Mount Etna Villages: The Most Beautiful to Visit

Non perderti un’esperienza unica, vieni con noi alla scoperta dei borghi dell’Etna, uno più bello dell’altro!

If you’re planning a trip to eastern Sicily and have a hike on Mount Etna in mind, I’d suggest setting aside at least a couple of days to explore the villages around the volcano too, because almost all of them are built from the lava stone of past eruptions and have churches, squares and local dishes that make each one unique.

To visit the Mount Etna villages you’ll need a car, since public transport between towns is limited and runs at inconvenient times, and the ideal route is to circle the volcano starting from the south side, heading north and finishing in the west with Bronte. In three days you can visit all the villages at a relaxed pace and enjoy a truly unique experience. If you don’t have that much time, you can simply pick the ones that interest you most.

In this guide we’ve also included Castelmola and Savoca, two towns in the province of Messina that are part of the Borghi più belli d’Italia (Most Beautiful Villages in Italy) association and offer a great view of Etna, even though they aren’t actually on the slopes of the volcano.

The most beautiful Mount Etna villages to visit

Etna, or ‘A Muntagna as locals call it with respect and affection, has shaped the landscape, history and soul of eastern Sicily for thousands of years, and around its slopes lie extraordinary villages set among dark lava stone, ancient chestnut and Corsican pine forests, heroic vineyards and panoramic squares overlooking the Ionian Sea.

From the gateways to the summit craters to medieval lanes and towns loved by artists and film directors, here are our tips for discovering the most beautiful villages to visit around Etna, between nature, art and unforgettable flavours.

Nicolosi: the gateway to Etna and its historic craters

The first stop for anyone wanting to explore the southern side of the volcano, Nicolosi is considered the true “gateway to Etna”: from here the scenic road winds up to Rifugio Sapienza, the starting point for the cable car and for guided hikes to the summit craters. Before heading up to higher altitudes, it’s worth stopping at the Monti Rossi nature reserve, two inactive craters formed during the devastating eruption of 1669, now covered by thick pine forest and crossed by easy trails that are perfect for families too. The town is also home to the Etna Park Authority, housed within the walls of the seventeenth-century Monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena.

Discover our Etna cable car tour!

Linguaglossa: ancient pine forests, murals and snow

On the north side of the volcano you’ll find Linguaglossa, a popular winter resort for those heading to the ski slopes of Piano Provenzana, but just as appealing in summer for anyone looking to cool off in the Ragabo Pine Forest. This monumental forest of Corsican pines (a native species with very tall crowns) offers miles of trails in an almost Alpine atmosphere.

The historic centre of Linguaglossa is pleasant to explore on foot, and in the Chiesa Madre you can see a precious eighteenth-century carved wooden choir, but the village’s real distinguishing feature is its murals, a network of street art works painted on house façades since the 1990s that tell, with colour and imagination, the story of daily life and the townspeople’s close relationship with Etna.

Zafferana Etnea: the scent of honey and terraces over the sea

Along the eastern side, the road to Zafferana Etnea invites an interesting detour to Pedara to admire the striking dark basalt geometry of the Basilica of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria. Continuing on, you reach one of the most productive villages in Sicilian beekeeping tradition, and beyond, since it is known for supplying on its own a significant share of Italy’s honey. While autumn turns the town’s streets into the stage for the Ottobrata, a lively Sunday fair showcasing chestnuts, grape must and forest produce, for the rest of the year the atmosphere is peaceful and timeless.

All the village lanes seem to lead to Piazza Belvedere, a true balcony from which the view stretches unobstructed from the Gulf of Catania to the coast of Calabria. No visit is complete without a food stop: in the bakeries and pastry shops of the centre, be sure to order the famous siciliana, a crisp fried calzone filled with tuma cheese and anchovies, along with a bag of sciatori, traditional biscuits coated in a rich dark chocolate glaze.

Randazzo: the black town with medieval charm

Heading up along the northern edge you arrive in Randazzo, historically the most intact and evocative village in the whole area. Known as the “black town” because its buildings are made entirely of dark lava stone, Randazzo preserves a unique medieval layout, historically divided into three quarters (Greek, Latin and Lombard), each with its own mother church and traditions.

Among its landmark monuments are the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, an imposing example of Gothic-Norman architecture, the Church of San Martino with its slender fourteenth-century bell tower, and the Church of San Nicolò. Right in front of the latter stands the famous and enigmatic statue known as “Randazzo Vecchio” (or Piracmone), an allegorical sculpture of a naked man with a lion and an eagle, linked to local mythological and alchemical legends. To round off your visit, nothing beats a romantic stroll along Via degli Archi, the most photographed corner of the historic centre.

Milo: songwriters and fine wines

Not far away, nestled at over seven hundred metres among dense chestnut woods, lies Milo. Despite its small size, with only about a thousand residents, this little town has an extraordinary cultural appeal: this is where Franco Battiato chose to live for decades in his home, Villa Grazia, and where Lucio Dalla spent long periods among nature and the vineyards he owned. As a tribute to this deep bond, Piazza Belvedere features a bronze sculpture depicting the two masters of Italian music.

Milo’s territory also holds a wine treasure: it is the only municipality entitled to produce Etna Bianco Superiore DOC, a wine with a distinctive mineral profile made from Carricante grapes. Wine lovers will find the historic cellars of the village the perfect setting for a guided tasting, especially during the autumn harvest.

Maletto: the village of heights and strawberries

On the way west, climbing to almost a thousand metres above sea level, you come to Maletto, the highest municipality in the Etna area. The village is famous throughout Sicily for growing the Maletto strawberry, a particularly sweet and fragrant variety celebrated every year between late May and June with a long-standing village festival. Maletto is also an ideal base for mountain trekking enthusiasts: from here trails lead to the extinct craters and lava tube caves of the western side, such as the Monte Scavo area.

Bronte: the home of pistachios and the Nelson legacy

Continuing south-west you reach Bronte, famous worldwide for Sicily’s green gold: the Bronte Green Pistachio DOP. Grown on the sciara (rocky lava terrain), it is harvested by hand every other year. The popular Pistachio Festival (between late September and early October) draws thousands of visitors, so it’s best to visit early in the morning or on a weekday.

The historic centre is home to the Chiesa Madre della Santissima Trinità and the Real Collegio Capizzi, an eighteenth-century institution with an ancient library full of precious manuscripts. About 10 kilometres from the centre, towards Maniace, stands Nelson’s Castle (the former Abbey of Santa Maria di Maniace), an imposing monumental complex given by the Bourbons to the English Admiral Horatio Nelson in 1799, now set in a lovely park open to visitors.

Discover: Bronte pistachio tour, exploring one of Sicily’s signature products

Castelmola: the eagle’s nest above Taormina

Although it sits slightly apart from the Etna loop itself, Castelmola is an important stop for its matchless view of the volcano. Perched over 500 metres high right above Taormina, this small village, listed among the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy”, is easy to reach from the motorway.

After leaving your car at the entrance to the town, walk up to the remains of the Norman castle: from this vantage point you can see the majestic bulk of Etna on one side and the bay of Giardini Naxos, Isola Bella and the Ancient Theatre of Taormina on the other. Before moving on, a stop in the main square is a must to taste the famous almond wine, a local elixir invented here in the early twentieth century.

Savoca: cinema, history and mummies in the Godfather village

Less than half an hour from Castelmola lies Savoca, a medieval village perched on a rocky hill surrounded by citrus groves. The town owes much of its international fame to Francis Ford Coppola, who shot famous scenes of The Godfather here in 1971. Every visitor’s starting point is the iconic Bar Vitelli, still open in Palazzo Trimarchi, where memorabilia and historic photos from the set are on display.

Beyond its film appeal, Savoca has an exceptional historical heritage: it’s worth climbing up to the Church of San Nicolò, perched on a rocky spur, and visiting the crypt of the Capuchin Convent, which preserves the mummified bodies of local notables and clergy dressed in period clothing from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century.

Read also: Film locations in Sicily, an itinerary between cinema and landscape

How to plan your itinerary and when to go

The best times for this trip are spring, from April to June, and autumn, between September and the end of October. In spring, blossoms create a spectacular colour contrast with the dark stone and temperatures are ideal for long walks, while in autumn the woods take on warm tones and the villages come alive with a packed calendar of festivals dedicated to honey, chestnuts, wine and pistachios.

In summer, the higher villages such as Maletto, Randazzo and Linguaglossa offer a pleasant escape from the heat of the coast, while in winter the snow above a thousand metres transforms the landscape but means you should check road conditions carefully before setting off.

When planning where to stay, you can choose a fixed base on the southern or eastern side, such as Zafferana Etnea or Nicolosi, ideal for exploring the crater area and the honey villages, combined with a stop in Randazzo to discover the northern and western sides at leisure. If you decide to extend the tour with the scenic detours to Castelmola and Savoca, the smartest choice is to spend a couple of nights in or around Taormina.

Ciao Sono Iolanda, Nel 2010 ho deciso di ritornare nella mia magica isola, la Sicilia, affinchè l’esperienza acquisita negli anni precedenti prendesse forma lì dove ero nata.

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