1,910 m) by cable car or on foot to about 2,500 m, then up volcanic slopes past the Torre del Filosofo (2,920 m) to the summit craters at 3,300–3,400 m. The active crater zone is open only with authorised guides, and everything closes during eruptions.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 6.5 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,010 m
- −204 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 3,403 m
- Time Up
- 4h 35m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 31m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the Piazzale Etna Sud at Rifugio Sapienza (about 1,910 m), above Nicolosi, either take the Funivia dell'Etna to its upper station at about 2,500 m or walk up the ski pistes and the slopes beside the Montagnola crater (allow about 1½–2 hours). Above, broad, open slopes of cinder and lava lead north-north-west between Monte Frumento Supino and the Torre del Filosofo (2,920 m); licensed 4x4 buses also run up the track to this area when the volcano is quiet. Above the Torre del Filosofo the ground steepens towards the saddle (about 3,200 m) between the Bocca Nuova–central crater complex and the Southeast Crater. This is the permanent-hazard zone (ZPP): access is allowed only with authorised alpine or volcanological guides, in groups of at most 10 per guide, keeping a set distance from the Southeast Crater, and only when the civil protection alert level allows it. The highest point, currently on the rim of the Voragine (3,403 m as surveyed in 2024), changes with each eruption and is not always visited by guided groups. Descend the same way. The terrain is loose volcanic scree and rough lava rather than technical ground, but the altitude gain is large, the weather can turn quickly, compasses can be unreliable, and gas, ash, ballistic ejecta and sudden explosions are real hazards. Check the current ordinances and alert level (Regione Siciliana civil protection, Parco dell'Etna) before going: during the August 2026 eruption the entire summit zone above about 2,500 m was closed.
Start
Funivia dell'Etna upper station2,597 m
- Funivia dell'Etna, Rifugio Sapienza to about 2,500 m
- AST bus from Catania (and Nicolosi) to Rifugio Sapienza, usually one departure a day in the morning; check the current timetable
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Funivia dell'Etna upper station → Mount Etna | 6.5 | 1,010 | 204 | 4h 35m |
Waypoints
- Lift: Funivia dell'Etna upper station2,597 m
- Feature: Torre del Filosofo2,916 m
Approximate limit of free access in normal conditions; 4x4 bus terminus
- Feature: Cratere di Sud-Est3,223 m
Guided groups keep a minimum distance from the crater (300–500 m under the 2025 ordinances)
- Summit: Mount Etna3,403 m
Key Passages
- Cinder slopes beside the Montagnola
- Open valley between Monte Frumento Supino and the Torre del Filosofo
- Steeper slope to the saddle between Bocca Nuova and the Southeast Crater (guided zone)
Equipment
0/9 packedDownloads
Route confidence 60%Overview
Europe's highest and most active mainland volcano (about 3,400 m, varying with each eruption), rising straight from the Sicilian coast near Catania. The ascent is a non-technical but long walk over cinder and lava; the active summit craters may be visited only with authorised guides, and access closes whenever the volcano erupts.
Etna covers some 1,190 km² of eastern Sicily and is almost constantly active, with five summit craters (the Northeast Crater, the Voragine, the Bocca Nuova and the Southeast Crater complex) and hundreds of flank vents. Its height changes with every eruption: the Southeast Crater reached 3,357 m in 2021, and after the 2024 eruptions the Voragine rim was surveyed at 3,403 m. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and lies within the Parco dell'Etna.
The usual approach is from Etna Sud at Rifugio Sapienza (about 1,910 m), where a cable car climbs to about 2,500 m; from Etna Nord, Piano Provenzana (1,800 m) is the starting point for authorised 4x4 buses towards 2,800–2,900 m. Above about 2,500 m lies the regulated summit zone: in quiet periods hikers may walk the marked paths there, but the permanent-hazard zone around the active craters is open only to groups with authorised alpine or volcanological guides. When the civil protection alert rises to pre-alarm or alarm, these areas close at once, without a new ordinance.
What to expect: a big ascent on loose volcanic ground, sharp lava, strong cold wind at 3,000 m even on hot Sicilian days, sulphurous gas near the craters, and views to the Aeolian Islands and Calabria. In winter Etna is a ski-touring and snowshoe mountain with real avalanche and ice hazards.
Climbing Notes
No mountaineering skills are needed in summer, but fitness for 1,000–1,500 m of ascent on loose ground (or the money for the cable car and 4x4 bus) is. Bring windproof and warm clothing, plenty of water, sturdy boots and sun protection; a helmet is compulsory in the crater zone. Altitude can cause mild symptoms for people arriving from sea level.
Typical itineraries: from Rifugio Sapienza, take the cable car and 4x4 bus to about 2,900 m and join a guided group to the summit craters, or walk the whole way from the Piazzale Etna Sud within the limits of the current ordinance. From the north, book a guided tour from Piano Provenzana with the 4x4 bus up and either bus or a walk down. Tours have strict group sizes and daily caps; book ahead in summer.
Always check the alert level and current mayoral ordinances (Parco dell'Etna website, Regione Siciliana civil protection, INGV bulletins) before setting out, and follow guides' instructions; ballistic ejecta, sudden explosions, gas and ash are the main hazards. In winter, crampons, an ice axe and avalanche awareness are essential.
History
Etna has been recorded erupting since antiquity; Greek and Roman myth placed Hephaestus/Vulcan's forge and the monster Typhon beneath it, and Empedocles is said to have thrown himself into its crater. Major historical eruptions include 1669, when lava reached Catania. In recent decades eruptions destroyed the Piano Provenzana tourist station (2002–2003) and parts of the Etna Sud area around Rifugio Sapienza (1983, 2001, 2002–2003). It was designated a Decade Volcano by the UN and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2013. In 2026 a flank eruption opened on 1 January in the Valle del Bove, and a new phase began at the Voragine on 6 August 2026 with lava fountains, ash that closed Catania airport for days, and lava flows into the Valle del Bove.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Best
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Snow; ski touring and snowshoeing; crampons and avalanche awareness needed
- Feb
- Winter conditions
- Mar
- Spring snow
- Apr
- Snow lingers high; mild lower down
- May
- Good conditions; snow patches high up
- Jun
- Main season starts; book guided tours early
- Jul
- Very busy and hot lower down; cold wind on top
- Aug
- Busy; summit zone closed during the August 2026 eruption
- Sep
- Good conditions, fewer people
- Oct
- Often stable; first snow possible late in the month
- Nov
- Unsettled weather; early snow
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Permits
- Authorised guide for the summit crater zoneRequired
Entry to the permanent-hazard zone (ZPP) around the active summit craters is allowed only in groups led by authorised alpine or volcanological guides, at most 10 people per guide, with daily caps (300–400 people) under the 2025 municipal ordinances. Unguided walking is permitted only on marked paths in the wider summit zone, from dawn to sunset, and only at alert level F0.
parcoetna.it
- Fees
- Funivia dell'Etna (Rifugio Sapienza to about 2,500 m) and 4x4 bus are paid
- Guided summit tours are paid (operators quoted EUR 120–140 from Piano Provenzana in recent listings)
- Rules
- Access to the summit areas is set by ordinances of each Etna municipality (Nicolosi, Belpasso, Linguaglossa, Castiglione di Sicilia, Adrano, Bronte, etc.) and changes with volcanic activity
- At pre-alarm (F1) the permanent-hazard zone closes; at alarm (F2) the whole summit zone (roughly above 2,500 m, and the upper Valle del Bove down to about 1,700 m) closes, with checkpoints on Etna Sud and Etna Nord
- No bivouacking in the summit zone; walking only from dawn to sunset
- Private vehicles may not use the tracks above Rifugio Sapienza and Piano Provenzana; only authorised 4x4 buses
- Parco dell'Etna rules apply (stay on paths, no fires, no removal of rocks or plants)
- Getting There
Nicolosi (south); Linguaglossa (north); Catania
Catania-Fontanarossa (CTA)
- South: AST bus from Catania via Nicolosi to Rifugio Sapienza (usually one morning departure); by car via Nicolosi on the SP92
- North: by car from Linguaglossa on the Mareneve road to Piano Provenzana; no regular public transport
- Circumetnea railway around the base of the volcano (Catania–Randazzo–Riposto) serves Linguaglossa and other towns
Hazards
- Weather
- Altitude
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Avalanche
- Remoteness
- Volcanic activity
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,910 m
Rifugio SapienzaHotelStaffed