Mount Etna

We spent two days exploring it's slopes and craters, finding pleasure in the contrast between snow and lava. Maps of the area are hard to find. On the first day we approached from north side starting from Piano Provenzana, where we met our guide from EtnaExcusion. We spent a lovely morning exploring recent lava flows and learning about vulcanology and the best local specialties available on the tavola calda. It was so clear we could see all the way Stromboli.

On the second day we decided to go it alone, approaching from the south. We took the funivia from Rifugio Sapienza and then followed the snow cat tracks to Torre del Filosofo at 2920m.

The idea was not to go far up to the top, not even halfway, but once we got there with our rental car, returning from Taormina, we could not resist. After parking we approached the cable car terminal, and it actually went for a pretty high price (about 24 euros), and they were some old cabins that held 4 people. The ascent is very short when compared to the Teide, and once up, you will find a person who sells you colored crystal stones as souvenirs. Some sort of rock-cut road runs along the top of the volcano, and as much as we tried to, we could not find its mouth. Although it was April, there was still plenty of snow.