Last Updated on June 24, 2025 by George Pavlopoulos
Catania is one of the most underrated cities in Italy. Located in eastern Sicily, in the shadow of Mount Etna, its fate is sealed by the volcano’s frequent eruptions. However, Catania’s proximity to Etna also translates to a unique soil. The volcano’s presence and taste forever mark the area’s wine production. Therefore, if you are exploring this side of Sicily, join one or more wine tours from Catania and discover the region’s smoky wines.
The Mount Etna eruptions enrich the soil in unique ways, and that’s why the area produces some of the best wines worldwide. Growing grapes and making wine -red and white- on the slopes of Mount Etna results in delicious wine that you can’t taste elsewhere in Europe. The Etna DOC is the oldest in Sicily and among the oldest in Italy. The red Etna Rosso is the most famous wine in the region, typically made from the Nerello Mascalese grape variety (80%) and up to 20% Nerello Cappuccio grapes.
So, in this article, you will find the best wine tastings in Catania, together with info and prices. I preferred to split this article into two sections. The first section is dedicated to those who are eager to taste as much Sicilian wine as possible. That said, the sightseeing part is less present in these tours. On the other hand, if you are more into exploring the region and sipping an occasional glass of wine, the second section is more for you.
So, let’s start with the best Catania wine tastings and what to expect from them.
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The best wine tours from Catania for wine lovers
As I stated above, in this section, you will find Catania wine tours dealing exclusively with wine tastings in various wineries. While you will see some of Sicily’s landscape, you probably won’t have much time to explore the area. The goal is to taste as many Etna wines as possible and gain a comprehensive understanding of their unique flavors.
The three best Etna wineries (Private tour)
For dedicated wine lovers, that’s the top Etna wine tasting tour you can take in Sicily. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel in Catania (available also from Messina) and drive you to three fantastic wineries in Etna. The three wine estates you’ll visit are family-run, and the Sicilian landscape will be out of your window. The owners will greet you at each winery, and the price includes free food tasting.
However, this wine tour is even more remarkable because you can taste unlimited wine. Specifically, you’ll taste four wines from every winery. Last but not least, after the tour’s end, your guide will drive you back to your hotel. Please keep in mind that this is a private tour: that said, while its price is slightly elevated, the tour will be just for you and your friends.
If you can afford the cost, this is one of the best wine tours you can take in Catania.
Duration: ~7 hours.
Price: 262 euros.
How to book: Book here the 3 best Etna wineries private tour.
Wine Tasting, Lunch, and Oranges (Private tour)
This is another fantastic private tour that will bring you close to Sicily’s nature. After your tour guide picks you up from your Catania accommodation, they’ll drive you to a beautiful farm. This looks like a private park, and you’ll stroll through the orange plantation, where you’ll learn about the different kinds of citrus. Then, inside the villa, you’ll meet with a sommelier who’ll explain the wine-making process to you.
This is an estate owned for centuries by the same family, and at the tour’s end, you’ll taste their delicious wines together with a traditional Sicilian lunch. After this private tour finishes, the guide will bring you back to your hotel in Catania.
Despite its elevated price, it’s one of the best wine tours from Catania, offering a fantastic overall experience.
Duration: 4 hours.
Price: 350 euros.
How to book: Book here this fantastic private tour.
Mount Etna wine tour
If you’re on a tight budget on your journey to Catania but still like to taste some wine from Etna’s soil, there’s also a very affordable wine tour. However, please keep in mind that you’ll have to reach the estate independently. If you rent a car in Sicily, it’s easy to get to your destination; on the other hand, if you use public transport (or a taxi), be sure to consider your transportation options. See the exact location on the tour’s page.
So, in this winery visit, you’ll taste 4 to 7 different wines, and a sommelier will guide you through the estate’s cellars. There’s also a light lunch included, consisting of cheese, pork, and cannoli.
Duration: 1,5-2 hours.
Price: 55 euros for 4 wines / 79 euros for 7 wines.
How to book: Book the affordable tour here.
The best wine tours from Catania, Sicily, for explorers
The second section of this travel guide to the best wine-tasting tours from Catania is all about exploring the region. Of course, there are various stops for wine tasting, but here, wine is a nice extra for your day trip in Sicily. The focus is on towns and villages, and there are only occasional stops for a glass of Sicilian wine.
If you are more into exploring the region and having a glass here and there, this section will cover your travel needs.
Godfather private guided tour with wine-tasting
While it is an old cliche to associate Sicily exclusively with the Mafia, there’s one great tour in the region for movie lovers. If you are a fan of Coppola’s iconic Godfather movies, this tour from Catania is for you. Your guide will pick you up from your Catania hotel and, for the next 6 to 8 hours, will drive you to the movie’s iconic locations.
You will start from Savoca, where the iconic Bar Vitelli is, and continue to Santa Lucia church, where Michael Corleone was married. After strolling through the streets of Savoca, you’ll stop for a glass of wine before continuing to Forza d’Agro and the Norman Castle with its stunning views. Your guide will share plenty of facts about the movie, and after the tour’s end, you can choose to have dinner at a local restaurant, including a delicious Sicilian wine tasting.
After a long day out and about, your guide will drive you back to your hotel in Catania. That’s a fantastic tour, and it’s also a private one.
Duration: 6-8 hours (the exact duration depends on whether you have dinner or not).
Price: from 219 euros.
How to book: Book here the Godfather tour.
Home cooking with dinner and Etna wine
For this tour, you won’t have to leave Catania. However, this is one of the best things to do in Catania if you enjoy immersing in local cultures. Claudia, your host, opens her house in downtown Catania to show you how to cook a proper Sicilian meal. Using fresh and raw products from Sicily, you’ll learn how to prepare fish and vegetables bought from the local market.
The four-course meal you’ll prepare with Claudia will consist of tomatoes, eggplants, anchovies, various vegetables, and pannacotta. In addition, of course, the meal includes a tasting of Sicilian wines.
Duration: 3 hours.
Price: 79 euros.
How to book: Book here the home cooking and wine tour.
Full-day Mount Etna Wine Tour from Catania
If you’d like to combine a visit to Mount Etna and wine tasting, this is one of the best tours you can have in the region. Start your day early in the morning and head towards the iconic Rifugio Sapienza, Etna’s most famous shelter. Afterward, you’ll walk along natural paths and visit one of the volcano’s craters.
Then, you can decide to stay in that area, which is at 2,000 meters, or alternatively book the high altitude option. The latter means you’ll have to ride a cable car, and a 4×4 vehicle will bring you up to 2,900 meters at Torre del Filosofo.
Then, together with your guide, you’ll explore a lava cave, and at the tour’s end, you’ll stop at a winery for tasting, including one sparkling and four still wines. A light meal is included, and afterward, the guide will drive you back to your accommodation in Catania.
Duration: 7 hours.
Price: 118 euros.
How to book: Book the full-day Etna tour.
Etna and Taormina wine tour (day trip)
Now, while this day trip from Catania follows an identical route to the one above, this tour has a bonus: it will bring you to the world-famous Taormina, the city that even Goethe fell in love with. Located on dramatic cliffs and enjoying fantastic views of the open sea, Taormina is a gem. Despite being compact in size, it’s one of the most beautiful towns you’ll see in Sicily.
While the exploration of Mount Etna and Taormina is at the heart of this tour, this doesn’t mean that there’s no wine included. On the contrary, after a tiring day walking on Etna’s slopes and before strolling through Taormina’s streets, you’ll stop at a restaurant for a quick lunch and wine tasting. Then, after concluding your Taormina wine tour and spending time in the city, the tour guide will drive you back to Catania.
Duration: 8 hours.
Price: 100 euros.
How to book: Book the Etna and Taormina day trip.
The best wine tours from Catania: Final Thoughts
Italy is a paradise for wine lovers, and Sicily is no exception. The volcanic soil of the area around Catania is fertile, and the wine produced there has a unique smoky taste. All these Sicily wine tours will expose you to the region’s raw beauty, and going on a wine tasting from Catania is a must-do experience if you happen to be in the area. Therefore, if you’re on a road trip in Sicily or just visiting Catania, make sure to spare some time and take one of the winery tours above.
So, that’s it with the best wine tours from Catania. Let me know in the comments below if you plan to visit Catania or have already booked a wine tour in the region.
More about Sicily: My Catania travelogue, Syracuse tours, Catania travel guide, Visit Mount Etna, Taormina guide
More Italian Wine guides: Chianti wine tours from Siena
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