The volcanic personality of Mount Etna

Always a high-profile protagonist in the life of the island, the Etna volcano dominates Sicily's landscape between the cities of Messina and Catania and leaves first-timer viewers lost for words. Her dress changes with the seasons and thus this mountain dosses white during the winter, when covered with snow, and darker shades for summer, when her lava-formed body burns black and brown under the Sicilian sun. With year-long regularity, however, her smoking plume is evident, symbol of the incessant motion of Europe's highest and most active volcano.

Over 3,000 metres in height, Etna's dominance has given birth to numerous past legends. Homer, in the famous narrative of Odysseus, refers to the volcano as the workshop of the race of giant Cyclops.

With the succession of various rulers, the island volcano was named in different ways. Aitho was a Greek name to indicate that which burns, while Mongibello is an appellative of Arabic origin. But the nickname which has survived amongst all is simply that of "la montagna", "the mountain", which Etna locals use when referring to the volcano, a symbol of both power and destruction in their eyes.

In effect, especially in recent centuries, Etna has released its irrepressible force via long, ten-yearly, lava flows. Consequently this creative Italian volcano has moulded, excavated, destroyed and again reshaped its surrounding landscape as if an artist exacting and perfecting her work. Places like the Valle del Bove, the Grotta dei Ladroni and thousands of other lava sculptures represent irresistible attractions for holiday-makers in search of the secrets of this giant of eastern Sicily.