Etna’s height is 3320 m above sea level but as it is active the height continuously changes. It is 40 km in diameter and formed by the overlapping of 4 different volcanos over time. The current one is Mongivello.
Erna Is Not an explosive volcano like Vesuvius. Lava comes out of Volcano at 1200•C. It flows slowly giving people time to evacuate
It lies at the heart of a 1400 acre park divided in ares – A is highest (in altitude) zone to D lowest. In zones D & C one can get construction permits, but not in A or B. The Last major eruption took place in 1992.
To go to the top, we took the normal coach to 2000m then we had a 15-20 minute ride on the Cable car to 2500 m then a coach type jeep to nearly 3000m. This is followed by an hour hike around one of the craters. The summit is still some 350m higher. Some of the group decided not to go on the trip at all, others stayed where the coach left one, others (including Tachy and I) took the cable car but not the final leg.
At the 2000m level and above there was little vegetation other than moss and short brush, all that one could see is a “moonscape” type lava beds. Spectacular views of the towns from Catania to Taormina and beyond, including the Mediterranean and the Italian mainland. After lunch at the top and a nice wander around, we took the cable car back to the 2000m level, rejoining the rest of the group for the coach ride back to the hotel. We were lucky that the weather was perfect.
Roger & Anne Travels 