Lava Flow Visit & Jewelry Workshop

See the now-hardened wall of lava from a volcanic eruption that almost engulfed the town of Zafferana in 1992, and then watch goldsmiths create one-of-a-kind jewelry nearby. After departing from the pier, you will have a short panoramic tour. Then settle in for a relaxing drive that follows the coast until turning inland in the shadow of Mount Etna, Italy’s largest active volcano. Its first recorded eruption was in 425 B.C. and the volcano still erupts regularly, although slightly and usually poses little threat. That all changed in 1992, when a huge lava flow endangered the town of Zafferana until being diverted into a makeshift trench that was created with explosives. You will see just how close the molten rock came by visiting its stopping point not even a half-mile from Zafferana. What remains is a hardened wall of lava, where you will pause for photos. You will then visit a jewelry workshop in the fashionable town of Giarre. The setting in an exquisitely decorated mansion will be as inspiring as the jewelry produced in the workshop. After being greeted by your gracious hosts and treated to some tasty Sicilian specialties and refreshments, you’ll have the opportunity to watch the expert goldsmiths create unique jewelry, sometimes incorporating lava from Mount Etna into the pieces. Afterwards, you will follow a picturesque route back to the pier.