The Gran Cratere of the Fossa is the mountain that can be seen from the port of Vulcano.
Though not very tall (just 400 metres high), its charm is immense, because you have the chance to see a genuine volcano, whose current activity is given by the numerous fumaroles on its summit.
The ascent to the Gran Cratere is a walk of around 45 minutes which, if taken slowly, is suitable for everyone even in the summer heat. You will forget about the climb as soon as you reach the top.
Once the path ends, turn immediately north, towards the port and the island of Lipari: from here you can see all seven magnificent Aeolian Islands above a blue sea like no other.
If you are lucky, on days with more visibility, you can also see the majesty of Mount Etna, which rises 2000 metres above the northern mountain ranges of Sicily, and whose plumes of gas are practically a constant throughout the year. Turning to the south you will instead have the opportunity to observe the centre of the
crater of Vulcano
, with numerous fields of fumaroles that surround it. It is not the kind of view you see every day.
By going around the crater belt you will also be able to see the products of
Vulcano’s last eruption
between 1888 and 1890.
These are simply blocks of rock, ranging from a few decimetres to a few metres in size.
They are dark grey in colour, very dense and therefore heavy, with fractures on the surface, which is where the name of
bread-crust bombs
comes from.
These volcanic “bombs” are typical of
vulcanian eruptions
. Try to see how the fractures and shapes change from one bomb to another; you will feel like you are looking at the section of an open-air sculpture museum!
