It is not uncommon for the wind to blow from the summit craters to the viewpoint area, carrying with it gases from the summit craters. Without spending too much time in the gas cloud, you can experience the classic smell given off by a volcano....
The high altitude, around 2650 metres, as well as the fact that there are no shelters, means that this area is always very windy, even during summer. Its hum becomes perceptible not only on the skin but in the absolute silence that reigns over the valley....
It is true that every place on Etna has wonderful views, but this one is special. An unexpected place on a volcano, because it seems to be above the clouds....
This is one of the quietest places Sicily has to offer. In fact, the high altitude does not allow for much fauna, so what you hear is just the sound of the wind, often harsh, and the explosions of the nearby north-eastern crater....
The soil in the Valle del Leone consists of ash and lapilli emitted during Etna’s recent activity. Though soft, this sand is highly abrasive, since it is formed of sharp volcanic glass....
It is not uncommon for the wind to blow from the summit craters to the Valle del Leone, carrying with it gases from the summit craters. Without spending too much time in the gas cloud, you can experience the classic smell given off by a volcano....
From an altitude of 2900 metres, in the upper part of the Valle del Leone, the panorama is one of the most evocative in all of Sicily.
In fact, on clear days it is possible to see the whole northern coast of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands and, if you are lucky, all the mountain ranges of the Peloritan...
The explosions of the central craters in the distance
The Val Calanna and, more generally, the Valle del Bove, are far from inhabited centres. By sitting somewhere comfortable, at some point you will hear an explosion from the summit craters!...
While moving through the flow of 1991-93, at the start of the Val Calanna, you will find completely smooth areas, as though they were artificially built roads: these are portions of “pahoehoe” lava, which in Hawaiian means “smooth, unbroken lava”....
MiC – Ministero della Cultura
Legge 77/2006 - Misure Speciali di Tutela e Fruizione dei Siti Italiani di Interesse Culturale, Paesaggistico e Ambientale, inseriti nella “Lista Del Patrimonio Mondiale”, posti sotto la Tutela dell’ UNESCO Regione Siciliana.
Assessorato dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana, Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana.
Parco archeologico della Valle dei Templi di Agrigento.