AERIAL VIEW photos of Monte Etna, Sicily, Italy. VEDUTA AEREA foto.

Mount Etna displaying its mysterious smoke rings in the spring of 2024. The smoke rings also called volcanic vortex rings by volcanologists are made up of water vapor with some sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide. They will last a few minutes if the wind speed is slow and not gusty so as not to disrupt their beautiful, mesmerizing halos. Their appearances are rare and sporadic. Mount Etna. Province of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

The “smoke ring factory” formed recently on the New Southeast Crater. Deep inside a cylindrical conduit near the magma chamber, a bubble forms and bursts into the surface at high speed. The gas rolls up the sides of the conduit forming the visible toroidal shape once it condenses in the cold air outside. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

Mount Etna is one of the most known volcano in the world. It is an impressive site visible for miles around as this mountain is isolated and stands only 19 kilometers from the Ionian Sea. Its “variable” altitude is around a lofty 3357 meters— it is an active volcano with a summit being constantly reshaped with eruptions. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

As of 2024 (photo) there are five active craters at the summit of Mount Etna. The Southeast Crater and the new Southeast Crater are on the left, the Northeast Crater is on the right, and behind it, barely visible, there are the Bocca Nuova Crater and the Voragine Crater. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

The North East crater is the most defined of the five distinct craters, its diameter is around 300 meters. This crater located northeast (hence its name) of the main crater, formed in 1911—the Bocca Nuova Crater and the Voragine Crater are within the main crater which is visible on the left behind the North East Crater. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

The Southeast Crater and the new Southeast Crater are where all the “show” takes place. They are the most active craters out of the five active craters. Mount Etna has been in an almost constant state of activity for millennia, not just the summit but also its flanks. Mount Etna is situated above the convergence of the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

Mount Etna is one of the most active and iconic volcano in the world. It is one of the best-studied and monitored volcanoes in the world. It’s presence has been documented for at least 2700 years. It was an unavoidable sight for sailing ships from all the great civilizations that flourished on the Mediteranean for millenia. As such, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

On the northern slopes of Mount Etna, at an altitude between 2000 and 2500 meters above sea level, the moonscape gives an idea of how intense the volcanic activity was in the past. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

Mount Etna is a prime destination not only for scientific research on volcanology but also for tourism all year round. The flank of Mount Etna is an interesting playground with a moonscape for people to explore by hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding or 4x4 guided tours. As for the summit, it may or may not be officially authorized. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

Colorful twin craters on the northern slopes of Mount Etna. Southern Italy, for anyone having an interest in volcanology, is a paradise. Not just for Etna, the most active volcano in Europe, but a short distance from this giant and visible from its summit there are the Stromboli and the Vulcano, both active volcanoes as well. And a little further away, on mainland Italy, the Vesuvius. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

Abstract of dark volcanic rock and bright snow on the northern slopes of Mount Etna in April. With an altitude of nearly 3600 meters above sea level at a latitude of 36° 45’, Mount Etna is snow-capped from November to May. There are two ski resorts on its slopes. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

The promontory of Milazzo. Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, Italy.

Capo Zafferano. Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy.

The promontories of Taormina. Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, Italy.

Mondello is an idyllic district of the City of Palermo. Originally, a fishing village in a swamp area, it was turned into an elegant district with Art Deco villas in the early 20th century after the drainage of the swamp. The beautiful seaside resort is dominated by Mount Gallo. Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy.

Cefalù is one of many must-see destinations Sicilia has to offer. The old town sits on a promontory and is against a spectacular backdrop of vertiginous cliffs. At the clifftop, there is a megalithic structure. The town is labeled “one of the most beautiful villages of Italy.” Tourists wandering the streets will be delighted with many historical monuments but the high point will definitely be the Cathedral built by a Norman King. Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy.

The Cathedral of Cefalù conspicuous above the rooftops of the medieval town was erected between 1131 and 1240 when Sicily was under Norman authority (having been conquered in 1091). The cathedral and eight other monuments on the northern Sicilian coast are known as "Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale" by UNESCO. Cefalù, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy.

Club Med of Cefalù has a long history of offering an all-inclusive formula to tourists visiting the spectacular Tyrrhenian coastline near Cefalù. When it started in the 1950s, visitors were lodged in simple huts, but now these are replaced by luxury bungalows. Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy.

The modern city of Syracuse with Mount Etna in the distance (at 80 km from the marina). The channel separates the modern town on mainland Sicily (left of channel) from Ortigia Island which is the historic town of ancient Syracuse. The town has a population of 121,000 inhabitants (2017). Province of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy.

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