Parco dell'Etna — Attraction in Bronte

Mount Etna, located on the eastern side of Sicily, Italy, is the highest active volcano in Europe and one of the largest and most active volcanoes in the world. It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The volcano's activity is a result of the pressure between the Eurasian and African tectonic plates, and it remains extremely active, erupting every few years. In 2024, Mount Etna erupted again, pushing its height from 3,357 meters to 3,403 meters, setting a new record for the highest point of the volcano. Etna frequently erupts at unpredictable locations, and one can see numerous craters left from past eruptions. Over the course of thousands of years, while posing a threat to the nearby residents, the volcano has also provided fertile volcanic ash soil, enriching the Catania plain and contributing to its agricultural abundance and prosperity.

Mount Etna was the main reason I was drawn to visit Sicily. For someone who had never seen an active volcano before, everything about Etna seemed mysterious and captivating. The thought of standing on a volcano that had recently erupted was thrilling and exhilarating.

Upon arriving in Catania, we immediately noticed that the entire city was covered in a layer of black dust. At first, we guessed it might be volcanic ash, but it was just a suspicion, as Catania is about an hour's drive away from Mount Etna, and I had yet to fully understand the power of the volcano. As we got closer to Etna, the amount of ash increased, and by the time we reached the halfway point, the landscape was entirely black. After taking the expensive cable car and jeep (since the road conditions above the cable car station were poor), it felt as though we had entered a vast black desert. In that moment, it was like stepping into another world, with only endless black sand dunes and the towering crater shrouded in mist—truly surreal and dreamlike.

Another notable aspect of the visit was how Mount Etna seemed to be enveloped in the fury of Typhon, the ancient Greek monster. A large mass of rainclouds hovered over the volcano, and as soon as we reached the cable car station, a torrential downpour greeted us, delaying our cable car ride. Once on the mountain, we encountered persistent drizzle and biting winds, a stark contrast to the scorching sun and heat below. Despite the discomfort, this only deepened my sense of awe and reverence for the sacred and untamable power of Mount Etna. I highly recommend visiting if you get the chance, as it offers an unforgettable experience of witnessing the raw and majestic beauty of an...

Only my 2nd volcano in Europe, the first being Visuvius although I've been to Haleakala and various lava fields on Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii at least a few times. Looking online on AllTrails, there were a variety of hikes listed, mostly difficult or moderate, but I couldn't really sort out which hikes would yield the best experience without burning too much time or effort. From the parking area near the base where you catch the Funivia dell'Etna, we saw some people hiking up two of the craters on each side of the entry road. The Silvestri craters weren't visible from the parking area and there's not much of a view from there. You may want to skip the various touristy shops here saving your time for seeing the actual sights, all of which necessitated some modest or strenuous hiking. The two Silvestri crater hikes appeared to be quite strenuous. We decided to go straight to the Funivia as we'd bought tickets prior to our visit. There were quite a number of people hiking the same distance traveled by the Funivia... to each his own, I guess. We clearly had no ambition for the significant time and effort that would require. It's a long, long way up. At the summit of the Funivia, there's not much of a view of anything here either, just a loading area for the overland jeeps/busses. So, we bought tix for the busses to go further up. From the upper lot, we took a trail to the left that has a loop around the crater. While it was a modest hike, it was worth the effort and glad we opted for the Funivia then busses itinerary as this afforded probably the best views for the effort and time. If we'd done either of the Silvestri hikes, it would've burned a lot of...

!!!once in a lifetime pissed off!!!

I know the weather factor is unpredictable and difficult to build a business on. But yesterday's tour to Etna was predictable, that the weather and especially the visibility conditions were not acceptable for a 100 Euro excursion. We were prepared for the cold, but not for the fact that you can only see a maximum of 10m through the fog. The guides made a great effort, thank you at this point. But I still don't think it's justified to charge around 60 people for a 4-hour trip where you don't see anything of the unique volcanic landscape that you're hoping for. You're probably only here once in your life and if things go well you only have a few days to choose from. But looking back, a transparent and honest explanation would have saved me the disappointment and the money. Basically it was a 4-hour trip through a pile of sand. We were able to look into the crater for 20 seconds when the clouds briefly opened up, and it was practically right in front of our noses. Yes. Maybe it was quite mystical in this fog. And we got some cool information. And yes, I understand that this business model doesn't work if you only go in perfect conditions and I don't know if it's just me, but after yesterday I recommend everyone: Check the weather yourself the evening before and decide whether you want to spend 100 euros on 4 hours...