One of the most exciting parts of my visit to Sicily was getting the chance to take a tour up Mt. Etna. Mt. Etna is an active stratovolcano between Messina and Catania and lies above the convergent plates between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. Etna is also the highest active volcano in Europe. (Over 10,000 feet high). It’s the largest of the three active volcanoes of Italy, and it is two and a half times the size of Vesuvius.
Etna is so high that down on the shores of Catania, people were lounging about and tourists were laying on beaches in bikinis, whilst up top on Etna there were snow flurries. I hadn’t really realised quite how cold it was going to be, so I really wish that I had been wearing another layer. Learn from my mistakes and wear more clothes on the summit of Etna.
In Greek mythology, the deadliest monster in history, Typhon was trapped under the mountains by Zeus. The forges of Hephaestus are also said to be underneath Etna.
Etna is in an almost constant state of activity. (And it’s one of the most active volcanoes in the world.) One of the most amazing things about the area and the people in the area is a) their resilience and b) the nonchalant way they go about their lives on the slopes of Etna. There have been many, many instances of house, farms, fields and whole villages being destroyed by the volcano, only for people to come back and re-build as close to their original location as possible.
The last big eruption was in March of 2017, when 10 people were injured, including a BBC news crew.
However, because the land is so rich and fertile due to the volcanic minerals, it’s a great place for agriculture, vineyards and orchards. I can understand the draw to the area, but the first time my home was destroyed by the volcano would be the last time my home would be destroyed by the volcano. I’d never go back there. But it’s just the way of life in Catania.
I had my first authentic pistachio cannoli on the slopes of Etna at La Cantoniera. The original restaurant was destroyed during an eruption in the 1980s and the family promptly rebuilt it. Not to jinx it, but the restaurant has safely stood so far. The peak of Etna is behind the restaurant so the balcony offers stunning (if not slightly dangerous) views of the activity.
I also visited the Monti Silvestri (Silvestri Craters) which are two massive inactive craters that were formed during the eruption of 1892. You can walk in and around them today. Multiple movies have been filmed here, and you can definitely see why!
Mt Etna is probably one of the most impressive natural features that I’ve ever visited in my life, and it’s definitely the most casually dangerous one. (Don’t worry, it’s safe and the government restricts access when there is predicted activity.) But what could beat watching a lava flow from a safe distance?
Have you ever visited Mt Etna? Or any other volcano?
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