Fifty geography students from San Andrea School went on a trip to Mount Etna in Sicily last month to study volcanoes in action.

A Sicilian tour guide showed them around, pointing out the major historical sites and historical facts.

Almond and olive trees, together with artichokes, could be seen along the landscape, all of which are used to make traditional Sicilian products such as olive oil and almond biscuits.

The children learnt that Mount Etna is known as the ‘good volcano’ in Italian, as very few people have died during its eruptions: only 77 over the last 1,000 years. Its most recent eruption began in 2001 and is still ongoing.

The volcano got its name from the Greek word ‘attuna’, meaning furnace or chimney.

The first eruption happened 50,000 years ago, although the first documented one dates back to 1,500 years. The highest point on Mount Etna is 3,330 metres above ground, making it the highest and most active volcano in Europe.

A quarter of the Sicilian population reside on the volcano’s slopes, where people enjoy its fertile soils and economic stimulation due to tourism. Mount Etna is part of the Campanian Volcanic Arc and is the result of the subduction of the African plate under the Eurasian plate.

The volcano is important for the central Mediterranean as it acts as a pressure valve and prevents strong earthquakes.

The students could see lava from volcanic eruptions, which had solidified to form igneous rock close to the roads, with trees growing around due to the fertile soil.

They also stopped at Pozzallo for a taste of traditional cuisine and products.

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