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A bright range of butterflies is to be seen, while feathered wildlife is abundant across the volcanic slopes, notably birds of prey such as golden eagles and red kites, while a host of hardy, tiny ground nesters (such as black and white tailed wheatears, stonechat, blue rock thrush and black redstart) can be seen darting across the high-altitude lava fields. The woods on the other hand are home to jays and woodpeckers. The animal front is dominated by wild cats, foxes and rabbits, whose populations have reputedly reached plague proportions since hunting has been banned in the Park. A curious phenomenon can be observed in early summer with the arrival of incredible ‘clouds’ of scarlet ladybirds that are airlifted helplessly en masse and easily spotted against the dark terrain.

The extraordinary world of Etna – an island within an island – lends itself to an enthralling series of visits punctuated by phenomena such as fumarole(hissing gas vents), immense lunar expanses thick in soft ash and lapilli, adventive cones, volcanic bombs akin to huge cannon balls of viscous lava which are spun out of craters, and unique underground tubes or lava tunnels. If conditions are favourable, the actual summit craters can be reached, lying on the level of the trademark ‘cloud’ – smoke in actual fact. However it is the striking contrast between life and death that leaves lasting impressions. Flourishing vineyards are half-buried by dark lava, roofs of erstwhile houses emerge from under a sombre solid avalanche, newly reconstructed stretches of road and rail make their tentative way across blackened wastes. Despite the persistent onslaughts, life goes on around the volcano, its lower slopes densely populated.