Mount Etna volcano and tours, Sicily travel
Mount Etna volcano trips, tours and information
Mount Etna is Sicily’s most famous attraction and it has been wowing visitors since the ancient Greeks first set foot on the island. Home to the one-eyed giant, Cyclops, and rising 3,350 metres above sea level, Mount Etna is easily Europe’s highest volcano. Much of the volcano is made up of solidified lava and in the past a few of the lava eruptions have reached the sea. Today, Mount Etna offers excellent skiing during the winter and amazing mountain hikes, trips and tours during the summer.
Mount Etna is made up of more than one peak and within the mountain there are some interesting caverns. Mount Etna is considered to be an active volcano although, in relative terms, its lava is cool in comparison to other volcanoes. Oak and pine trees cover much of the mountain’s lower slopes and in the autumn the colours are 
spectacular and contrast brilliantly with the solidified lava.
Typical wildlife on Mount Etna includes frogs and toads, lizards and snakes, and even turtles living in the streams and ponds hidden in Mount Etna’s forests. Furry animals include foxes, weasels, squirrels, and hares; and amongst the prickly animals there are hedgehogs and porcupines. Gliding majestically above the panoply of trees are falcons, owls and even golden eagles. Other birds that make an appearance are ducks and herons and various migratory species.
One of the most spectacular sights for visitors to Mount Etna is the Alcantara Gorge which is a stunning rock formation created from the mountain’s volcanic past. The rocks are comprised of basalt and lie a little way from the main highway. It should be remembered by people visiting Mount Etna that the mountain air is always cool even in the height of summer.
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Other Travel ideas: Messina is a handy location with its port access and within driving distance of Catania Sicily airport. You can learn more about Messina real estate here online.
