A cruise-port day from Catania that took us from an active volcano to one of Sicily’s most beautiful hill towns.
There are some cruise days where you step off the ship, wander around the port, grab lunch and head back.
And then there are the days when you look at the itinerary and think:
We’re in Sicily. We have one day. Let’s make it count.
That was our day in Catania.
Rather than staying in the city or booking a large group excursion, we arranged a private tour with a driver and guide that combined two experiences I really wanted to see: Mount Etna and Taormina.
And it turned out to be one of those days that reminded me exactly why I love private touring.
Our Sicily Cruise Day
We were sailing the Mediterranean aboard Norwegian Cruise Line, and Catania was one of our ports of call.
With only one day in Sicily, we knew we couldn’t see everything.
Sicily is a BIG island, and trying to cram half of it into a cruise-port day isn’t really my idea of fun.
So we narrowed it down to two very different experiences:
Mount Etna + Taormina.
One was all about nature, geology and that slightly surreal feeling of standing on a volcano.
The other was quintessentially Sicilian — beautiful streets, history, incredible views and one of the island’s most famous ancient sites.
It felt like a pretty good combination.
First Stop: Mount Etna
There is something a little surreal about driving toward a volcano.
Especially when that volcano is Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world and the highest volcano in Europe. Etna has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its globally significant geological features. (Visit Sicily)
As we climbed higher, the scenery changed.
The landscape became more rugged, darker and more volcanic. Suddenly, this wasn’t the sunny Mediterranean scenery I had pictured when I thought about Sicily.
It was something completely different.
And that was part of what made it so fascinating.
Standing on Etna
Our guide, Chiara, made the experience even better because we weren’t simply being dropped off at a viewpoint and told to take pictures.
We learned about the volcano, the landscape and the way Etna has shaped the area around it.
And then there was that moment when you realize:
I’m actually standing on Mount Etna. And smoke is billowing out of it! (It erupted a few days later!)
You can read about volcanoes all day, but there’s something completely different about seeing the black volcanic rock and landscape for yourself.
The official Sicily tourism site describes the higher areas around Etna as a landscape of craters and lava rock — and I completely understood the comparison to another planet once we were there. (Visit Sicily)
It didn’t feel like the Italy I had imagined.
It felt like Sicily.
Then We Headed to Taormina
From Etna, we continued on to Taormina, and this was where the day took a completely different turn.
If Etna felt dramatic and otherworldly, Taormina felt like the Sicily you see in your imagination.
Beautiful.
Historic.
A little glamorous.
And incredibly photogenic.
Taormina sits high above the Ionian coast, with spectacular views toward the sea and Mount Etna. The official Sicily tourism site describes it as a terrace overlooking the sea, and that really is the feeling you get when you’re there. (Visit Sicily)
The Greek Theatre
Our visit included Taormina’s famous Greek Theatre, and this was definitely one of those places where the pictures don’t quite do it justice.
The theatre was originally built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC and was later modified during the Roman period. Its location is part of the magic — the ancient stone structure opens up to views of the surrounding landscape, including Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea. (Visit Sicily)
Standing there, looking through the ancient columns toward Etna and the sea, I remember thinking:
Okay. THIS is why we came to Sicily. I could have stood there for hours!
It’s history, architecture and scenery all happening in the same place.
And because Taormina is built into the hillside, the walk itself is part of the experience.
Wandering Taormina
One of my favorite things about Taormina was simply wandering.
We walked through the streets, took in the views, browsed the shops and soaked up the atmosphere.
The main pedestrian street, Corso Umberto, runs through the heart of town and is filled with boutiques, restaurants, cafés and shops.
This is one of those places where I think it’s important not to over-plan every minute.
Leave yourself some time to wander.
Look up.
Take the picture.
Stop for something to eat.
And let yourself get a little distracted.
That’s part of the fun.
Our guide, Chiara, had a little art show going on that we popped into. Her daughter was overseeing it while she was working with us. She had beautiful artwork.
And Yes… We Ate Our Way Through Sicily a Little
Because obviously we did.
One of the little highlights of the day was getting to try arancini, those famous Sicilian stuffed rice balls.
After spending the morning climbing around a volcano, they tasted especially good.
😂
This is another reason I love having a private guide.
You can ask questions.
You can get recommendations. Chiara told us where to get the best arancini.
You can stop when something catches your eye.
The day doesn’t have to feel like you’re simply checking boxes on an itinerary.
Why We Chose a Private Tour
This is probably the biggest takeaway I would have for anyone planning a cruise day like this.
Etna and Taormina are both places I wanted to experience with some flexibility.
A private tour gave us:
- Our own driver and guide
- Transportation between the different stops
- A guide who could explain what we were seeing
- Flexibility throughout the day
- No large tour group to keep up with
- Someone else worrying about the roads, parking and logistics
- The comfort of knowing we had transportation waiting for us
And perhaps most importantly:
We weren’t spending our entire day figuring out how to get from one place to the next.
When you’re visiting Sicily as part of a cruise, that’s a big deal.
You have a ship to get back to.
I’ve visited Taormina before, 3 years ago and we did a ship excursion that time. Big bus, 30 people, no flexibility. Barely had time to have a snack. I still loved Taormina, but this was much calmer.
Can You Do Etna and Taormina in One Day?
Yes — with the right itinerary and transportation, it can make sense to combine the two.
But I wouldn’t approach it as:
“Let’s see everything in Sicily!”
You can’t.
Instead, think about it as choosing two experiences that complement each other.
For us, that was:
Etna = nature + adventure + something completely different
Taormina = history + beauty + food + wandering
Together, they gave us a really wonderful introduction to eastern Sicily.
The official regional tourism itinerary actually pairs Etna and Taormina as highlights of eastern Sicily, which makes sense once you’ve experienced how naturally the two work together.
What I Would Keep in Mind When Planning This Cruise Day
1. Don’t underestimate the distances.
Sicily is much larger than many first-time visitors realize.
If you’re visiting on a cruise, look carefully at your port time and build in plenty of cushion for your return to the ship.
2. Wear comfortable shoes.
Taormina is beautiful, but this isn’t the place for uncomfortable shoes just because they look cute in your vacation photos.
There are hills, stone streets and plenty of walking.
3. Bring layers.
The temperatures can feel very different between the coast and higher elevations around Etna.
4. Don’t try to do too much.
Etna and Taormina already made for a full day.
I would rather really experience two places than spend the entire day looking at my watch because I have six more stops to squeeze in.
5. Consider private transportation.
Especially for a cruise-port day, having someone else handle the driving and logistics can make the entire experience feel much more relaxed.
Would We Do It Again?
Absolutely.
Not because we “checked Sicily off our list.”
Actually, quite the opposite.
Our day at Etna and Taormina left me feeling like we had only scratched the surface.
That’s one of my favorite things about travel.
You visit somewhere for one day and come home with a whole new list of places you want to see.
Sicily definitely did that to me.
If I Were Planning This for a Client…
This is exactly the type of cruise day where I would start by asking:
What do you actually want to experience?
Do you want food?
Wine?
Ancient history?
A beach?
A volcano?
Beautiful scenery?
Shopping?
A slower day?
You don’t need to see all of Sicily in one cruise stop.
You need to choose the experience that will make you say:
“I’m so glad we did that.”
For us, that was Etna and Taormina.
And honestly?
I’d make that choice again in a heartbeat. 🇮🇹🌋
Planning Your Own Mediterranean Cruise?
If you’re looking at a Mediterranean cruise and feeling a little overwhelmed by all those ports, that’s exactly where I come in.
I don’t just help you book the cruise.
I help you figure out what to do once you get there — including private tours, shore excursions, transportation and the little details that can turn a port day into one of your favorite memories.
I’m Barb, your travel advisor at Magical Travels with Barb — the person who plans the trip you didn’t know you needed.
[Let’s start planning your trip →]
