Etna’s burning issues put everyone in a lava

Sicily by michael hollick

Etna’s burning issues put everyone in a lava

Taking an alternative Italian break

ON PAPER, our Sicilian villa had everything: three bedrooms, terraces offering spectacular views, its own olive grove – and, at the end of the garden, Europe’s most active volcano.

It had started out eight months earlier as a joke when myself and two companions, had been looking for new parts of Italy to visit.

“There’s always the option of a villa on the side of Mount Etna,” our unofficial tour leader had announced blithely. We called his bluff.

Webcam Watch

As Etna has its own Webcam, we were able to catch the daily activity before our trip.

For the first couple of months very little happened. But then we started noticing a glow in the night sky. Suddenly, the reality of being only 12 miles from the main crater began to dawn.

Then, in early May, Etna erupted spectacularly. The Webcam showed a huge column of smoke and fire reaching into the night sky – spectacular but a bit too close for comfort, and the trip was nearly abandoned.

But after firm assurances of our safety, we headed off. On arrival, the first thing that struck us was that most of the area was covered by a half-inch of ash – a reminder of May’s eruption. A little warily, we set about volcano-watch duty.

Etna smokes constantly, a sight you quickly get used to. Our ears were constantly attuned to any signs of an eruption. The merest rumble from an aircraft was enough to send us out on to the terrace to wait for a sign of life.

Mount Etna blows its top

Then, one night, we thought we saw a glow from the top. It wasn’t much – no more than the glow from a cigarette but it was something. The next night the glow got bigger and through binoculars we could clearly see lava pouring from the crater.

Finally, after five days of waiting, the glowing became constant and, as we sat eating breakfast, a low rumble began – and didn’t stop.

A great plume of smoke was rising from the mountain, to be joined by jets of black ash. We were transfixed as the ash billowed higher and noise grew.

Everything was in our favour. The sky was clear and the wind blowing away from the villa – so we were not caught in a cloud of ash. We enjoyed the spectacle for about 30 minutes.

The eruption in May had been much more violent – ours barely registered with the Sicilians, for whom such an event is as common as a traffic jam. But it had made our trip worthwhile – and it was worth the wait. I’d definitely go back – but I wouldn’t get any closer.

Mount Etna

There’s no escaping Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano – at 3,323 metres – dominates northwest Sicily.

At the very least, you will see a constant plume of white smoke emitted from one of the numerous craters and fissures. However, it’s usually perfectly safe to visit.

The starting point is the Rifugio Sapienza, a mountain refuge about two-thirds of the way up the mountain.

A cable car normally operates to take you from the refuge to 2,900 metres – as close to the summit as you can get. If this isn’t operating, the ascent is made by articulated minibus.

Once at the top you can walk a short distance in the company of a guide and examine the ash-covered icy summit.

In winter, people even ski. The cost of this trip is about £25 per person. For thefitter, it is also possible to walk up.

Sicily: the picturesque Isola Bella

Taormina: a popular resort overlooked by Mount Etna

Visiting Sicily

For most people, Sicily is synonymous with one thing – the Mafia, or Cosa Nostra, as it is known locally.

Organised crime is still a problem but it doesn’t impact on tourism. You are less likely to “sleep with the fishes” than to be involved in a car accident, though this may have something to do with the locals’ driving – appalling even by Italian standards. The island’s excellent train service is a better bet.

Its main attractions can be found around the coast. Palermo, the capital, is in the northwest and offers an amazing number of churches and monuments. In the southeast is Syracuse, home to a spectacular Greek theatre, the Neapolis. The Greek influence is very strong here and much of the old city is still in evidence.

If your budget can stand it, and you want a taste of the high life, head for Taormina, a spectacular town clinging to Monte Tauro. If Etna’s doing its stuff, you’ll get a great view from a safe distance. The streets are lined with chic shops, a reminder that the town has been a magnet for tourists since the 19th century.