Two wineries on the slopes of an active volcano, lunch at the second, and a stop in Castiglione di Sicilia, over eight hours from Taormina. Etna makes some of the most distinctive wine in Italy, and this is the rare wine tour that will feed a vegan, a vegetarian and a celiac traveler at the same table.
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The verdict
Worth it if you care about the wine. Etna’s vineyards sit on volcanic soil at altitudes that would be impossible at this latitude anywhere else, and the reds and whites that come off them taste unlike anything in Tuscany or Piedmont. Eight hours, two wineries, a proper lunch and drinks included at about $169 is a fair price for reaching them without driving mountain roads afterwards.
Be clear-eyed about the evidence, though. This is a small operator with 69 reviews, not thousands. The 4.8 is excellent and the recent reviews are specific and warm, but a sample that size tells you a good operation is running well, not that it has been stress-tested across every season. Weigh it as a strong signal rather than a guarantee.
The detail that makes this page worth writing is dietary. The provider states that vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available if you specify the requirement in the booking request. Across every Italian wine and food tour we have examined this month, that is the exception rather than the rule — the Chianti equivalent states flatly that it cannot cater for lactose intolerance or any other dietary requirement. If someone in your party eats differently, that single line decides where you go.
One planning constraint: confirmation is not instant. The provider states you will hear within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Do not book this the evening before, and do not treat the booking as a confirmed place until they say so.
Is this the right tour for you?
Book it if
- You are staying in Taormina or Giardini Naxos and want a day on Etna that is not a crater hike.
- Someone in your party is vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free. This tour caters for all three on request.
- You want lunch and the drinks inside the price rather than added on the day.
- You are booking several days ahead and can wait for confirmation.
- You are a group: the listing offers group discounts, and youths are discounted too.
Look elsewhere if
- You are booking last minute. Confirmation takes up to 48 hours and is subject to availability.
- You need wheelchair access. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, though it is stroller accessible.
- You want the volcano itself — craters, lava fields, the summit. This is a wine day with Etna as the setting.
- You want a large body of reviews behind your booking. There are 69.
- You need French or Spanish and cannot give notice. Those languages are by arrangement only.
What the price covers
- Lunch, served at the second winery.
- Alcoholic beverages — the tastings are in the price, not sold on the day.
- An air-conditioned vehicle, and pickup in the Taormina and Giardini Naxos area.
That is an unusually clean inclusion list for this category. On most of the Italian wine tours we have read this month the drinks, the gratuities or the transport come off the price at some point; here the three things that make the day are all inside it.
Before you go
- Give them your hotel address. Pickup is arranged from accommodation in the Taormina and Giardini Naxos area, and the provider contacts you to confirm the point and time.
- State dietary needs in the booking request, not on the day. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free are all available with notice.
- Wait for confirmation before building the rest of your day around it.
- Dress for altitude. Etna’s wine country sits well above the coast and is cooler than Taormina, even in summer.
- Cancellation. Free up to 24 hours before the start, local time.
Etna or Chianti?
If you are choosing one Italian wine day and your itinerary could go either way, the two are more different than the price suggests.
| Etna, from Taormina | Chianti, from Florence | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $169 | $151 |
| Rating | 4.8 from 69 | 4.9 from 5,696 |
| Length | 8 hours | 6–9 hours |
| Wineries | Two, plus a village stop | Two estates |
| Lunch and drinks | Both included | Both included |
| Dietary needs | Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free on request | Cannot be catered for |
| Minimum age | Not stated; youths discounted | 18 |
| Confirmation | Up to 48 hours | Immediate |
| Group | Small group, discounts available | Up to 27 |
Chianti has the track record; Etna has the flexibility and the more unusual wine. For a family, for anyone with a dietary requirement, or for a traveler who has already done Tuscany, Etna is the better day. Our full assessment of the alternative is on the Chianti wine safari page.
What travelers say
My friends and I had an excellent time on the tour. We were with a small group, and loved getting to visit local wineries. The scenery was beautiful. The lunch was also one of my favorite meals from our trip.
Rachel_D, September 2026, via Viator
Our guide Roberto was so knowledgeable and informative. We visited two fantastic wineries where amazing food and wine was served. Mount Etna and the surrounding villages are so beautiful.
Celia_J, June 2024, via Viator
The first winery was excellent and lunch at the second winery was great. The guide was very informative during our visit to Castiglione di Sicilia.
Diane_D, via Viator
The shape of the day is consistent across all of them: first winery, second winery with lunch, and the hill village of Castiglione di Sicilia. Note the review dates — they span 2024 to 2026, which tells you this is a low-volume operator running the same tour steadily rather than a high-throughput machine.
How it fits a Sicily trip
Taormina is the usual base for eastern Sicily, and this fills a day that would otherwise go to the beach or to a crowded crater excursion. If you are based in Catania rather than Taormina, the Etna tours from Catania compare a morning on the craters with a full day that adds Taormina. If you are traveling across the island, Palermo has its own food day worth building around — see the rest of our Sicilian and Italian coverage in the experiences and tours hub.
Questions travelers ask
Can they cater for dietary requirements?
Yes. The provider states that vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available, provided you specify the requirement in the booking request. Do it at booking rather than on the day, since lunch is prepared at a winery.
Is my booking confirmed straight away?
No. The provider states confirmation is received within 48 hours of booking and is subject to availability. Book a few days ahead and wait for the confirmation before planning around the date.
Is lunch included, or extra?
Included, and so are the alcoholic beverages. Lunch is served at the second winery, and reviewers consistently describe it as a full meal rather than a snack between tastings.
Where does it pick up from?
From accommodation in the Taormina and Giardini Naxos area. You supply your hotel address when booking and the provider contacts you to confirm the pickup point and time.
Do you go up the volcano?
This is a wine tour on Etna’s slopes, taking in two wineries and the village of Castiglione di Sicilia, not a summit or crater excursion. If you want lava fields and craters, book a dedicated Etna hiking or jeep tour instead.
Is it available in other languages?
English is standard, with one further language listed. French and Spanish can only be arranged on request and with adequate notice, so ask before booking rather than after.
Is it accessible?
The tour is listed as not wheelchair accessible but stroller accessible, and the provider states that most travelers can participate. Winery visits involve walking on uneven ground between vines and cellars.
Book it, a few days ahead. Etna is the most interesting wine region in Italy that most visitors never taste, and this is a straightforward way to reach two of its producers with lunch and the driving handled. The small review base is the only real caveat, and the dietary flexibility is a genuine reason to choose it over better-known days out.
Editorial assessment by Italy2Love, September 2026. Duration, inclusions, dietary and language conditions, confirmation policy, accessibility notes, price, rating, review counts, pickup area and cancellation terms read on the Viator product page (product code 14484P4), September 2026. Comparison figures read on the Chianti wine safari listing (5070CHIANTISAFARI), September 2026. Reviews quoted with attribution to their authors and to Viator. Next review March 2027.