When you think of Etna, the image comes to mind is that of a majestic volcano, of lava flows and dark landscapes punctuated by forests. But the real spectacle begins when everything calms down: it is then that the volcano reveals its soul, sculpting unique landscapes that tell the story of millennia of history.
Thanks to 'Etna MultiXperience Trail, created by the guides of The Island of Wonders, today it is possible to explore these environments in an experience that combines e-Bike, trekking and speleology, to experience the volcano in its most authentic form.)
The places: the northern side of Etna
We are located on the northern side of Etna, the wildest and most primordial of the volcano, the most varied from a naturalistic point of view.
The GPS altimeter tells us that we are 765 meters above sea level, in Randazzo, the medieval village par excellence on this side.
About 9 kilometers from its historic center, made of volcanic rock, is the Case Pirao state-owned area, and it is here that the Etna MultiXperience Trail begins.
Face to face with the most important lava flows in the volcano's history
The journey begins, climbing gently but slowly; we proceed slowly, pedaling at the pace that seems to be dictated by the nature we're increasingly entering. Choosing an eBike, in this case, is an advantage because it allows us to tackle the volcano sustainably, accompanying us when the climb gets tough while still allowing us to feel every inch conquered. Effort and a sense of freedom remain the two key words underlying this authentic experience, which immediately holds incredible surprises.
The lava flow of '81
We pass a few specimens of Genista Aetnensis, we tackle the first slightly more challenging climbs, until the dirt road opens onto a black and seemingly endless lava field that rolls towards Randazzo.
We are at about 1300 meters above sea level, and what we see is the lava flow of 1981. 81 was the year of a particularly significant eruption for this Etna area, a historic eruption that spewed enough lava to concretely threaten the town of Randazzo, part of whose countryside was buried.
The black of the lava field soon fades to green, and we continue pedaling until we enter the Etna woods.
We climb further, entering the pine forest among towering trees, natural cathedrals surrounded by silence. This is perhaps the precise moment when we feel we're pedaling on something alive. Beneath our wheels, the earth vibrates. Above our heads, the branches seem to close in on us maternally, filtering the light and occasionally letting in swift rays of sunlight.
The immense lava flow of 1614-1624
Then, the landscape changes again, as we reach another highlight of the route. We've just set foot on Etna's largest lava flow, generated by the longest known eruption in the volcano's history. The immense lava field from the 1614-1624 eruption forces us to shift our perspective: we no longer see the mountain, we're inside it.
Here we learn about rope lavas, or pahoehoe lavas. These are highly fluid basaltic lavas that form when lava is slowed by friction with the ground. The upper layer cools, while the lower layer remains incandescent and continues to push, curving the surface. An impressive spectacle that we wish we never had to leave, but the journey continues.
The pine forest first and then the lava field give way to another magnificent spectacle of Etna's natural beauty. We enter Etna's largest and most ancient beech forest, which will lead us to the Santa Maria Refuge, where we'll stretch our legs before setting off again.
Speleological stop: the Raspberry Cave
We resume pedaling and reach one of the panoramic viewpoints on the northern slope, an area called Passo dei Dammusi. A black, desert-like landscape, at 1710 meters above sea level, filled with spectacular lava flows, home to some of Etna's most important volcanic caves. One of these? The Grotta dei Lamponi, created following the massive, ten-year eruption that began in 1614.
And so our eBike tour turns into a speleological experience.
We enter the lava flow cave or lava tube, formed by the flow of lava that cooled in the upper layer. It's a sort of door, about 2 meters high and a few hundred meters long, which opens to allow us to enter the volcano once again and observe its ever-changing forms up close over time.
The most spectacular part of the cave has suffered several collapses, opening a window that frames the sky. This is where the light enters, where the sun shines on the volcanic rock, which now ceases to be dark and gives us shades of green and yellow.
Single Track on the lava
Etna offers us splashes of color, but black dominates. Black here pairs with volcanic terrain, which in turn pairs with singletrack.
We've reached another exciting and evocative stage of the eBike tour, one that includes a short but intense single track that cuts across the 1981 lava flow and a stop for a short trek along the rift that created the craters, now healed wounds of the volcano.
To the right and left of the path, everything is an expanse of dark rock. We descend quickly, surrounded by immense lava fields. Crossing an oasis of Etna broom, we take the path that takes us back to the starting point, Case Pirao.
We return home after about 25 km, during which we've had our fill of beauty. We didn't see the incandescent lava, of course, but Etna is much more than that.
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