The 15 Hikes & Treks in Italy We Would Book First

1.Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hiking or Pisa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8,486 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $66Our pick

Spend about 13 hours traveling from Florence to Cinque Terre with guides such as Claudia, Chris, JoJo, or Alessandro. Choose a demanding coastal hike, train travel between villages, or a Pisa add-on with boat rides. Expect colorful villages, cliffside views, free time, and a long but well-organized day.

“Best day trip to the region of cinque de terra. Well planned with very knowledgeable guide . Well worth a visit.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4,178 reviews · from $152

Travel from Florence to all five Cinque Terre villages with an English-speaking guide, using trains and a seasonal boat. Walk through vineyards from Corniglia to Vernazza if you choose the 3.2-kilometer hike, or take the train instead. Guides such as Chris, Claudia, Emma, and Manuel are known for keeping the long day organized.

“Ado and Luca were excellent guides. Ado knows so much about the history of the area and is very passionate about sharing his knowledge with the group. The bus was excellent, very new and comfortable and the driver was excellent; drove very safely. My daughter (21) and I did this tour. The day was packed full with moving from one village to the next, and was a little too busy to try going for a swim but the beauty is incredible and I couldn’t have negotiated trains and sightseeing on our own, so this was a great option! We got it all in!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Mount Etna: Guided Volcano Summit Hiking Tour with Cable Car

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3,784 reviews · from $124

Ride the Etna cable car to 2,504 meters, then hike with a volcanic guide toward the highest point allowed that day. Expect lava tunnels, 2002/2003 eruption craters, the Barbagallo Crater, and Valle del Bove. Guides such as Edoardo and Giuseppe are praised for clear explanations and steady pacing.

“Superb organized tour with a really fantastic and extremely helpful guide (Guiseppe). Thanks for the unique experience!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Mount Etna: Trek to 3000m with cable car and jeep

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,978 reviews · from $62

Ride Etna’s cable car to 2,500 meters, take a 4x4 to about 2,800 meters, then hike to 3,000 meters with a guide. You’ll see summit and lateral craters, the December 2023 lava flow, a 2002 lava vent, black sand, and a lava channel.

“The tour was very nice. It was one of the best activities we did on Sicilian. Our guide Antonio did a very good job and explained a lot! It was very interesting. Thx!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Mount Etna: Summit Crater Trek with Cable Car

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,875 reviews · 5 hours · from $77

Ride the Etna cable car and a 4x4 to 2,850 meters, then hike toward the Bocca Nuova and Central Craters with a small group of up to eight. Guides such as Simone, Alessandro, Giuseppe, and Vincenzo explain Etna’s eruptions, lava tunnels, and volcanic terrain while setting a careful pace.

“Alessandro was personable, knowledgeable, and funny. Paced everyone so as not to overextend themselves. His knowledge about volcanoes was great!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Etna Volcano: South Side Guided Summit Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,545 reviews · from $67

Meet Ashàra’s multilingual guides at Rifugio Sapienza, ride the cable car to 2,500 meters, then hike across lava flows toward Etna’s summit craters. Guides such as Antonio, Giovanni, Marco, and Massimo explain the geology while adapting the route to weather and volcanic activity.

“The whole trip was amazing! Worth the money for definite!”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Stromboli: Sunset Trekking at Sciara del Fuoco

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,372 reviews · 5 hours · from $35Best value

Meet Ashàra guides in Piazza San Vincenzo and hike through Mediterranean scrub to 400 meters on Stromboli. Guides such as Giuseppe, Giovanni, Federico, and Nino set a steady pace, explain the island, and lead you to sunset views of Sciara del Fuoco and its fiery eruptions.

“Absolutely amazing! It was a lifetime experience and I can only thank the tour company, our fantastic guide (Giovanni) and the whole crew for taking care of us in this spectacular island. We loved the tour in that it was a mix of athletic rigour and otherworldly views all accompanied by our amazing tour guide who is a true mountain explorer, a terrific person and a knowledgable and nature-loving human being. For me this tour isn't only about the volcano and its explosions but mostly about the trek around the mountain, exploring its views from different angles and becoming one with nature. It was very special and thank you all…”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Mount Etna Trekking Trip off the Tourist Path

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,351 reviews · from $78

Join guides such as Antonio or Renato for a seven-hour Mount Etna trek from Catania. Walk quiet volcanic paths from about 1,850 to 2,400 meters, cross old lava flows, visit the Valle del Bove, and explore a lava cave when conditions allow. Shoes, poles, and warm layers are provided.

“Renato and Antonio were amazing, knowledgeable and took very good care of us. It was a great experience and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to explore Etna's volcanic history or if into hiking and new experiences. Note that this is indeed a hike, I'd say on the medium difficulty side, for being normally fit, so take water, a few snacks and bring appropriate wear, but don't worry about shoes, warm layers or sticks, the guides can provide these. I'd like to add that this tour is grear value, because we got passionate and friendly guides, transportation, equipment, a quick visit to a nearby village and a diverse and engaging…”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Path of the Gods Guided Hike with Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 530 reviews · 6 hours · from $94

Join guides such as Nino, Monica, Antonio, or Pepe for a six-hour outing from Sorrento to the Path of the Gods. Walk ancient mule tracks, choose a harder or easier route, use provided trekking poles, and stop at a shepherd’s hut for local food, wine, and music.

“Nino and his guides were excellent and very personable. The hike was beautiful and a little tricky but with many breaks as Nino gave us information about the area. We had a wonderful lunch at a farmer’s house with fresh cheese and vegetables along with bread and wine. Bring some euro to tip for lunch as this is how the farmers sustain their life in the hills. Highly recommended. We got some of the best photos from our trip on this tour.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Etna Tour with Hiking, Cave Visit, & Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 518 reviews · 7 hours · from $83

Travel from Taormina to Etna with a small group of up to eight, hike extinct craters, enter a lava cave with helmet and headlamp, then taste honey, olive oil, wine, and other local foods. Guides such as Salvatore, Alessandro, and Nando bring geology and Sicilian life to the journey.

“our driver and guide, Florence, was teriffic. Her driving skills were very good. Navigating the winding road, through villages was easy for her. Her knowledge of the arra and of Etna was very comprehensive and she guided our group of 5 with ease.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Half-Day Mount Etna Morning Trek

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 504 reviews · 6.5 hours · from $106

From Taormina, hike around Etna’s extinct craters at about 2,000 meters, walk through old woods, and enter a lava cave. Guides such as Tony, Roberto, Ricardo, Ugo, and Claudio explain the volcano’s geology and history. Boots, jackets, poles, lunch, wine, and hotel pickup are included.

“An excellent day out. Claudio our guide was just brilliant. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable throughout. Every aspect of the trip was organised, ensuring a great experience for all concerned.”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Etna Volcano: South Side Guided Summit Hike

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 311 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $78

Start at Rifugio Sapienza and ride the cable car and 4x4 jeep to about 2,800 meters. Then hike across lava flows to Etna’s summit craters with guides such as Antonio, Max, Fabio, or Massimo. Expect strong wind, loose volcanic gravel, gas emissions, and route changes for safety.

“Antonio was an excellent guide blending knowledge of vulcano science with a great tour of the landscape and Etna history. He had great energy and was fun to be with. Highly recommended”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Mount Etna: Summit Trek with Cable Car and snack included

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 278 reviews · from $109

Take Etna’s south-side cable car to 2,500 meters, then hike toward the summit craters with an Italian or English-speaking alpine guide such as Pietro or Vincenzo. Expect steep volcanic ground, smoke, wide Sicilian views, a brioche and water break, loaner boots and helmets, and a cable-car ride back.

“An incredible day! I cannot fault anything about the trip: communication beforehand was excellent and our guide on the day, the organisation of the day, and the pace... were all fantastic! The views were spectacular and we felt safe and well informed the entire time! I would 100% book this trip again if I revisit the area and have already raved about it to friends and family!”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Stromboli: sunset trekking to Sciara del Fuoco – Ashàra

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 270 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $36

Join Ashàra Etna & Stromboli Guides for a sunset hike from Piazza San Vincenzo to Stromboli’s 400-meter viewpoint. Guides such as Giuseppe, Pepe, and Fabio explain the volcano, provide boots, poles, helmets, and headlamps, and lead you back after dark.

“What a nice experience. The best for Stromboli. It’s a must. We went in a family trip. Nice trekking and the best at the end.”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Mount Etna: Half-Day Guided Tour and Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 264 reviews · 5 hours · from $70

Travel from Catania to 2,000 meters on a five-hour guided Etna outing with a multilingual guide. Walk around Silvestri Craters, visit Grotta dei Tre Livelli, see a recent eruption site, and stop in Zafferana Etnea for local products. Guides such as Andrea, Silvia, Giuseppe, and Constanza bring strong local knowledge.

“Incredible guide who was very knowledgeable and open to lots of questions. Lots of scenic points and local stories. Pick up was right as expected and the trip was made all the sweeter by a stop at local honey farm.”

Check availability →Read our full review