Sicily, Mt. Etna during Fall
In the past October, the one of Autumn 2024, I returned to Sicily once again. On this occasion, I stayed in the eastern part of the island, where the entire landscape, no matter how far you go, is dominated by Mount Etna. At over 3,300 meters, it is the highest and most active volcano in Europe. Also known as Mongibello, its name comes from the fusion of “monte” (mountain) and “gebel,” the Arabic word for mountain. It’s no coincidence that the locals simply call it “a’ muntagna” (the mountain).
I’ve always been fascinated by this giant, visible even from central Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. It becomes even more prominent when, as often happens, it is erupting. I had some free time, and my plan was to take the cable car up near the summit and then climb to the very top. To cut it short, I spent two consecutive days there, which felt, as you’ll see in the photos that follow, like visiting during two completely different and distant seasons.
On the first day, the weather didn’t cooperate. It was cold and damp, with a dense and swirling fog that accompanied me along the winding road up to Rifugio Sapienza. In reality, it was more clouds than fog, playing hide-and-seek at that altitude, revealing and concealing stretches of road and terrain, as if nature itself wanted to play with the few daring adventurers who had made it that far.
The second day presented a completely different scenario, at least in the early morning. The sun was warm, and the sky was clear, perfect for taking photos. But gradually, clouds began clinging to the mountain’s slopes, climbing the cone up to the summit.
The photos that follow are a brief summary of those two days spent wandering the slopes of the “muntagna.”
