{"id":5071,"date":"2015-01-19T09:41:22","date_gmt":"2015-01-19T08:41:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.italygreentravel.com\/?p=5071"},"modified":"2016-06-28T09:37:17","modified_gmt":"2016-06-28T07:37:17","slug":"walking-mount-etna-top-craters-depth-caves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/walking-mount-etna-top-craters-depth-caves\/","title":{"rendered":"Walking on Mount Etna, from the top of the craters, to the depth of the caves"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the Sicilians is a muntagna<\/em>, for others is one of the most famous\u00a0volcanoes<\/strong>\u00a0still active in the world. We are talking of Etna<\/strong>, that with its 3300 meters is the biggest volcano in Italy and one of the symbols of Sicily<\/strong>. Etna annually attracts thousands of tourists in the summer months but also in winter, when it becomes a ski destination<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Route<\/a>
Walking\u00a0on the\u00a0Etna volcano, Sicily, ph. by Andrea Merusi<\/div><\/div>\n

To get to the top of the volcano and see its many craters<\/strong> you can go on foot, at least 4 hours walk starting from the Giovanni Sapienza refuge<\/em>, or take the chairlift and then a four-wheel-drive turned into tourist bus. The walk is advisable for experienced hikers because of the altitude, the strong temperature from the starting point to the top, but mainly because of the lack of repaired places and rest areas along the way.<\/p>\n

\"Landscape<\/a>
Landscape in Etna volcano, ph. by Andrea Merusi, via flickr<\/div><\/div>\n

The desolate landscape is reminiscent of the moon<\/strong>: soils are blacks, for the lava origin, and without\u00a0vegetation. Reach the top of the volcano through the chairlift has a fairly high cost (60 euro per person), but includes also\u00a0the passage on the four-wheel bus and the guided tour.<\/p>\n

\"Amazing<\/a>
Amazing colors of the Etna volcano, ph. by Andrea Merusi<\/div><\/div>\n

The landscape\u00a0that you can see when you arrive is unique: the black earth on which you walk was punctuated with huge holes<\/strong> from which smoke appears. They are the famous craters of the volcano<\/strong>. Also, you can see the falls of rocks by the unusual colors yellow and red. Are rocks containing large amounts of sulfur and cobalt and are generated by the activities of volcanic craters.<\/p>\n

\"Smoke<\/a>
Smoke from the crater of Etna, ph. by Andrea Merusi<\/div><\/div>\n

The wind is often very strong and cold, even in summer. The landscape is always changing<\/strong> and each year could be different, because of the volcanic activity and lava flows that change the topography of the area. Even the man has often altered the territory: some refuges located downstream of the craters were often threatened by lava, and technicians have had to intervene to divert the flow of lava and protect buildings.<\/p>\n

\"Amazing<\/a>
Etna landscape and colors, ph. by Andrea Merusi<\/div><\/div>\n

You\u00a0can also visit beautiful\u00a0caves origined by volcano, located near Etna. Our tour made stops at the Tre Livelli Cave<\/em> (or Three Bat Cave), a volcanic cave, well preserved, located few kilometers from the Sapienza refuge. This cave, much less touristy, is little known but very charming.<\/p>\n\n\t\t