The route follows a discovery of Etna’s volcanological history from its origins.
Mount Etna is characterised by practically constant eruptive activity from its summit craters, and periodic emissions of lava from its lower altitudes.
The continuous activities of the last 50 years have also led Etna to be considered one of the most important natural open-air laboratories, attracting the attention, studies and observations of thousands of volcanologists and geologists from all over the world.
In fact, you could say that Etna is where modern Volcanology was born, understood as a scientific study of the volcano and its events (explosions, lava flows, earthquakes and tremors), contextualised within interactions with the populations settled on its slopes.
The decision to include Etna in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013 was based on these considerations.
Etna was the first volcano in the world where an attempt was made to divert a lava flow, which was heading towards the town of Zafferana Etnea in 1991-93. The same operation was then successfully repeated during the astonishing eruption of 2001, when the ash emitted from the summit craters reached the northern coasts of Africa.
A fascinating itinerary to follow and experience the discovery of the “Etna Laboratory”.
