Etna Park: the natural area protecting a unique volcano in the world

Sicily is a land of many peculiarities: besides being the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, it is also the one that hosts the highest volcano in Europe, Etna, which with its spectacular eruptions enchants citizens and tourists from all over the world. Thus arose, in 1987, the need to establish a protected natural area, the Etna Park, to protect the territory and its peculiarities. Let's discover it together! Etna Park: a heterogeneous structure protecting the territory Etna Park is the oldest of the Sicilian parks: it was established on March 17, 1987, with the Decree of the President of the Region Rino Nicolosi, due to the necessity of protecting the local territory from mass tourism, which was bringing more and more visitors to Etna and the surrounding areas.

Etna Park Observing this volcano, the details that distinguish it are evident, including its conical shape and its height, equal to 3403 meters above sea level. Etna's volcanic activity has been evidenced since antiquity, among lava walls, volcanic landscapes, rocky layers, slopes. Undoubtedly, this volcano provides unique natural and cultural beauties, as well as an important scientific contribution. Its protection is therefore fundamental: it is a mountain relief unparalleled in the Mediterranean. The Etna Park extends over an area of about 59 thousand hectares that includes twenty different municipalities, including Nicolosi, Randazzo, and Bronte. It is divided into four zones. Zone A extends for 19 thousand hectares, and has no human settlements: the area is almost all publicly owned and boasts large pristine spaces where large birds of prey live, such as the golden eagle.

26 thousand hectares constitute Zone B, where the presence of man since ancient times can be seen: ancient farmhouses and animal shelters are located here, as well as small private land plots. Finally, Zones C and D, which together cover the remaining 14 thousand hectares, constitute a kind of "pre-park" in which there is space for tourist settlements. Etna Park, due to its volcanic nature, is also characterized by heterogeneous vegetation, which differs with changes in altitude, thanks to the lava flows that have followed one another over time, as well as different rainfall and temperatures depending on the area.

Etna Woods In the lowest altitudes, there is an abundant presence of vineyards, hazelnut groves, oaks, and chestnuts. Going up towards 2000 meters above sea level, beech and birch appear to a greater extent. Continuing towards the summit, the most widespread plant is the astragalus, up to about 2450 meters in altitude. Above this altitude, the volcanic desert begins: no living organism manages to survive the present environmental conditions. The territory of Etna Park is therefore linked to an important agricultural tradition, which is materialized, for example, in the production of wines: Etna DOC Wine was the first to be recognized in Sicily in 1968. Local specialties are also cultivated, such as the autumnal pears Ucciardone or Spinella, or even the small yellow Cola, Gelato, and Cola-Gelato apples.

Attractions of Etna Park There are countless noteworthy attractions that tourists can admire during a visit to Etna Park. The volcanic craters certainly attract the attention of visitors. They are subdivided into: Summit Craters, which include the North-East, the South-East, and the Central Crater (Voragine and Bocca Nuova); and the Silvestri Craters, formed after the eruption of 1892, along a radial fracture that led to the formation of five eruptive cones.

Summit Craters The two main craters, the Upper Crater and the Lower Crater, are called Silvestri in honor of the volcanologist Orazio Silvestri. The latter are very popular among visitors, since the road that leads from Zafferana and Nicolosi to the square of Rifugio Sapienza, one of the most frequented areas of the Park, on the south side of Etna, passes between the two. To the south of the Central Crater stands one of Etna's most imposing cones: the Montagnola. It was formed following the eruption that occurred in the summer of 1763, and is located at about 2500 meters of altitude, on the upper southern slope. Also not to be forgotten are the caves, made of solidified lava, through which it is possible to venture inside the volcano. There are over 200 lava flow caves, already known in antiquity, which man used as places of shelter, snow storage, but also as sacred and burial sites. Among the most famous caves are the Grotta dei Lamponi, dei Tre Livelli, del Gelo, delle Palombe. A very mysterious and fascinating panoramic point of the Park is the Valle del Bove. This large valley has not always existed: it was created after the collapse, which occurred about 64 thousand years ago, of a part of the volcano. The valley, when viewed from above, looks like an extended black sea: this is because it welcomes many lava flows that originate in the Summit Craters, preventing them from reaching the inhabited centers. The name of this caldera is probably due to the fact that in remote times, in place of the valley, there were meadows and woods where oxen were grazed.

Valle del Bove Therefore, don't forget to stop in Sicily and discover Etna Park firsthand! For more information, visit the official website. 

Photo credit: official Etna Park website