Rustico/casale

Mount Etna is the dominant feature here, with the south side of the volcano immediately above the town and the Parco dell’Etna within the area. The nearest ski area is Etna Sud at Rifugio Sapienza, about 20 minutes uphill by road in normal conditions. Paternò is the nearest larger town, with everyday services and a substantial historic centre; Catania is the main city for higher-order services and the airport. This part of Etna is known for lava landscapes, pine and broom vegetation at higher elevations, and vineyards, pistachios and other cultivation on the lower volcanic slopes.