“[…] we set out early on a mule; and, continually looking behind us on our way, reached at last the region of the lava, as yet unchanged by time. Jagged lumps and slabs stared us in the face, among which a chance road had been tracked out by the beasts”, wrote Goethe back in 1787 during an excursion to Monti Rossi, after having been dissuaded from undertaking the climb to the summit craters.

Assent to the summit of Mount Etna until the dawn of the 1900 was considered a big challenge. Due to the lack of roads and suitable means to reach the summit craters of the volcano it was a particularly arduous task both in terms of time and energy.
Just imagine having to leave Nicolosi (700 m.a.s.l..) on the back of a mule and going all the way on the trail that now leads to the Rifugio Sapienza and then onto Torre del Filosofo (just over 2.900 m.a.s.l..), setting up base camps along the way up to the demanding final climb up to the summit itself (3.330 m.a.s.l..). Several days walking and a great deal of preparation; in short a kind of present day mountaineering expedition to Everest! Yet despite the extreme difficulty, ascent to the summit of the volcano was considered an important milestone for all the big names in European cultural history who felt the irresistible urge to confront Etna by resorting to various forms of expression: from mythological tales, naturalist poetry, scientific investigation, fiction, passing from philosophy to poetry and finally using cinema.

Over the last centuries, thanks to progress, an experience for a few has now become accessible to all. Roads and trails were gradually built; mountain huts and touristic areas have been opened. Mankind has made its mark on what was once a wild and inhospitable environment. Who knows what Goethe would say today, discovering that he could reach an altitude of 2.500 m in just a few minutes by cable car and then be accompanied comfortably by truck to the base of the Central Crater! The apparent ease with which it is now possible to reach the summit area of the volcano however, has not taken anything away from the uniqueness of this experience. Only those who have felt the thrill of reaching the top to see inside the craters for themselves, amid the silence and the fumaroles to hear its “breath” can really describe the charm, uniqueness and magic of the experience, which is made even more unique by the breathtaking 360 degree view of the centre of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands and right up to Calabria.

Sea and mountains often seam opposite, two different ways of thinking about fun and holiday. There are however places in the world where these two things are closer than you think, special places where you can ski… with a sea view! Well one of these special places is Mount Etna. Here, as well as the unique thrill of skiing on an active volcano you have the privilege of having breathtaking views of the Ionian Sea, which is an opportunity not to be missed, especially by ski mountaineering enthusiasts.

Skiing on the slopes of Piano Provenzana, with a clear blue sky you can admire the city of Taormina and the Calabria coastline with a unique contrast between the blue sea and the brilliant white snow. Behind is the spectacular Pineta Ragabo which is framed by the intense black volcanic rock.

Then, given its proximity to the sea, after enjoying a day on the slopes with the last snow of the season on spring days, after removing your ski boots, you could find yourself relaxing with an excellent granita on the waterfront at sundown.

How to reach Mount Etna:

The South side can be reached by the bus company AST: in front of the train station of Catania, just go to the ticket office located in via Luigi Sturzo. There you can buy the ticket at a cost of 6,60 € o/r for the bus that leaves from Catania at 8.15 am and starts from Rifugio Sapienaza at 4.30 pm to arrive in the city two hours later.

To reach the North side from Catania, you can take advantage of the Circumetnea Railway (at the Borgo Catania Station) or the Circumetena Railway coaches, which depart from the entrance of the Port of Catania (excluding Sundays and public holidays).