Volcanos and vineyards

Mount Etna is the largest active volcano in Italy, sputtering black smoke out of its crater these past couple of days. At 11,000 feet, its slopes are used as a ski resort in the winter. We braved some cold windy weather today as our bus climbed the windy road up the southern slope and stopped halfway at Silvestri crater.

The bar/souvenir shop was packed with tourists buying cappuccini and trying to get warm. But there weren’t too many interested in the vast selection of tchotchkes made of lava stone of volcanic “fire water”.

We climbed onto the edge of the closest crater, unwilling to make the steep (and potentially dangerous) climb to adjacent craters. The view was stark yet impressive.

After about an hour, the bus departed Etna, winding down the northeastern slope eventually reaching the verdant lower slopes, with acres of vineyards coming into view. We reached the Benanti winery, a family-run enterprise ( they gave up their pharmaceutical business) with a gorgeous property and about 65 acres of vines spread over several slopes of lower Etna. They are small volume producers of the crisp and mineral- rich Etna Rosso and Etna Bianco wines. We were treated to a tasting of a sparkling white and two reds accompanied by a “light lunch” of prosciutto, pecorino cheese, coppa salami, olives, caponata, a warm potato “cake” and eggplant parmigiana.

After lunch, we departed for Taormina, the town up on the cliff above the site of the first Greek colony of Naxos. The Hotel Continental has a perfect location at the top of stairs facing the Piazza Duomo near the Porto Catania gate. The crowds were not bad, as it was early evening and mist of the day trippers were gone. After a very brief orientation tour, we were set free for the evening. We strolled the Corso Umberto, window shopping and people watching.