Nicolosi is situated at 702 m a. s. l. on Mount Etna and is called “The Gate of Etna”, for its strategic point between the sea and the mountain and for to be the terminus for the excursions on Etna. Its origin was in the XII century and it’s tightly linked to the foundation of the S. Nicolò Monastery, it was restore and it is actually office of the “Etna Park”. Its history has always been influenced by the volcano: we can remember the destructive eruptions of 1669 from which originated the “Rossi Mountain” (so called for the colour of detritus) that destroyed, a part of Nicolosi, several centres and a part of Catania, finally it flowed into the sea; we also remember, the eruption of 1886 from which originated “Gemmellaro Mount”, the lava of this eruption stopped three hundred meters from the town in the place where cardinal Dusmet, the archbishop of Catania, took the Saint Agata Veil, and at the end the eruption of 2001, the lava of this activity stopped four kilometres from Nicolosi. In spite of the damage of the different eruptions of Etna, Nicolosi has become an important tourist centre and the place to undertake an exciting excursion on the volcano. It is here that Etna Touring is attentive to an innovative and alternative tourism, it proposes at the visitors many services to spend theirs holidays.
How to find us
BY CAR:
From Messina o Taormina: highway A 18 ME/CT.
From Palermo: highway A 19 PA/CT.
From Siracusa: freeway
From all directions: It’s advised to go along “the ring road”, to exit Gravina di Catania and to go on to Mascalucia until Nicolosi.
BY BUS
Bus-line AST (tel. + 39 095. 7461096) leaves from Catania (railway station) at 8:15 a.m. to Nicolosi/Etna Sud-Rifugio Sapienza and returns from Etna Sud-Rifugio Sapienza at 16:30 p.m.
In the summer a second bus leaves from Nicolosi to Etna Sud-Rifugio Sapienza at 12:30 a.m.
Bus-line AST from Catania to Nicolosi every 40 minutes.
BY PLANE
Fontanarossa Airport (CT) SAC tel. +39 095.340505
BY TRAIN
Trenitalia Railway Station: piazza Giovanni XXIII (CT) tel. + 39 095.892021
Circumetnea: Catania tel. + 39 095.541250
Transfer service from and to the place expected is available on request by Etna Touring.