Jebel Utlamet - the Mountain of Fire as it was known in Arabic, is the largest active volcano in Europe. Muncibeddu, as it is known in the local dialect, is located on the eastern portion of the island of Sicily.
There are cable cars and guides that will take you to the top so you can look at the craters (though naturally if the volcano is being particularly active, this service is suspended).
There are four craters on top, and their eruptions are spectacular but rarely harmful. What you have to watch out for is the lava flows from fissures in the mountain's flanks. Still, despite the danger (or perhaps because of it?) there is something compelling about it; something that draws you to want to get one step closer to participate in the majesty.
"We do not what we ought; What we ought not, we do. And lean upon the thought that Chance will bring us through." Thus said Empedocles in approximately 430 BC before throwing himself into the crater atop Etna to prove that the gasses it emitted were sufficient to support his body weight. "Chance was unkind." (Think Sicily website)
There are cable cars and guides that will take you to the top so you can look at the craters (though naturally if the volcano is being particularly active, this service is suspended).
There are four craters on top, and their eruptions are spectacular but rarely harmful. What you have to watch out for is the lava flows from fissures in the mountain's flanks. Still, despite the danger (or perhaps because of it?) there is something compelling about it; something that draws you to want to get one step closer to participate in the majesty.
"We do not what we ought; What we ought not, we do. And lean upon the thought that Chance will bring us through." Thus said Empedocles in approximately 430 BC before throwing himself into the crater atop Etna to prove that the gasses it emitted were sufficient to support his body weight. "Chance was unkind." (Think Sicily website)
I LOVE the last paragraph. Chance indeed is OFTEN unkind. Of course, when we insist on doing what we ought not, what do we expect? I am thinking that I would probably be good with NOT going closer and closer to the volcano - but I don't know... maybe once I got there I would be Empedocles. Do they sell chocolate there? I have found it is solid courage (among other things! - like delicious.)
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