Grotta di Serracozzo e Serra delle Concazze – loop in the Parco dell'Etna
Grotta di Serracozzo e Serra delle Concazze – loop in the Parco dell'Etna
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Grotta di Serracozzo e Serra delle Concazze – loop in the Parco dell'Etna
02:49
5.80km
440m
Hiking
Explore the unique volcanic landscape of Mount Etna on the Grotta di Serracozzo e Serra delle Concazze loop. This moderate hike covers 3.6 miles (5.8 km) with 1431 feet (436 metres) of elevation gain, typically taking around 2 hours and 49 minutes. You will traverse varied terrain, including gravel paths, alpine sections, and natural paths through rare "Aetnensis" birch woods, volcanic outcrops, and ancient lava fields. The route offers diverse scenery, from charming forests to open volcanic vistas, with views of Mount Etna and the vast Valle del Bove.
Planning your visit requires good physical fitness and sure-footedness, as some sections involve steep climbs, particularly towards the panoramic view of the Valle del Bove. The trail typically starts from the Citelli Refuge. It is important to stay on the marked path, as dangerous precipices exist in the surrounding valleys.
A highlight of this trail is the Grotta di Serracozzo, a fascinating lava flow cave formed during the 1971 eruption. This lava tube features smooth, almost glass-like walls polished by molten lava, creating a surreal atmosphere. You will also see the 1928 eruptive vents near Monte Frumento delle Concazze and pass through the Serra delle Concazze, which provides expansive views of Etna and the Valle del Bove.
Last updated: April 23, 2026
Tips
Your route passes through a protected area
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Waypoints
Start point
Parking
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24 m
Citelli Refuge
Highlight • Mountain Hut
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Tip by
1.70 km
Serracozzo Cave
Highlight • Cave
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Tip by
2.52 km
View of the Valle del Bove
Highlight • Viewpoint
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Tip by
3.45 km
Serra delle Concazze
Highlight • Volcano
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Tip by
5.80 km
End point
Parking
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
5.44 km
158 m
130 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
3.22 km
2.19 km
162 m
158 m
< 100 m
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Elevation
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Weather
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Wednesday 20 May
19°C
7°C
11 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 16.0 km/h
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This route was planned by komoot.
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Trail Reviews
The hike includes lunch and plenty of breaks. We did it with teenagers aged 13 and 16.
What a spectacular tour, a must-do for the east side of the volcano. It's only 6km, but it's a real challenge. Almost 600 meters of elevation gain, but with a wonderful, walkable lava cave, a fantastic ridge path, and a huge tuff field downhill. I highly recommend doing the tour clockwise.
Beautiful walk with spectacular views, especially over the Valle del Bove.
A breathtaking tour, even the start, steep and on loose lava gravel, but the climb is worth it. The view into the Valle del Bove from the Serra Della Concazze and Serracozzo is a dream. The camera doesn't really capture the vastness, size, and depth. You feel small in the face of such great beauty, humble and amazed. You could linger for hours and are filled with gratitude. What more can I say? A gift. The Serracozzo Cave is also very interesting; I would have loved to go deeper. What a fantastic time.
A wonderful tour that took place in a still very dry, woody birch forest. It led through a few small rocky passages that we were able to climb without any particular difficulty until we reached a rather obscure valley that reminded us a bit of a science fiction film set from Mars or something similar. Here we were able to enter an old underground lava tunnel via a small entrance. That was very impressive. The smooth, high walls and the lava that had cooled from the outside formed a stark contrast. After that it went up constantly until we stood at an old crater rim of Monte Simone, in the middle of which smoke was constantly coming from the earth. We were able to take an impressive view of Etna beyond the crater rim. Here too there was a lot of smoke coming from the summit. Our way back took us over old, very extensive former lava fields and a long lava tongue from 1928.
Lava, ash and snowfields. Plenty of sun from above. It was no walk in the park. 😰