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!

The senses tell Acireale

The continuous evolution of the Etna summit craters

The Grand Tour in Sicily

An ever-evolving volcano

The senses tell The Red Mountains

The fault system of the “Timpe” of Acireale

The living mountain

The senses tell Valle del Leone

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

The Red Mountains and the destructive eruption of 1669

The “notches” of snow

The Elliptical, the first great volcano of Etna

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

The earthquake that changed the geography of eastern Sicily in 1693

Etna, a natural laboratory where experiments can be carried out

Etna: a marvellous group of different types of flora

Acireale and reconstruction after the 1693 earthquake

The senses tell Acicastello and Acitrezza

The 1669 eruption in Catania

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

The senses tell The Etna Viewpoint

The eruption of 1928 that destroyed the town of Mascali

Acireale and its “timpe”

The different names of the “Muntagna”

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

The Jaci river

A fauna yet to be discovered

Empedocles and his passion for Etna

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

Valle del Leone and the Elliptical

The senses tell Val Calanna

The senses tell Torre del Filosofo

The Etna viewpoint

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

Summit crater activity between 2011 and 2019

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

The senses tell The summit craters

Lachea Island and the Aci Trezza Stacks