Geography Trips to Sicily

Since the eighteenth century, Catania has been the second most important city of Sicily, supplanting Messina in that respect. Subjected to Etna's fickle temperament, Catania has been damaged by lava flows and earthquakes on several occasions. A particularly destructive volcanic eruption in 1669 was followed by a serious earthquake in 1693.

Lipari is the largest island in the Aeolian archipelago known as a volcanic arc and although still active, has not erupted for 1400 years. It is known for its remarkable scenery combining green vegetation, white pumice stone and the black and red of the volcanoes.

The park contains some of the most extraordinary monuments that classical antiquity has left us and, given their degree of interest and importance, has few equals elsewhere in Italy.

Vulcano is located north-east of Sicily and south of the Island of Lipari.The island of Vulcano is made up of three volcanic units: Vulcanello (123 metres) in the north, coming from an eruption during II century B.C., it is linked with the island by a strip of land made up of lava flows. In the middle, you can find the Gran Crater or Vulcanic Cone (385 metres) which is stll active; in the south there is the Mount Aria (499 metres), inactive, it is the top summit of the island. Vulcano is a very interesting island due to its volcanic and post-volcanic phenomena. Its plateau, the widest of the Aeolian Islands, is surrounded by hills, falling towards the sea. Vulcanello is made up of three lined-up craters in direction North-East/South-West. Vulcanello is constantly monitored by the Institute of Volcanology of the University of Catania. The islands of Vulcano counts around 450 inhabitants who are involved in tourism and viticulture.