Sicily - Glowing Lava on Stromboli - Read about the volcano here

The Aeolian Islands

The greatest of the experiences was actually not on Sicily itself, but on Stromboli, which is the outermost of the Aeolian Islands. The island group is located just north of Sicily and is accessible from several ports on the northern coast. We took the small speed ferry from Lipari, which sails to Stromboli twice a day. After 45 minutes of sailing, the distinctive cone shape of the volcano appears on the horizon, and shortly after, the ferry docks at the quay on Stromboli. The small village at the foot of the volcano consists solely of white houses with blue windows, evoking thoughts of the Greek islands. We stayed at a charming little family-run Bed & Breakfast, where the sweet elderly couple took great care of us. Pure idyll!

Stromboli is Europe’s most active volcano, and the purpose of going to Stromboli is to see lava. The chances are good, as there are several small eruptions every hour, around the clock. I have hiked and climbed mountains all my life, many of which have been volcanoes. Some of them have smelled strongly of rotten eggs when standing on the crater rim and looking down into a yellowish, steaming crater, but I have never seen glowing, flowing lava, let alone a volcano that spews lava high into the air. There are actually not many places in the world where this is possible. Stromboli offers that opportunity.

In smoke and steam

The crater on Stromboli can be viewed from two perspectives. Either from below, where you can look up at the crater from about 400 meters high, or from the top of the volcano at 920 meters, where you look down at the active crater. We tried both. In the morning, we hiked the approximately two-hour trek to the viewpoint at around 400 meters. The hike is relatively easy, the trail is good, and it is allowed to take this route without a guide. At the viewpoint, we could look up at the crater, which periodically, with rumblings and bangs, sent smoke plumes into the sky. The viewpoint is on the side of the slope where the lava has flowed from the crater to the sea over time. We didn’t see any flowing lava, but it was still a nice experience.

Later in the afternoon, we set off towards the top of Stromboli. The trek to the summit can only be done in a group, led by a certified guide. We left the village around 4:00 PM, equipped with good hiking boots, water, and supplies for about 5 hours on the mountain. Also packed were headlamps and helmets. The first half of the trek goes through the lush lower part of the mountain, through forest and elephant grass. At around 450 meters, the vegetation stops and the upper part of the volcano is a barren lava field. As you go above the tree line, the trail becomes steeper and you are exposed to the wind.

Pillars of glowing lava

After a few hours of hiking, darkness fell and it was time to get out the headlamps. The weather wasn’t particularly good on the day we climbed; it had been raining most of the afternoon. It cleared up a bit in the late afternoon, but a heavy cloud still hung over the summit. As we hiked up through the thick mist, our expectations of our efforts paying off began to dwindle. When we reached the shelters near the summit, it was thick fog and pitch dark. We couldn’t see a hand in front of us. But after about fifteen minutes, it suddenly cleared up, and in the moonlight, we made our way the last few meters to the crater’s edge. We sat at a safe distance from the crater and watched the reddish glow from the crater below us. It rumbled and smoke rose. Suddenly, the volcano sent a column of glowing lava shooting up into the sky. In a huge explosion, glowing lava flew several hundred meters into the air, only to fall back around the crater. The crowd cheered wildly, and I was so amazed by the impressive display that I initially forgot to photograph the eruption. It was a mind-blowing experience that surpassed my wildest expectations. Fortunately, the show repeated itself every 20 minutes or so, and the next two eruptions were just as impressive. After about an hour at the summit, we left the crater’s edge and headed back down to the village. Most of the descent was through loose volcanic gravel, and after nearly two hours, we were back in front of the church. An incredible experience richer!