Over 3 to 5 days, discover how the living volcano and its resilient communities invite you not just to explore - but to transform, reflect, and reconnect.

The northern slopes of Mount Etna are least touristed and reveal elemental beauty - a place of silent regeneration and primal energy. It’s here, beyond the crowds, that you truly step into the living presence of the mountain: in the scorched birch forests, lava deserts, and reborn soil.

Closest to Taormina and Giardini Naxos, this area begins around Linguaglossa, a mountain town at 700 metres above sea level. From there, winding roads lead to Piano Provenzana and Rifugio Citelli, both perched at approximately 1,800 metres. These high-altitude plateaus mark the start of most trails and were profoundly shaped by the eruption of 2002, which blanketed the landscape in lava and ash, erasing ski resorts and forested slopes.

But the volcano gives back. This is where you witness soil rebirth: mosses and hardy plants like astragalus crack through the black lava crust, slowly breaking it down into nutrient-rich volcanic soil. Join naturalist guides on eco-walks to explore how fire-forged landscapes turn fertile again, learn about pioneer plant species, and visit experimental reforestation sites where birches and endemic shrubs are carefully reintroduced.

Throughout autumn, the area becomes a living canvas - with pink saponaria blossoms in bloom, golden foliage flaring across beech and aspen groves, and lava tubes that plunge deep into Etna’s geological memory.

Whether you’re hiking towards the summit craters, wandering mid-altitude trails, or simply pausing to touch soil that’s only just beginning to live again - North Etna offers something rare: a landscape that teaches patience, resilience, and wonder.