Etna is not so much a mountain as a living presence that dominates eastern Sicily. Europe's highest active volcano rises over 3,300 metres above Catania, its height changing as eruptions add and remove material, and it smokes, rumbles and occasionally spits fire with a regularity that the locals regard with a mix of reverence and resignation.
The eastern slopes are fertile and green, with vineyards, orchards and chestnut woods thriving on the volcanic soils. In Sant'Alfio grows the Castagno dei Cento Cavalli, an ancient chestnut tree said to be the oldest in Europe, whose name comes from a legend about a queen sheltering beneath it with a hundred knights during a storm. Zafferana is known for honey and its annual festival of Etna produce, and it has had close calls with lava; in 1992 a flow was diverted to save the town. Etna's wines, especially the Nerello Mascalese reds, have become prized in recent years.
The roads up the mountain are some of the best in Sicily, with long sequences of bends winding through forests and across stark black lava fields. From Zafferana and Milo, roads climb to the south side and the Rifugio Sapienza at around 1,900 metres, where cable cars and jeeps head higher. On the north side, the Mareneve road links Linguaglossa, Milo and Piano Provenzana. Surfaces vary, and volcanic ash can make the roads slippery after eruptions. In winter snow covers the upper slopes, and in summer the cooler air is a relief from the coastal heat. Mornings are clearest before cloud builds around the summit.
Zafferana Etnea has fuel, cafés and restaurants, and is a good base on this side of the mountain. Higher up, the Rifugio Sapienza has restaurants and souvenir stands. Check the volcano's status before you go, as eruptions can close roads and restrict access to the summit areas. Bring warm clothing, since even in summer temperatures drop sharply with altitude, and enjoy granita and brioche back down in the villages.