Journey To Mount Etna

Behold dormant craters atop Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano and one of Earth's most astonishing natural wonders. You'll agree the vista-filled ascent to Etna's summit along circuitous roads past charming mountain villages and through barren, rocky landscapes is almost as remarkable as the volcano itself. Learn that Etna has had a profound impact on the region through the ages, from the Greek's belief that it was the workshop of Hephaestus, god of fire, to the catastrophe of 1669, when several villages and part of Catania were subsumed by lava. Arriving at the inactive Silvestri craters, more than 6,000 feet above sea level, you'll discern numerous remnants of lava streams from previous eruptions coating the craters' slopes. From your fabulous perch, you'll revel in seemingly endless vistas of the shimmering Gulf of Catania and the surrounding fertile, volcanic landscape, today protected as the island's first national park. As you stand atop one of nature's most powerful agents of change, contemplate the indelible impact of Mount Etna's wrath on the civilizations of the Mediterranean.