Have you ever thought about what the landscape would be on Mars? Once at the top of Etna, I think you’d get a better idea. Although I picture Mars to be much more red, the sheer darkness of the landscape was enough to get the imagination flowing. Getting to the top is not an easy task and once everything was said and done, took us about 35 minutes.

If you’re considering an excursion to the top, there are a few things you need to know. First things first, no matter what the temperature at the base of the mountain, the top will be much colder. See that picture above? I have a few layers on and I took off my jacket for the shot. The base of the mountain that day was about 88 degrees and the top of the mountain was about 48 degrees. So if you’re sensitive to drastic climate change, prepare before you go. They do have a place that you can rent a jacket at the base, but I’m the type that prefers to be prepared.

The base is actually located about a quarter of the way up the mountain and has shops and restaurants. If you want to get a feel for the landscape and still get a nice view without paying to go to the top, this is a great option for your budget.

We wanted to give the teens an experience, so we coughed up the 75 Euro per person (which translated to about 84 dollars according the exchange that day). Each ticket includes the the Funivia (ski lift cable car), ride in the all terrain jeep, and a guide at the top. The only way to avoid this fee is to walk to the top, but when I asked the guide he said it would take you half a day to walk up. I doubt any of us would have had the stamina to make it to the top on foot and once there- we would have had to walk down. That is not my idea of a vacation! From the base, you’ll see several signs for the Funivia and that’s where you buy your tickets. If you go in the morning, you’ll probably find a line, but they die down in the afternoon.

The tickets are actually plastic cards that have some sort of a chip and there will be several spots for you to scan them as you make your way to the top. Be careful not to lose these, because you’ll need to scan them on the way down as well. The cable cars hold six people and the staff is good about not separating families. We were four people and the car in front of us had two seats left, so they let it go and let us all sit together.

After the cable car, you’ll move towards the jeeps. There was no set “line” so don’t be surprised if you see people trying to get around you to get in front, especially if it’s really crowded. My advice to you is to stand your ground and be vigilant, most people will behave fairly and there’s no need to get in argument. The jeeps are a site to see and the drivers are experts in navigating the steep terrain.

I suffer from motion sickness- if you do too, you may want to bring some medicine. I ended up taking a chew-able in the middle of the ride. The bout of nausea was worth it though. We met our guide, he brought us up to the craters and from there the view is spectacular.

As we walked through, he explained to us the workings of the volcano and the history of it’s formation and eruptions. He spoke several languages (French, English, and Italian were the three in our group) so he would explain first in Italian, then move to the other groups and re-explain in the other languages.

After your guided portion is complete, you are free to walk around and enjoy the views. We took some fun pictures as you saw above and then made our way back to the jeeps. They wait until a jeep is full before sending it down so you may need to wait a bit (we were the first people on and it took about 10 minutes until the jeep was full). They drop you back at the Funivia where there is a little store and café. Be forewarned, you’ll have to actually walk through the store to get out- a smart way to boost sales of souvenirs. Our B & B gave us a coupon for a “snack” at the top which included either a sandwich or pizza, a drink and coffee. None of this was gourmet, but it served as a decent lunch before we made our way back into the cable cars.

Once back to the base, we spent some time walking through the little shops and buying souvenirs to bring home. If you look around, you can find some good deals, but as everywhere else that has a semi-captive audience some things are over priced. My best advice is to know before you go and when buying multiple items from one shop, ask for a discount.

Although expensive, we all enjoyed the experience. I would recommend trying it if it fits in your budget. Have you been to the top of Etna? Tell me about your experience, I’d love to hear from you!