DK Travel : Sicily : Northeast Sicily

The northeast of Sicily can’t help but be dominated by Mount Etna, although the region also consists of three mountain ranges, a group of islands with another active volcano, and two of Sicily’s largest cities. Parts of this area have been devastated by wars, earthquakes, tidal waves and lava flows, but the land and the people that live on it come back after each ordeal, heartier and more steadfast. Perhaps that is why people here celebrate feast days of their patron saints with so much fervour. High up in the hills and peaks of the Nebrodi and Madonie mountains, it often seems like nothing has changed for eons – the same castles that safeguarded the royal passageways of the interior now stand guard over modern autostrada.

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1169, 1329 and 1381

Eruptions in these three years sent lava all the way to the sea. The first arrived at Aci Castello; the last flowed all the way to Catania, pouring into the sea at Ognina and covering the Portus Ulixis, mentioned by Virgil in the epic poem The Aeneid .
1669

The worst eruption in modern times was preceded by three days of earthquakes. On the third day, a crevice 14 km (8.5 miles) long opened from the summit to Nicolosi and disgorged quantities of ash, rocks and lava. The eruption lasted four months, destroying several towns and leaving 27,000 people homeless.
1886

Lava flows from this eruption once again threatened the village of Nicolosi, but the veil of St Agatha was carried in a procession and the lava miraculously stopped. It was not the first time that St Agatha had purportedly halted a lava flow.
1911

Two major eruptions on the north side created a 5-km (3-mile) long crevice and 170 temporary craters. This crevice opened up again in 1923.
1928

A huge eruption destroyed the town of Mascali and a significant amount of cultivated land and buildings. It is the only time during the 20th century that a village was destroyed.
1979

An explosion killed nine tourists who were on the edge of the main crater, then poured lava into the Valle del Bove and almost reached Fornazzo.
1991–93

During these eruptions lava flowed down the Valle del Bove towards Zafferana Etnea, prompting authorities to try to divert the flow with explosives and by dropping concrete blocks from helicopters. The lava stopped just 1 km (half a mile) from the village.
2001

Called the most complex eruption in 300 years, Etna disgorged ash and lava from six openings on the north and southeast sides, destroying the Etna Sud cable car station, threatening the Rifugio Sapienza and causing officials periodically to close roads and Catania airport.
396 BC

Lava flows from this eruption reached the Ionian Sea, preventing the Carthaginian Himilco from landing and thus stopping him from marching on Syracuse.
693 BC

A massive eruption destroyed the Greek settlement at Katane (ancient Catania).