Page 328 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

local earthquakes and continuing at a low intensity for some six months, making it the

longest of the eruptions since 2000. A significant eruption of ash also occurred in
2010, producing an ash plume that rose to a height of 800m above the crater.

In late 2013, Etna began erupting again, with most of the activity centred around the
southeast crater. Pulsating lava fountains reached 600m height, and explosions of
giant magma bubbles ejected liquid lava for hundreds of meters, destroying the
Torre del Filosofo and entering the Valle del Bove. As the volcano was still in

activity when this guide went to press, we recommend that anyone intending to visit
Etna first consults the regularly updated English-language website,
volcanodiscovery.com for an update on current conditions.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: ZAFFERANA ETNEA

By bus Buses run hourly Mon–Sat (4 daily Sun) from Catania to Zafferana Etnea,
taking 1hr 15min.

Tourist information There’s a tourist office at Piazza Luigi Sturzo 3 (summer Mon–
Sat 9am–1pm & 4–8pm; winter Mon–Sat 9am–1pm & 3–7pm; 095 708 2825,

zafferana-etnea.it).

ACCOMMODATION

Primavera dell’Etna Via Cassone 86 095 708 2348, hotel-primavera.it. Large,

well-equipped hotel, a bit shabby at the seams. It’s more popular with Italians than
foreigners, with fabulous views of Etna and the sea from its terraces, and lovely
grounds with a tennis court and solarium. Rooms can be a bit old-fashioned, but the
location is great, staff friendly and there is a restaurant too serving local fare, with
half-board, deals should you so wish. €100

Milo

Five kilometres or so north of Zafferana, Milo offers impressive views of the Valle
del Bove above. Maps show a road from Milo that climbs northwest, up the volcano
to the Rifugio Citelli and back towards Linguaglossa, but frequent landslides often
make this route impossible. You should be able to get some of the way up though, for

more striking views of the summit and the coastline below.

Etna Adventure
Parco Sbargaglio, Via Acque del Vescovo • Daily 10am–sunset; sometimes closed weekends mid-Sept to mid-June,
call ahead to check • Courses start at €15 • 329 918 8187, etnaadventure.it

If you’ve kids in tow, you may get no further than Etna Adventure, just outside Milo
on the road to Linguaglossa. An excellent adventure park, it has challenging Tarzan-