Southern Etna Trekking – Monte Nero degli Zappini, Crateri Silvestri Superiori, Grotta Cassone
- Departure for the Southern Etna Trekking Excursion, heading towards Nicolosi and from there going along the road towards the tourist area of the Sapienza Refuge. We then turn to reach a large plain called Piano Vetore. From here, we go on foot along one of the first Nature Paths created by the Park. Along the path are endemic plants and old lava flows, and we continue until we reach the lava flow of 2003. This was the last big Etna eruption, remembered as the “perfect eruption”, which swallowed up the Sapienza Refuge, leaving behind an atmospheric and eloquent statement about the significance of the event.
- After the brief walk, we go upwards to the tourist area of Southern Etna – the Sapienza Refuge.
- Brief ascent to the highest crater of the Silvestri Craters “bottoniera” (line of craters). Formed by an eruption in 1892 which has left us a perfect example of Etna’s volcanic behaviour, ready for us to discover.
- Finally, our last stop on Etna is to discover another fascinating aspect of Etna – her volcanic caves. We make a short and easy visit to the Grotta Cassone, one of the best conserved of the whole volcano.
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