Mount Etna is part of the Sicilian-Maghrebian fold and thrust belt, which is a geological feature running along the northern coast of Sicily and across the Mediterranean Sea to North Africa.

While not technically part of a specific named mountain range, Etna is often associated with the Appennine Mountains, which are a major mountain range that runs down the Italian Peninsula. However, the Appennines are located on the mainland and are separated from Etna by the Strait of Messina.