Catania - Etna 20 August 2013

Bootlegger of Mann
Frank Newton
Tue 20 Aug 2013 11:35

20082013

39:49.47N 17:48.64E

Tuesday 20th

 Catania Marina Berth

Today we journey to Etna. The journey involves a bus from the local bus station in Catania up to the foot of Mt Etna where we transfer to cable car for the next leg up the mountain. Finally we are bussed in 4x4 vehicles through the black volcanic lava terrain to a height of 3,300 metres above sea level. 










We take many pics and experience a heavy thunderstorm that shook the ground and whose static electricity even pulled J's hair up towards the sky. We have lunch in a hotel at the foot of the cable car system and return to Catania by bus at 16:30. A nice day. 

Having walked through Catania's dock area to the bus station we would concur with the comments made in the various pilot books that Catania is indeed a place where the streets and surrounding areas are covered in dirt and garbage. In fairness to the town we found its centre with some fine buildings to be in better shape and enjoyed the evening there.