Valle del Bove
Nik · CC BY-SA 2.0
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Zafferana Etnea, CT
The Valle del Bove is an enormous horseshoe-shaped amphitheatre that opens on the eastern flank of Etna, with walls hundreds of metres high and a floor of black lava flows. Seen from above it looks like a gigantic crater open to the sea.
It is a wild place, where you walk among dark rocks and silence, and where you can read the traces of the eruptions of recent centuries.
It is also one of the most loved areas among Etna hikers. On clear days the view from the rims reaches the Ionian coast and the Catania plain.
- Always accessible, except for orders and restrictions linked to Etna's activity.
- 3-6 hours
- Free entry
- June to October
- Paths on lava and unpaved ground; you need hiking shoes, water and a bit of fitness.
- Check the condition of the volcano and the orders before you set out. In fog, visibility drops a lot: better to go with a guide.