Stromboli
Stromboli is a small island off the north coast of Sicily containing one of the 3 active volcanos in Italy. I personally traveled there on a 6 hour ferry from Naples.
This was my second attempt at hiking Stromboli to get a chance to see the Magma and eruption at close hand from above . The first time it was too foggy, so it’s important to check rather or talk to guides about best timing to go. It’s one of the most dramatic and remarkable things I have seen and I highly recommend it.
The organized hike starts around 5 or 6 pm. There are multiple companies you can use to organize this. You are equipped with a helmet, and goggles as well as a headlamp for the nighttime hike back down.
Round trip it was about 6 hours. The hike up is somewhat challenging and you are in sand but the view of the ocean and boats below as you climb is spectacular. You are also warned halfway up to be aware of flying rocks which are occasionally thrown from the volcano. Of course that brought some anxiety, but we were halfway up by then and it was well worth the chance.
By the time you are at the top, the sun has set and you are actually looking down into the volcano. As the volcano erupts you can see fiery magma spraying and shooting up. It’s out fo this world to be seeing this so close up.
At the end you trek down in the sand and many of us ran down because it was soft volcanic sand and fun to run in with no impact.
At the bottom high with excitement and hungry from the experience there are many great pizzerias open past midnight to feed you good food and beer! Such an adventure!
