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One of Europe's most spectacular sites dominates eastern Sicily: the snow-capped cone of Mt. Etna, the continent's largest and most active volcano. In ancient mythology, this was thought to be the place where Hephaestus and the Cyclops made the thunderbolts for Zeus. But although it can occasionally be destructive, it is not generally regarded as being particularly dangerous, and thousands of people live on its slopes and in the surrounding areas. The fertile volcanic soil, which gives life to world-class vineyards, extensive orchards and chestnut forests that in turn foster copious wild mushrooms, spreads across the lower slopes of the mountain. You will see all these, plus countless aristocratic estates and authentic villages, if you drive around the mountain, or go with a guide to the very edge of the molten lava. To our minds, this is one of Italy's most fascinating day trips!