Sicily · Italy
Mount Etna Road
SP92Nicolosi to Rifugio Sapienza
An extraordinary climb of 1,300 m from Nicolosi to the car park at Rifugio Sapienza (1,910 m) on Europe’s largest active volcano, through lava fields with Ionian Sea views.
From Nicolosi the SP92 passes the Monti Rossi cones and enters Etna National Park, its wide-radius curves more flowing than hairpin-heavy. Forest gives way to lava fields where the 1983 eruption buried sections of the original road; the upper kilometres offer Ionian Sea views to Piazzale Sapienza, where the cable car to the summit zone begins.
Scenery
Best seasons
In these collections
Mount Etna Road on the map11.5 mi · point to point
Navigate to the start: Apple Maps · Google Maps
Character
Corners
busiest around mile 5Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%744 – 1,915.1 mFrom the road
Points of interest3 stops
- Monte VetoreViewpoint9.6 mi in
- Mount Etna BaseLandmark11 mi in
- rifugio Don BoscoFood and drink8.9 mi in
Hazards
- Can close without warning during eruptions
- Winter snow and ice above 1,000 m
- Very high tourist traffic in summer
See the typical season and live conditions for the high passes ›
Sources
“The road to the hut is fully paved and is known as SP92. It offers several panoramic views along the upper sections.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
Driving the Mount Etna Road: quick answers
How long does it take to drive the Mount Etna Road?
How difficult is the Mount Etna Road to drive?
When is the best time to drive the Mount Etna Road?
Nearby roads
The closest great drives to Mount Etna Road.
