Mount Etna, Up Close

When you’re in Catania, the looming presence of Mt. Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, is impossible to ignore. On our first walk through the city, our local guide pointed out areas that had been covered by lava at one time or another. The most destructive eruption occurred in 1669, when the lava flow buried the western part of Catania. The last major eruption was in 2003. The thought of living so close to a still-active volcano would make me uneasy, but it doesn’t seem to interfere with the daily lives of Catania’s residents.

It was a quiet Sunday morning in Catania when we split into groups and settled into Land Rovers for the drive to the volcano. In my car, Nick was at the wheel. A trained naturalist, he would also be our guide for the day. As if he were reading my mind, he told us that although Etna was once again erupting from a few of its vents, we would be in no danger. These explosions were what scientists call Strombolian explosions, in which the volcano spews incandescent cinders, puffs of ash and molten stones of various sizes, up into the air, sometimes up to a few hundred meters high. 

I don’t know what I expected, but so much about Mount Etna surprised me. Before my visit, I had a very uninformed idea of what a volcano looked like. If I had to draw a picture, it would have been a simple upside cone with smooth sides, not all that large at the base, with thick gray smoke and red flames shooting out of the top. 

As we approached Etna National Park, the sheer enormity of the legendary volcano took me by surprise – not only its height (over 3327 meters or 10,000 feet), but the size of its base (an area of approximately 1600 square kilometers or 600 square miles). The mountain is so tall and so big, in fact, that it encompasses three different ecological zones. The lowest zone, up to about 3000 feet, is where you’ll find almond trees, prickly pears, vineyards, olive trees, citrus groves and orchards, all typical of the Mediterranean. The middle zone, up to about 6500 feet, is forested with pine trees, birches, beeches, chestnut trees, and oaks. Above 6500 feet, the land is covered with ash, sand, and fragments of lava, and the vegetation is scarce. 

Once we entered the park and started ascending the eastern side of the mountain, I was surprised to see that towns and villages were actually located right on the slope of the volcano. One of them, Zafferana, was nearly completely destroyed in a mid-19^th century eruption. And as recently as 1992, lava arrived within a few kilometers of the town. Zafferana and the other towns within the park are surrounded by orchards and terraced vineyards bounded by extremely old dry stone walls. The area is known for its red wine, which get its distinctive flavor from the rich volcanic soil. 

The drive from Catania to the northeast side of Etna took close to an hour. Our progress was slow because of the number of vehicles on the road. This was common in late October, the time of year when local families go out to gather chestnuts and mushrooms. Especially after yesterday’s rain, people were out scouting for porcini mushrooms. Indeed, as we drove through the wooded areas of the park, we saw numerous cars pulled over on both sides of the roadway and clusters of people walking under the trees, clutching plastic bags and scouring the ground for these seasonal delicacies. 

As we made our way through the park, we passed lunar-like lava fields, great frozen seas of basalt (dark volcanic rock). Nick guessed these were left behind by an eruption from several years ago, probably 1971, since plant life, such as lichen, was already returning. 

Later, we saw barren lava fields from the 2002-3 eruption. The lava produced by Etna’s eruptions has a high content of stones and is therefore almost black in color. Nick mentioned that recent lava flows from Etna were very slow moving, not like the quickly moving red hot lava flows that I’ve seen in photos of volcanoes in Hawaii. 

At one point, we were up so high that we were driving through the clouds. When they cleared, the road was surrounded by birch trees. 

Not long afterwards, we turned off-road for a jolting ride through a black pine forest. We asked about animals and Nick told us that few animals live in these woods due to the lack of available water for them to drink. 

We got out of our vehicles at around 5000 feet (about halfway up the mountain) to get a closer look at the vegetation and noticed the yellow broom right away. According to Nick, this plant starts to grow before other species. He looked around and plucked a drumstick mushroom out of the rocky ground. Very poisonous, he warned us. 

  

I picked up a piece of the black basalt rock from the ground and gently ran my fingertip over its rough surface. There was a small hill of basalt nearby. When I tried climbing it, I quickly found myself slipping as the crumbly stones shifted under my feet with every step. 

You’ll notice from the photo how I was dressed for our exploration of Mt. Etna. Although I was comfortable wearing short sleeves in Catania, I was grateful for the several layers of clothing I wore on the day of our visit. The temperature quickly plummeted as we gained elevation. By the time we set out on a post-lunch hike on the northern side of the park, the temperature had dipped to about 50 degrees, i.e. at least 20 degrees cooler than in Catania. 

Etna National Park is filled with miles of trails and paths that traverse the woods and follow steep ridges. In the midst of a magical landscape of white birches, golden broom, and ferns in fall colors, a group on horseback passed us on the leaf-strewn path. Several minutes later, we spotted them up ahead of us, making their way along the top of a tall ridge. 

I’m glad our guides had provided us with walking sticks because as we continued on our hike, the path became much narrower, steeper, and rockier. 

By the time we finally reached the top of the ridge, the wind was howling fiercely. With my feet planted firmly on the rocky ground, I stood at an elevation of close to 6000 feet and looked out with a feeling of satisfaction over the expansive landscape of craters. The sun was slipping behind a far-off ridge as we began our descent. 

Massive, magnificent, mysterious – Mount Etna is all of these things. 

The City of Catania

Catania, located on Sicily’s east coast at the foot of Mount Etna, is the kind of city where you can easily spend several days exploring. Sadly, it was also my final stop in Sicily, which meant my trip was drawing to an end. But first…

I was so relieved to see the sun slanting low across the sky when we arrived from Siracusa late in the afternoon. After we checked in to our centrally located hotel (and after I changed into dry clothes and shoes), our tour leader, Sonia, gave us a quick rundown on her hometown. 

Catania, with a little over 300,000 residents, is Sicily’s second largest city, after Palermo. Palermo is twice as populous as Catania, and a friendly rivalry between the two cities has existed for a long time. Catania takes special pride in its university, which was founded in 1434, making it the oldest in Sicily. Today, it is the main university on the island, and its 60,000 students give the city a distinctly youthful vibe. 

Catania’s history goes back to ancient times. It was founded by Greek settlers in the 8^th century BCE. By the 14^thcentury CE, it had become one of Italy’s most important cultural and political centers. 

Over the centuries, lava flows from Mt. Etna have destroyed large parts of the city on several occasions. On a more positive note, volcanic ash has led to extremely fertile soil that is especially well suited to growing grapes. Much of the city was buried in lava during an eruption of Mt. Etna in 1669. Less than thirty years later, most of the city was destroyed by a major earthquake. As a result, the 1700s were a time of great rebuilding. Catania’s old town, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is filled with fine examples of Sicilian Baroque architecture dating from this era. 

We began our exploration of Catania after the sun had set, walking about 10 minutes from our hotel to Al Gabbiano, a restaurant specializing in seafood. The antipasto course alone was more than enough to fill me up. It included marinated anchovies, teeny raw shrimp, fried red mullet, fried little squid rings, octopus, bruschetta with tomatoes, steamed mussels, grilled veggies (eggplant, zucchini, peppers). But I managed to do justice to the main course – swordfish – and dessert – lemon sorbetto before staggering back to the hotel. 

During the night, I once again heard thunder, which didn’t bode well for the following day’s weather. When I pushed the curtains back from the window in the morning, the sky was overcast and rain looked imminent. The athletic shoes I’d worn in Siracusa were still sodden. After the fact, I realized it would have made more sense to wear sandals in the rain, as feet dry faster than shoes. The jeans I’d worn in Siracusa were still squeezed into the strange contraption attached to the wall of my hotel room. At first, I thought it was some kind of torture device but a fellow traveler identified as a pants press. 

  

Regardless of the weather, I was eager to get a closer look at Catania in the daylight. 

Sonia led us first to the Fera o’Luni market in the Piazza Carlo Alberto. I could have spent hours wandering through this sprawling fruit and vegetable market. I didn’t buy anything but I took lots of photos of the picturesque produce. 

Soon we were on our way to meet our local guide at the Piazza dei Stesicoro. This busy piazza is situated just off the Via Etnea, Catania’s wide main shopping street. 

A monument to native son Vincenzo Bellini, the 19^th century opera composer, stands on the east side of the piazza. And in case you’re wondering, the composer is not associated with the Bellini cocktail. That honor belongs to the 15^th century Venetian painter, Giovanni Bellini.

 

In the Piazza Stesicoro - look for a picture of the Bellini monument in a future post.

On the other side of the piazza, you can see the partially excavated remains of a Roman amphitheater. It’s built of black volcanic stone although the seats for the rich were made of white marble. According to Sonia, this black and white color scheme has dominated Catania’s architecture through the centuries. 

The amphitheater is directly in front of the Church of St. Blaise, aka the Church of Saint Agatha at the Furnace. The original structure was built in 1098 but the church was rebuilt in the 18^th century.  Saint Agatha is Catania’s patron saint, and the church stands on the site where she was burned to death after being tortured by having her breasts cut off for refusing to give up her Christian faith and accept the marriage proposal of a Roman prefect. 

From the Piazza Stesicoro, we walked south on Via Etnea, passing the Basilica Collegiata, which houses a lavishly decorated silver carriage known as a fercolo. It is used to transport a statue of St. Agatha during the annual procession honoring the saint.  Over a million people show up to follow the day-long procession through the various neighborhoods of the city. 

Shops in former palazzos on Via Etnea 

I'll give you a look inside in a later post.

Although it was the wrong time of year for the procession, Sonia got us into the spirit by treating us to minni di Sant’Agata. These breast-shaped pastries, covered with white icing and topped with candied cherries, are a specialty of Catania. 

A few steps down Via Etnea brought us to the Piazza Universita. Ornate 18^th century palaces, now used by the university, stand on either side of the piazza. In the summer months, crowds congregate in the piazza for outdoor concerts and other events. 

In Piazza Universita

Continuing down Via Etnea, we soon reached Catania’s main square, the Piazza del Duomo. Architectural masterpieces in the Sicilian Baroque style surround the square. In the center of the piazza stands the elephant fountain, a city landmark and the emblem of Catania. No one knows exactly when the black lava stone elephant, known as “Liotru,” was made. However, it became the official symbol of the city in the year 1239. In the 1730s, the elephant statue was placed at the center of the fountain in the Piazza del Duomo with an obelisk poised on its back. This may have been inspired by Bernini’s 1667 sculpture of an elephant that’s the base for an ancient obelisk in Rome. 

The elephant faces Catania’s cathedral, or Duomo. This imposing structure, built by the Normans and dedicated to St. Agatha, dominates the eastern side of piazza. It sits on the remains of a Roman spa and was partially renovated in the 18^th century. I have some photos of the Duomo (exterior and interior) that I'll put in a later post. 

Just a few steps from the Piazza del Duomo is Catania’s famous fish market. I inhaled a clean briny smell as we walked past the fish stalls, with their tubs of octopus and squid, and displays of swordfish, tuna, and silvery varieties I couldn’t identify. 

Slicing fresh tuna

In the same area, you could buy parsley and garlic (to use when cooking your fish) as well as freshly grilled artichokes.

Since I couldn’t buy any fish, I limited my purchases to half a kilo of dried tomatoes, which just have to be rehydrated in olive oil now that I’m home. 

After a busy morning touring the city, we spent a fascinating afternoon at Casa di Maria, a home about 45 minutes outside Catania that was founded by a Sicilian couple to provide foster care for local orphans and young refugees in 2013. Around this time, there was a huge increase in the smuggling of migrants into Sicily from North Africa. Many of the migrants were young girls from sub-Saharan Africa whose families had been tricked by human traffickers into paying to send their daughters to Europe where they would supposedly receive an education. The girls arrived with no documents and were at the mercy of the smugglers. 

The couple, both of whom are artists, currently have 10 foster children, ranging in age from 1 to 18, living with them. In addition, the household includes their own children and grandchildren, plus a couple of volunteers from different countries. The exact address of Casa di Maria is kept secret, in order to protect the children. The sprawling house is located on the slopes of Mt. Etna, is surrounded by three acres of terraced vineyards. They grow grapes, make wine, and generate additional income by operating a restaurant and catering service. 

After we shared lunch with the family, we spoke with a young woman, a Nigerian refugee, who eventually escaped from the abusive smuggler who brought her to Sicily. For the past year, she has lived in safety at Casa di Maria and now attends school in the nearby town of Biancavilla.  You can read more about Casa di Maria at their website: www.casadimaria.org

An unexpected highlight of our stay in Catania was a visit to the World War II Museum. The mission of the museum is to tell the story of Operation Husky, the Allied drive to liberate Europe starting with their landing in Sicily in July 1943. 89,000 American and 100,000 British combatants took part in the campaign, which lasted only 39 days. Once the Allies liberated Sicily, Italy switched sides in the war and about 25,000 Italians were killed while fighting for the Allies. A guide took us through the very interesting exhibits and multi-media installations, including an air raid shelter where we experienced a simulated (but frighteningly realistic) bombing raid.  

This is what we saw when we exited the bomb shelter.

Map showing locations of Allied landings

There was plenty to see – and to eat – in Catania. We quickly discovered Via Filomena, a delightful pedestrian street devoted to restaurants. I came here for dinner on more than one occasion and always enjoyed dining al fresco under the twinkling lights. The street gets very crowded in the evening so I always tried to arrive early, i.e. by 7:30pm. At Caffe Curtigghiu, I had no trouble deciding to order the spaghetti with seafood (mussels and tiny clams), especially after seeing the fish market up close. 

With fellow travelers Francine and Ky

On a different evening, at another Via Filomena restaurant called FUD, it took some time to decipher the menu because all the spelling was completely phonetic. Finally, I chose a Uoscinton (if you’re Italian, you would pronounce that as Washington) salad, a huge bowl of arugula, tomatoes, green olives, potatoes, raisins, pine nuts and mackerel, drizzled with a vinaigrette of local thyme honey and olive oil. And I couldn’t resist starting the meal with that Sicilian street food favorite, panelle (fried squares of chickpea flour dough). 

And of course, I took advantage of the ample opportunities to stop on Via Etnea for delicious gelato – which reminds me that in my next post, I’ll tell you about our trip to Mount Etna to get a close up look at the famous volcano that looms over Catania.