30.7
PDI
12.5 mi
DISTANCE
4,751 ft
GAINED
7.1 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
This climb starts in San Giovanni Montebello, a hillside hamlet of Giarre perched on old lava-rock terrain above Sicily's Ionian coast, and climbs Mount Etna's eastern flank to about 5,719 feet near Milo - 12.5 miles and 4,751 feet of gain at a 7.1% average grade. It's one of several ways up Europe's largest active volcano, and easily one of the steepest: the opening 100 yards touch 24.4%, and the first half-mile averages 17.4%.
After that brutal start the climb eases into a long, winding grind through citrus groves and vineyards, then pine and chestnut forest, as the road works its way up through the villages above Giarre toward Milo - the only single-comune subzone of the Etna DOC wine region, known for crisp white wines made from the local Carricante grape. Just below Milo, the route passes near Fornazzo, a hamlet where a 1971 lava flow is still remembered locally for stopping just short of a roadside shrine.
Etna remains an active volcano, with eruptive activity in recent years affecting the summit craters - this route stays well below the crater zone, but it's worth checking current conditions with INGV's Etna Observatory (ct.ingv.it) before you go, the same as for any climb on the mountain.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. This is one of the steeper ways up Etna, averaging 7.1% overall but front-loaded - the steepest 100 yards hit 24.4%, the steepest quarter-mile averages 19.1%, and the steepest half-mile still averages 17.4%. The steepest full mile comes in at 13.2%, and the steepest kilometer at 16.2%. The grade eases considerably in the upper half as the road settles into the forest above the coastal hills, which is what pulls the overall average back down to 7.1%.
Roadway: Paved the entire way, narrow and tightly switchbacked through San Giovanni Montebello and the lava-rock hillside above Giarre in the brutally steep opening kilometer, then widening slightly as it climbs through citrus groves and vineyards. The upper miles through pine and chestnut forest near Milo and Fornazzo are smooth, quieter mountain road.
Traffic: Light. The lower miles carry local traffic through the hillside villages above Giarre; traffic thins out further once you're into the forest above Milo, with mostly local and agricultural traffic rather than tourist buses (which mainly use the south-side route through Nicolosi).
Parking: There's roadside parking around the center of San Giovanni Montebello at the base of the climb, and in Giarre itself if you'd rather start with a short warm-up ride to the base.
Giarre and San Giovanni Montebello, at the base, have the last reliable shops and cafes before the climb. Milo, near the top, is a small village (about 1,000 residents) with a bar or two in the center, but don't count on it being open - carry what you need for the climb itself, especially on the steep, shadeless opening kilometer.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Milo gives its name to the only single-commune subzone of the Etna DOC wine region - if you have time after the ride, several small wineries around Milo pour Etna Bianco Superiore made from the local Carricante grape, grown on the volcanic slopes you just climbed.
Fornazzo, just below Milo, is still known locally for the 1971 eruption, when an advancing lava flow reportedly stopped just short of a roadside shrine to Sant'Antonio - one of several "miracle" stories that come up in conversation with locals along Etna's eastern flank.
Given the elevation and how quickly weather can turn on the mountain, it's worth checking current conditions with our Weather tool before you head up.
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