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-   -   Anyone know if you can see lava at night Mt Aetna or Stromboli now? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/anyone-know-if-you-can-see-lava-at-night-mt-aetna-or-stromboli-now-1366996/)

JES28 Jun 3rd, 2017 12:29 PM

Anyone know if you can see lava at night Mt Aetna or Stromboli now?
 
I know there were some shows earlier this year at Aetna but we're planning a visit end of July and when researching it's hard to tell if there are consistent shows or spotty. Can we expect to see it while we're there or is it hit or miss? Both Aetna & Stromboli?
What are the best vantage points?
Thanks for any insight!

Dayle Jun 3rd, 2017 04:37 PM

Etna would be what you refer to as hit or miss.

Stromboli is Eruope's most active volcano and you would be pretty much guaranteed to see lava. It spits constantly. You can hike up with a guide, wearing a hard helmet and see it at night close up for a brief time. You can take a boat excursion which usually includes a day time visit to Panarea and continues on to Stromboli for noght time viewing from the boat.

It is a long trip by boat even from Lipari. From milazzo and Messina it would be very long! Where would you be traveling from? If visiting Sicily, are you staying on any of pf the Aeolians?

JES28 Jun 4th, 2017 12:16 PM

Thanks for your response Dayle...and I'm not sure why I added the A to Etna!
We're starting our trip near Etna but if we're not guaranteed to see lava even after its recent eruption, we will plan an overnight in the islands (we were trying to decide if we would skip the islands due to time constraints). We're looking at 1 night in Lipari or Salina (or lmk if you have a better suggestion) so that we can see the lava at night...

I looked into hiking it and it appears to take 4+ hours of climbing so given our time limitations and the hot temperatures that time of year we're thinking the boat would be the way to go. It gets dark pretty late that time of year so I'm guessing(hoping) the boat goes that time of night and can get us back to our hotel. Maybe dinner would be beforehand?
Let me know if you have any suggestions on this.
Thanks so much!

Dayle Jun 4th, 2017 03:24 PM

I did a boat tour out of Lipari. It was early May so not peak tourist season, but long day light hours. It was supposed to be 2 or 3 hours on Panarea, where you could have lunch on your own. Then head on to Stromboli where we were supposed to have the late afternoon , dinner on our own, reboard the boat and watch Stromboli from the boat on the way back.

Trip left at noon and didn't get back to Marina Piccola at Lipari until midnight.

What they did not tell us was that there were not enough people who wanted the non hiking trip so they combined us with the hiking people. We ended up with only a little over an hour on Panarea. Barely enough time to grab a quick bite at what appeared to be the only bar/ trattoria open early season.

Then we ended up sitting around Stromboli for over six hours while we waited for the hikers to get back down. Of course, they were delayed by the rain storm that had blown in and decending was slow going. It was a very lon wait because the town was shut down except for Bar Ingrid at the top of town.

The only redeaming part was that Stromboli was very active that night and we got to watch it since the clouds had moved on. Great show! Very long boring day and evening.

I tell you this so you can ask the right questions to ensure you dont end up waiting for the hikers. Make sure you have the guarantee that your trip will be sightseeing only. I dont expect you will have the same problem during summer season.

JES28 Jun 5th, 2017 05:31 AM

That is great feedback, thank you- we will definitely be weary of that! Glad you were able to get the show after all of that!

panecott Jun 5th, 2017 07:19 AM

Dayle, thank you for that information. I was planning to take that Panarea/Stromboli day tour from Taormina in September, so it's good to be aware of your experience.

Last time I was there, I did a day trip to Lipari, Vulcano and a third island I can't remember, and everything went smoothly, but there were no issues such as hikers and non-hikers and storms!

I enjoyed Lipari and the third island, but Vulcano was hot and smelly and boring and I couldn't wait to leave it. Your sitting around Stromboli waiting for the hikers reminded me of that.

If things had gone as they were supposed to, do you think it's a worthwhile excursion? I know that's not easy to answer, but any thoughts you might share? I would like to see Stromboli, but it's not a burning desire.
I will be in the west for part of my trip and am planning a visit to the Egadi Islands.

bvlenci Jun 5th, 2017 11:51 AM

Aetna is a health insurance company (mine when I lived in the US), so that's probably where the "A" in Etna came from.

Dayle Jun 5th, 2017 06:04 PM

pannecott,

Yes, I know I would have really enjoyed the excursion to Panarea and Stromboli if it had been done as described (and confirmed in person to me by the owner the day before the trip).

I had also scheduled a trip to Salina and Vulcano the next day with the same company. I cancelled. I didn't want to get stuck and waste another full day of my trip doing something I wasn't enjoying.

I relaxed on my private terrace, enjoyed the incredible views, made myself a caprese salad and read a bit. Heaven! Oh yes, there was wine involved too.

JES28 Jun 5th, 2017 06:59 PM

That does sound heavenly Dayle! It's also a good reminder to relax, not run around too much and just enjoy the moment

JES28 Jun 5th, 2017 07:00 PM

Bvlenci,
Ha, you're probably right..especially since I have been working on our health care insurance!

panecott Jun 6th, 2017 06:14 AM

Dayle, you definitely made the right choice. I've booked several hotels with balconies and sea views for my upcoming trip and am looking forward to doing exactly as you did!


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