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Mountains of Fire - Stromboli to Etna
- walking & study tour to Etna, Vulcano, Lipari and Stromboli -
Highlights
 | Active volcanic activity on Etna and Stromboli
| | Small group size
| | Beaches and accommodation
| | Good levels of effort and relaxation
| | Delicious south-Italian food and wine
| | Competent volcanologist guide |
 Tour itinerary: Catania - Taormina (1n) - Vulcano (1n) - Stromboli (3n) - Lipari - Etna (3)
In short:
Tour code: ITA_EST
Best travel period: April - October
Grading: Moderate-Challenging
Tour character:Day- and half-day hikes (varying from easy to moderate), boat trips and excursions, excellent accommodation & food.
Next departures:
  27 Sep - 5 Oct 08  11-19 Oct 08 11-19 April 09 25 April - 3 May 09 16-24 May 09 23-31 May 09 30 May - 7 June 09 Price (p.p.): 1900 €
(Prices for smaller or larger groups on request.)
Included: | Accommodation in double (shared) room
| | Half-board (usually including dinner menu with wine, beer, coffee etc. in reasonable amounts; in case of late return from excursions: lunch)
| | All transports and excursions as described in the program
| | Entry fees to museums, volcanoes, archaeological sites etc. as described
| | Fully authorized volcanologist mountain guides |
Arrival info:Travel arrangements to and from Catania are not included in the tour package, in order to give everybody the best chance to plan his/her trip according his preferences. Catania is easily reached by plane or train (e.g. from Rome airport or other cities). We will be happy to make suggestions and can help you with such travel arrangements, as well as assist you with your international travel to Italy.
On this classic among our volcano tours, we visit some of the most active and most interesting volcanoes in the world: Etna, the giant, ever-changing volcano that dominates Sicily; Vulcano, in the Ancients' belief home to Vulcanus, God of Fire; Lipari with its spectacular obsidian and pumice deposits; and last, but not least Stromboli,- the "Lighthouse of the Tyrrhenian Sea", the permanently active volcano that gave a whole type of eruptions its name. Itinerary 8 days
Day 1: |
Arrival in Catania on Sicily
Arrival and pick-up in Catania, transfer to Taormina. If arriving not too late, you could visit the famous Ancient Greek theatre, explore the romantic olw town or visit one of the beautiful beaches of Taormina.
Acc.: hotel**** in old town of Taormina (D)
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Day 2: |
Taormina - Vulcano Island
Transfer to Vulcano Island, visit of fumaroles on the beach, volcanic mud pools, swimming. Climb Vulcano's active crater.
Acc.: Beach hotel*** on Vulcano Island (B, D)
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Day 3: |
Vulcano - Stromboli Island - climb active craters
Transfer to Stromboli. Free time until afternoon, climb to Stromboli's active craters, eruption viewing from close range.
Acc.: Beach hotel on Stromboli *** (B, L, D)
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Day 4-5: |
Two full days on Stromboli
Two full days on Stromboli: boat trips around the island and to the Sciara del Fuoco at night. Optional other excursions (e.g. day-trip to Panarea). Optional additional climbs to the active craters of Stromboli.
Acc.: as before (Stromboli) (B, D)
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Day 6: |
Stromboli - Lipari - Etna
Transfer to Lipari island, visit of castle, archeological museum and obsidian deposits. In the afternoon, transfer to Etna.
Acc.: Mountain hotel*** on Etna at 1900 m a.s.l. (B, D)
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Day 7: |
Excursion to Etna's summit craters
Full day excursion towards the summit region of Etna, to observe its smoking craters and volcanic activity if present..
Acc.: Acc: as before (Etna) (B, D)
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Day 8: |
Etna: Valle del Bove
Second full day excursion on Etna. An interesting option includes a spectacular hike into the giant Valle del Bove depression on the SE flank.
Acc.: as before (Etna) (B, D)
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Day 9: |
Departure or tour extension
Departure from Catania or extension program
Acc.: none (B)
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Note:
Due to weather conditions and volcanic activity, the exact itinerary might vary slightly.
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The castle of Lipari town (Lipari island)
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pumice beach on Lipari
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On the rim of Fossa del Vulcano (Vulcano Island)
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Etna in eruption
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Walking on the slopes of Etna
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Group arriving on Stromboli island
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Volcanic mud pool (Vulcano island)
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Flowers in springtime on Stromboli island
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Travelling on a ferry between the Eolian Islands
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On the summit crater of Mt. Etna
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Dykes at Etna volcano
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View of Etna from Taormina
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Group on its way up to Stromboli's craters
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Stromboli in eruption (1)
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Stromboli in eruption (2)
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