Ciao from Stunning Sicily, Day 3! We had the clearest weather I’ve seen in a long time on Mount Etna for our volcano excursion. It was truly exceptional! My groups often ask why they have to wake up so early for their Etna excursion. Well, today proved why–the night air clears out the smog from…
Tag: Mount Etna
52 Reasons to Love Sicily | #7. Etna Shows Her Power
Reaching 11,000 feet above sea level into the sky, its four active craters also give us spectacular lava shows (from a distance) that illustrate Mamma Etna’s potency. Etna’s expansive majesty is awe-inspiring for its beauty and its power. Don’t be afraid. She is a somewhat predictable volcano, and walking on her extinct craters and exploring…
Etna Awakened
Sicilians are buzzing because Mount Etna erupted last evening. No fear, Mamma Etna woke from a sleep, which locals much prefer over the other option: an earthquake. Authorities are monitoring the activity and are not concerned. (View of Etna from Taormina during a 2017 eruption)
The Abundance Of Mount Etna In Sicily
When you walk among the vines at a vineyard like Benanti Viticoltori with our friends at Etna Wine School on the slopes of Mount Etna, you see for yourself what those volcanic soils I mentioned yesterday produce. In this case, outstanding grapes for wine-making. But not only! The Etna region is known for its pistachios,…
Mount Etna’s First Flora
When you walk on Etna’s craters you can imagine how rich the mineral-filled lavic soil will one day become. It takes 100 to 700 years for lava soil to support new vegetation growth. One of the first natural plants to return (and pictured here) is Sicilian astragalus. Others include camomile flowers, Etna rennet, and tansy…
Etna Wines Plus Excellent Company Equals A Memorable Evening
It’s hard to capture the sense of enthusiasm and interest that flowed through us all last evening during our Etna Wine Box with Guided Synchronous Online Tasting and Discussion. This photo only gives a glimpse into the more than two hours spent on a virtual visit to Europe’s largest, most active volcano with author Benjamin…
Joy And Donkey Rides On Mount Etna
As we prepare for tomorrow’s Etna Wine Box with Guided Online Tasting and Discussion led by Etna Wine School I am thinking back to a very memorable day on Mount Etna with Etna Donkey Trekking and and Salvatore, who was just recognized by that big travel review company for his outstanding excursions. What fun we…
Visit Mount Etna’s Valle Del Bove
The Valle del Bove or Valley of the Oxen is a lava valley on Mount Etna’s eastern flank. Note the distinct difference between the green treeline on the left and the black lava flow on the right. Seeing this illustrates the definitive force of lava pretty clearly. The Valley is one of Etna’s most rugged…
The Surface Of Etna Is Rich With Minerals
Fred on one of the Silvestri Craters of Mount Etna… The Silvestri Craters are extinct. Etna’s active calderas that are much further up the 11,000 foot summit continue to spew lava, ash, and gas throughout the year. Etna, on Sicily’s east coast, is Europe’s largest and most active volcano and one of the most active…
The Silvestri Craters Of Etna
The Silvestri Craters of the volcano, Mount Etna in Sicily are inactive. They were formed from an eruption in 1892.