Climb of Etna
THE MOUNT ETNA HIKE - NORTH SIDE
Meeting Point
Giardini-Naxos (ME)
Departure Time
08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Return
To the starting point
Availability
Every Day
Bike Types
Road Bike
PROPOSED BIKES
ROAD BIKE ENDURANCE
SCOTT CR1-10 / CARBON FRAME
Tour Description - Itinerary
Cycling among the vineyards of Mount Etna!
Our climb of Etna tour starts at our headquarters in Giardini Naxos, after having set up our bikes and discussed the itinerary. Today we will conquer the highest active volcano of Europe – Mount Etna!
Beginning.
Start pedaling heading Catania for about 5 km in a lowland area.
Our aim is to warm up our muscles and get acquainted with our road bicycles. Once we have finished the first part of climb of Etna tour, comes a soft hill 5% to 10% for about other 5 km. We pass above Fiumefreddo di Sicilia, a little town so named because of an underground river flowing here from the northeastern slope of Mount Etna. Observe the changes in vegetation, which becomes increasingly bushy and wild. We finally find ourselves surrounded by olive groves, fields and greeneries, characteristics for this region.
The First Wall and Wine Cellars.
This particular climb will get us up to the town of Piedimonte Etneo, a settlement built on an ancient lava flow of the northeastern volcano face. We have already biked by now for some 10 km and 350mt D+, but we are still to complete our first challenge. Therefore, another climb of about 7 km is ahead with a peak of 14%, but just for few meters. We will pass by two mountain villages of Presa and Vena, where one of the six Sicilian monasteries constructed by Gregory the Great 1500 years ago is located. We are now at 730 mt above sea level, overlooking Mount Etna peaks. This mystical spot between history and religion offers indeed breathtaking views! The citrus and olives plantations give way to fruit trees: cherries, pears, apples, chestnuts and hazelnuts. At the end of our first tough climb, we have already done about 18 km and 800 mt D+. We are on Mount Etna Wine road, which goes from eastern side along the northern volcano slope. In this area, the various wine cellars are open to offer us the very fine Bacchus’ juice, called Wine. That is right on the eastern slope of Etna, where the vine finds its ultimate expression thanks to the weather conditions, exposure to the sun and vertical limits of cultivation. Let us remember that there is more than 160 vineyards on Mount Etna in 2018.
Bartali & Coppi.
Remaining at altitude, we take a break from climbing and ride along so-called Sicilian plain for about 5 km until Fornazzo.
As you may know, this part of our itinerary was the Grand Premio della Montagna in a stage of Giro d’Italia in 2017.
Let us fill up our bottles with the fresh volcanic mineral water before we continue our climb of Etna tour and face the last big ascent of the day, known as slope of Bartali & Coppi.
From 827 mt above sea level, we will arrive up to 1750 mt, to a place called Rifugio Citelli. It is an uphill of 13.9 km, 923 mt. D+ with an overage of 6.5%.
Clearly, the tension in your muscles after conquering this part of the volcano would be felt, but it is going to be absolutely repaid by the awesomeness of the area we get across – the woods of birch and beech forests and stretches of the fresh black lava will absolutely amaze you. The highest point of our climb of Etna tour is at place called Rifugio Salvatore Citelli, launched in the postwar period and wholly restructured after the eruption of 2011.This place is an important point for hiking or mountain bikes tours departure.
Down Hill.
Wrap yourself warm and get ready for the the final part of our climb of Etna tour – a downhill of about 18 km long. We ride down the opposite Mount Etna side, cross the famous pine forest called Pineta Ragabo, one of the largest and highest in the whole Italy. We continue altering downhills and flatlands until the place called Piedimonte Etneo, where we finally close our ring around Etna. Getting back to our starting point, we will be done 80 km and 1900 mt D+.
Important Information
Is it important to pay attention to the following altimetry chart to keep it in mind. For this reason the physicall fitness of partecipants has to be considered.
Therfore, reaching 1750 meters on Etna volcano with a road bike day tour could be an exciting exercise for pro-rider cyclists!
Price List
THE CLIMB OF ETNA GUIDED BIKE TOUR
- Private Guide
- Languages : English, Italian
- Full Carbon Road Bike
- Helmet
- Repair kit
- Pedals : Flat, Shimano, Look.
- Local tolls
- Insurance
- Cycling Shoes
- Cycling Clothing
- Transport From/To your Hotel
- Sports massage (with an expert masseur and physiotherapist)
- Support vehicle
- Energy drink
- Energy bar or gel
- Transport From/To your Hotel
