Val Calanna

The senses tell Val Calanna

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Between Sea and Mountain

On our route, the Val Calanna, and in particular the top of Monte Fior di Cosimo or Monte Zoccolaro, is the first point where we can observe a large part of eastern Sicily.

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Broom

For most of the year, the Val Calanna is covered by a yellow and green blanket of broom. Take the chance to smell its fragrant yellow flowers.

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Etna heritage apples

The Val Calanna is an area where you can still find some Etna heritage apples, which are a little smaller than we are used to, but really tasty!

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The smooth lava!

Try to venture a little into the flow from 1991-93, at the beginning 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”. Give it a try!

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The explosions of the central craters in the distance

The Val Calanna and, more generally, the Valle del Bove, are far from inhabited centres. Find somewhere comfortable to sit and at some point you will hear your first explosion from the summit craters!

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The first volcanic structures of Etna, between Aci Castello and Aci Trezza

The senses tell Val Calanna

Lachea Island and the Aci Trezza Stacks

Acireale and reconstruction after the 1693 earthquake

A fauna yet to be discovered

The eruption of 1928 that destroyed the town of Mascali

The senses tell The Red Mountains

The senses tell Torre del Filosofo

Valle del Leone and the Elliptical

An ever-evolving volcano

The Etna viewpoint

The continuous evolution of the Etna summit craters

Acireale and its “timpe”

Val Calanna, the first step towards a single large volcanic structure

The senses tell Valle del Leone

The world’s first (almost successful) attempt to stop a lava flow: the eruption of 1991-93

The Red Mountains and the destructive eruption of 1669

Etna, a natural laboratory where experiments can be carried out

The 1669 eruption in Catania

The Grand Tour in Sicily

Torre del Filosofo: at the base of the summit craters (2950 metres)

The different names of the “Muntagna”

The senses tell Acicastello and Acitrezza

The living mountain

Why is Etna one of the most studied volcanoes in the world?

The senses tell The summit craters

The Elliptical, the first great volcano of Etna

The senses tell Acireale

Summit crater activity between 2011 and 2019

The Jaci river

Humankind and the volcano: how should we behave? Volcanic risk

The 2001 eruption of Etna, when the Mountain seemed to be alive

Etna: a marvellous group of different types of flora

The fault system of the “Timpe” of Acireale

The “notches” of snow

The earthquake that changed the geography of eastern Sicily in 1693

The senses tell The Etna Viewpoint

Empedocles and his passion for Etna