Etna Vacations, Etna Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Mount Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe, situated on the eastern side of the Island of Sicily between the rivers Alcantara and Simeto. She dominates the entire province of Catania with her grandeur.

Her perimeter is 135 km and her height is 3,340 meters above sea level, all the result of a multitude of geological events which have taken place over the course of 10s of thousands of years. The first eruptive manifestations reach back to the Piestoncenic period (570,000/600,000) years ago.

The present day volcano, whose height under goes constant variations due to the accumulation of materials or to a collapse of the sides is still active. Mount Montagnola is one of the most imposing temporary cones on Mt. Etna; it took shape south of the Central Crater on the southern slope where it opened up at a height of 2,500 m. following the eruption of 1763. The Silvestri Mounts were formed following the eruption of 1892.

Rifugio Sapienza is the destination of all of the visitors who are visiting the Mountain. Here you can just walk the Silvestri Craters, it wil cost you nothing. You can take the Cable car - no guide for about €26,50. Or you take the Cable car (15 minutes), 4X4 (20 minutes), and short trek (half an hour)to a low crater. This costs €49,50. There is only one deptarture per day for a long hike of five hours to the highest crater.

Information partly furnished by the guides of South Etna Nicolosi and by the guide of The Etna Park.