As soon as the “second wave” of Covid 19 pandemic hit Italy, the national Government has decided to divide the Country into zones. Every zone indicates a risk level and has some restrictions that shall rule the human movement on the territory. Red zones are in “semi lockdown”, with very few open places and stop to moving from one town to another.

Orange zones have less restrictions. Yellow zones are those with less risk and have more freedom. Sicily belongs to the orange zone. Here, you can go free inside the area of your municipality. If you must go to another municipality you must show a justified permission. So, how can you experience Mt Etna in this situation? Will you say goodbye to the most beautiful mountain in Sicily? Not really.

The municipalities of Etna

The orange zone does not forbid the Etna experience to all. In fact, there are several lucky communities whose municipal territories also include the volcano. Towns such as Zafferana Etnea, Sant’Alfio, Piedimonte Etneo, Linguaglossa, Castiglione and Randazzo extend the territory up to the summit craters.

The same can be said for the municipalities of Bronte, Maletto, Adrano, Biancavilla, Ragalna, Belpasso and Nicolosi. Milo, Maniace, Santa Maria di Licodia and Paternò, instead, do not reach the top but include a large part of the flanks of the great volcano. The inhabitants of these municipalities, and tourists who are on vacation or passing through there, can therefore go up to the highest paths. They won’t be violating the restrictive anti Covid zone.

Though you still need a good reason to move, if you live in one of these towns you remain inside the municipality even when you reach the summit craters. So you do not have to justify. We suggest the people who live – or are staying – in these towns to go and experience Mt Etna! Go on trip for small groups, so you can walk at a distance and wearing your mask. Or use Etna as your individual sport course, when you run or ride a mountain bike.

Covid times away from Mt Etna

If you are not as lucky as the inhabitants of the Etnean towns, do not give up enjoying the beautiful volcano during these Covid times. If you have a photocamera, go look for panoramic points in your hometown. Find places where you can admire Etna.

You are not allowed to walk on its paths, nor climb up to its craters, but you can take photos! A nice idea is to match sport and Etna experience. Go running, or bike riding, every morning or every evening, if you can. You will take your photos as you stop, or as you reach the panoramic point. Mobile phones’ cameras are also good for this “sport”!

Enjoy your peaceful moments, away from bad thoughts and bad news of pandemic. Just sit where you can admire Etna and relax in front of this view. No matter where: the central square bench, an outskirt’s street, top of a hill or top of your block. Do it! Look at Etna and you will feel good.

Lava fountains in the Covid orange zone

Mt Etna, among other things, offers entertainment all the time. By now a constant Strombolian activity has been going on for almost a year from the newborn crater Della Sella (South East). It sometimes alternates the show with the North East crater. The lava fountains are sometimes small, other times powerful. Every now and then you only see a pulsating glow in the night.

In some cases, two glows are seen, when the North East also comes into play. Here, Etna allows itself to be admired even by those who cannot move away from their municipality, by those who are forced to quarantine at home due to a positivity from Covid. Living the volcano from the window, or thanks to the webcams, is also a possibility.  Looking at it in the night, with the luminous rhythm of these mini eruptions, is an equally exciting experience. Don’t get tired of repeating it, every night.