Hiking Mt.Etna - walk 1

From "Piano dell'acqua" to the 1991/93 lava flow - Departing from the main square in Zafferana Etnea just walk up via Roma to the municipal park where you take the way up (via della montagna) following the sign "colata lavica 91-93". The road will take you straight into the scene of the eruption after one mile in the so called "piano dell'acqua" area where you might be able to try clear water from Mt.Etna.

This is the place in which the long fast lava flow started in 1991 came to a stop after threatening part of the town of Zafferana; today this area has become an attraction in the mt.etna district and this is due to the live TV coverage at the time of the eruptionwhich made Zafferana famous all around italy.

Here you find the big lava field no longer moving towards the rural houses and apple trees just a short distance away and you can also meet some of  those who after fighting the eruptions with bulldozers and explosives are now ready to take back the land from the volcano.

To get a better idea of the energy involved with the eruption you can climb up the paved track running alongside the flow going up to the viewpoint where you see the old  calanna valley completely covered by the lava river... it is a lunar landscape where an old crater was home for fruit trees and  little stone houses. Dont forget strong walking boots and a bottle of water, enjoy your trek !!!