The volcano of wonders
Prepare yourselves for astonishing sights, because Etna is a land that is alive; a land that rumbles and smokes, that emits fire, lapillus and ash and that, over half a million years, has created an environment unique to the world. Prepare yourselves for the sudden changes in landscape: from the basaltic rocks to the black earth background of the lemon groves; from the vineyards, heroically taking root on the flanks of the mountain, to the chestnut trees; from the forests of pine, beech and birch to the lunar landscape of craters; from the ancient lava flows to those that are more recent and still warm. Prepare yourselves to be astonished.
No-where in the world, excluding mount Fiji in Japan, is there a volcano that has more influence on the land around it, than Etna. It has shaped the landscape, the atmosphere and the history of the surrounding population. Etna, also called ‘Mongibello’ (“the mount of mounts” from the Arabic gebel and the French mont) and simply “the mountain” by the local people, is imposing and unmistakable at 3,323 meters of height. With a base perimeter of approximately 200km and a diameter of 40km as well as with its characteristic smoking and snow covered top, that is visible from Calabria, Etna is the greatest volcano of Italy, indeed, of Europe and is one of the most remarkable in the world. It is distinguished, above all, for its pronounced turbulence and for its unforeseeable and often uncontrollable eruptive activities. Although its territory has been intensely taken advantage of over the millennia and has ended up being more and more populated, Etna is more than a volcano; it is a true ‘vulcanica’. Active for approximately 500,000 years it is composed of numerous smaller eruptive centres, variously overlapped over time, and of two great volcanic structures: the ‘Trifoglietto’ and the ‘Mongibello’. The ‘Trifoglietto’ today occupies the area of the deepest volcanic depression in the ‘Valle del Bove’, while the ‘Mongibello’ is the current active volcano and has four craters: the central crater or ‘Voragine’, the southeast crater, the new vent and the northeast crater. The interesting morphologies surrounding the main volcano were born from ancient eruptions. Some of these are, the Red mountains of ‘Nicolosi’, formed in 1669, the ‘Salto della Giumenta’ (jump of Giumenta) going back to 1852, and even the rocks of the ‘Ciclopi’, the black basaltic ‘faraglioni’ (rock formations) projecting out into the blue sea of ‘Acitrezza’. Typical of Etna are the frequent lateral eruptions that have left 350 mouths or craters along the slope of the mountain. Also visible are the ‘dicchi’, the colossal ancient seams of liquid lava and the ‘dagale’, short islands colonized by vegetation in immense extended desert; not rare are the ‘bombe’, solid masses that exploded from the summit crater. One of the most interesting characteristics of Etna is offered by its vegetation, that, as opposed to the man-made mount forms of the lower regions, is all one wonderful varied garden of citrus groves, olive groves, vineyards, orchards and aromatic plants that grow from the plain to the high slopes. Along the flanks of the verdant and fichidindia Etna they have found an ideal environment to grow spontaneously. Higher up the mountain you can come across oaks, birch, beech and chestnut trees. The top most part of Etna is almost clear of vegetation, covered only by sporadic mosses and lichen, giving the volcanic desert the appearance of a lunar landscape of incomparable fascination. Etna, visited by more than 200,000 people every year, above all others, represents the greatest attraction of Sicily.
In order to appreciate the entire majesty and wonder of the landscape, we advise you to take an excursion with the Etna ‘funivia’ (cable cars).
www.funiviaetna.com
The Regional Park
The Park of Etna, 59,000 hectares, is divided in two zones: that nearest to the eruptive systems, without human settlement and made up of large uncontaminated and silent spaces where the Royal Eagle, the Travelling Hawk, the Wild Cat, the Vixen and the Dormouse reign. The second zone is predominantly agricultural and is characterized by ancient farms, millstones and splendid master’s dwellings. Here the traditional rustic activities of Etna are carried out. A pre-park zone is reserved for tourist activities compatible with the precious and delicate nature. In the park there are winds common to the belt of Etna.
What to do on Etna? The only difficultly is what to choose: path walks through the Natural Park, high altitude trekking, bird watching, train trips, a visit to the craters and the lava flows, cove excursions, Off road and mountain biking, excursions to the Alcantara Gorges, kayaking, torrentismo/streams/torrents, golf and ice-skating in Nicolosi or Catania.
Don’t miss
The Alcantara Gorges, evocative volcanic canyon with waterfalls and small lakes.
Linguaglossa, an area dedicated to vine growing, and its majestic Pineta Ragabo.
Bronte, the native place of the pistachio nut and of the splendid Ducea donated by Ferdinand IV to Horatio admiral Nelson. Randazzo, with the black facade of the Cathedral, its noble palaces and buildings, and the archaeological Museum with exhibits of Corinthian, Ionica and Attica workmanship.
A train called Circumetnea
Inaugurated at the end of the 1800, the ‘Circumetnea’ Railroad connects the communities at the foot of the mountain using a circular route of 100 km that in some sections brushes past the coast and in others exceeds a thousand meters of altitude. An enjoyable way to get to know the landscapes, villages and traditions of Etna and a comfortable way to reach the Alcantara Gorges and the Ducea di Nelson.